Chemo Day #5
- Deb Dekoff
- Nov 8, 2016
- 3 min read
Humor. I need humor. I need to smile, and laugh. If laughter is the best medicine, I need a lot of it each and every chemo Tuesday. For Chemo Day #5, I asked Facebook friends, to send something humorous. And many of you did! I viewed humorous images of pets, watched SNL clips, Youtube videos, etc. Thank you. Each and every smile, giggle, or laugh helped.
Is laughter really the best medicine? Or is this a trite saying? Sure, we all feel better after a good belly laugh, but, does is REALLY help one with cancer - or any other illness - beyond the immediate chuckle?
People are drawn to laughter. We want to feel good. We want to smile. When we hear laughter, we are instantly drawn to whomever it is that is laughing. We want to catch this contagion - fast! Our attention is diverted, we turn our heads, walk across rooms, and stand transfixed waiting for a guffaw.
Why is it that we seek laughter? Simply, it makes us feel good.
Stress has an impact on our psychoneuroimmunological systems. Stress effects our psyche, and how we handle situations. It impacts our thoughts and ability to function. Bad stress immobilizes many.
It affects our nerves as we bite our fingernails down to the quick, pull our hair strand by strand (trichotillomania) , or nervously teeter back and forth. It elevates tension, and decreases our immune system. It hinders our ability to focus and get things done.
One of the first things a doctor told me to do in order to heal: remove stress. This is easier said than done with having just been handed the "You need chemo" card weeks after the "You have cancer" card. I am certain every pschoneurological cell in my body went into the extremely stressed and shocked mode. And every Tuesday, that stress returns in full force.
How does one smile or laugh through all of this?
Louis CK. Adam Sandler. Funny or Die. Jonathan Kesselman. (Hello? Have you seen The Hebrew Hammer?)
Prescription:
To relieve stress, laugh.
Take as many doses as needed until cheeks hurt.
The biomechanics of laughter relieve stress by increasing oxygen supply, which stimulates heart, lungs, and muscles, improving blood flow and releasing endorphins. This in turn, reduces stress. (Mayo Clinic) "Endorphins create a positive state of mind and boost optimism, self-confidence and feelings of self-worth" according to Laughter Online University.
According to research study at the Indiana School of Nursing, Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, aka, laughter, increases natural killer (NK) cell levels, a type of white blood cell necessary for killing cancer.
Laughter combats depression and anxiety, improving the mood.
According to Dr. Travis Stork, “Laughing can be one of the best and easiest ways to boost your energy throughout the day.”
Laughter takes the edge off pain. It doesn't remove the pain, but those laughing aren't focused as on it.
A Loma Linda University study found humor reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, which also is attributed to "belly fat". It also diminishes epinephrine, while enhancing immune reactivity.
Laughter. Something so simple and so easily accessible should be part of everyone's day.
Now, go make someone laugh!
http://www.chopra.com/articles/6-reasons-why-laughter-is-the-best-medicine
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456
2* http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=nurs_fac_pub
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1201429/
Dillon K, Minchoff B, Baker KH. –86). Positive emotional states and enhancement of the immune system. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine. 1985;15:13–18. [PubMed]
http://www.laughteronlineuniversity.com/laughter-less-stress-better-health-energy/
The Hebrew Hammer Amazon Video ~ Jonathan Kesselman Link: https://amzn.com/B0047E2W2O
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