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With some questionable health advice being posted by your friends on Facebook, politicians arguing about the state of the American healthcare system and a new medical study being summarized in just a sentence or two on TV---that seems to contradict the study you heard summarized yesterday---it can be overwhelming to navigate the ever-changing landscape of health news.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

It has been said that laughter is the best medicine. But, is laughter also the best way to get people to take their medicine?

Anyone familiar with the story of Patch Adams, the doctor who founded the Gusundheit! Institute and Global Outreach efforts, knows that he believes humor is an integral part of medical care. In the article “Tickling the Funny Bone: The Use and Benefits of Humor in Health Care”, a physical therapist inspired by Patch’s philosophies reported, “If humor can help a patient cope better with negative side effects, they might stick out the treatment longer.”

A profile of anti-smoking ads in Canada found that rather than somber “you smoke; you die” commercials that rolled right off the backs of teens who think they are immortal or the hyper earnest commercials that reinforced the idea that teens could shock their poor parents if they began smoking, the most effective ads were ones that used humor to show how stupid smoking is. The humorous campaign featured commercials in which smoking was likened to a teen wearing antlers, tiptoeing through a forest during hunting season. Smoking among 15-19 year olds in Canada is now down 10%.

The Mayo Clinic Reports that laughter has short term and long term health effects.  It soothes tension and improves your mood. When something makes us feel good, we’re likely to keep doing it.  Patients should look for ways to get a chuckle every day. Providers need to try to incorporate humor into what they do. Because what’s good for a laugh is good for our health.  For more information on this, and other health issues, visit krcu.org

Websites:
http://www.patchadams.org/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456?pg=1

Additional Resources:
George, Lianne (2005). LIGHT(EN)ING UP. Maclean's, 118(34),38-39.
Wojciechowski, Michele. (2007). Tickling the funny bone: the use and benefits of humor in healthcare." PT: Magazine of Physical Therapy 15(12), 21-25.
 

Dr. Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs is an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership, Middle & Secondary Education. She writes for special publications of The Southeast Missourian and is a certified Community Health Worker.
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