Laughter Makes Breast Milk Healthier

 According to a new study, breastfed babies with eczema experienced milder symptoms if their mothers laughed hours before feeding them.

 Breastfeeding mothers were shown either a Charlie Chaplin movie or weather information, and samples of their breast milk were taken at regular intervals afterwards.

Their babies" allergic reactions to dust mites and latex was also measured two milk feeds afterwards.

 Infants whose mothers laughed had markedly reduced allergic reactions. There were also significantly higher levels of melatonin in the laughing mothers" milk.

 Melatonin, which is associated with relaxation, tends to have reduced levels in people with eczema.

Laughter is one of those simple joys in life that just feels good. And it"s good for you body, too -- in more ways than many may have realized as now you can add improving the quality of breast milk to its list of benefits.

So if you’re a breastfeeding mom, or a mom-to-be, keep in mind that laughter is not only good for you, but your baby too! Babies with eczema especially benefited in the study, but any baby will benefit from reduced allergic reactions.

We could all actually benefit from more laughter in our days. There is a mountain of research that demonstrates the beneficial effects that positive emotions can have on your health:

A sunnier disposition can lengthen your life, regardless of your age, weight or smoking habits:

• Positive emotions can help you see life’s bigger picture
• Laughter helps type 2 diabetics process sugar better
• Laughter is good for your heart
• If you open your mind to it, I suspect you’ll find plenty of reasons to laugh and smile today, even if you’re just going about your daily routine.

Journal of Psychosomatic Research June 2007;62(6):699-702

NewScientist.com June 16, 2007