You can't call me a Couch Potato
any longer.
Nope.
Because I'm sitting there in front
of the television all day
strictly for my health.
In this month's Readers Digest,
an article claims that a
daily dose of humor
can substantially lower the heart risk
of diabetic patients.
I'm not diabetic-
but what could it hurt to try it?
It claims that 30 minutes of
a sitcom or video was shown
to a group of diabetic patients-
along with their regular medication.
Another group was given medication-
but no funny stuff.
Blood test were taken before and after.
The group who got a chance to laugh
at their favorite show
had a 26 percent increase
in their HDL (good cholesterol)-
compared to only a 3 percent hike
in the other group.
Doctors also measured levels of
C-reactive protein-
which warns of inflammation of the heart.
The TV watcher's protein markers
dropped by 66 percent,
while the group without the laughter
only saw a 26 percent decrease.
It's all about stress.
And knowing how to deal with it.
The ability to laugh can save your life.
So next time you cozy up
in your favorite chair
to watch a great funny movie-
don't feel guilty.
Do it for your heart.
