Hey McKinley!

Some say “Laughter is the best medicine” and from my own experiences I believe this to be true.  It’s no secret that laughter can take stress out of a stressful situation, or at the very least lighten the load of a stressful situation.  It all comes down to a choice.  We can choose to stay stressed while we work through whatever situation we’re going through OR we can choose to have a positive attitude and lighten the load with laughter.

I want to share this short article with you from webmd.com about the affects of laughter on the body.  If you don’t have the time to read the whole article, take 30 sec to read what researchers have found when they studied the effects of laughter on the body:

For the full article click the link below:
http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/give-your-body-boost-with-laughter?page=1

~  Blood flow. Researchers at the University of Maryland studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas. After the screening, the blood vessels of the group who watched the comedy behaved normally — expanding and contracting easily. But the blood vessels in people who watched the drama tended to tense up, restricting blood flow.

~ Immune response. Increased stress is associated with decreased immune system response, says Provine. Some studies have shown that the ability to use humor may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the levels of immune cells, as well.

~ Blood sugar levels. One study of 19 people with diabetes looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. After eating, the group attended a tedious lecture. On the next day, the group ate the same meal and then watched a comedy. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture.

~ Relaxation and sleep. The focus on the benefits of laughter really began with Norman Cousin’s memoir, Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins, who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a painful spine condition, found that a diet of comedies, like Marx Brothers films and episodes of Candid Camera, helped him feel better. He said that ten minutes of laughter allowed him two hours of pain-free sleep.

Laughter is very infectious.  In fact, have you noticed how difficult it is not to smile when you walk into a building and you’re greeted with a big, BEAUTIFUL, beaming smile?  Do you realize that something as simple as a smile can not only make you feel better but also brighten up the day of the person you smiled at even if it’s a perfect stranger.  I am pleased to say that every time I visit a property I am welcomed with a smile :).  It is very important to the McKinley family that our residents feel welcomed and happy.  One sure-fire way of making this happen is with your smiles!  I understand there are days when you don’t feel like smiling, so I want to share this video with you that I’ve used in the past when I need some comic relief (I apologize in advance if this does not appeal to your sense of humor, but like I said before…laughter is very infectious)  Enjoy 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4abiHdQpc

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith