Laugh Your Way to Health and Happiness

Stop me if you've heard this one.

Bubba was bragging to his boss one day, "You know, I know everyone there is to know. Just name someone, anyone, and I know them."

Tired of his boasting, his boss called his bluff, "OK, Bubba how about Tom Cruise?"

"Sure, yes, Tom and I are old friends, and I can prove it." So Bubba and his boss fly out to Hollywood and knock on Tom Cruise's door, and sure enough, Tom Cruise, shouts, "Bubba! Great to see you! You and your friend come right in and join me for lunch!"

Although impressed, Bubba's boss is still skeptical. After they leave Cruise's house, he tells Bubba that he thinks Bubba's knowing Cruise was just lucky.

"No, no, just name anyone else," Bubba says.

"President Clinton," his boss quickly retorts.

"Yes," Bubba says, "I know him, let's fly out to Washington."

And off they go. At the White House, Clinton spots Bubba on the tour and motions him and his boss over, saying, "Bubba, what a surprise, I was just on my way to a meeting, but you and your friend come on in and let's have a cup of coffee first and catch up." Well, the boss is very shaken by now, but still not totally convinced.

After they leave the White house grounds, he expresses his doubts to Bubba, who again implores him to name anyone else.

"The Pope," his boss replies. "Sure!" says Bubba.

"My folks are from Poland, and I've known the Pope a long time."

So off they fly to Rome. Bubba and his boss are assembled with the masses in Vatican Square when Bubba says, "This will never work. I can't catch the Pope's eye among all these people. Tell you what, I know all the guards so let me just go upstairs and I'll come out on the balcony with the Pope." and he disappears into the crowd headed toward the Vatican. Sure enough, half an hour later Bubba emerges with the Pope on the balcony. But by the time Bubba returns, he finds that his boss has had a heart attack and is surrounded by paramedics.

Working his way to his boss' side, Bubba asks him, "What happened?" His boss looks up and says, "I was doing fine until you and the Pope came out on the balcony and the man next to me said, "Who's that on the balcony with Bubba?"

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Everyone loves a good joke, it makes us laugh and laughing feels good. Laughter has been long touted as the best medicine for mind, body, and soul, but do many of us know why, exactly, that is?

While you're listening to a joke, your brain is hard at work. Processing what you're hearing activates the learning centres in your grey matter, and as it works to understand the punchline, it's getting its exercise. In other words, jokes are brainteasers and good for your mental health.

Assuming the jokes you're hearing are better than the one I've included in this hub, you'll be laughing once you've heard it. Next time you do, ask for an encore. If one workout is good for your brain, it's only smart to give it another, and as often as possible.

Laughing makes you healthy, happy and brainy!

Next time you're grumpy, laugh. You may not feel like it, but find a way to do it. Maybe start with a smile, work your way up to a chuckle and keep going until the tears are rolling down your face and your belly hurts from it.

Every time you laugh, a chemical reaction takes place in your body that provides instant mood elevation. Your brain releases a lovely natural opiate called dopamine, and you are going to feel pretty darn good when it kicks in.

Laughing is a quick, easy, and free cure. What have you got to lose except a bad mood? Try it next time you're in a grump, the method comes with a money-back guarantee!

Pain and stress can be reduced with some good bouts of guffaws. When you're stressed or in pain, your muscles become tensed and your immune system is compromised. Laughing helps to relax your muscles and give your immunity a boost. Seriously, try it.

Know the best, fastest way to deflect anger and/or aggression? If you said, "laugh", you're right! The relaxed mood and increased dopamine levels will help to ward off the effects of a tense situation. It is adviseable to remove yourself from the source of the 'bad vibes' first. If you can get the perpetrator laughing with you before things escalate, you may well prevent the unpleasantness from happening at all. It's really hard to feel angry with someone you've just shared a funny with.

Laughter helps strengthen bonds between you and others. Jovial people are mellow and healthy and emotionally open.

Women love a funny guy, or at least one that can make them laugh. It's one of the most desirable traits that women look for in a potential mate.

She who laughs first also has the last laugh

We women must take responsibility for our role in hooking up with Mr. Happy. It only makes sense for us to laugh in order to attract those types of men in the first place. That way, both parties are having a lot of fun and feeling pretty relaxed about things. What better way to start a relationship?

Here are a few notes on how to use this miracle drug called laughter:

• Take daily doses to combat negativity and bad moods
• Keep entertainment light in the pre-bedtime hours. No heavy stuff, go to bed relaxed, not stressed
• Use humour to change unpleasant situations into tolerable ones

I considered putting one of those silly disclaimers here. You know, like the ones you see on television, 'Laughter may not be for everyone, side affects may include blissfulness, peace of mind, and increased sex drive' , that kind of thing. I decided against it, it's been overdone.

Giggle every day, as often as you can, and you will laugh your way to health and happiness.