As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. It has been shown to be one of the most powerful ways to ward off disease and illness known to man. Research has shown that the health benefits of laughter range from stress relief to treatment for cancer.

Most of us probably dont think about how often we laugh, but rest assured our body is keeping count. Children seem to understand that laughter is the best medicine, as they laugh on average up to 400 times a day, while adults only an average of 17 times per day.

Is it any wonder that our children seem to enjoy life more than we do? Remember, laughing is contagious and we could learn a thing or two from our kids about health.

The benefits of laughter are far reaching. There is no better natural health and mind-body-spirit connection than what laughing can provide you.

The following is the evidence that laughter is the best medicine:

It brings joy to your life and to those around you. It makes your cheeks red and your face glow, making you more approachable and even more loveable.

It alleviates pain in the body and provides you with a sense of well being by releasing endorphins and serotonin, which have been proven to help reduce pain and can even enhance treatments of many illnesses and diseases.

It reduces the negative stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine, helping you to feel more relaxed

It affects our social relationships. It allows us to connect with others more readily and to share a common bond with them.

It helps supply your body with oxygen, helping your feel full of energy and life.

Your body treats laughter just like exercise, as it makes the blood vessels work more efficiently, increases blood flow to the heart, and helps to increase lung capacity.

A good belly laugh can boost your immune systems ability to ward off disease for up to three days. Imagine the benefit of laughing multiple times daily!

It's the best alternative medicine for depression available....and it's free!

It's a great distraction from the stresses and rigors of life. Any time you can change your focus from the negative emotions of your day, even for just a few moments, the better off you are.

It enhances your ability to have a good nights sleep. The bottom line is that laughing is one of the best natural health remedies. So, if your stress levels are mounting, if you are feeling unhealthy, if you are feeling rundown and depressed, or you just want some reliefLAUGH! The more you laugh, the better you feel, and the better those around you will feel.

I guess a laugh a day does keep the doctor away!

Alden Pennington is co-author of NaturalHealthLifestyles.com and has been a natural health enthusiast for many years. Alden graduated from the University of Kentucky and is currently a Human Resources Director with a keen focus on the company wide health and wellness program. http://www.NaturalHealthLifestyles.com

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