The Laughter Yoga Club of Nevada County

In the beginning...

Laughter Yoga was created by Dr. Madan Kataria, and his wife, Madhuri Kataria, in Mumbai India. Dr. Kataria, a medical doctor and his Yoga instructor wife developed this approach to health and happiness in 1995, with just five people. Now there are over 5,500 Laughter Yoga clubs around the world in over 60 countries with hundreds of thousands of happy members. (It is hard to keep track of as it is growing so quickly).

For more info on the history of Laughter Yoga, go to laughteryoga.org.

Physical benefits of Laughter

Research has shown that laughter has both preventive and therapeutic values.

Laughter helps us keep healthy by enriching the blood with ample supplies of oxygen, the lifeline of our system. According to the science of yoga, life energy (prana) flows through the breath. By controlled and deep breathing we can enhance our own well-being. With the 15-30 minute package offered by the Laughter Club, participants carry home the healthy habit of deep breathing. This helps to increase the lung capacity, thus enhancing oxygen supply to the body.

Laughter helps to remove the negative effects of STRESS, which is the number one killer today. More than 70% of illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, frequent coughs and colds, peptic ulcers, insomnia, allergies, asthma, menstrual difficulties, tension headaches, stomach upsets and even cancer, have some connection to stress.

Laughter helps to boost the IMMUNE SYSTEM, which is the master key for maintaining good health.

Other benefits include:

•Helps control high blood pressure and heart disease. While there are many factors for these like heredity, obesity, smoking and excessive intake of saturated fats, stress is one of the major factors. Laughter definitely helps to control blood pressure by reducing the release of stress-related hormones and bringing relaxation.

•Increasing stamina through increased oxygen supply

•Alleviates pain and gives a sense of well being by releasing endorphins, the body’s painkiller hormones.

•Effective antidote for depression, anxiety and psychosomatic disorders: laughter boosts the production of serotonin, a natural anti-depressant.

•Gives an excellent internal massage to the digestive tract and enhances blood supply to important internal organs like the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys and adrenal glands.

•Ensures good sleep and reduces snoring because laughter is very good for the muscles of the soft palate and throat

•Brings a happy glow to your face and makes your eyes shine with a thin film of tears which are squeezed from the lachrymal sacs during the act of laughter.

Contra-Indications

Too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. You cannot laugh too little, but you can laugh too much and put your body into distress. Laughing is a powerful form of exercise that gives you more of a cardiovascular workout than many "regular" aerobic activities. A typical Laughter Yoga session lasts about 20 to 30 minutes. Anything beyond 30 minutes is in the red zone and may adversely affect a lot of people, especially seniors. Use your common sense: no strain, no new pains. Please take time to familiarize yourself with our contra-indications below.

Laughter Yoga is in no way a miracle cure and should not be considered a substitute for proper medical consultation for physical, mental or psychological illness. It is and should remain a complementary form of therapy. Furthermore, it may not be suitable for everyone. Laughing involves some physical strain and a rise in intra-abdominal pressure. It is contra-indicated, (NOT RECOMMENDED), for anyone suffering from any diseases that are in a severe or uncontrolled stage such as, but not limited to: Any kind of hernia, advanced, (bleeding) piles, any persistent cough, anything with acute symptoms, epilepsy, heart disease, high blood pressure, incontinence, major psychiatric disorders, severe backache. People who have had major surgery should wait at least three months and consult with their doctor before attending.

Laughter Yoga Club of Nevada County

Contact Robert to schedule a Laughter Yoga session for your group or center