Laughter Is Good Medicine...

" Neurologists at Stanford University have discovered another reason why laughter makes us feel good,
" reports the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter.

They monitered the brain activity of people reading funny cartoons and found that humor and laughter
triggered the brain's reward centers,
" the same areas affected by stimulant drugs.
" Laughter reduces tension, clears the mind, and lifts the spirits,
" says the Wellness Letter..

Laughter also increases our hormone production and heart rate,
and it contributes to better circulation and muscle tone.
" Indeed , a good laugh is a kind of workout,"
notes the Wellness Letter.
" It's not exactly a major calorie burner, however---
you can laugh yourself silly , but not thin.."

Extending the Shelf Life of Fruit..

" The contents of your fruit bowel could stay fresh a lot longer..
thanks to a substance hailed as one of the health -- giveing
componets of red wine," reports New Scientist.
Dipping apples in a soultion of trans-resveratrol, an antioxidant
found in grapes, extended their shelf life from two weeks to
three months..

Similarly dipped grapes fared less well , but their shelf life doubled still doubled to two weeks."
The researchers found that only a small amounts of the antioxidant were needed to prevent tissue damage and ward
off the yeasts and molds , that wilt many fruits.

" In subsequent work, the team has protected other produce,
including tomatoes , avocados and green peppers,"
the magazine said,
They are now looking into cheaper methods of producing
trans-resveratrol...."

Copeing With Back Pain..

Occuring in 90 percent of the people around the world at some time in their lives,
low back pain is " the most frequent condition to affect
human beings, " according to The Medical Post of Canada..
In the majority of cases , however, expensive medical intervention may not be neccesary.

Dr Garth Rusell , an orthopedist says that " 90 percent of cases of sudden or acute inflammatory back pain
( usually following physical activity) involve only severe muscle spasms of the back ,
and will respond to two or three days of bed rest."Therefore , Dr Russel recommends ,
" begin light excercise and resume our daily activites."

Garlic Ice Cream ?

Garlic has long been praised for it's medicinal properties..
Now Marcos State University in the northern Philippines has developed garlic ice cream for " healthful " reasons ,
reports the Philippine Star newspaper.
It is hoped that the new product may benefit thoses suffering from ailments that garlic is said to alleviate..
Among theses are the common cold, fevers,
high blood pressure, respiratory conditions, rheumatism, snakebite, toothache, tuberculosis,
whopping cough, wounds, and even baldness..

So, garlic ice cream, anyone ?

" Cooking -- and Wheezing With Gas."

Under that heading, Science News reported that British researchers
have found that " women who cook with gas are at least twice as
likely to expirence wheezing , shortness of breath ,
and other symptoms of asthma as those who prepare meals useing
electric cooktops and ovens."

The study, conducted at St Thomas' Hospital in London ,
notes that the symptoms persisted even when exhaust fans were used.
And while men and women participated in the survey,
the " effects showed up only in women...
--- probably because they spend more time in the kitchen."

Shrinking With Age..

As people get older, they usually get shorter..
" The reason has a lot to do with gravity," reports The Daily Telegraph of Australia..
Under the influence of gravity , a person's height changes throughout the day.
Full height is restored during sleep.

"When our bodies get older , though, and a little less robust, the shrinking effect starts to become permanent,
" says the newspaper.
" As people get older, they lose muscle mass and fat...
It's part of the natural ageing process and has a lot [to] do with hormonal
changes... The vertebrae can actually begin to degenerate and collapse--
causeing the spine to shrink by more than 2.5 cm [one inch]."

Osteoporosis is a likely cause of the shrinking process.

The Struggle With Body Image..

" Young people -- and girls in particular -- are struggling with their body image at an increasing young age,
and that could have serious health consequences," say Canadian
Globe and Mail newspaper..
Girls aged 10 to 14 were surveyed as their eating attitudes,
and over 2,200 responded.
The Globe reports: " Less than 7 per cent of the girls were overweight,
but more then 31 per cent described themselves as ' too fat ' and 29
per cent said they were currently dieting."

Why do healthy girls want to lose weight ?
According to the parents, much of the blame rests with adult role models who themselves constantly diet..
and who ridicule people people who are over wieght.
" The media also play a big role in influencing teenage behavior,
by constantly creating ultrathin role models," says the Globe.

Dr Gail McVey , a research scientist at the Toronto Hospital for
Sick Children, points out that children, parents, and teachers alike need to realize that
" weight gain is normal and neccesary
for children growing into adolescense...

A simple ,
inexpensive therapy useing hydrated magnesium sulfate..
( Epsom salts ) can halve the chances of women developing a
potential fatal complication of pregancy, explains The Times of London.

Eclampsia,
a dangerous form of high blood pressure that causes convulsions,
annually kills over 50,000 women and their unborn children worldwide..
Although a drip or injections containing magnesium sulfate have been
used for years in the United States to treat preeclampsia,
which can develop into eclampsia if untreated,
the therapy has not caught on in most other countries..

