Last weekend, our oldest son came to visit so we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving a few weeks early.
My wife made an incredible spread with all the 'fixings' as we enjoyed our meal together.
It was great to be reunited as an entire family unit as we expressed to our son how much we missed him around the family table with us.
We have been in Florida now almost two years and though the passage of time has made it easier for us to be apart, it is still hard to be separated from loved ones.
One of our kids, perhaps missing the fact that his brother is not with us all the time, put a napkin over their head and the next thing you know, everyone looked like a pilgrim including our dog, Callie.
It made for a good laugh as we soaked in the moment together.
Sometimes, life can be intense.
We experienced that this past week. A month ago, Hurricane Ian came and swept over the west coast of Florida, this past week the east coast of Florida was hit with Hurricane Nicole.
Although there was no damage that we experienced from the storm, it was nonetheless an intense time.
Just about everything shut down in town in anticipation of the storm. Shutters were put in place on house windows, outdoor furniture and accessories were stored away in a safe place, boats were taken out of the water, etc.
There was electricity in the air in anticipation of the unknown.
Life is like that at times. It can be sad. It can be serious. It can be intense.
Times like this are beneficial as it teaches us to appreciate what we have as well as shape our character.
However, if we are constantly living in a state of tension, it can have negative effects on our health.
One simple way to counteract the negative effects of stress upon us is laughter.
A recent study out of the Journal of Epidemiology recognized the potential health benefits of laughter including alleviating:
- depression
- dementia
- insomnia
- lowering blood sugars including improving your Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) score on lab tests
Yes, laughter has even been shown to fight off bacteria, viruses, cancer, and heart disease according to University of California, Irvine medical professor, Lee Burk, MD. He not only showed that laughter is good medicine, but even looking forward to laughter can be good for you.
He studied ten men & told them in three days they would see a humorous video. In each subject, their spirits were lifted even before viewing the video. Burk called this influence the "biology of hope."
Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones."
How about you? Are you a person in general who walks through life with a joyful heart.
Some of the most joyful people I meet are often young children who tend to laugh a lot.
On the contrary, as adults, life tends to be more serious with laughter being more infrequent.
However, by seeking out more opportunities for humor and laughter, you can improve your mental and physical health, strengthen your relationships, and add quality of years to your life.
Dr. Derek '7 days w/o laughter makes one weak' Taylor
PS- All new patients who come in the month of November will have $50 of their first visit go towards raising funds for six families in Naples, FL affected by the effects of Hurricane Ian.
PSS-In addition, we are having a special promotion in the month of November where you can receive:
- An initial consultation
- Surface EMG Spinal Evaluation
- Three-dimensional Foot Scan
- Intersegmental Spinal Massage
- Robotic Chair Massage
- Theralight 360 Laser bed session
All of this is just for $47.00 and 100% of the proceeds go to our Hurricane Ian fund. Call (561) 867-1020 to make your appt.
