We all know that Santa is famous for his hearty ‘ho ho ho' greeting and laughter. However most people have no idea of the powerful healing benefits of laughter! Researchers now tell us that laughter brings balance to all components of our immune system. Yes it reduces stress and improves your health! We subconsciously knew that Santa was onto something good with that ‘ho ho ho' but most of us never stopped and asked what it was all about.

For thousands of years some cultures like India used laughter as a major therapeutic stress reduction technique. Santa is a great advocate for keeping a happy disposition and using laughter to keep your mood positive and your daily stresses in toe without scope to run into chromic trouble. Researchers know that chronic stress can trigger an array of diseases. Laughter is a tremendous healing activity that Santa has been advocating since his inception.

Santa is a happy jovial character traveling the world constantly ‘ho ho ho-ing'. He knows that laughter immediately shuts off the flow of stress hormones and the fight or flight response that responds to the experience of stress, anger or hostility. He knows how to handle stress with laughter. He has been showing us how to handle life's daily stresses with the magical health benefits of laughter.

Did you know that our natural killer cells that destroy tumors and viruses increase when we laugh as do gamma-interferon, a disease fighting protein, the B-cells which make disease destroying antibodies and the T-cells which are a major part of the immune response? Laughter has also been shown to protect your adrenal glands (which produce the primary hormones DHEA and cortisol) which are considered the major shock absorber hormones in your body buffering you from the potential mental and physical impact that stress can cause. The benefits of laughter are enormous. No wonder Santa is always healthy and has never missed a Christmas yet!

So loosen up and commit to having some good belly laughs this festive season. The laughter with the most health benefits are the ones where you laugh so hard that you slap your thighs as the tears spurt from your eyes. If you have to fake your laughter until you can get your mind-set seeing the funny side of life then do just that. Use movies, comedy skits anything you can find to help you to induce laughter and I mean hearty ‘ho ho ho' laughter. Laugh hard, it is awesomely good for you.

Research has also shown that hearty laughter actually gives your organs a work-out too! Take a moment and remember the last time you had a really good belly laugh. Do you remember feeling some-what exhausted? That happens because you have actually given your body a work-out including your facial, abdominal, leg and back muscles. Yes it is true you have just experienced an intense aerobic work-out. So remember to ‘ho ho ho' where ever you go and you'll be healthy as well as merry! Enjoy good hearty laughter this festive season and throughout the year!