Laughter is really a tonic

No one can claim that laughing is the best medicine, but it certainly works. This is also a suggestion from a small study conducted for patients with diabetes, who were treated with funny drugs for a year.

The researchers divided 20 patients with severe diabetes - they had hypertension and hyperlipidemia (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease) - into two groups. Both groups were given standard diabetes treatments. Group L is allowed to watch 30 minutes of comedy clips at will, and Group C doesn't. This process lasts for 1 year of treatment.

After two months of implementation, patients in the laughing group (group L) had lower levels of hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, both of which were means of determining stress with deadly consequences.

After 12 months, HDL cholesterol (beneficial type) increased by 26% in group L but only increased by 3% in group C. In another determination, C-reactive proteins - indications of inflammation and diseases cardiovascular - decreased by 66% in group L but only decreased by 26% in group C.

Laughter is really a tonic (Photo: acmt.hr)

'The best physicians understand that there is an internal physiological intervention that positive emotional emotions such as laughter, optimism and hope,' Lee Berk , lead researcher from Loma Linda University. Other studies also found humor to make us more optimistic.

However, according to Berk, still need to conduct more research to confirm the above results.

The study, conducted in 2005 at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, shows that laughter makes the inner capillaries dilate, making blood flow in a way that helps us stay healthy.

Berk said: 'Choosing a lifestyle has a big impact on health and disease, which are also options related to the prevention and treatment of diseases that we and patients can control.'