Did you get your laugh on today?

Hey Everyone!

So, technology is not on my side today. I've lost internet connection throughout the day, ,my laptop AC adapter decided it was time to die, and my work computer won't accept my USB stick. Ever heard the expression 'when it rains, it pours.' Well that about sums up my day. Luckily, I work from home so I can blog from my other computer. The bad thing is I can't access any pictures. So, what's a girl to do? Write a post about laughing things off, of course!

I think I can speak for most people when I say, laughing is awesome. I mean when something makes me laugh I am usually infected by it for a couple of minutes. It feels so darn good to get a good chuckle out that it must be good for you to do on a regular basis. They do say that laughter is the best medicine!

In fact, laughing is actually called a healing activity. Natural News says that laughter can be broken down to three levels. The biophysical, the biochemical, and the bioenergetic levels.

Biophysical Level- Laughter moves lymph around your body, boosting immune system function. So, why not jump on your rebounder and laugh hysterically. Or, is that not a good idea? I will test it out and let you know:) Killing two birds with one stone here guys and gals!

Biochemical Level- Every minute of laughter produces so many healing biochemicals in the body which you simply could not find in a pill. These chemicals range from serotonin to immune helpers like interleukins. Having these circulate around in your body can produce numerous health benefits including reduced chronic stress.

Bioenergetic Level- As you are laughing hysterically, you are actually breathing in heaps of oxygen. All this oxygen has to go somewhere, so the ciruculation system picks up the pace to get it to your cells. Along with improved circulation, comes mental clarity and disease prevention. People actually go to oxygen bars to improve their focus. Yes, these people are paying for lots and lots of air! Also, did you know that many parasites, and even cancer, cannot live in an oxygenated environment?

Research by Dr. Lee Berk suggests that even if you know you are about to laugh, that is enough to change the biochemistry. This anticipation caused the increase of two hormones, beta-endorphins and human growth hormone. The endorphins are involved in elevating mood and the HGH is involved in immune function. Another study looked at the reduction of bad stress hormones and found that the same anticipation of laughter reduced cortisol, epinephrine, and dopac (related to dopamine).

Laughter is so good for you they even have classes where you just laugh. How cool would that be to have in University or high school?

So, how does laughing actually take place? A cool article by Care2 sums it up pretty well. First off, it actually only takes about a half a second for something to register as being funny. This causes electrical "waves" to move about the higher functions of the cerebral cortex, the outer most tissue of the cerebrum. The left hemisphere of the brain analyzes the words and their structure. The right side of the brain makes sense out of it. The visual-sensory section of the occipital lobe conjures up images, the limbic section makes you happier, and the motor sections make you laugh or smile.

It amazes me how quickly all these connections can take place allowing me to laugh!

So, have a great laugh today! Whether its a movie, a funny pet moment, or pasting a post-it to your co-workers back (be nice!), enjoy a chuckle and know that you are doing a great thing for your health!

P.S. if you want to watch something super funny and cute, check out the YouTube vid below. The hubby and I watched it over and over and it still didn't get old.

How to naturally freshen the air in your home!

Hey all,

Now, there are so many different air fresheners out there. The puff, they spray, they glow, they do so many things except add to your health. In fact, they are quite toxic! Now, I love my home to smell good but I do not use commercial air fresheners. In fact, I make my own and it takes about a minute! I'll tell you all about freshening up your home the natural way but I first want to talk about why commercial air fresheners are harmful.

A recent study by the NRDC (National Resource Defence Council) stated that 12 out of 14 tested air fresheners contained phthalates. These chemicals are known hormone disruptors. The phthalate compounds can cause reduced sperm counts, cause structural abnormalities in the male reproductive system, and some studies even suggest that they might cause cancer. Especially sensitive to these chemicals are unborn babies and young children. The government of California even stated that five types of phthalates (including those in air fresheners) are known to cause birth defects or reproductive problems. Another shout out to all you Moms and moms-to-be out there! An article by Care2 noted a study that found mothers who lived in homes with daily air fresheners had a 26% increased risk of depression. If they can make their effects known at the endocrine level, what can they do at the respiratory level (or any other level for that matter). Breathing these chemicals into our lungs can cause great harm, including asthma. Our Canadian government has even asked employers to not use them in the work place as they can trigger an asthma attack.


The scary part about these products is that the government does not set safety standards for them and that means there is virtually no testing. Yikes! And if you think you will just check the label, think again! They do not have to list it in the ingredients. So, you really do not know what you are spraying, breathing, or absorbing in your home.


This $200 million dollar industry needs to have some standards. It's crazy that they can get their product on the shelves but it can take years to approve a natural supplement that comes from a plant. Something is definitely wrong here.


Please keep these boogy monsters out of your home and freshen it up naturally!

• Open doors and windows- This is the easiest option and the best way to get rid of odors (in my opinion). I know this may not be an option in the winter where you live so take advantage of it in the summer.


• Vinegar- Place bowls of vinegar in the area where there is an odor or boil 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon on vinegar (if the odor is in the kitchen)


• Baking Soda- This is a great thing for your fridge or freezer. Just buy a box and leave it open in the fridge/freezer. Replace every couple of months.
• Essential Oils - Heat these up and they can make the room smell delish!

Now, my favorite and best defence for household odors is to boil some citrus peels (from one orange, grapefruit, or lemon) with various herbs such as cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, or ginger. I add about a teaspoon of each.

The wonderful smell lasts a long time and its super cheap to make. So, next time something makes your nose crinkle and your hand wave rapidly in front of you, try a more natural approach . You will be breathing easy once again and your house will smell good enough to eat!


Happy Thursday!