Let’s Laughercise!    [14-05-2010] There is a new word in the medical world. It is a very unique word. The new word is “laughercise.” Doesn’t the intresting word seem a little familiar? Well, don’t go off looking it up in the dictionary because it won’t be there! Take a look at the word again carefully. The word is a combination of two words: they are “laughter” and “exercise”! Let’s find out why they have been combined. To maintain good health, we all need to exercise regularly. Exercise can help the immune system and lower the body’s stress level. After a round of good exercise, you feel refreshed and relaxed. You get a great appetite, too! Recently, American doctors said that laughter has the same power as exercise! According to the doctors, laughing repeatedly is equal to light jogging. Dr. Lee Berk from Linda University in California recently proved it through an experiment. He divided 14 volunteers into two groups. The first group watched a stressful 20-minute clip of a war film. The other group watched a 20-minute clip of comedy. Then, the doctor took their blood samples. The first group showed stress hormones. In comparison, the samples from the second group showed an increase in cells for the immune system! Dr. Berk has been studying the relationship between laughter and the body for almost 20 years. He concluded that laughter could even prevent heart disease and diabetes. Every time you giggle with your friends, a special hormone called “endorphin” gets released in your body. This powerful hormone can help the body work better. Now you know the importance of laughter. Try to laugh a lot to stay healthy. Watching fun TV programs or doing something fun with your friends makes you laugh. Extra giggles and smiles in your daily life will make you healthier and happier! Let’s welcome laughter into our lives!     출처: 어린이 영자신문 키즈타임즈 (www.kidstimes.net)