How do you get sick?

The human body is extremely vulnerable to germs from bacteria and viruses in the air. Sneezing, sniffling, and incessant coughing are external tell-tale signs the body is fighting to eliminate infection, but what exactly happens internally when foreign invaders attack the immune system? In Life Noggin’s video “What Happens When We Get Sick?” host Patrick Graziosi explains although the immune system combats thousands of bacteria and viruses inhaled from the air, the occasional germ or two sneaks into the body and spreads infection.

Infections with viruses and bacteria can easily be transmitted from person to person, especially in the workplace. A recent survey from Staples found 60 percent of people still show up to work sick, putting their co-workers at risk with their symptoms. A person with a cold can spread infection by coughing and/or sneezing; bacteria or viruses can be passed on by touching or shaking hands with another person.

These foreign bodies have the ability to sneak into the body and get you sick. This leads the mucus membrane to become infected and inflamed, which causes the body to respond by sending more blood to these areas. The increase in blood flow lets loose a greater amount of antibodies and white blood cells that attack anything unusual, according to Life Noggin. As a result, the blood vessels begin to swell to allow this influx of blood.

For example, when you get a sore throat, they press up against nerve endings, which cause soreness. This is a sign that the body is healing itself. The same can be seen when you have a stuffy nose. Before you blow your nose, the mucus membrane secretes mucus to protect the body. This helps trap the bacteria and viruses and provides a good way for them to exit the body through your nose.

Lastly, when we’re sick we're susceptible to fevers caused by pyrogens. Although they can come from outside the body, they are more often than not triggered inside as part of the immune system’s response to invading germs. They cause the hypothalamus to raise the body’s overall temperature, which helps inhibit many viruses and bacteria.  

Remember, the next time you get infection symptoms, they are just your immune system’s way of fighting off foreign invaders. 

3 ways to keep strong Teeth

In addition to brushing and flossing, a healthful diet (with natural or added fluoride) protects teeth from decay and keeps the gums healthy. Read on to discover how to keep your smile safe and strong.

Tooth decay (cavities and dental caries) and gum disease are caused by colonies of bacteria that constantly coat the teeth with a sticky film called plaque. If plaque is not brushed away, these bacteria break down the sugars and starches in foods to produce acids that wear away the tooth enamel. The plaque also hardens into tartar, which can lead to gum inflammation, or gingivitis.

A well-balanced diet provides the minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients essential for healthy teeth and gums. Fluoride, occurring naturally in foods and water, or added to the water supply, can be a powerful tool in fighting decay. It can reduce the rate of cavities by as much as 60 percent.                                                                                          Dental Health Guidelines

Start right by eating right during pregnancy. Make sure that your children’s teeth get off to a good start by eating sensibly during pregnancy. Particularly important is calcium, which helps to form strong teeth and bones, and vitamin D, which the body needs to absorb calcium.

You need lots of calcium for healthy teeth and gums. Low-fat dairy products, fortified soy and rice beverages, canned salmon or sardines (with bones), almonds, and dark green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of calcium.

You need vitamin D to help absorb the calcium. Vitamin D is obtained from fluid milk, fortified soy and rice beverages, margarine, fatty fish such as salmon, and moderate exposure to the sun.

Fluoride is key. To a large extent, cavities can be prevented by giving children fluoride in the first few years of life. Fluoride is supplied through fluoridated water (not all municipalities fluoridate their water supply, however), beverages made with fluoridated water, tea, and some fish, as well as many brands of toothpaste and some mouthwash. Fluoride supplements are available for children who don’t have access to fluoridated drinking water. It is wise to check to see if the water supply in your area is fluoridated. Excess consumption of fluoride can cause mottling of the teeth.

Also needed are phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. In addition to calcium and fluoride, minerals needed for the formation of tooth enamel include phosphorus (richly supplied in meat, fish, and eggs) and magnesium (found in whole grains, spinach, and bananas). Vitamin A also helps build strong bones and teeth. Good sources of beta carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A, include orange-colored fruits and vegetables and the dark green leafy vegetables.

Children are particularly vulnerable to tooth decay; parents should:
1. Provide a good diet throughout childhood

2. Brush children’s teeth until they’re mature enough to do a thorough job by themselves (usually by 6 or 7 years old)

3. Supervise twice-daily brushing and flossing thereafter

4. Never put babies or toddlers to bed accompanied by a bottle of milk (which contains the natural sugar lactose), juice, or other sweet drink5. Never dip pacifiers in honey or syrup

1. The sugar factor. Sucrose, most familiar to us as granulated sugar, is the leading cause of tooth decay, but it is far from the only culprit. Although sugary foods, including cookies, candies, and sodas, are major offenders, starchy foods (such as breads and cereals) also play an important part in tooth decay. When starches mix with amylase, an enzyme in saliva, the result is an acid bath that erodes the enamel and makes teeth more susceptible to decay. If starchy foods linger in the mouth, the acid bath is prolonged, and the potential for damage is all the greater.

Be careful when eating dried fruits. Dried fruits can have an adverse effect on teeth, because they are high in sugar and cling to the teeth. Even unsweetened fruit juices can contribute to tooth decay — they are acidic and contain relatively high levels of simple sugars.

