In the past, I saw Haruki Hamaguchi, a famous wrestling star in Japan known as “Animal Hamaguchi” in the ring. He is the father of Olympic athlete Kyoko Hamaguchi. He was always in a good mood, shouting: “Wahaha, wahaha, breathe, breathe.”
Wrestling requires intense concentration, and practice lasts three hours each day. Before and after practice, Mr. Hamaguchi would line everyone up shoulder to shoulder and march around the practice area, chanting “Wahaha, wahaha” as part of the Wahaha exercise. Since no one felt embarrassed, I decided to delve deeper into this activity.
The sympathetic nervous system is dominant before practice. Laughing out loud can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, relieving tension. Additionally, physical contact among teammates creates a sense of unity, allowing for focused practice. After practice, releasing tension helps calm the body. From the perspective of autonomic nervous system immunity theory, this is an excellent health method.
We can laugh at any time. Diseases like cancer are often triggered by prolonged sympathetic nervous tension, which makes it difficult to laugh. People troubled by interpersonal relationships or overwork usually don’t feel like laughing. If you rarely have opportunities to laugh, it’s time to pay attention.
A doctor practicing autonomic nervous system immunotherapy told me: “Patients with stubborn diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s rarely laugh, especially those with Parkinson’s who rarely smile.” I tried taking close-up photos of patients before and after treatment and found that those who began to smile, even slightly, showed some improvement in their condition.
The first person to advocate the healing power of laughter was Norman Cousins, the former editor of the renowned American magazine Saturday Review. His motivation was a severe collagen disease with a 1 in 500 chance of recovery. His attempts to cure himself led to dissatisfaction, anger, distress, and despair, which lowered his immunity and adversely affected his health. Conversely, maintaining a positive attitude, such as hope, joy, and the will to live, makes recovery easier even when ill. Therefore, watching comedy movies and reading interesting books can be beneficial.
Laughter can boost immunity
Research shows that laughing for 10 minutes can block pain for about two hours, allowing for better sleep. As his condition improved, he wrote about his battle with illness and the potential for natural healing, which became a bestseller in the U.S. in 1979. That year, he became a professor at the University of California Medical School and formed a research team to study the effects of laughter.
In Japan, Dr. Jinro Itami, an expert in laughter research and advocate of survival therapy, conducted studies at Osaka’s “Namba Ground Kagetsu” (Yoshimoto Kogyo). He collected blood samples from cancer and heart disease patients before and after watching performances to study changes. After three hours of laughter, 14 of 19 people’s NK cells were activated, boosting cancer-fighting immunity. NK cells are lymphocytes that attack and destroy 3,000 to 5,000 cancer cells daily, with about 5 billion NK cells.
The study also examined the ratio of helper T cells, which enhance immunity, to suppressor T cells, which inhibit excessive immune responses. It found that laughter adjusted these ratios towards normal levels. Dr. Itami predicted that laughter could positively impact diseases related to decreased immunity and autoimmune conditions. After disasters like the Kobe and Awaji earthquakes, NK cell function declined under stress from sadness and anger.
According to research by Professor Emeritus Makichi Yoshino of Japan Medical University, blood samples from 26 female rheumatoid arthritis patients were collected before and after listening to Rakugo by Master Hayashiya Kikuzō. The study compared changes in pain levels and inflammation markers like interleukin-6, stress hormones, and cortisol with 37 healthy female participants. Just one hour of laughter reduced rheumatoid pain, decreased interleukin-6 levels by about a third, and lowered cortisol levels in most patients. Healthy individuals maintained normal levels with only slight changes.
Additionally, Professor Emeritus Kazuo Murakami of Tsukuba University reported research findings at the genetic level. Diabetic patients, with an average age of 63, listened to a lecture on the first day and watched a comedy (similar to Chinese crosstalk) on the second day. Blood sugar levels were measured before and after meals under identical dietary conditions. On the first day, after the lecture, blood sugar levels rose to an average of 123mg.
On the second day, after watching the comedy, levels averaged 77 mg, showing that laughter alone can suppress blood sugar by 46 mg. Laughter activates 64 genes related to oxygen transport, protein synthesis, and metabolism, promoting health at the genetic level. Some may worry about laughter causing wrinkles, but it stimulates facial muscles, preventing their decline with age. Not only is moderate laughter harmless, but hearty laughter can also bring health benefits!
Incidentally, laughter burns calories. Laughing for three and a half minutes burns 11 calories, swimming for the same duration burns about 18 calories, and brisk walking burns about 17 calories. Laughter is a treatment without side effects. Continuous laughter spreads, improving the atmosphere and providing significant therapeutic effects. As the saying goes, “Laughter brings good fortune,” and “Laughter is better than makeup.”
(This article is excerpted from “Boost Immunity, Overcome Disease: Uncommon Health Methods Unveiled by Three Renowned Japanese Doctors,” by Toru Anpo, Yusuke Ishihara, and Minoru Fukuda, published by Shimao Publishing.)
Follow us on X, Facebook, or Pinterest
