Daily Perricone

Chronic high levels of stress are no laughing matter – but laughter is an excellent antidote to stress. We have all heard the old saying “Laughter is the best medicine.” As is often the case, these time-honored aphorisms hold more than a kernel of truth. There is very strong evidence that laughter can actually improve health and help fight disease.

In 1989, researchers at Loma Linda University School of Medicine did a study demonstrating that laughter reduces epinephrine, cortisol, dopamine and growth hormone, four of the neuroendocrine hormones associated with stress response. They also discovered that laughter played a significant role in strengthening the immune system, lowering blood pressure, acting as a muscle relaxant, triggering the release of endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers), and producing a general sense of well-being.

Have you had “good laugh” today?