The MS Art of Vindication

When science helps you kick butt

I know that it’s really, really obnoxious to say “I told you so,” but man, sometimes it just feels so good.

Does that make me obnoxious?

What if you say “I told you so,” with a smile?  Is that better?

What if you are clueless and inept when it comes to science and then science backs you up?  Can you say “I told you so then?”

I recently came across an article in the online version of Forbes Magazine called “Six Science Based Reasons why Laughter is the Best Medicine” written by David DiSalvo

See- I TOLD YOU SO!!!! 

Vindication is such a sweet sounding word…..

I’ve been saying that laughter is an excellent medicine since my MS diagnosis and I’m not even a scientist!

I’m far from it actually.  I have no brain for science anything.  I tried to read one of the Science for Dummies book once but found it too intellectual.

I’m so clueless I can’t even remember the name of the PhD degree my super sciencey cousin has.  It’s something to do with bio and medical and maybe engineering or something.  I don’t get it but I know that laboratories and tests and all kinds of other confusing things are involved.

When I was in my high school chemistry class I was doing a lesson and filled a glass test tube with water, put a one holed rubber stopper in the test tube, put a thermometer in the hole and then put the test tube over a Bunsen burner. 

I’m not sure what I was trying to figure out but if it was how to impale a thermometer into the classroom ceiling then I should have gotten an A.  I didn’t.  Still, I considered the experiment a success!

So I’m pleased to report that when I’ve exclaimed “how you deal affects how you heal,” over and over I was way ahead of the scientific curve!  Take that super brilliant cousin!

In fact, I’ve built my whole new writing profession, (can you call a blog and a book a profession-even if you don’t get paid,) on this premise.

I didn’t do that lightly my friends.  I did my homework.  Far be it from me to share such important knowledge without backing it up.

Here’s my proof-

Hypothesis- Laughter is good for you

Research-  Right after my MS diagnosis my little brother said something funny.  I laughed.  I felt a little better.  I told my friends what my brother said.  They laughed.  They felt a little better.

Experiment-  I started saying funny things.  I felt better.  I started writing funny things.  People read them and told me they felt better.  I started giving talks about the funny things I had written.  People laughed.  I felt good when they laughed.  The more they laughed, the funnier I became and the better I felt.

Proof-  Feeling good is good for you.  So if laughing makes you feel good then it stands to reason that laughter is good for you.

Conclusion- You guessed it- Laughter is good for you.  I told you so!  And I didn’t even need a lab coat or a Bunsen burner or anything!

Mr. DiSalvo is a little bit smarter than me and so he backs his research up more technically than I do.  He says things like “laughing activates the release of neurotransmitter serotonin” and “laughter has an anti-inflammatory effect that protects blood vessels…”

Basically saying what I said.  (See the research part of my experiment described right before this paragraph.  He also states that “when someone starts laughing, others will laugh..”   Hello- did he copy my experiment?)

I’m sure Mr. DiSalvo did his own research and since we both agree on the conclusion I want to give him credit where his credit is due. I would just like it noted however, that if he wins the Nobel Prize I want a cut.

The bottom line my friends is Laughter is Good for You!   It’s good medicine, (Mr. DiSalvo goes so far to state that it’s the BEST medicine) and it’s a super, excellent coping medicine!   Science says so!!

And if that’s not enough for you, I say so too!

PS- Kidding aside- this is a great, well researched article-check it out here, Six Science-Based Reasons Why Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Also, If you need help finding a laugh my memoir, MS Madness! A “Giggle More, Cry Less” Story of Multiple Sclerosis is still available on Amazon and the reviews are phenomenal!

Almost finally, I don’t usually promote anything on my blog besides my own writing and my very humorous book, (like I said, that’s what the reviews say.)  But I thought this article was well worth promoting.  I also decided to promote something else- the art work of a talented friend also living with multiple sclerosis.  Her work makes me smile which is a precursor to laughing which involves a whole other scientific experiment.   But it’s great stuff!! The above pet rock designs make me smile and hopefully they made you smile too.  They are done by Cre8ive Spirit.  Check her work out on her Facebook page, The Cre8ive Spirit.

Finally,  Happy Birthday America!!

 

Fourth of July image courtesy of nuttakit at FreeDigitalPhotos.net