Balm of Gilead

Happier is Healthier: “A Cheerful heart is good medicine”

by Dr Raymond Yuen Chuen Fong
Email: hosanna@starhub.net.sg

Every year pharmaceutical firms have invested millions of dollars on research to look for new drugs to treat diseases. With the SARS attacked early this year, the whole medical care system seems to be helpless in treating the SARS patients and there is still a long way to find cure for the sickness. SARS patients were given supportive care and anti-viral treatment (effectiveness on treating SARS still controversial) in the hospital, some of the patients were actually died of the side effects of drugs and complications of the sickness. The war against SARS reveals that the best way to maintain healthy is to have a good personal hygiene and a strong body immune system.

There is an ancient formula of treating illness which was written more than three thousands years ago and it is still found to be effective. This was written in the book of Proverbs (the book of wisdom in the Bible) chapter 17 verse 22,“ A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” It is estimated a child of four years old laughs about five hundred times a day while an adult laugh less than fifteen times a day. It seems when we grow older, the unhappier we will be. We have to learn to laugh, to be happy and to regain a cheerful heart.

In 1964, a medical scientist Norman Cousins published “ Anatomy of an Illness” which he illustrated that humor biologically reversed his ankylosing spondylitis, a painful disease causing the disintegration of the spinal connective tissue. Given a one in five hundred chance of recovery, Norman Cousins decided to treat himself with humor therapy. He found that 15 minutes of laughter could produce two hours of pain free sleep. Blood samples also showed that his inflammation level was lowered after the humor treatments. Following the example of Norman Cousins, many health care facilities as well as corporations have established humor programming as an aid to patients.

Health Benefits of Laughter Therapy

1.   Sense of Well Being

The one benefit everybody gets is a sense of well being. After 15 minutes of laughter in the morning, you will feel fresh throughout the day. There is no medicine like laughter, which gives you instant results. It is free, safe; everybody can do it with no adverse side effects.

2.   Depression, Anxiety and Psychosomatic Disorder

It is known depression, anxiety and psychosomatic disorders cause more than 75 % of modern illnesses. Mind related diseases like anxiety, depression, nervous breakdowns and sleeplessness are on the rise. Laughter has benefited many people who were on heavy tranquilizers and sleeping pills. Now they are getting better sleep and their depression has reduced. People with suicidal tendencies have started living with more hope. It is one of the best and effective anti-stress, anti-depressive treatments.

3.   High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease

There are many causes of high blood pressures and most common cause still unknown. It is related to overweight, smoking, heredity, high cholesterol, stress and tension etc. Laughter helps to control blood pressure by reducing the release of stress related hormones and bringing relaxation. It has been proved that there is a drop of 10-20mm Hg pressure after a 10 minutes laughter session.

Similarly, if you are at a high risk of developing heart disease, laughter may be the best preventive medicine. Those who are suffering from heart disease and have stabilized on medication will find that laughter therapy improves the blood circulation.

4.   Strengthen the Immune System

It is known all the negative emotions like anxiety, depression or anger weaken our body defense system thereby increasing the chances of getting infections. On the contrary laughter improves the body immune system by increasing the natural killer lymphocytes (a type of white cells) and also raises the antibody levels. It is found more antibodies in the mucous of the nose and respiratory passages after a session of laughter treatment. A person who has a cheerful heart tends to look healthier and in fact the frequency of getting common colds, sore throats and upper respiratory chest infections are much less.

5.   Natural Painkiller

Laugher can stimulate the body to produce an hormone, endorphins, which are natural painkillers. It help to reduce the intensity of pain in those suffering from arthritis, headaches and even cancer pain.

6.   Improve interpersonal relationship and build up self-confidence

Laughter brings people together and improves interpersonal relationship. Sharing joyful moment helps people to open up and to break the human barrier. Once they know each other well, they will share more emotional aspects of life including griefs and sorrows.  When you are laughing in a group of people, it removes your inhibitions and over a period of time you become a more sociable, unreserved and outgoing person.

Someone may say how can I be happy in desperate conditions, in pain and in sufferings? It is important to know the way we perceive things will directly affect our emotions hence our physical health. If we look at things negatively and focus on the negative aspect, the outcome most likely turns out to be negative. We may not be able to change others to make us happy but we can change ourselves to make others happy. In life and death situation, we have to find hope in eternity otherwise death will means hopelessness and destruction. As a Christian myself, I believe there is a purpose in life.  Christians can still be joyful even in trials and tribulations because we know that the testing of faith develops perseverance. Perseverance will make us mature and complete. For we know all things work together for a good purpose.  If we can find hope even when we face death (for Christ has victory over death), there should not be anything we should worry or trouble too much which will take our joy away.