Humor the Lighter Path to Resilience and Health

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">           </SPAN>We</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">’</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes">ve all heard the phrase, </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">“</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes">Laughter is the best medicine.</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">”</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes"> <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Readers Digest</I> has been telling us this for years, but until recently there was no real evidence to back up the claim.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>This book discusses the exciting findings scientists have obtained over the past 25 years for how your sense of humor supports good physical and mental health.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>A separate chapter discusses humor and the brain.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes">The first studies of humor and health demonstrated humor</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">’</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes">s ability to strengthen the immune system, reduce pain and reduce levels of stress hormones circulating in the body.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>These general health-promoting benefits led researchers to study the impact of humor and laughter on specific diseases.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>This exciting new work has now shown health benefits of humor in connection with coronary heart disease, asthma, COPD, arthritis, certain allergies and diabetes.</SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes">The two cerebral hemispheres of the brain are shown to play different roles in our understanding and enjoyment of humor.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Also, specific dopamine-based pleasure centers in the brain have now been identified which account for the good feeling that results from humor and a good belly laugh.</SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes">The key to understanding humor</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">’</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes">s contribution to health and wellness is its ability to both build more positive emotion into your life and reduce feelings of anger, anxiety and depression.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Humor helps provide the emotional resilience needed to meet the challenges presented by steadily increasing stress in our personal and work lives.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>It is a powerful tool for coping with any form of life stress, and a means of sustaining a positive, optimistic attitude toward life.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>And it</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">’</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes">s never too late to improve your sense of humor.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>The companion to this book, <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Humor as Survival Training for a Stressed-Out World</I> (also published by AuthorHouse), presents a hands-on program for learning to use humor to cope.</SPAN></P> <P> </P>