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A day to celebrate humor and laughter?!!

It’s already March 19th and I don’t have any ideas for April Fool’s Day for my kids. I am desperate and need help. In previous years I have put gummy worms in their sandwiches, short-sheeted their beds, convinced them school was cancelled, given them mashed potatoes that looked like ice cream sundaes, and offered cookies with (fluoride-free, of course) toothpaste as the filling. Last year I tried to pretend I had broken my arm. While my adult friends believed me, my kids just rolled their eyes. So, as you can see, my ideas are not working anymore and I need something grand and convincing.

Humor has always been an important part of our family. When my children were younger, we used humor to convince them to do things they didn’t want to do. For instance, in order to get them to clean their rooms we would put shoes on our heads, walk to their rooms, and dump them in the closet. My older daughter’s favorite game was to dress up as Cinderella (in rags, of course) and have me shout orders at her — I was not allowed to say “please” because I was, obviously, the evil stepmother. It’s amazing how clean the playroom could become those days.

When my husband had a brain tumor, I used humor to temporarily destress an incredibly difficult time period. Those days it was not uncommon to see us eating jello through a straw, dessert before dinner, or ice cream without a spoon. One desperate day we all dressed up in our rain gear, with umbrellas, and took a shower together while singing, “I’m singing in the Rain.”

Last year my daughter had 2 friends spend the night before presenting a history project in a county contest. They had worked incredibly hard on this project while continuing their other demanding curriculum, and they were exhausted, nervous, and stressed. So I went to the store and bought shaving cream and whip cream. After dinner I sent them outside in old clothes and let them spray each other. They ran around for over an hour in the dark, laughing and playing. To this day they still talk about it.

Humor and laughter are an important part of our lives. They relieve tension, reduce stress, and provide us with a temporary distraction from unpleasant thoughts or lives. They allow people to forget about anxiety and pain, even if it’s momentary. Scientific studies that have even shown that humor improves overall health and, more specifically, the ability to fight off infections, decrease the risk of developing a heart attack, and improve blood sugar control . Psychologically, it has been related to decreased loneliness and depression, and improved self esteem and feelings of hopefulness . Laughter clubs and therapy have been developed and exist in and out of hospitals throughout the United States.

humor in our family (response to "smelly" fish)

humor in our family (response to "smelly" fish)

So, now you understand why it is so important for me to find some new, more exciting April Fool’s Day gimmicks for my family – ones that will really make them laugh! I am willing to share my “Vanilla” Sundae recipe with you, which has been used by many extended family members and friends.

April Fool’s Day Ice Cream Sundaes

Ingredients:

1. Instant mashed potatoes

2. Chocolate sauce

3. Whip cream

4. Maraschino cherry

5. Vanilla ice cream

Make the mashed potatoes according to directions and let them cool. Use an ice cream scoop to put 2 scoops in a bowl. Top with chocolate sauce, whip cream and, of course, a cherry. Serve. Have real vanilla ice cream available to serve so the victim can actually enjoy dessert in the end.

12 Stress Busters

This is the final week of the WOMAN challenge – a great health initiative with a slightly awkward acronym (“Women and girls Out Moving Across the Nation.”) Designed by the department of Health and Human Services, the goal was to get 10,000 steps/day 5 days a week for 8 weeks total.  Today they sent me a final list of stress-reducing tips that I thought I’d share with you (along with some personal commentary):

Tips to relieve stress

1. Be physically active – physical activity may prevent stress-induced suppression of the immune system The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day, 5 days a week, and 2 weight training sessions per week for optimum health.

2. Eat regular, healthy meals – with plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

3. Laugh (especially at yourself) – laughter releases feel-good chemicals in the brain.

4. Have fun with friends – friendship can reduce loneliness and stress inducing  symptoms of depression, and may even prolong your life.

5. Confide in someone you trust – you don’t have to go it alone!

6. Make time to relax – if you don’t actively set aside time to unwind, you might not do it.

7. Get a full 8 hours of sleep each night – people who get too little sleep may be at a higher risk for health problems and even death

8. Keep a journal – writing down your thoughts can be cathartic and help you express pent up emotions.

9. Organize your daily tasks – disorganization can add to anxiety and feelings of stress. A cluttered home may be a risk factor for weight gain.

10. Learn healthy ways to deal with anger – your anger may be justifiable, but holding it in may do more harm than good. Alternatively, lashing out at others will certainly increase your stress. In some cases, anger management counseling can help.

11. Ask for help – if stress is severe, you may benefit from talking to a mental health professional. They can help you work out a plan to reduce your stress or anxiety.

12. Talk to your health care provider – if you think your stress may be related to an anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, or if you’re leaning on alcohol or other substances to deal with your stress – make sure you tell your doctor about it so you can find a way forward together.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.

Slow Down, Dr. Val

I was a bit tired today, thinking about how nice the long weekend will be.  A colleague wrote me an email reminder to slow down… he said, “go home and have a nice glass of wine and relax.”  I guess research supports drinking in moderation – it’s good for the heart, right?

But then, I noticed this poem in Paul Levy’s blog – and I realized that we docs could all use a little slowing down…


ENCOUNTER ON THE STAIRS
By Warner V. Slack, MD

Next to Children’s Hospital, in a hurry
Down the stairs, two at a time
Slowed down by a family, moving slowly
Blocking the stairway, I’m in a hurry
I stop, annoyed, I’m in a hurry
Seeing me, they move to the side
A woman says softly, “sorry” in Spanish
I look down in passing, there’s a little boy
Unsteady in gait, holding onto an arm
Head shaved, stitches in scalp
Patch over eye, thin and pale
He catches my eye and gives me a smile
My walk is slower for the rest of the day
This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.

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