Monday, January 17, 2005

A Laugh a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

HealthTalk.ca

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, have discovered laughter can help keep your heart healthy.


The team found that laughter-provoking movies cause the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, to dilate or expand, resulting in an increase of blood flow.


For their experiment, the team recruited 20 healthy volunteers to watch two segments of movies at the extreme ends of the emotional spectrum - "King Pin" and "Saving Private Ryan."


They found that when the study subjects watched a movie that caused laughter, beneficial blood vessel relaxation or vasodilation was increased in 19 of the 20 volunteers. In contrast, Brachial artery flow was reduced in 14 of the 20 volunteers following the movie clips that caused mental stress.


The team said overall, blood flow increased by 22 percent during laughter and decreased by 35 percent after watching a clip that caused mental stress.


Lead researcher Dr. Michael Miller, indicated people should combine regular exercise with 15 minutes of laughter a day for good cardiovascular health.


"It is conceivable that laughing may be important to maintain a healthy endothelium, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease," said Miller.


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