Our family has always enjoyed telling jokes and puns—and we think we’re healthier for it, at least emotionally. In fact, our grandma always said, “Laughter’s the best medicine.” And, she’d quote the Bible: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Our guess is that this is all good for our health—at least emotionally. Agree? Disagree?

—Jokester from Pennsylvania

CONTINUED FROM PART 1: Laughter is the Best Medicine

Down through the years I’ve consistently one of the two following written notes on a prescription for my patients who are a bit too serious. Consider filling one of both of these prescriptions for immediate relief!

First, “Learn to laugh at yourself.” When you goof up or make a mistake, do you get mad? When you accidentally drop something, do you get angry, or even curse at yourself? Being a perfectionist, I suffered from this problem for a long time. But I’m learning to lower my expectations of myself—to laugh at myself. I’m convinced I’m healthier for it.

I’ve learned that slip-ups and less-than-perfect behavior are part of everyone’s daily life as a human being. Now I laugh at myself when I put a box of cereal in the refrigerator or the milk in the pantry. I chuckle when I misplace my glasses—which means I’m laughing through-out the day! These goof-ups have become an opportunity to raise my humor quotient rather than an occasion to belittle myself.

Second, become an expert at giggling. Take several doses of giggles every day. Chuckle, cackle, chortle, and belly-laugh your way to higher degrees of health. You need only be a student of yourself.

What are some things that make you giggle? It may be a funny video, a humorous book, or even a few choice comics in the daily newspaper. For years I had three desk calendars—one with daily jokes, one with funny medical stories, and the third had a daily wacky cartoon from Gary Larson. Every few hours, I would turn the page to that day’s date in one of the calendars and enjoy a giggle. I loved sharing them with my nurse, my partners, and with my patients.

After another of our office visits, I was walking Leonard to the checkout desk, when he asked, “Doc, you know the three signs of old age?”

“I think I know a few,” I responded. “But, which ones are you thinking about?”

He looked down at his hands and tapped the pointer finger of his right hand into the palm of his left hand. “The first is you begin to loose your memory.”

“Well,” I said, “that’s not unusual for a man of your age. After all, you’re ninety-seven now!”

Leonard didn’t look up, as he tapped his pointer and middle fingers into his palm. “The second,” he said, as he kept tapping the two fingers. “The second,” he repeated as he scrunched up his eyes. “Hmm,” he said as he looked up at me. “I done forgot the other two.”

The staff who had been watching this, always expecting a joke from Leonard, all broke out in smiles and chuckles, as he looked as hurt and heartbroken as he could. Then, in an instant, he smiled ear-to-ear. “But, I know where I wrote down ‘em other two. I’ll tell y’all when I come back tomorrow.”

Leonard graduated to glory that night during his sleep. I’ve never known for sure if he was kidding me or his mild dementia had led to him forgetting. But … I suspect the former. His humor improved my and my office staff’s health—not to mention, his own.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 3: Heart-Healthy Humor

Walt Larimore, MD, has been called one of America’s best known family physicians and has been named in the “Guide to America’s Top Family Doctors,” “The Best Doctors in America,” “Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare,” and “Who’s Who in America.” He’s a former Vice President and Physician in Residence at Focus on the Family and the American Life League has named him a “Rock-Solid Pro-Life” awardee. He’s also an award-winning medical journalist and the best-selling author of over 40 books. He and his childhood sweetheart and wife of 50 years, Barb, have two adult children and reside in Colorado Springs. You can find Doctor Walt’s health blog at www.DrWalt.com and follow him on Facebook at “DrWalt.com”. Have questions for Dr. Walt? Email them to editor@todayschristianliving.org.