Tag Archive for: health

Can’t you laugh right now?

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Can’t laugh right now? For any number of reasons, laughter may not be an option for you right now.

I’m chatting on Messenger with a friend who had a big scare yesterday. She was rushed to hospital and underwent heart surgery. Young, fit, active, eating well… and yet she had a massive heart attack.

A friend with whom I was discussing the matter said he was surprised because, according to him, it’s “more men who are affected by heart disease”! Sadly, no. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Quebec, “a third more women than men die of stroke in this country. Women with heart failure are more affected than men.”

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

I’ve already told you about the research Dr. Michael Miller has undertaken at the University of Maryland, where he is a professor and researcher in the School of Medicine. I told you about it in a video I made when I returned from the American Laughter Yoga Conference in 2018. Watch the video here Laughing is EXCELLENT for our heart health. If only because laughing will “zap” the harmful effects of stress, I’m convinced of the positive effects of laughter on our cardiac system.

So I suggested that my friend imagine that she was laughing out loud. To feel the energy of laughter in her body at rest after her surgery. By closing her eyes, by “pretending” she was laughing out loud. But above all, to pay close attention to how she feels as she imagines herself laughing. To feel intensely. Because she’ll reap the benefits of this physical visualization.

I have a little theory about that, you see.

Several years ago, when I was immobilized with a shoulder injury that made my every move hurt like hell, I found myself unable to laugh out loud. IN CA PA BLE! For a pro in daily practice, this is not an easy thing to live with.

That’s when a colleague suggested I imagine I was laughing. And I tried it.

To my amazement and delight, I found that I relaxed, felt lighter and smiled more. Just imagining and feeling it very strongly in my body.

When I’m laughing out loud, I know how it feels. And I feel great!

So the power of our mind allows us to FEEL the well-being of our body, which is laughing. Hello endorphins and goodbye tension!

I’m extending an invitation to you. Try it! You don’t have to wait until you can’t laugh to try it. Just do it. Just to see if… And let me know how it goes. Because I’m curious to know if you’ve dared to do it!

But I know it works miracles. HAHAHA!

And I’m convinced of that.

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

How’s confinement working out for you?

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Hello! How’s confinement working out for you?

I was talking to a fellow speaker this morning and he said that everything was going well for him, his wife and their children. However, he’s very worried about his mom, who’s in an old people’s home. She’s almost deaf, so it’s impossible to call her on the phone. For almost a month now, he’s heard nothing from her. It must be terribly difficult.

At least, even if they’re far away, I can talk to and see my parents thanks to Messenger and Skype. I know they’re together, healthy and safe in their home.

The situation we now find ourselves in is so far from any scenario we could have imagined! Reality meets fiction!

I was watching Andrea Bocelli’s live broadcast on YouTube from the Duomo in Milan on Easter Sunday. The cathedral was empty. The cathedral square was deserted. I well remember the crowds that used to gather there when I was there a few years ago! And today… nobody walks there! The images from Paris, London and New York of empty thoroughfares… it was chilling! When you consider that all these places are frequented by thousands of people at all hours of the day and night, it was a nightmarish vision we were shown. But at the same time, it’s a good sign. It means that people are staying at home to avoid the spread of the virus. That people are taking the instructions seriously and thinking of each other.

Still…

More than 30 days of confinement… that’s tough!

I avoid going out for anything other than fresh air and essential food shopping.

I’m busy with several projects.

First, I collaborated with my colleague Corinne Cosseron in France to set up an intentional laughter “circuit” offering 3 blocks of time to laugh for 10 minutes each time.

Then I created Urgence Rire to allow people in our Canadian time zones to benefit from 10 minutes of intentional laughter several times a day. I have to admit, it took me a long time! Technology is miraculous right now when we can talk to our families and see them through all this. But when things get stuck and we don’t understand why, we can spend many hours… which is what I did! After a few attempts, things got back on track and we now offer over 30 “windows of laughter” a week in Quebec. Not to mention all the possibilities with French schools! It’s all wonderfully beneficial and liberating. I’d like to thank the animators and teachers who donate their time!

And this morning, I put the finishing touches to a “Containment 2020” idea kit. In a few minutes, I’ll be sending it out to my newsletter subscribers. My intention is to offer ideas for doing something creative, constructive and rewarding during confinement. Stuck at home, maybe. But you don’t have to stay in your pyjamas all day, watching time go by!

I continue to make my cuckoo clocks live on Facebook every day. I call it Operation Hope and Good Humor! Would you like to see it but aren’t on Facebook? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered, because we’re putting the whole thing on the Laughter Yoga School YouTube channel! hahaha! In the Coronavirus playlist. And if you subscribe, you’ll never miss one!

Not an easy task…

A rollercoaster of emotions some days. From laughter to tears. Anger and frustration sometimes creep in.

LOVE… radiate love. Feel love. Sending love. Flood the world with love. To love and forgive ourselves. Love yourself. Like in James Taylor’s wonderful song “Shower the people” ( chills guaranteed).

What about you? How’s confinement working out for you? Write to me and tell me about it, your favorite recipe, your favorite activity… Talk to us!

