Chronic stress is correlated with increases in stress hormones cortisol and catecholamines. We have reported that a mirthful laughter humor experience (a eustress positive phenomenon that ameliorates biological effects of distress): 1) increases CD4 cells; 2) increases NKCA; 3) increases IFN‐γ and, in perceptual anticipation of a laughter eustress event increases positive psychological mood states along with β‐endorphin and HGH. Postulating that a decrease in neuroendocrine stress hormones may parallel these anticipatory changes, we studied 16 healthy fasting male subjects for cortisol and catecholamine plasma levels in anticipation of a eustress humor/laughter experience. Three days prior to the intervention subjects were notified of random assignment (experimental or control). Blood was drawn before the intervention, four times during and three times post. One sided independent t‐tests showed anticipatory baseline decreases for cortisol, epinephrine and dopac (dopamine catabolite) in the experimental laughter group (p<0.01). Trend analysis showed progressive patterns of decrease (p<0.01). We suggest the perception of anticipating a positive eustress event decreases stress hormones cortisol and catecholamines, concomitant with positive mood state changes. These neuroendocrine findings have immune modulation implications beneficial in stress reduction for wellness & prevention.

Health care costs are climbing throughout the western world. Aging populations and the costs of advanced technology are the principal forces behind much of this global increase. No country has yet succeeded in containing these growing costs other than by some form of rationing. A variety of experimental strategies, including managed competition, are being considered or tested, but none is clearly effective. American health care expenditures differ, not in that they are rising, but in their enormously high starting point. Among other things, our higher costs reflect administrative costs of more than 20%, double those of Canada and nearly triple the European average; a malpractice system that, whatever its possible advantages, costs more than 10 times as much as it pays out to the injured; the enormous medical costs of poverty; maldistribution of physician specialties and incomes; and reimbursement systems that eliminate consumer input and oversight. Restructuring the system of health care financing to bring administrative costs in line with those of other nations could save at least $70 billion annually; another $25 billion or more could be saved by replacing the malpractice system with more cost-effective alternatives. These savings could defray the costs of insuring all those not now covered, without increasing either costs to the middle class, through taxation of benefits, or total health care expenditures. With all Americans covered, the necessary restructuring of the system of health care delivery could be conducted without the current pressure for immediate drastic reform, which carries with it the risk of serious error. In dealing with the sick, physicians are taught to apply two maxims: "primum non nocere" or "first of all, do no harm!"; and the rule of therapeutic restraint. The latter states that a severe chronic illness may respond better, and with fewer complications, to gradual corrective measures than to highly aggressive therapy. Both rules could well be applied to curing the American health care system.

No abstract

We have previously shown that repetitious “mirthful laughter” (Laughercise), like physical exercise (PE), decreases stress hormones (cortisol & catecholamines), enhances immune activity (NK cell cytotoxicity, B‐cells, activated T‐cells, immunoglobulins, CD4/CD8 ratio), and lowers cholesterol & systolic blood pressure (Berk, 2001, 2009). Additionally, PE can modulate the appetite hormones leptin (decrease) and ghrelin (increases) immediate post‐PE (Jurimae, 2007). Therefore, the objective was to compare the response of 14 healthy individuals who viewed a 20 min videos, humorous vs. distressing (cross‐over design 1 wk apart), and measure leptin and ghrelin levels 1 wk before study (base), pre‐ (PR‐V) and post‐viewing (PO‐V). Friedman's ANOVA and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests were used for statistical analysis. Leptin decreased from base to PR‐V −12% (p=0.02), base to PO‐V −15% (p=0.03), and PR‐V to PO‐V −4% (p=0.03) for the humor group. Ghrelin decreased from base to PR‐V −11% (p=0.05) (anticipatory effect), increased base to PO‐V 9.0% (p=0.03), and PR‐V to PO‐V 52% (p=0.02). There was no significant change with the distress video. Laughercise appears to modulate and may optimize the appetite hormones leptin and ghrelin similar to PE. This may have clinical relevance for those where PE is difficult, the handicap, depressed or elderly individual/patient. Further research is needed to elaborate these data.