Who would have thought that laughter can help ease ailments? Research has shown that laughter/humor is very beneficial for a well functioning body. The Chiropractic lifestyle stresses the importance of having laughter and a positive emotional outlook in your life. At Durden Chiropractic Clinic we acknowledge this important fact. We work on removing the vertebral subluxations caused by three major stressors: physical, chemical and emotional; this is done by using the Atlas Orthogonal Technique.

The rest of this article will focus on how to better control the emotional stress by promoting laughter in your life. What does humor really do for your body?

Humor helps boost the immune system by increasing the production and release of natural killer (NK) cells. Low NK cell activity is linked to decreased disease resistance. (Altern Ther Health Med 2003; 9:38-45). Laughter also reduces inflammation within the body. (Fam Pract News 2001; 31:19). Inflammation is responsible for a lot of disease processes and causes pain. Research also shows that “laughing for 15 minutes increases the dilation of blood vessels, which reduces the risk of conditions such as migraines, high blood pressure and arthrosclerosis.” (GP 2005; NA: 13).

Laughter promotes health by keeping our minds off our aches, pains and illness. Humor helps us make sense of, understand and cope with reality. Humor is “nature’s biofeedback stress-control system. (Nurs Adm Q 1993; 18:80-9). A good laugh will release endorphins which are the body’s feel good hormones (similar to exercising) and suppress the stress hormones cortisone and adrenaline. The importance of humor is well documented in patients with terminal illnesses, such as cancer, and how they respond to treatment.

Get Chiropractic care to remove subluxations and embrace laughter as part of a healthy lifestyle to help prevent further dis-ease in your body. A good sense of humor may prevent health problems from occurring in the first place. Research shows that people will laugh more when in groups or when they are spending time with family and friends. To further expand on this there will be a free workshop on wellness at Durden Chiropractic Clinic on Apr. 9 and 26 that will focus on Laughter. Please call 770-631-7600 to R.S.V.P.

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