Thursday, March 19, 2015

Laughter Yoga

Laughter Yoga Class MD Anderson

“How important is laughter in your life?”  That question started my laughter yoga class yesterday with a group of cancer survivors and caregivers.  Research shows stress weakens our immune systems, can cause body resistance to treatments, and disturbs the healing process.  Laughter is a positive sensation that balances the chemical and hormones of the body.  It triggers the release of endorphins; the brains own painkiller and promotes an overall sense of well-being.  Laughter yoga is group exercise for the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and our spirits.  It’s a mix of clapping, chants, laughter and child playfulness.  The good news is that your body can’t differentiate between real and fake laughter, so the mantra in laughter yoga class is “fake it till you make it”.  

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