Want a better workout? Have a good laugh
Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
In the movie “Mary Poppins” when Mary ( Julie Andrews) and Bert (Dick Van Dyke) take the Banks children (Matthew Garber and Karen Dotrice) to visit Uncle Albert (Ed Wynn), Albert starts to laugh and suddenly, with every chortle, he floats higher and higher off the ground. Soon the visitors start laughing, and they levitate, too. Only sad thoughts bring them back to Earth.
Sometimes the thought of exercising can make you feel rooted to the ground. But a new study shows that laughter just might give you the motivational lift you need. Researchers found that older adults who were led through an exercise program that incorporated simulated laughter (they went through the motions of laughter), which often triggered a genuine belly laugh, saw significant improvement in mental health, aerobic endurance and more interest in exercising. Study participants did a 45-minute course of moderate activity peppered with bouts of simulated laughter for six weeks. Almost 89 percent said laughter made exercise more accessible, and about 88 percent said they were motivated to participate in other exercise classes.
So the next time you exercise, sprinkle some humor into your workout, like Dr. Mike does. Try watching last night’s episodes of “The Late Show” (Stephen Colbert) and “Conan” while you exercise. You’ll discover that your workouts are more fun, and you’ll get other health benefits, too. A good laugh session releases mood-boosting endorphins, lowers stress, improves your immune responses, reduces pain, improves heart health and makes your RealAge younger.
A healthy dose of strength and generosity
When George Harrison wrote “I Me Mine” in 1969, he was commenting on the oversized egos of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which ended up pulling the band apart less than a year later. In Harrison’s Eastern faith, one could not be united with the Higher Power until one renounced those three first-person, selfish pronouns.
Me, me, me: Psychologists point out that people who use I, me, mine the most are the least secure. They (like certain Beatles and public figures) care more about their self-interests than they do about others. So when you’re listening to someone blathering on (say, in the presidential debates) and you want to entertain yourself and get a peek into the person’s true nature, keep count of how often they use first-person pronouns.
And if you think you’re a bit too I, me, mine yourself, you want to nurture your ego strength, not egotism. Egotism clouds your vision. It’s ego strength (I can do this!) that fuels a determination to find solutions to health issues and relationship problems. It also sets you on a path of ever-improving mental and physical health and a younger Real- Age.
To build a strong resolve, start with small steps. Set goals you can meet for physical activity and nutritional improvements. Acknowledge your accomplishments when you reach those goals, then set higher ones. And set goals for volunteering in your community helping those in need. Notice that your well-being is tied to the well-being of others. We, You, Us. Now that’s a nice tune.
Question: My new boss lies all the time, claims he’s accomplished things he never did (like winning golf club championships and earning an MBA — we did some research!), and takes credit for other people’s work. My whole department is in chaos. What should we do? — Marlane M., Dallas
Answer: Those who have only a passing acquaintance with the truth are difficult to deal with, especially when they’re in a position of authority. Plus, it’s very hard to understand why your boss would continue to lie when, with a little fact-checking, it was easy to prove that’s what he’s doing. But there are positive ways to deal with this situation.
Neurologists say that pathological lying is a mental disorder called behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and/or is characterized by changes in the brain’s prefrontal white matter. But psychiatrists say it takes stimulation from environmental triggers and emotional reactions to various forms of stress, from rejection to abuse, to make the behavior bloom. And the DSM (Diagnostic and Symptoms Manual) says that in someone with antisocial personality disorder, a longterm pattern of manipulating, exploiting or violating the rights of others, habitual lying indicates a lack of emotion and coldness.
What are your options? Confronting a fabricator usually is ineffective, unless the person wants to change. So, in your work situation, document the untruths and deceptions. Then you and your coworkers can make a verifiable presentation to your boss’s boss. Frame it in the context of what’s best for your company, and you might end up with a positive change.