Hence,
an international team of doctors at the Institute for Health Sciences
in Oxford, England , " decided to test the benefits of the salts by
conducting a trail on 10,000 women in 33 countries '
says The Times.
" After three years the .... trial was stopped early when it became
apparent how effective the treatment was:
useing magnesium sulphate on women with preclampsia..
reduced their risk of haveing a fit by 58 per cent..
It reduced their risk of dying by 45 per cent.

" The treatment " costs only [ $4.50] per women ,
makeing it......
accessible to women in developing countries..

Do You Grind Your Teeth ?

Since ancient times people have been grinding their teeth when under stress.
The Bible frequently uses, grinding, or gnashing of teeth to denote rage or anguish..
{ Job 16:9 } { Matthew 13:42,50}

In todays angry and stress-filled world, millions of people literally grind their teeth and most are unaware of doing it..
They may be wearing their teeth away..

Why do some people grind their teeth ?

The causes are complex and not yet fully understood..
But in some cases emotional stress stands out as a likely culprit..
The UC Berekely Wellness Letter points out:
" People who grind their teeth often report that they are
undergoing marital or financial difficulties, takeing final exams, fearfull of loseing their jobs, or otherwise under pressure.."

Other possible causes and contributing factors include faulty contact between upper and lower teeth, sleep disturbances, or alcohol consumption.
Therefore, the Wellness Letter suggests that suffers try to cut down on alcohol; take simple steps to relax before going to bed,
such as enjoying a warm bath;
or talk out distressing problems with a friend or a trusted counselor...
During the day you may catch yourself gritting your teeth or rubbing them together.

But how do you know if you do this in your sleep ?
Sometimes chronic grinding, known as bruxism, produces a sound loud enough to awaken someone else sleeping in the same room..
You may wake up with a headache in your temples, or your jaw may make clicking noises..

Your dentist may even notice excessive wear on your teeth..
He can recommend measures to provide some relief, such as an appliance to place over your teeth at night..
Although a mouth guard like this is not designed to stop you from grinding, it can protect your teeth from further
damage... In any case, relax !

The less you worry, the less you may grind your teeth...

Ever read Reviving Ophelia? Its written by a psychologist who worked with adolescent females and how they tend to lose their sense of self to different degrees because of how sexualized society is..what they think they are "supposed" to be like and how true they are to their own selves... (Some aren't as affected, but still hard). I have 2 girls so have been aware of those issues. It wasn't easy for me growing up either.. Women's Lib didn't exactly achieve its objective. We are more sexualized than ever.

Hi Jeanie, ((( Smiles )))

The struggle with body image..
It is really hard theses days the pressure from the media,
movies, magazines... And of course also the web...
As children connected to the internet sometimes...
And my child doesn't have an internet connection on her computer..
I won't let her she can only play certain
computer games..
But this is another thing parents have to
worry about theses days...

" Cyberbullying " ?

Cell phones and the internet are a social lifeline for many young people.
" They also can be their social death, " says Canadian's Maclean's magazine,
since " cyberbullies " can use E-mail , instant messageing , and a cell- phone
text messaging to torment victims. "

" A quarter of young Canadian internet users report haveing recieved material that said hatefull things about others, "
says Maclean's.
Such electronic bullying has moved police to issue reminders that written death threats are a crime.

Mclean's advises parents to talk to their children about the people and places they visit on-line and to put computers
in an open area in the home where it is easy to moniter what children are reading and sending.

The report warns children never to respond to a bully's message and never to " give out their log-in codes or passwords to others ,
even their best buddies,"
in order to prevent their private information from being passed around to others...

My girls are older - one is almost 21 and the other 17. She does communicate socially a lot online...(which is what I am doing at the present...) but is pretty mature at this point. I'm glad this wasn't so rampant when they were younger. All they had was instant messaging. I homeschooled them for 7 of their most formative years and held them close.... When Brittney Spears came out I didn't approve cause you could see she wasn't innocent or a good role model from the start. Had them both wait to date till they were 16. They are both beautiful....and pretty secure. But I am at high school nearly daily and see what its like now. Kids don't know what's right half the time or aren't taught standards other than from media or they take their cues from that. Lots of what I call "gender confusion" too. They experiment... My heart goes out to kids now days.

Hi Jeanie, ((( Smiles )))

Oh no dateing.. I just can't wait.. Not..
my kids are in middle school now..
Everything is the Naked Brothers and Hannah Montana and the
Jonas Brothers and yes they do wear clothes..
Don't know why they came up with that name but..
Cell phones..
She wants one and I don't want her to have one just yet...
There are good things and bad things about the cell phone..

Cellular Phone Hazard.....

