Laughter is still the best medicine!

[Guest guest]

Laughter Saves You 30% on Medical Expenses

 

 

It's been said laughter is the best medicine, but no one has yet to prove it.

Now a Japanese scientist is unlocking the secrets of the funny bone, which he

believes can cheer up people's genes.

 

Geneticist Kazuo Murakami has teamed up on the study with an unlikely research

partner: stand-up comedians, who he hopes - no joke - can turn their one-liners

into efficient, low-cost medical treatment.

 

Genes are usually regarded as immutable, but in reality more than 90 percent of

them are dormant or less active in producing protein, so some types of

stimulation can wake them up.

 

Murakami's tentative theory is that laughter is one such stimulant, which can

trigger energy inside a person's DNA potentially helping cure disease.

 

" If we prove people can switch genes on and off by an emotion like laughter, it

may be the finding of the century which should be worth the Nobel Prize or even

go beyond that, " said Murakami, 70, director of Japan's Foundation for

Advancement of International Science.

 

Three years ago, Murakami and Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. Ltd., a leading entertainment

company, jointly carried out their first experiment to let diabetics laugh at a

comedy show performed by the firm's top stand-up comedians after listening to a

monotonous college lecture.

 

The two-day experiment showed that their blood glucose levels - a key gauge for

development of diabetes - became lower after they laughed compared with after

listening to the yawning lecture.

 

His latest experiment with the entertainment firm spotted at least 23 genes that

can be activated. Eighteen of them are designed to work for immune response,

signal transduction and cell cycle, while functions of the remaining five others

are still unknown.

 

The findings, which Murakami says are the first of their kind, are scheduled to

be published in January by Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, a US academic

journal.

 

" A laughing therapy has no side-effect, meaning it is an epoch-making treatment

for clinical medicine, " he said. " One day it won't be a joke to see patients

receive a prescription for a comedy video at a pharmacy for medical treatment. "

 

Having a good laugh has long been thought of as therapeutic. Laughter has been

taught by yoga masters in India, home to a growing number of " laughing clubs "

whose members get together just to enjoy a chuckle.

 

Expectations from Murakami's research are particularly high in Japan, where

medicare costs are increasing year after year as the country rapidly ages.

 

Even with the research still in its early stages, a Japanese medical publisher,

under the editorial guidance of Murakami's research team, began selling DVDs

last year instructing patients with diabetes on how to laugh.

 

The ministry of economy, trade and industry believes that laughter therapy could

be put to good use in a project as demand grows for preventive medical care.

 

" If the relation between laughter and health is proved scientifically, it may

have a big impact on ways to improve health, " said Hikaru Horiguchi, an official

of the ministry.

 

" We also hope that a new type of industry will be created by linking the two

different fields - laughter and medical treatment, " Horiguchi said.

 

With the ministry's financial support, Osaka Sangyo University in western Japan

formed a joint venture with researchers, firms and doctors in 2004 to provide

elderly people with a complete medical care program combining physical training

and laughter therapy.

 

" It was the nation's first attempt to launch a medicare business with laughter

in collaboration with the government, industry and academe, " said Mitsutoshi

Nishikawa, a university official in charge of the " Daito Dynamic Project " based

in Daito city in Osaka.

 

Nishikawa said Osaka was an ideal location to launch the project as the city is

famous for its humor culture, with residents here said to be less hesitant to

laugh in public than more taciturn Tokyo.

 

" We believe there is a big business chance here, " Nishikawa said.

 

" With the project, we can expect a reduction in medicare and nursing costs, " he

said. " Moreover, it is important for elderly people to live long with good

health. "

 

In the program, participants receive a medical check-up and gymnastic exercises

while enjoying a comedy show performed by professional comedians. It also offers

them cooking classes on making healthy foods.

 

" I used to laugh a lot when I was young, but I realized that I had not laughed

much since getting older, " said Kiyomi Yamanaka, a 61-year-old housewife

participating in the program.

 

" But after attending the event, my blood flow has become smooth and I can now

get down on my knees, which I couldn't do before. "

 

According to project officials, the 92 participants polled said their combined

annual medicare costs fell some 30 percent to 2.26 million yen (19,800 dollars)

after they joined the program.

 

Nishikawa said: " In the future, we want to make medical treatment something not

gloomy but fun. That's our goal. "

 

SOURCE: AFP

 

RELATED ARTICLES:

 

Laughter Meditation: How to Feel Great Every Day for the Rest of Your Life...

 

A Laugh A Day Keeps the Doctor Away

 

Beat Stress With Laughter

 

 

More headlines at the Mind Power News & Article Library

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend,

If laughter reduces cost of medicare by 30 per cent,

the spinal yoga reduces the cost by 90 per cent

because by taking to those pleasurable exercises for a

few minutes, one not only cures oneself of various

ailments but also starts enjoying better health,

wellness and bliss.

I have a lot of feedback to prove that but I would

like to have more feedback who are members of

Alt_Health group who may be trying ATBSNR technique

for various purposes.

It has been found to rejuvenate the spine, bring it

back to its original shape if degeneratedor damaged

and improves mental, physical and spiritual health

ultimately leading to self-realization.

One senior editor of the Times of India (noweditor

emeritus) hadsaid so; that if technique had been found

by some one in the UK or USA, the founder would have

got the Nobel Prize. But who bothers about an aging

Indian who has no resources to get into the elite

health journals in developed western countries.

