Laughter: Truly The best medicine!

Sam’s intuition told him he had a short lifespan. And he consulted a medical practitioner. As the doctor scribbled on his prescription sheet, he expected several doses of vitamins, irons and minerals. He wouldn’t have minded if an injection or two was thrown in. Alas! The doctor scribbled ‘L.O.L’’ on the prescription sheet.

He had never heard of any drug named ‘L.O.L’. Puzzled, he asked the doctor what it meant. “Oh, pardon me for not writing it out in full” the doctor said, apologetically. He then retrieved the sheet, scribbled more words and handed it back to Sam. It read ‘Laugh Out Loud’. Sam reeled out a very long and hard bout of laughter – the sometimes annoying type. The doctor appeared infected and joined in the fray.

In a lowering crescendo, Sam’s laughter faded; so did the doctor’s. “So you were not joking”, Sam retorted as it dawned on him that the doctor’s prescription was not meant to bemuse him. “I thought you’d give me stress-relieving and pain-killing tablets. “Nope” the doctor said. “You just need to laugh more. You need several doses of laughter actually. By the way, how do you feel now? Laughter is cheaper than any drug o. It’s so cheap that it is free.”

Sam told the doctor he felt no difference. As the closed door to the doctor’s office closed behind him, he made up his mind to visit a more ‘serious’ medical practitioner and pondered over the ‘expensive joke’ this doctor just made out of his obviously serious situation. He soon let out a smile when he realised he did feel good after laughing so hard a few minutes ago. He began to see sense in the Doctor’s ‘L.O.L’ prescription. “Maybe I’ll just try laughing for a few weeks and see if it works out……..going to another doctor will be my plan B” Sam mustered.   
         

Do you want to live long? Want to enjoy sound health? Here a piece of advice that may shock you: All you need to do is laugh! Yes! Go ahead! Unleash that Laughter! See the lady in the picture above? Go ahead and go crazy with laughter just like she’s doing.

So why is it so important that we laugh? The reason is simple: laughter is one of the best ways of staying healthy!  I’m sure you’ve heard of the expression: Laughter is the best medicine. If you think it was coined just to make you feel positive during hard times, then think again. Laughter does have medicinal qualities!!

Research has shown that the health benefits of laughter are numerous. For one, it helps to increase the brain levels of serotonin (an important fluid found in the human brain) and endorphins (natural painkiller) that can help relax the mind.  Laughter also helps relieve general pain as well as increase the body’s immunity.

And if you still doubt the medical effects of laughter, the benefits are stated below

·         Laughter helps to lower blood pressure.

• ·         It improves the flow of oxygen to the heart and also regulates blood flow.
• ·         It reduces certain stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
• ·         It improves alertness, creativity and memory.
• ·         Laughter reduces pain and increases job performance.

If laughter is so beneficial to us, how come we seem to be doing little of it? According to experts, healthy children may laugh as much as 400 times per day while adults tend to laugh only 15 times. 

So are you laughing enough? Go ahead, laugh to jokes. Go and see a funny movie. Always see the funny side of life. Do something that will make you laugh.  And if that doesn’t work...laugh anyway. You really don’t need a reason. Just remember that you are doing a health a big favour.

http://www.thirdage.com/mental-health/researchers-support-benefits-of-laughter(http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/blogs/ann-titone/laughter-good-health). http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-health-benefits-of-laughter.htmlhttp://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/nov/10/researchers-support-benefits-of-laughter/?print=1

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How to eat your way to a healthy hair

Let’s create a scenario…  

You are watching an ad for a hair product. An attractive lady beams with smiles as she sways her long beautiful curls from side to side. As she does that, an enchanting voice introduces a hair product. As is the norm, the voice reels out the supposed wonderful abilities of the product. Then the pretty lady comes into focus again, still swaying her hair from side to side but this time, with the product in her hands. Then the advert ends with her saying: ‘Now you know my secret!’ Nice, isn’t it?

The human quest for long, shiny and lustrous hair is almost as old as ‘hair’ itself. Indeed many of us do not mind drilling holes into our pockets just to get the latest ‘miracle hair boosters’. No wonder the Hair cosmetics sector thrives so much! But is there really a cost effective way of achieving a healthy yet attractive looking hair? If you are one of those asking the question then the answer is yes.

This article is going to be focusing on how to maintain that bouncy, healthy hair without breaking the bank. Get ready to be shocked. It will probably come as a surprise to you how healthy dietary habits can affect the hair. Yes! Before the serums, conditioners and shampoos come into play, eating right actually guarantees lustrous hair. Just like every other part of your body, the cells and processes that support strong, vibrant hair depends on a balanced diet. However, it can take longer to notice the changes in the human hair brought about by eating certain kinds of food when compared with how our dietary habit affects the other human parts, say the skin. For example, eating a poor diet in a week can yield acne flare-ups or dry, dull or pale skin. But when it comes to the hair, it can take a few months for the effects of nutritional deficiency to show up. Knowing all of these, what are the required nutrients for the much desired long and lustrous hair?

§        Proteins

A quick chemistry lesson: Do you know that hair is made of about 97% protein? Yes, your hair is pretty much pure protein. Though you might be able to build some muscular biceps by eating less than enough protein, a bald head is certain if the protein content in your body isn't’ high. And even if you do hang onto your hair, eating too little protein can turn it gray.  It is true that all basic nutrients contribute to keeping us whole and healthy, but protein provides the building blocks that allow our bodies repair, replace, or grow bones, skin, muscles, and hair.  Large deposits of protein are found in meat, fish, chicken, eggs, bean, soy foods, and even some grains and vegetables- though in smaller quantities.

§         Fatty foods

Sure you’re thinking isn't fat supposed to be unhealthy?  Yes, there are the unhealthy types of fat such as saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, and hydrogenated fats amongst others which should be avoided. However, there is also the healthy type of fat including Omega-3 fatty acids which are found in sea foods, plant oils. Omega-3 fatty acids help to process the vitamins and minerals in your diets that are necessary for healthy hair production. So pick up a pen right now and add sardines, salmons, walnuts, shrimps into market list as they are foods that are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids.

§        Iron and zinc.

Have you ever noticed that your blood tastes like iron? Well, that’s if you've ever tasted it. This is because Iron is the nutrient responsible for delivering oxygen to your cells, from the blood in your toes all the way up to your hair follicles.  Iron is especially important, and too little iron (anaemia) is a major cause of hair loss, particularly in women. Lean animal meats are great ways to get iron, but if you're vegetarian, consider eating beans, lentils, and soy products.

Zinc, on the other hand, assists in the repair of body tissues. It ensures that the oil glands around your follicles are working properly in order to produce enough oil. In other words, problems such as dry scalp, dandruff and eventually, hair loss can be avoided with zinc. For your daily supply of zinc, eat oysters, low-fat beef, wheat, dark chocolate and cocoa powder.

·        Vitamin C

Vitamin C deficiency is one of the most common causes of hair loss, breakage and lack of lustre (shine). Our bodies use vitamin C to build collagen which is crucial in developing hair growth. Vitamin C also assists in breaking down iron, another building block of hair growth. The body cannot make vitamin C on its own, therefore, it’s crucial that you eat and drink foods that have high concentration of Vitamin C regularly. Citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and spinach are all fantastic and great-tasting foods that are packed with vitamin C.

As iterated above, eating right is especially needed for the proper growth of your hair. However, smoking, hormonal imbalances, and stress/fatigue can negatively affect how your hair looks and feels and no magic nutrient can make up for those concerns. Eat and live right and soon enough, you might just be the envy of all eyes at the salon or barber’s shop!

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