A recent study in Japan has confirmed that radio waves emitted from cellular telephones can cause serious problems with hospital medical equipment.
" In one test , a lung machine stopped when a cellular phone was used 45 centimeters [ 18 inches ] away, says the Asahi Evening News..

Researchers also found that alarms went off on liquid transfusion pumps and pumps that supply anticancer drugs when
a cellular phone was used within two - and - a- half feet of the equipment. X ray machines and tonometers were also effected.
Based on theses findings,
the Posts and and Telecommunications Ministry recommends that cellular phones not be taken into operating rooms and intensive care units.

According to one survey,
about 25 medical insitutions in Tokyo allready regulate the use of cellular phones ,
with 12 of them banning cellular phones altogether..

I use one of course, but don't like having it by my head long. Its not fear of all that...just doesn't feel right and gets hot. I really don't trust much out there, but at the same time can't live in a bubble. I use to date a guy - a chemical engineer who'd been in an explosion so had some issues. Sounds so dumb but we use to go buy carrots and eat brown rice with mayo together. Had a platonic relationship and then he practically jumped me one day and scared me so I went to my now husband who I was afraid to marry being the musician that he was and decided to marry him : ) (He respected my standards). Actually me and the chemical guy went to petroleum laboratory school for the military together. Anyway - he wanted to live w/o electricity. He was kind of eccentric, but I do wish sometimes things were simpler. It was better then in a lot of ways. Harder too... Also dated a guy from Alabama who married an Indian. He wanted to live in a cabin in the wild. He was an avid hunter. That is cool if you kill to eat, but he was into the sport of it. My husband won't even kill anything to eat. I wished he would've bagged a moose in Alaska - but love him the way he is. (Moose is very good lean healthy meat and I do need some red meat - tried vegetarianism - didn't work for me). My hubby makes friends with the squirrels and rabbits in the yard and then has to go mow the lawn in the back with the growing number of rabbit holes. They sit out their and guard their young. He said one day when he took the big monster (to them) John Deere out there he could see shivering fur hovering just below the hole... Then he sprinkled carrot sticks all around the holes. I want a garden and as much as I, too, love the furry critters, I once murdered a vole who I couldn't get rid of with more humane tactics. I was trying to grow a garden up there - hard enough - and it was me or them... I will take measures to protect my garden.... (Actually I think its sweet how my hubby is...not sure what led to that).

Sorry...anyway - it isn't easy dodging all the garbage out there and it can be a confusing time to grow up. My advice is to keep em talking.. I have very close, open relationships with mine. They need to talk. Need helped along the way as they deal with things we know isn't a big deal but is to them.

Hi Jeanie, ((( Smiles )))

I know.. It's just so hard as we can't live in a bubble..
Weither the food supply or weither the air we breathe....
And even if we didn't use a computer or cell phone..
I hear the signals are probably going through us anyway as there are towers set up that send theses signals all around us..
and they want to put up more towers so it will reach everywhere and more people..
So there are certain risks in this world no matter what one does anyway it seems...
And a computer and cellphone is so handy to have theses days.. So many good uses as well as the risks involved..
But so far I don't think she needs one now.. Nor the internet..
They grow up so fast theses days don't they..
But it's so interesting you wrote about the chemical engineer that had been in an explosion and had some issues..
There was something in the newspaper about people being around explosions without outer signs of damage and suffering brain trauma from it..
And then of course on a different thought..
People can get tinnitus or hyperacusis from an explosion..
but then also that type of injury..
can also cause trauma to the brain..
Thats a neurological cause too.. Any injury to the brain...
And then I was reading in the newpaper also about.
" Black Marks on Dishes can be fixed "..
And it talked about dishes touching metal items..
Metal marks and not to load them against utensils or pots or pans or aluminum and what came to my mind right away was..
that video on takeing out the fillings in ones teeth and what they find underneath them..
All thoses black looking marks and worse...
Just like the dishes.. Black marks on Dishes can be fixed..
But what about all that black marks under the gums/teeth..
I mean all thoses years of metal like against porcelian teeth.. What a mess that is.... A terrible mess....
It's just a terrible mess theses days for sure...

laughter secretes hormones that acts to boost our energy level and resistance. How I wish to laugh every moment so I can get rid of my migraine. It's getting more frequent. i really hate it.

Laughter will only go so far but helpful too many.((( Smiles )))
Migraines are hard to deal with but maybe magnesium over a long term of time might help you as well but, have you also tried Noni?
Do you have Chari or another medical issue?
Even if you do..
Noni Juice is about 75 percent as effect as morphine some studies have shown. Have you tried that?

http://www.nothingbutnoni.com/sportsinjury-testimonials.aspx

Nonijuice has been found to be 75% as effective as morphine sulphate.

the "Painkiller and Headache Tree".

http://www.fkor.com/noni2.html

Hope that's helpful for you.

Laughter are great people.I liked there performance and work.Keeping others smiling is not an easy but they are serving humans in much better fashion.