Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/36926
SENIOR CORNER Some Benefi ts of Laughter by MARTHA OWEN & SUSAN GUY A recent survey by Japan’s Osaka University Graduate school of Medicine found that people who participated in hour-long, twice-a-month laughter or music sessions lowered their systolic blood pressure (the top number) by an average of five or six points over three months. According to www.help- guide.org, laughter is good for your health and offers the fol- lowing benefits: Physical Health Benefits: • Boosts immunity • Lowers stress hormones • Decreases pain • Relaxes your muscles • Prevents heart disease Mental Health Benefits: • Adds joy and zest to life • Eases anxiety and fear • Relieves stress • Improves mood • Enhances resilience Social Benefits: • Strengthens relationships • Attracts others to us • Enhances teamwork • Helps defuse conflict • Promotes group bonding Methodist University is now offering A NEW ASSOCIATE IN ARTS DEGREE with a concentration in leadership and management. Methodist University is n AS w le This interdisciplinary degree is a partnership between the Tally Center for Leadership Development and the Reeves School of Business. T a MU is a military-friendly institution. MU is a milit Qualifying military personnel may complete this two-year degree in just one year (*includes summer enrollment). Active-duty service members can receive four free evening, summer and/or online courses with Methodist when they use all $4,500 in Tuition Assistance with us. i ilitarypersonne s. To learn more, contact the Ft. Bragg office at 910.436.3624 or bragg@methodist.edu. As laughter, humor, and play become an integrated part of your life, your creativity will flourish and new dis- coveries for playing with friends, coworkers, acquain- tances, and loved ones will occur to you daily. Since many people live alone or in situations where laughter is not a regu- lar activity, in order to gain the benefits cited, you might need to create the op- portunity to laugh. • Watch a funny movie or TV show. • Go to a comedy club. • Read the funny pages. • Seek out companionship with funny people. • Share a good joke or a funny story. • Check out your bookstore’s humor section. • Host game night with friends. • Play with a pet. • Got to a ‘Laughter Yoga” class. • Goof around with children. • Do something silly. • Make time for fun activities ( e.g. bowling, miniature golfing, karaoke). You might also take yourself less seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. You might also laugh at times when nor- mally you might respond in a different manner. Put a toy or funny plaque on your table to remind you to laugh. Watch how children deal with situations and emulate them. Spending time with a friend can brighten the day of any individual, espe- cially a senior. Since many seniors live alone or may have lost contact with their friends, they might be limited on who is available for fun-filled activities. In that case, hiring a caregiver can fill that void. As laughter, humor and play become an integrated part of your life, your creativity will flourish and new discoveries for playing with friends, coworkers, acquaintances, and loved ones will occur to you daily. Humor takes you to a higher place where you can view the world from a more relaxed, positive, creative, joyful and balanced perspective. MARTHA OWEN & SUSAN GUY, Owners of Home Instead Senior Care, Contributing Writers. COM- MENTS? editor@upandcomingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Engage. Enrich. Empower. ourMUworld.com RAPHA PRIMARY CARE Welcomes Dr. Graham S. Meyer, MD Dr. Meyer brings over 25 years of experience in Emergency Medicine to Rapha Primary Care. He is patient focused and attentively administers care to each of his patients, from pediatric to geriatric. We hope you don’t need emergency care, but if you do, please visit Dr. Meyer at Rapha Primary Care. OFFICE HOURS Mon - Thurs 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Fri 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. URGENT & EMERGENCY CARE Family and Internal Medicine Sports Medicine, Dermatology 1905 Skibo Road (at Morganton Road) • Fayetteville 910.864.HELP JULY 20-26, 2011 UCW 17 Associate in Arts Degree in Leadership&Management