In his 1979 book, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient, Norman Cousins describes his rigorous recovery from ankylosing spondylitis, a painful collagen illness that rendered him immobile and in excruciating pain. To treat his pain, doctors administered roughly 38 aspirin pills per day and phenylbutazone, which he learned could cause internal bleeding, even when taken in small doses.  

His doctors told him that only one of every five hundred people diagnosed with this affliction fully recovers. To beat these odds, Norman decided he needed to actively pursue why his body was reacting the way it was, and how to reverse the damage.

Upon reflection he concluded that a recent trip to Russia had been stressful for him due to miscommunications and tight scheduling. The stress had caused his immune system to be diminished due to the toxic fumes emitted by large diesel truck engines working round-the-clock at his hotel. Recognizing this, Norman determined that he needed to restore his immune system. 

Relying on previously-read books such as Hans Selye’s The Stress of Life, he learned that negative emotions, such as frustration or suppressed rage, are linked to adrenal exhaustion. Therefore, Cousins assumed the opposite to be true – laughter, confidence – would yield salutary results. However, Cousins knew that “putting positive emotions to work is nothing so simple as turning on a garden hose.”

To implement his recovery plan, he requested two things from his doctors: 1) To repair his immune system, high doses of ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C which he learned could combat inflammation and nurture his deteriorating adrenal glands, and 2) to combat the unbearable pain, he requested Marx Brothers films, episodes of Candid Camera, and selections from E.B. White’s Subtreasury of American Humor.

“I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep,” he reported. “When the pain-killing effect of the laughter wore off, we would switch on the motion picture projector again and not infrequently, it would lead to another pain-free interval.”

What earned Cousins a place in medical history was the fact that his experience was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world’s premier medical journals. Cousins received close to 3,000 letters from doctors and researchers, who praised him for medically documenting his novel approach. 

According to the Mayo Clinic staff, the benefits of laughter are not unique to Norman Cousins. Indeed, you can reap the following health from laughter: 

1. Stimulate your  organs. 

Laughter enhances the intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates the heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the pain-killing endorphins that the brain releases.

2. Activate and relieve your stress response.

A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down the stress response, and it can increase the heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.

3. Soothe your tension.

Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

4. Improve your immune system. 

Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect the body by bringing more stress into one’s system and decreasing the immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts and laughter can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

5. Relieve your pain. 

Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.

6. Improve your mood.

Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen depression and anxiety and may make one feel happier.

As Proverbs 17:22 (TLB) tells us: A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick.

So, the message is clear – Laugh.

Discover additional inspiration at https://vernonlwilliams.com/stop-negative-thoughts-today-course/

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