Fitness encompasses both mental as well as physical health. ‘Being fit’ is now a major campaign worldwide as people realize the importance of a complete well being which helps to accomplish success and peak performance in every field of work. Modern lifestyle, daily stressors and lack of time has rendered life more sedentary. It includes less of exercising, unhealthy food and damaging habits such as drinking, smoking and the use of drugs. This harmful existence exposes people to major lifestyle diseases like hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes, obesity and more.
Laughter – the best fitness routine
Scientific research has proved that laughter is the best medicine to combat disease, relieve mental stress, and strengthen the immune system. It is the safest, fastest and the easiest exercise for both body and the mind system. A hearty laugh can make a person feel much better and raise the level of fitness.
Realizing the effectiveness of laughter, Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria pioneered the concept of laughter clubs worldwide. He developed Laughter Yoga, a purely physical form of exercise that simulates laughter with playfulness and eye contact within a group. It does not rely on humor, jokes and comedy and is therefore the easiest method to exercise the entire body system --- it’s a lot more fun that a stationery bicycle!
Laughter Yoga-keeps one mentally fit
Though one knows very little about how laughter impacts the brain, but there’s a fair amount of evidence to suggest that it has wide-ranging effects both psychologically and physiologically. The most obvious effect is on the mood state as laughter has the ability to elevate the mood within seconds. It releases endorphins, natural opiates which ‘kick start’ good feelings and make one feel safe and comfortable. Laughter is also known to keep away negative emotions like anxiety and depression, which tend to weaken the immune system. It relieves stress, a common cause of heart and blood pressure problems.
Be physically fit- just laugh
Laughter Yoga is a natural, fun and easy way to move towards wellness in a supportive environment of joy. It enables one to feel better immediately and helps people to make positive choices in life. Besides generating mental fitness by alleviating the negative strains of stress and worry cycles, Laughter is extremely beneficial for the body system. Its therapeutic power has the ability to prevent and at times cure many diseases.
It improves lung capacity and oxygen levels in the blood and thus reducing complaints of asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory complications. The increased level of endorphins reduces the frequency and intensity of arthritic pain and muscular spasms. It is also known to help with insomnia, migraines, allergies, and ulcers.
Laughter – for weight loss and healthy skin
The secret of Laughter Yoga is that our bodies are hardwired with powerful natural reactions to extended hearty laughter releasing a cocktail of healthful hormones and chemicals. One minute of mirthful laugher is the equivalent to a 10 minute cardiac workout on a rowing machine.
Laughter Yoga drastically reduces belly fat, which is difficult to shed even with the most intense exercise regime. Just a few laughs have the capacity to exercise the mid body. An hour of laughter can shed as many as 500 calories – well, if that isn’t great to keep one slim and pretty!
Laughter exercises combined with deep yogic breathing is an excellent way to fully oxygenate blood all major organs. Diaphragmatic breathing in Laughter Yoga helps to flush the lungs of stale residual air and remove the toxic wastes from the body, thus leaving one feeling fresh, energized and fit. Exercise has never been so much fun.
Laughter leaves you with a rosy glow, the result of large amounts of oxygen absorbed into your bloodstream and major organs. While exercise may leave you tired, Laughter Yoga leaves you bursting with energy and ready for anything.
Dr. Kataria has introduced many yogic activities to suits all age groups. With meditation yoga one can relax the mind, body and soul. Not only does laughter burn calories but it’s healthy too. While you laugh, your body releases hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream which reinstate a positive state of mind and are known to cause a’ runners high’ It leaves one feeling great in the body and the mind. One is ready to take control of life and carry through decisions more easily. This even enables one to stick to other exercise regime and remain fit and healthy.