I received this comment from a reader and my articles on laughter.

Thanks for the positive view. Unfortunately, sometimes it is hard to look on the bright side of life in the face of a debilitating illness like MS, but we just have to keep trying, I guess.

Barbara

My answer is:

Thank you Barbara

It is so much better to be to adopt a positive view on life.  Yes this disease can be debilitating.  As you say we have to keep trying.

I used to work with senior citizens.  They would come into the room crumbling and complaining.  I greeted each of them each individually with a cheery smile and words of encouragement. 

Near the beginning of the session I would have everyone start to belly laugh.  It wasn’t long before everyone was really laughing.  Often during the laughter some ended up coughing and bringing up phlegm.  They brought up phlegm because the laughing loosened the phlegm in their lungs enough to help bring it up.  So the laughter not only is good emotionally and physically, it is helpful in all areas of health.

After the laughter we did deep breathing exercises.  Most people don’t breath deeply enough to get fresh air into the deepest part of the lungs.  Then we did some stretching exercises.  After all this we got down to the serious business of having fun.