Are Ya Havin Any Fun?

What's one of the best things you can do for your immune system?
Once a week, have FUN with friends!
Yeah, fun is GOOD for you. I hope knowing that doesn't take the fun out of fun for you...

Having fun optimizes your immune system for 3 days afterwards. And if you have fun scheduled ahead of time, it also optimizes your immune system for the 3 days before the event!
Optimize? What does that mean?

Those of us with autoimmune diseases run away from anything that might BOOST our immune system. That is the last thing we want, is for our immune system to be MORE active. Autoimmune conditions, by definition, are defined by the patient's immune system attacking their own healthy tissues. And all medical treatment (drugs) is aimed at suppressing the immune system, in order to save our tissues and vital organs from attack. The last thing we want to do is rev it up.

But what we have learned about fun (and laughter as well) is that is *optimizes* the immune system. If it's to revved up, it brings it back towards normal. It it's too depressed (such as with a cold, flu, or AIDS), it brings it up closer to normal.

Now I know we think- ugh. fun. I'm too tired to go to Disneyland. Uh, yeah, me too. Even when I'm feeling fine, that idea wears me out. That degree of effort is not necessary in order to have fun.

I'm happy just sitting with my uke making up ridiculous songs and singing them to my husband, or a fellow funny person on skype. Or sitting around the dinner table with a bunch of old friends talking about anything at all, totally unplanned. Or putting a fake poop in someone's shower and waiting for them to see it. Or sitting with a fellow songwriter or comedian writing songs or jokes. Or doing madlibs with my nieces. Or karaoke. Thrift shopping or yard sale-ing with a friend (one who also likes thrifting). Or going dancing. Or putting on great music in my living room and dancing like an idiot.

How 'bout you?
What's your idea of fun?
Share it in the comment section!

Carla

The Singing Patient: Author, Health Speaker, Humorous Songwriter and Entertainer

http://www.thesingingpatient.com
http://www.facebook.com/TheSingingPatient
http://www.twitter.com/singingpatient

Happiness is Good for you

I read a study a while back that said a negative stressor like getting yelled at can negatively affect your immunity for up to 12 hours, whereas a positive experience, such as getting together with friends for fun, can positively affect you immunity for up to 3 days.(It really shouldn't seem like some radical notion that being happy enhances the immune system.

In fact, in the DVD "The Secret," this same principle is touched upon: we have 60,000 thoughts a day (!). Thankfully, the positive ones have more power to affect your reality than the negative ones. Of course if there are no positive thoughts... that could be a problem.

The lesson? it's more important to have fun than it is to avoid stress.

My still newlywed husband and I (not quite 6 months yet) were invited to a big family gathering. We were extended family, as in Joe's sister-in-law's family. We've met a number of these folks before at birthday parties, etc.

So the Patriarch of the Day was Florio, who every year rents a big party bus, gives all his grandkids some money, and we go into New York City (from Yonkers) and go to Toys R Us. Then we go see the big tree at Rockefeller Center. some of us, including me, also stopped into St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is beautiful and has a life-size nativity scene in he sanctuary. I lit a candle ad said a prayer for my Aunt, who is struggling with cancer and related problems.

At the tree, which is also where the ice skating rink is, I was so fortunate to have ended up at that place during the very time that a Tuba Christmas was going on! Every year, for many years now, a bunch of tuba players gather under the Big Tree and play Christmas carols. Only tubas allowed! there were 450 tubas this year! I had heard of this because I played tuba in high school. I never thought I'd see it in first person!

We also saw the friendly neighborhood Spiderman on the sidewalk, 2 cops on horses, and Santa driving a stretch limo.

We all then had a huge Italian dinner at an authentic Italian place that feeds you for 2-3 hours straight. whew.

To top it off, we arranged for our neighbor to visit our little dog with her little dog for a little while and she kept them together for 5 hours! So even our dog had a great day.

We should be immune to anything tomorrow, always a good thing on Monday!

Speaking of fun- hear some funny songs at
http://www.thesingingpatient.com