An easy exercise is one that is a pleasure to do. An exercise is easy if I don't have to "make" myself go do it; if I get my rewards for performing it far outweigh any discomfort of the work out. The best case scenario for an easy exercise is one that I look forward to doing and one during which the time passes quickly - because it doesn't feel like a work out!

If I can apply the adage, "time flies when you're having fun," to my workout - that's an easy exercise. And, I know you'll agree, what I about to describe to you is truly an easy exercise, one that you'll both love to do and also love the benefits of.

Being in Good Health is Very Important

This article, however, isn't about me. This article concerns some dramatic experiences my son, Greg, recently had concerning laughter, heart health, and exercise.

Greg has been concerned about his weight and fitness for his entire adult life and have always been a regular exerciser. He's not spent his life concentrating on easy exercises, but Greg loves easy ones when he find them. While he likes to think of himself as an active person, however, the only regular exercise Greg has gotten in the past year is weight lifting a few times a week. It keeps him strong, but it's not an aerobic exercise; due to self-imposed time restraints, Greg hasn't had regular aerobic exercise for a couple years.

So while Greg is in very good physical shape because of his weight lifting and healthy diet, my son achieves that without the benefit of regular, physical aerobic exercise.

Laughter is a Wonderful Addition to any Healthful Routine

What Greg does get, however, is regular laughter. Humor has ten proven health benefits and, following the Ha Ha Ha Prescription I created, my son makes sure to experience daily belly laughs at work and at home. It's quite easy, actually, to cultivate relationships with people whom you find very funny and give them five or ten minutes each day to make you laugh. It's great for all parties involved.

At his work, Greg's friends Clint Vaught and Joe Shrewsbury both have an ability to get him laughing very hard. These men are my son's humor muses, their humor produces genuine belly laughs. The net effect of one of his five minute "laugh sessions" (which usually occur very informally in Greg's office) is a mini-vacation for both of the participants. Greg always feel mentally refreshed and physically recharged; he has had his daily dose of natural humor medicine.

This comes as no surprise to me, since I have already verified that humor reduces your stress, relieves your pain, decreases your anxiety, stabilizes your mood, rests your brain, boosts your immunity, enhances your communication, and inspires your creativity. And, as an added bonus, research has verified that five minutes of hearty laughter produces the same effect upon your heart as twenty minutes of aerobic exercise.

So you can actually have a cardiovascular workout from your favorite recliner! Talk about an easy exercise, you never have to leave your seat!

How Greg's Laughter Routine was Put to the Test

Aren't those eight benefits of humor I mentioned fantastic? Even without the cardiovascular benefits, how much would you have to pay for a pill that did all those things for you? And humor is both free and, as I've said, easy enough to cultivate regularly if you're willing to make the effort. But, just recently, I got even more dramatic physical proof that Greg's laughter sessions are producing dynamite results.

Two weeks ago Greg began experiencing tightness in his chest that was recurring every evening. It turned out to be something minor and he's fine, but at the time Greg's family doctor set him up with a treadmill stress

When asked by the nurse prepping him for the test, Greg responded that he was a fairly active person. As she was gluing the electrodes on his chest, however, it occurred to Greg that (as I stated earlier) he's not really an active person. This was not going to be an easy exercise; he was pretty certain that the stress test might reveal that Greg is not in as good a cardiovascular shape as he imagined.

The proof would be in the pudding, so to speak - especially if Greg turned into pudding on the treadmill!

When the doctor discussed Greg's test results, however, he praised his cardiovascular health. Saying he had the stamina of a conditioned athlete, he praised Greg for how long he had to run and how hard the machine had to push him to get his heart rate up. He told Greg he was in "great physical shape" and that his heart was a "machine."

Greg couldn't help but immediately think of his daily laughter sessions with Clint and/or Joe at work. Not that Greg have trouble believing my research, but here was real, tangible evidence that my Ha Ha Ha Prescription works! Greg returned to his laughter sessions with renewed vigor the next day, taking five minutes to ask his humor muses to give him some belly laughter.

Laughter and Healthful Eating/Exercise = an Unbeatable Combination!

While I love this easy exercise, am I advocating that you not engage in physical exercise and only laugh? Now that you know about this easy exercise, should you go buy a gallon of rocky road ice cream to eat with your joke book? Can you throw out all your healthful habits and since you're watching a favorite funny television show each day?

No way!

But I am telling you that if you're not including laughter along with your other healthful habits, you're missing out on some "seriously" (pun intended) great benefits. You owe it to yourself to incorporate this easy exercise into your personal health routine.

We all have different physical needs and I, for example, am very anal about my healthy diet. But I'm also anal about my commitment to laughter and not taking myself too seriously (while I continue to take my responsibilities seriously). And there can be no doubt that my commitment to laughter is not only providing me with emotional and spiritual benefits, but physical as well.

Now it's Time for You to Start Performing this Easy Exercise!

If you'd like to experience amazing physical, emotional, and spiritual health like me, perform this easy exercise for thirty days. I'll guarantee you'll love the results so much you'll never look back! Here is my easy exercise formula:

Identify your humor muse - a person or thing (a comedy recording, television show, cartoon book, etc.) that has the ability to produce genuine belly laughter for you

If your humor muse is a person, share how they are helping you and help them also understand the benefits of your daily laughter

Set aside at least five minutes a day of uninterrupted time with your humor muse

Now matter what else is going on with you, laugh with your humor muse as you did when you were a child - freely and with no reservations

Repeat every day

Daily laughter is an easy exercise to enjoy. All it takes is five minutes of your day, access to some funny people or props, and your willingness. Combined with your other healthful habits, you will become Superwoman - I know it! In fact, unless you don't want to enjoy your optimal health, laughter should be a part of your daily routine.
About the Author

Discover the secrets of a (formerly) stressed-out physician. A psychiatrist, and a stand-up comedian, Cliff Kuhn, M.D., dispenses his unique prescription for using humor to turbo-charge your health, success, and vitality via his website, http://www.natural-humor-medicine.com. Here you will find tons of fun, free ways for you to maximize your sense of humor and enjoy a life others will admire.