We all know that laughing makes us feel good, but research has never shown exactly how this happens or how laughter fights pain, which it definitely can. An interesting investigation from England has demonstrated that the physical act of laughing - the actual muscle contractions involved - lead to the release of "feel good" endorphins, the same brain chemicals responsible for the runner's "high." Endorphins are also known to influence our perception of pain. Researchers at Oxford University studied reactions to pain both before and after bouts of laughter. Participants agreed to the use of a freezing sleeve slipped over their forearms, a blood pressure cuff that kept tightening and an uncomfortable ski exercise while they watched comedy videos, as well as some videos that weren't funny at all. The results of five sets of studies were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences and confirmed that laughter activates the release of endorphins. The results also indicated that pain thresholds were significantly higher in participants after laughter than in members of control groups who watched factual videos instead of funny ones.
My take? The findings from this study are important. The results help us better understand something we've long observed and that earlier studies have shown: laughter can influence health by relieving pain, lowering stress and even helping protect against heart disease. When you're stressed, nothing works better to counter it than a first-class belly laugh. I recommend seeking out laughter whenever you're stressed or feeling down. Call your funniest friend, rent a video comedy or you can try Laughter Yoga (seriously, there are more than 6,000 clubs in 60 countries). Bottom line: lighten up and laugh! It's good for you.
Inspirations for Mind, Body and Spirit
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Foods That May Protect Against Stroke
Pop quiz: What do apples, pears, cucumbers and cauliflower have in common? Answer: The edible parts of all of them are white. And these fruits and vegetables have now been identified as foods that may dramatically lower the risk of stroke. This news comes from a decade long Dutch study that involved more than 20,000 adults age 20 to 65, none of whom had cardiovascular disease when they enrolled. Over the 10 years, 233 of the study participants suffered strokes. Researchers have since compared the diets the participants reported eating to see which fruits and vegetables, if any, were associated with a lower risk of stroke. Based on information contained in the questionnaires all participants filled out, those who ate the most "white" fruits and vegetables were 52 percent less likely to have had strokes than those who didn't eat as much of these foods. The amount that seemed to make a difference was 171 grams, the equivalent of one medium to large apple daily. The most commonly eaten white foods were apples, pears and applesauce. The study was published online September 15 in Stroke.
Meal Planning Stressing You Out?
Whether you are cooking for one, two or ten, preparing healthy meals can be a challenge. Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging makes meal planning simple and enjoyable, with hundreds of healthful recipes. From appetizers to desserts and everything in between, see what our online cookbook has in store for you - start your free trial today and save 30% when you join!
Bad News for Night Owls
A new study from England suggests that early birds are slimmer, healthier and happier than people who stay up - and get up - later. Researchers at Britain's Roehampton University questioned 1,068 men and women about their eating and sleeping habits as well as how they rated their levels of happiness, anxiety and their physical health and weight. Other findings of the online survey showed that, on average, the early birds were out of bed a few minutes before seven a.m. on weekdays while the night owls typically arose a few minutes before nine. Both groups reported spending an extra hour in bed on the weekends. But the lead researcher didn't have much to offer on why early birds do better: he suggested that perhaps getting morning chores out of the way and getting kids out of bed allowed the early risers to cope better with the hectic pace of modern life. The study results were presented at a conference of the British Psychological Society.
Educate Yourself
Physicians and pharmacists are careful to warn us about drug-drug interactions, but far fewer people understand that herbs can also interact with drugs in counterproductive ways. Dr. Weil's Vitamin Advisor takes known drug-herb interactions into account when processing recommendations. This helps to safeguard against adverse effects, while allowing users to take advantage of the benefits of the recommended supplements. Learn more - visit today.
Recipe: Orange-Jicama Salad
This colorful salad uses jicama, a crunchy and sweet root vegetable common to Latin countries. The pairing with oranges and cilantro gives it a distinctive Mexican flair. It would be a wonderful salad to serve with Vegetarian Chili or your favorite Mexican meal.
Try this recipe today: Orange-Jicama Salad
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What's New
Find a list of Dr. Weil's speaking engagements on the Events page.
Weil on Wellness with Andrew Weil, M.D.
Miraval Resort and Spa, Tucson Ariz., Oct. 30th - Nov 2nd, 2011
Stress, and how we deal with stress, has a direct effect on our nutrition and diet. When under stress, there is a greater potential to make unhealthy eating decisions that may include such responses as emotional eating, mindless munching and crash diets. Dr. Weil's ground-breaking new program, Weil on Wellness at Miraval Resort and Spa, dedicates over thirty years of experience to uncovering the negative responses that occur when dealing with stress and how to make significant changes to these coping mechanisms for overall health and wellness. Book now by calling 800.232.3969
Celebrate Your Life Conference
Phoenix, Ariz. Nov. 4-7, 2011
Dr. Weil is a keynote speaker at the annual Celebrate Your Life conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Celebrate Your Life is an extraordinary event that features powerful life-changing seminars with bestselling authors such as Wayne Dyer, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor and many more. It’s an event that will inspire you to live a more fulfilling, joyful life. People travel from all over the world to attend. For more information, visit: www.celebrateyourlife.org
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