Laughter

Live It Up eNews!                                                                                          May 2009

1. Laughter the best medicine

2. Recipe: Silverbeet & Chicken Puff Pastries

Dear Reader

Life seems to get faster; is that because as we age we want it to slow down, or is it because we are so busy we feel like we are moving at breakneck speed?

We don’t seem to slow down and take time for ourself. It is so important to slow down because that brings us back into balance and you can then realise that taking care of yourself, means you take care of the most important person in your own life. If you don’t take time out for yourself, what message does it send to everyone else about your self-esteem?

I was sent this quote by a friend yesterday, and I think it is true:

Don’t make someone else your priority, if you are only an option to him or her.

You need to value yourself and make yourself a priority in your own life. You will feel and be a much better person for it. And if you laugh at yourself, with others, at life, you will feel much better for it. Laughter really does help our mind, and our body.

Until next month, Live Life 2 The Max! Narelle

1. Laughter, the best medicine!

© Narelle Stratford 2009

Crying and tears

Did you know that when you cry, your eyes release different chemicals from each eye, according to whether you cry with sadness, relief, or laughter.

One eye may be crying with sadness, while the other eye is crying with anger or hurt.

Our human body is so astonishing, it is amazing to think that we can have different tears coming from our eyes.

Laughter and brain wave patterns

And how about laughter!! This is where it gets very interesting. When you laugh, your brain lights up when you recognise the potential for something funny and within 4 seconds a negative brain wave pattern is sent through your brain.

Laughter triggers the release of chemicals called ‘endorphins’. Endorphins are the happy hormones and their job is to induce pleasure and therefore they may also reduce pain.

Endorphins for good health

The good news is, the more you laugh deeply and with great gusto, the more you will protect yourself from illness because your immune system responds to all those happy hormones and gets a great big boost! At the same time, stress is reduced because certain stress hormones are shut off along with the fight-or-flight compounds that swing into action in our bodies because we have experienced stress, anger or hostility.

Stress Hormones

Stress hormones on the other hand, suppress the immune system, increase the number of blood platelets which can cause obstructions in arteries and raise blood pressure.

When we’re laughing, natural killer cells increase, and these killer cells destroy tumors and viruses. Plus there’s an increase in a few other goodies as well: Gamma-interferon (a disease-fighting protein), T-cells, which are a major part of the immune response, and B-cells, which make disease-destroying antibodies.

There have been a number of studies done with laughter for helping cancer patients and a fascinating book was written by Norman Vincent Peale.

http://www.cancercenter.com/complementary-alternative-medicine/laughter-therapy.cfm

Ever laughed until you coughed or hiccuped? It does wonders for dislodging mucous, doesn’t it? And did you know that laughter also helps defend your throat and respiratory tract? Because laughter increases the concentration of salivary immunoglobulin A.

So, let’s do this altogether now! 1, deep breath, 2, laugh out loud with your belly and get louder and longer and feel fantastic for it!

Ref:  Marshall Brain

Master’s Wisdom!

“Oh, go on and laugh, I know you want to.”

2. Recipe: Silverbeet & Chicken Puff Pastries

Gently heat shredded silverbeet to just wilt and soften the leaves, then mix with roughly chopped cooked chicken, an egg, sweet corn, tomato pasta sauce – don’t use too much or pastry goes soggy! 2 grated garlic cloves and grated cheese.

Use sheets of puff pastry and cut into squares that fold to either triangles or big sausage rolls and place filling on one half of pastry.  fold together, then bake on greased tray or non-stick baking paper in a preheated over at 240 to 250 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown, puffed and crunchy.

Serve with salad, or roasted vegie stack! Yum!