I wish us an abundance of love and health

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

 

We laugh to ward off fear… and viruses!

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Note: you’ll find all the links behind the orange words!

The whole world is shaking right now, and it’s time to LAUGH TO STAY CENTERED! We laugh to chase away the fear and the virus!

Since March 12, I’ve been doing on my personal Facebook page every day to encourage us to do things that keep our energy higher. That help us look up instead of down. Do things and make CHOICES! And of course, we laugh together!

Once completed each day, I place these videos on the the Laughter Yoga School YouTube channel (because, of course, not everyone is on FB!) where you can watch them and get inspired.

To prevent the spread of the virus, all places where laughter yoga sessions were held were closed. However, opportunities to laugh together online flourished here and there!

Many fellow Laughter Yoga facilitators, teachers and masters around the world have offered to host shorter Laughter Yoga sessions or, more simply, intentional laughter sessions on the internet. (ZOOM will have seen its shares bounce back over the past week, as many groups meet virtually to exchange ideas and have a laugh. Our direct contacts may be limited, but our virtual communications are proliferating – much to our delight! Thanks for our sanity 😉

Reinforcements

Here are some links where you can see/hear yourself laughing – because laughing releases tension, lets go of fear and anxiety, and keeps you as calm and collected as possible. We take the means! And we CHOOSE JOY! – because the other alternatives aren’t valid right now! HAHAHA!

10 minutes

First, the link to the 10-minute mini-sessions on ZOOM.

How it works: You choose your time and click on the presenter’s photo. You’ll be directed to the meeting space on ZOOM. We laugh together for about 9 minutes and breathe calmly at the end. No talking. Just laughter.

It can be a little unsettling the first time, but give yourself the gift of doing it cheerfully and see how much better you feel afterwards. Do it as often as you like! And there are laughers from all over the world who’ll be with you.

Do you want to be with me?

I’m there Monday, Wednesday Wednesday and Thursday. If you’re in Europe, the times shown on the chart are yours. If you’re in North America, you’ll need to look at the world clock to make the calculation. France switches to daylight saving time on March 28, at which point there will be a 6-hour time difference between Quebec and France (6 hours LESS here)!

30 minutes

And also the link to the laughter yoga session I offer on Wednesday evenings at 7pm – 30 minutes of laughter yoga, breathing and relaxation exercises. Before going to bed with a smile on your face.

So there’s no excuse not to take the smiling steps to boost your immune system and chase away the blues and stress!

Humans are not made to be alone.

And in these times of upheaval, it’s reassuring to know that we can “see” each other, despite our enforced isolation!

Come and join us! It’ll do me as much good as it’ll do you! (Guess why I’m doing it…)

Take care of yourself. Wash your hands for 20 seconds while laughing. Think of others! Love yourself!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

 

Let our emotions run wild!

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Let our emotions flow… there’s nothing more HEALTHY!

At a certain point in my life, I believed – wrongly, you’re right – that I should never be angry. That it’s wrong to be angry.

Well, no! It’s far from bad. In fact, it’s good. What isn’t is the way it’s sometimes expressed. When it ends up in violent gestures. People then express their angry emotions in the wrong way.

I found an illustrated series on the web a few days ago and these innocent little drawings really spoke to me. I felt moved as I unrolled the screen. It’s so true! You can’t repress a desire to drink. So why should we repress a feeling?

When we wrote our book The Yoga of Laughter, Corinne Cosseron and I were determined to include a section on emotions. Laughing is good (very, very good indeed!), but just because we laugh doesn’t mean we should ignore our emotions! They speak to us, telling us that something isn’t right. And we have to let them speak.

When I give talks to certain groups of people who work in a profession where we have to remain neutral – I’m thinking here of police officers, for example – I tell them that it’s very important to reserve a space for ourselves where our emotions can continue to tell us things. These people can’t really let themselves be overwhelmed by them because of the neutral role they play in society, but it’s important not to continually ignore them. They won’t disappear, but they will be repressed… and what pushes its way out, ends up coming out in ways that aren’t always acceptable or healthy.

People sometimes think I laugh all the time. Because that’s what I teach, I should laugh all the time? Pffffff… make me laugh! I feel my share of emotions, just like any normal, well-balanced human being. I experience anger, sadness and joy. The whole gamut! I’m not always attentive to what my emotions are telling me. I’m learning too!

But when I feel anger building up, I take the time to ask myself what’s going on and why I’m feeling this emotion. If I’m in the car and stressed by traffic or road conditions, I welcome that anger and thank it… When I feel sad, I listen to what that little voice is telling me… and I take the time to “rock myself”, to comfort myself, to say words of love to myself.

I’m not trying to cheer myself up at all costs! No. If that’s what’s coming up, then I listen. And, by not ignoring what’s going on inside me, I somehow make peace with life… and then I can move on with more serenity.

There’s nothing to do! We’re all human. Creatures with human experiences. Not always pleasant. Not always fair. Simply human!

Do these illustrations speak to you too? Let me know what you think.

