Maybe you’ve heard that old saw, “Laughter is the best medicine?” It’s not that I don’t trust the wisdom of grandmothers and reader’s digest. Let’s just say I’m healthily agnostic about what canards I choose to believe in.
So I decided to investigate this claim in my typical pseudo scientific method for you gentle readers. Herewith are my findings:
The first question we must ask ourselves is what malady is laughter the best medicine for?
I mean, I guess if I had a gangrenous foot that needed lopping off I might get by with a good Saturday Night Live skit or The Onion. But I daresay a good anesthetic might be a tad more efficacious. Then again, the most common anesthetic, is nitrous oxide after all.
So then let’s assume laughter is the best medicine because it remedies the most common illness afflicting the human species. I would have guessed that to be turf toe but according to the internet that would be hypertension.
Previous scientific studies have proven that laughter:
- reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort.
- reduces blood sugar levels.
- improves job performance.
- synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned.
- will eventually bring about world peace
And now comes hard new evidence from American College of Cardiology member Michael Miller, M.D., of the University of Maryland that laughter helps your blood vessels function better.
It acts on the inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium (I’m not making this word up, I promise), causing vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow. In other words, laughter is good for your heart and brain.
Now I know what some of you are thinking. How can laughter compete with the likes of drugs such as Prozac, OxyContin, weed or ecstasy for ‘best medicine’ honors? I guess it boils down to cost performance.
Laughter comes ostensibly for free, whereas both legal and illicit drugs cost a pretty penny. Just try selling laughs on a street corner for a morning and then drugs in the afternoon and you’ll soon understand my point if you’re not gunned down in a senseless act first (and I do mean in the morning).
So in conclusion I guess Laughter IS the best medicine after all. So next time you’re feeling blue, take two (laughs) and call me in the morning.
What do you believe is the best medicine?
11 Responses
Imagine what would happen to the world if everyone was laughing at the same time…
Speaking of nitrous oxide…I was having some dental work done once where the dentist had to put some sort of balloon type thing in my mouth to protect my throat…he got it all in there and kept cranking up the nitrous and was finally ready to disect when some very old woman came walking through the office and said..”I’m going home to burn leaves and roast weanies”…I started laughing so hard the balloon flew out and the dentist jumped back and shook his head. He turned down the nitrous and came back later.
I agree…we need more laughter.
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
hahahaha roast weanies…
I love to laugh and do it as often as I can. : )
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
i do too. Are we in a tragedy or a comedy? Or both?
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
i don’t roast enough weenies, i’ve decided.
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
but…you gotta burn the leaves before you can roast the weanies. ( ;
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
The best medicine is ice cream. It cures EVERYTHING!
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
i guess it depends on the flavor
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
so dear jd….yes
laughter is the best
medicine…perhaps
the reason i love the
man that i do love…he
makes me laugh a lot
ibuprofen is the best…
my grandfather…had
his leg cut off from gangrene
(sp?) infection……i guess he
could have sued the medical
people~he was called and he
said…now i do not want to
give any problems to the nice
young man..his doctor….he always
knew how to smile……he had sever
rumatory arthritus..and could still
laugh…even on his death bed…
and my grandmother lula…also on
her deathbed…her last week would
tease my mom…i need you…but just
so you know i’m not dying at this moment
got to be there the last week…of grandma’s
life was so sweet….looking at lots of old
photo’s and new ones…and scratching her
back as hard as i could…just be being with
her…..
well…there i go rambling on stuff to bore you
jd……
cheers & ooo la la
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Hi JD,
Laughter is the best medicine and the way the economy is right now i ‘m trying to laugh more instead of crying can’t afford the water proof mascara..lol joking but crying makes me feel better too!!!
We need more laughter in the world DAMNIT!!!!!
xo
Posted on February 18th, 2009 at 9:34 am
i agree, i miss waterproof mascara too!
and we do need more laughter!
Posted on February 18th, 2009 at 11:11 am
“Yes, laughter is the best medicine if the disease is …life?”
Thus spake Zarathrusta.
Posted on January 19th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
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