Laughter Medicine for good health

LAUGHING!!!

They say laughter is the best medicine, which is something a group of people demonstrated this weekend.

A group of about 15 people gathered in Kinsmen Park on Sunday to celebrate World Laughter Day.

Although the majority of the group were members of the Laughter Yoga club that meets at Riverside School every Thursday evening, they were joined by other people in the park as well.

“A lot of people may be too scared to join us in the park, but they will get the benefits of our laughter from hearing us,” said laughter leader Allison Marcotte.

She said their club is open to anyone, of any age, and is free.

“It seems really weird to laugh at first because we are taught to grow up and not be so silly,” Marcotte explained. “Now we are trying to reverse that and say you need to laugh because the more you laugh the better you feel, the better you feel, the easier it is to take all the things life throws at you.”

Laughter has helped her through many things, Marcotte said.

“For me, it’s either laughter or the psych ward and there is no competition,” Marcotte laughed. “It has helped me through many, many things and it is the only thing that will change you mentally, emotionally and physically, the one activity that can change all that.”

World Laughter Day was created by Dr. Madan Kataria, who believes laughter can change the world.

“He believes what we need to get is world peace through laughter because when you are laughing you can’t have an angry fist,” Marcotte said. “It is just so important. There are so many negative things in this world and we can just make a difference in someone’s world by laughing and smiling and passing it on to someone else. We can’t always change the world but we can be part of the change for the positive.”