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

n.b. These lovely illustrations are by Fanny, Wellness Artist.

Why is it so destabilizing?

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Laughing at nothing… Why is it so destabilizing for us serious, stressed-out adults?

I was listening to a report on Radio-Canada’s Medium Large program this morning, and the host, Catherine Perrin, was talking to a columnist about laughter. In fact, about the false beliefs associated with laughter.

Naturally, my curiosity was piqued!

For example, they said the following:

  1. A good laugh is the equivalent of a session at the gym. Laughing burns a few calories, but not many. Not enough to make it worthwhile.
  2. Just because we laugh doesn’t mean it’s funny. Now we know!
  3. The monkeys laugh too. Of course you can! Many species can laugh. We just don’t know how to decode!
  4. It’s laugh-out-loud funny. That. I’d say we can die from not laughing enough!
  5. “Pre-recorded laughter” is effective. Our brains are equipped with laughter detectors—just like yawn detectors—so we feel the urge to laugh when we hear laughter… even if it’s “pre-recorded.”

However, laughter is an important social component and improves our communication.

A few years ago, I had asked that same host to mention the World Laughter Day celebrations taking place that year in Montreal’s Old Port. Her team seemed a little perplexed by the concept of laughter yoga.

And the more I listened to them this morning, the more I wondered how it is that the concept of intentional laughter is so destabilizing for adults?

If the columnist had said that laughter makes you lose weight, I can only imagine the number of people who would have rushed to sign up for classes!

But while laughing doesn’t make you lose weight (at least not enough to be worth mentioning), laughing is tremendously good for your health! On every level! Physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually (yes, I dare say it!).

Laughter is a PHYSICAL process. Humor is a MENTAL process. In laughter yoga, we know this very well! We practice intentional laughter to, in a way, develop our sense of humor. The more we laugh—even intentionally—the more we find things funny. It’s like a workout!

Curiously, many adults have difficulty with this concept – intentional laughter means laughing “at nothing” – and yet they all understand the benefits of the stationary bike or the treadmill… and yet we’re going nowhere! But we keep going! HAHAHA!

Conclusion? What if we ALLOW ourselves to try? What could be worse than finding ourselves laughing out loud and saying, “This is crazy, but it works!

And IT FEELS GOOD!

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

P.S. Give it a try and let me know what you think! I’ve included a short audio clip to help you out.

JOYFIT, laughter, cancer, lymph and joy!

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My friend Sue Carter Ansari has developed a wonderful concept for a program tailored to breast cancer survivors. Combining intentional laughter, movement, breathing, nutrition and relaxation, JOYFITtm is gaining in popularity. And with good reason! It’s not only effective in chasing away the stress and gloom that often set in permanently, it also encourages healthy lifestyle habits. In fact, JOYFITtm could be used by anyone, but it was originally developed for women with this type of condition.

Did you know that the simple act of laughing has a wonderful effect on the lymphatic system?

It’s really a question of increasing lymphatic flow, which then produces more lymphocytes to kill cancer cells. The lymphatic system is a meshed network of very fine vessels, separate from the blood vessels, but interwoven with the venous system. This network lies beneath the skin and above the muscles, and carries “cleaned” lymphatic fluid back to the vascular system on either side of the neck.

Unlike the cardiac system, where the heart acts as a pump, circulating blood to all parts of the body in a continuous circuit, the lymphatic system is a simple system – without a pump. Lymphatic fluid moves by inertia (very slowly, about 3 beats / minute) in a semicircular fashion. It’s a highly effective efficient cleansing process that forms the backbone of the immune system, as it collects waste from the whole body and cleanses this fluid before returning it to the bloodstream in the neck. Lymph nodes are groups of“cleaning stations” scattered along the lymphatic pathways, mainly in the armpits, neck, chest, abdomen and groin. Lymph nodes specialize in the production of white blood cells (lymphocytes) to clean fluid,antibodies to defend against future predators, and macrophages to eliminate all kinds of unwanted waste.

Although it has no pump to ensure fluid movement, the lymphatic system can be activated manually. The only way to increase flow is to breathe deeply (can you see why laughter can help here?) and move your muscles, which also increases lymph flow since lymph vessels rest on muscles. Lymph can’t move on its own – we have to help it move faster – so more lymphocytes can be produced because more lymph can pass through the lymph nodes where lymphocytes are produced. These lymphocytes attack and kill cancer cells! So we need to move, laugh and breathe.

What could be better than laughter to engage the diaphragm – which then engages the parasympathetic nervous system sending the signal to ALL the body’s systems to relax, producing “feel-good” hormones (endorphins) which in turn send the signal to stress hormones to calm down. And once this signal is received, blood pressure drops, heart rate slows and a general feeling of “happiness in the moment” replaces anxiety and stress – the perfect “domino effect”!

I’ve been working with cancer patients for many years now, and the JOYFIT program using laughter yoga has an extremely positive effect on their health as well as their state of mind. Give it a try! Laughter really is a GREAT medicine with no unwanted side effects! JoyfitProject

Laughter, joy and health

Linda

 

Tag Archive for: health