Laughing - The Best Free Medicine in the World

Laughter is the Best Medicine :

While laughter is infectious and positively contagious, it is by far one of the best antidotes around. A good daily laugh is better than an apple for keeping the doctor away. Billions are spent every year on medicine, and a good proportion of these are actually placebos. So, why do we throw away millions on these drugs, when there is a free, easy to access cure?

The problem seems to be that many of us take life far too seriously, and are too busy to simply have a darn good laugh. Laughing is good for you, and I firmly insist that after reading this article, that you find something that makes you really laugh and enjoy it for at least ten minutes. Your life depends on it.

The Science of Laughter :

It has been scientifically proven time and time again that laughter triggers a number of healthy physical changes in our bodies. Regular doses of humour and laughter will strengthen your immune system, boost your energy levels and diminish aches and pains. Frequent tickling of your humour bone is well known for protecting you from the damaging effects of stress too. Think about it, what would you prefer in your life; a spot of humour or a tumour?

Awakening Your Endorphins :

All those endorphins lurking away in your body roar into action when you apply liberal amounts of laughter. They race around your body like a F1 car relaxing all your muscles, giving a massive boost to your immune system and increasing the blood flow greatly. In other words, laughing is a drug that your body really needs administered in large daily doses. Best of all, laughter is freely available everywhere without prescription.

Getting a Laughter Fix :

Okay, I am sold on getting some of this laughter, but where do I get a fix, and is it legal? You can enjoy the benefits of laughter in the comfort of your own home, and without the fear of the laughter police knocking on your door, and arresting you for possession and supplying funny material.

In fact, give your eyes a couple of minutes rest from this feature, and go click on the Youtube link just below for the ‘Laughing Policeman’ song - I defy you not to laugh at this song! Go on be a real devil, and play it twice… The ‘Laughing Policeman’ is a music hall song by Charles Jolly, the pseudonym of Charles Penrose, and if it didn’t make you laugh or even smile just a little, then you have got a serious problem.

The Funny Stuff :

The funny stuff is available everywhere, and is best enjoyed in the company of others. But, you can go solo, and still enjoy a good dose of humour on your own too. There is nothing to feel guilty about, everybody does it, even though they might not admit it. It will not make you go blind, cause acne or causes hair to grow on your palms. You don’t need to wait until you are sixteen before you can legally start to laugh either. However, if you do feel even a bit guilty, then pop in to see your local priest, and confess all your sins of watching funny films - it will make his day!

Film, Book, or Television :

It really doesn’t matter where you get your fix, just make sure you get it - daily. Everybody has different tastes in humour. What makes me laugh, might not be quite as funny to you. However, old black & white Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin films, Tom & Gerry, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck and other timeless cartoons appear to get everybody rolling with laughter. Even your granny will laugh at these, but please try not to laugh if her teeth drop out into her teacup, when she starts to chuckle uncontrollably .

Avoid All Serious Stuff Where Possible :

Avoid all serious stuff on the television like the plague, such as the news or soap operas as they suck the humour right out of you. The worst of all is political programmes, serious and very depressing, but with the aid of a funny hat stuck to the top of your television screen, they can be turned into something quite amusing.

Minimum Daily Dosage :

Your minimum daily dosage is to watch something funny, read something funny, and have at least one funny conversation with friends and family everyday. You cannot overdose, and you cannot die laughing (but, I think I have been very close on many occasions watching comedian Billy Connolly). This laughing must be a proper laugh, where the tears of joy start rolling down your face. At this point, you will know that your endorphins are in full turbo charged mode, and flying around your body.

No Cure :

Sorry folks, there is no cure for laughing, but the alternative is a long unhappy face, and probable stress and medical issues too. You could go cold turkey, and try to stay off the humour for a while, but you soon slip back into your old habits, and be right back to where you were. It’s a life time addiction.

Humour Failure:

It’s hard to believe in this day and age, with comedy literally available 24/7 if you wish, that there are people out there that have suffered a major humour failure. You probably know someone or have family members that suffer from this. It’s not terminal, and is fully curable given time. They have a mental blockage somewhere, that needs to be removed, which is causing all the stress, and blocking the humour from doing its job properly. Everybody has a belly button, but they also have a funny button too. Your job is to locate that button and press, and press until roars of laughter and tears of joy appear. Only then will you know that they have started on the road to recovery.

Last Laugh :

There is no laws against laughing, it doesn’t cost anything, and its really healthy for your body. So what are you waiting for? Stop being so darn serious all the time. The world is not going to stop turning just because you spent an hour or so watching something funny, or spent the evening with mates having a really good laugh. Do everybody a favour and start laughing now.

Dos & Don’t 

Do laugh daily

Do watch funny cartoons and movies regularly 

Do something funny to make you laugh

Do spend time laughing with friends and family 

Don’t have a humour failure

Don’t feel guilty

Don’t stop laughing

Don’t watch the news or political stuff

© David Lloyd-Jones 2010

I had a laugh writing this, and if it made you smile or laugh too, then please let me know….