I wish, members of Alt_Health_India group should all

try it out for enjoying much better health with

blissful wellness and helps keep a person fresh like a

flower by rejuvenating the person day in and day out.

One software engineer says that his mind has become

more creative producing constructive ideas after

taking to ATBSNR. Otherwise previously his mind used

to trouble him too much by getting into confused

negative thinking. His letter is posted on ATBSNR

website already.

S. M. Acharya

 

--- Jane MacRoss <HIGHFIELD wrote:

 

> Laughter Saves You 30% on Medical Expenses

>

>

> It's been said laughter is the best medicine, but no

> one has yet to prove it. Now a Japanese scientist is

> unlocking the secrets of the funny bone, which he

> believes can cheer up people's genes.

>

> Geneticist Kazuo Murakami has teamed up on the study

> with an unlikely research partner: stand-up

> comedians, who he hopes - no joke - can turn their

> one-liners into efficient, low-cost medical

> treatment.

>

> Genes are usually regarded as immutable, but in

> reality more than 90 percent of them are dormant or

> less active in producing protein, so some types of

> stimulation can wake them up.

>

> Murakami's tentative theory is that laughter is one

> such stimulant, which can trigger energy inside a

> person's DNA potentially helping cure disease.

>

> " If we prove people can switch genes on and off by

> an emotion like laughter, it may be the finding of

> the century which should be worth the Nobel Prize or

> even go beyond that, " said Murakami, 70, director of

> Japan's Foundation for Advancement of International

> Science.

>

> Three years ago, Murakami and Yoshimoto Kogyo Co.

> Ltd., a leading entertainment company, jointly

> carried out their first experiment to let diabetics

> laugh at a comedy show performed by the firm's top

> stand-up comedians after listening to a monotonous

> college lecture.

>

> The two-day experiment showed that their blood

> glucose levels - a key gauge for development of

> diabetes - became lower after they laughed compared

> with after listening to the yawning lecture.

>

> His latest experiment with the entertainment firm

> spotted at least 23 genes that can be activated.

> Eighteen of them are designed to work for immune

> response, signal transduction and cell cycle, while

> functions of the remaining five others are still

> unknown.

>

> The findings, which Murakami says are the first of

> their kind, are scheduled to be published in January

> by Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, a US academic

> journal.

>

> " A laughing therapy has no side-effect, meaning it

> is an epoch-making treatment for clinical medicine, "

> he said. " One day it won't be a joke to see patients

> receive a prescription for a comedy video at a

> pharmacy for medical treatment. "

>

> Having a good laugh has long been thought of as

> therapeutic. Laughter has been taught by yoga

> masters in India, home to a growing number of

> " laughing clubs " whose members get together just to

> enjoy a chuckle.

>

> Expectations from Murakami's research are

> particularly high in Japan, where medicare costs are

> increasing year after year as the country rapidly

> ages.

>

> Even with the research still in its early stages, a

> Japanese medical publisher, under the editorial

> guidance of Murakami's research team, began selling

> DVDs last year instructing patients with diabetes on

> how to laugh.

>

> The ministry of economy, trade and industry believes

> that laughter therapy could be put to good use in a

> project as demand grows for preventive medical care.

>

> " If the relation between laughter and health is

> proved scientifically, it may have a big impact on

> ways to improve health, " said Hikaru Horiguchi, an

> official of the ministry.

>

> " We also hope that a new type of industry will be

> created by linking the two different fields -

> laughter and medical treatment, " Horiguchi said.

>

> With the ministry's financial support, Osaka Sangyo

> University in western Japan formed a joint venture

> with researchers, firms and doctors in 2004 to

> provide elderly people with a complete medical care

> program combining physical training and laughter

> therapy.

>

> " It was the nation's first attempt to launch a

> medicare business with laughter in collaboration

> with the government, industry and academe, " said

> Mitsutoshi Nishikawa, a university official in

> charge of the " Daito Dynamic Project " based in Daito

> city in Osaka.

>

> Nishikawa said Osaka was an ideal location to launch

> the project as the city is famous for its humor

> culture, with residents here said to be less

> hesitant to laugh in public than more taciturn

> Tokyo.

>

> " We believe there is a big business chance here, "

> Nishikawa said.

>

> " With the project, we can expect a reduction in

> medicare and nursing costs, " he said. " Moreover, it

> is important for elderly people to live long with

> good health. "

>

> In the program, participants receive a medical

> check-up and gymnastic exercises while enjoying a

> comedy show performed by professional comedians. It

> also offers them cooking classes on making healthy

> foods.

>

> " I used to laugh a lot when I was young, but I

> realized that I had not laughed much since getting

> older, " said Kiyomi Yamanaka, a 61-year-old

> housewife participating in the program.

>

> " But after attending the event, my blood flow has

> become smooth and I can now get down on my knees,

> which I couldn't do before. "

>

> According to project officials, the 92 participants

> polled said their combined annual medicare costs

> fell some 30 percent to 2.26 million yen (19,800

> dollars) after they joined the program.

>

> Nishikawa said: " In the future, we want to make

> medical treatment something not gloomy but fun.

> That's our goal. "

>

> SOURCE: AFP

>

> RELATED ARTICLES:

>

> Laughter Meditation: How to Feel Great Every Day for

> the Rest of Your Life...

>

> A Laugh A Day Keeps the Doctor Away

>

> Beat Stress With Laughter

>

>

> More headlines at the Mind Power News & Article

> Library

>

>

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]