"LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE!"...SCIENTIFIC BASIS Physicians and researchers have long known that stress weakens the immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to illness. Only in the mid-1980s, however, did researchers begin to study the positive impact of humor and laughter on the immune system. By early 2006, more than 30 studies had examined the impact of humor and laughter on the immune system. While some of these studies failed to show a positive effect, most have shown that that humor does strengthen several different components of the immune system.
This research has looked at both humoral (Immunoglobulins) and cellular immunity. In the case of the former, the great majority of the studies have focused on immunoglobulin A (IgA). IgA resides in the mucosal areas of the body and helps protect you against upper respiratory infections like colds and flu. Most of these studies…
