Have a good laugh, have a healthy heart

Get a good laugh every day, it's good for you, said a renowned heart specialist. He cited many studies inferring that even simple watching a comedy movie can be heart friendly.

1. A Japanese study has shown that people with type 2 diabetes - the most common form of the disease - had a smaller rise in post-meal blood sugar when they watched a comedy show than when they listened to a humorless lecture.
2. That simply looking forward to having a good laugh can boost the immune system and reduce stress.
3. Watching a funny movie improve blood vessel function.
4. In contrast, watching a disturbing scene from war movie "Saving Private Ryan," the blood vessel function deteriorates.
5. the effects of stress last around 45 minutes, but if stress is unrelenting, it may help permanently alter the blood vessels.
6. According to Dr. Michael Miller of University of Maryland in Baltimore, blood vessel functioning can be measured by a simple test using Echo machine.

Put a cuff on the arm to constrict the brachial artery and then release the cuff. The artery that dilate more after this test typically has a healthy lining, called endothelium. The healthier the vessel, the more it opens up. These arteries are less likely to form clots.