Fresh fruits, especially apples, are better choices. Fresh fruit, although both sweet and acidic, is much less likely to cause a problem, because chewing stimulates the saliva flow. Saliva decreases mouth acidity and washes away food particles. Apples, for example, have been called nature’s toothbrush because they stimulate the gums, increase saliva flow and reduce the build-up of cavity-causing bacteria. A chronically dry mouth also contributes to decay. Saliva flow slows during sleep; going to bed without brushing the teeth is especially harmful. Certain drugs, including those used for high blood pressure, also cut down saliva flow.

2. Gum disease. More teeth are lost through gum disease than through tooth decay. Gum disease is likely to strike anyone who neglects oral hygiene or eats a poor diet. Particularly at risk are people with alcoholism, malnutrition, or AIDS/HIV infection or who are being treated with steroid drugs or certain cancer chemotherapies. Regular brushing and flossing help to prevent puffy, sore, and inflamed gums.

Build muscle at your Home

Do push-ups to work your arms and chest, starting with 100 a day. Push-ups are the bread and butter of home workouts. Make sure your form is good to get the most out of it. Your spine should be straight and in line with your butt, which isn't sagging. Your palms are generally a little wider than your shoulders, but you can go wider for a better chest workout and narrower for a better arm workout. In addition, you should mix in incline and decline push-ups for better overall muscle growth.

• Incline push-ups work different muscle heads. To do them, simply plant your arms on a low coffee table or chair so that you're angled up.
• Decline push-ups require your place your feet 1-2 feet above your hands, then performing normal push-ups. Remember to keep your head up and spine straight      Do handstands against the wall to build your shoulders and back. Not for the faint of heart, handstands are nonetheless great multi-muscle workout. To get into position, crouch with your back to the wall. Plant your hands on the ground and "walk" your feet slowly up the wall. From there, use your toes for balance, and slowly lower your head to the ground, pushing back up to complete one rep. Try to get three sets of ten in.
  • If you're too nervous for this, you can cheat with a high table. Place your feet on the table with your thighs and torso hanging over the edge, enough that you can place your hands on the ground. Then do a push-up with your head hanging straight down. This is often called a pike push-up.                   
  • Do dips to work out your arms. For good dips, you'll need a sturdy bench, table, or chair roughly 1-2 feet above the ground. Place your hands behind you on this bench so that your butt is in the air and your knees bent 90 degrees. With your feet firmly on the ground, lower your butt to the ground until your arms are bent at roughly 90 degrees. Push back up. Repeat for three sets of 15-20 reps                                                               
  • Do planks. Planks are a great way to work your entire core, and they are easily adapted for an extra challenge. To do one, get in push-up position. However, instead of placing your palms on the ground, rest on your forearms. Tighten your butt muscles and straighten your spine -- you should be able to rest a broom between your neck and butt. Hold this position for one minute, rest, and repeat two more times.
    • Side planks are when you open your body, resting on one forearm and the outside of the same foot. Again, keep your spine straight by focusing on keeping your butt up.
    • Plank to Push-up: Start in a plank position with your arms shoulder width apart and your feet hip width apart. Move down onto your forearms so that you are now in a forearm plank, then lift yourself back up to a full plank position. Do 12 reps in each set.                      
    • Do crunches to build your abs and core. Crunches are still some of the best possible ab workouts out there, so get working. Lay on your back with your feet planted and your knees bent. Supporting your neck with your hands, raise your shoulders 6-8" off the ground, hold for one second, then slowly lower yourself back down. Immediately bounce back up, keeping your eyes on the sky and making your movements slow and deliberate. Perform 1-200 every day for the best results.
      • Straight Leg sit-up: Lay on your back with your legs extended fully, the reach your arms up towards the ceiling and perform a sit-up, keeping your legs straight. Bring your arms down, trying to touch your toes, and then slowly lower back down. Do 10 reps.
       
    Use a gallon of milk, a heavy book, or home dumbbells to perform basic curls. While the rest of the exercises require little to no equipment, most upper body workouts require some sort of resistance in order to be effective. Once you have a weight you can comfortably hold, try out:
    • Bicep Curls
    • Tricep workouts
    • Shoulder raises. 
      

Build Muscle With Specific exercise

Target your pecs with chest exercises. The bench-press is the most dependable way to gain chest muscle, although there are lots of different exercises for the chest.

• Do push-ups. Combine push-ups with other chest exercises, or do them independently. Keep your arms at shoulder-width when you lower yourself down. The closer your hands are to one another, the more you'll work your triceps.
• For the bench-press, start with a weight that you can lift comfortably. If you are a beginner, try lifting the bar along with 5lbs or 10lbs on each side. With arms at shoulder-width apart, grab onto the bar and slowly lower the bar until it's about to touch the bottom of your chest; push up explosively until your arms are fully extended upwards. Do 8-10 repetitions (reps) like this for three sets (3 x 8), adding additional weight each set.
• Lift weights on the incline bench press. The incline is like the bench press, but the bench is slightly elevated at about 40 degrees. Do 3 x 8. It will be harder to lift the bar on an incline, so start out with less weight than you would on the bench-press    
• Target your triceps with arm exercises. Dips are probably the most effective way to work your triceps, which is the muscle beneath your biceps. You'll need to have strong triceps to bench-press large amounts of weight.
  • To do dips, place your hands at shoulder-width apart on a bench, with your body and feet stretched out in front of the bench. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your body down so that your butt nearly touches the floor. Lift back up with your arms to starting position; repeat, doing 3 x 20.
  • Alternately, you can do a chest dip on a dip machine, grabbing hold of two beams, bending your feet back off the ground, and lowering your body until your knees nearly touch the ground. Lift back up with your arms until they are locked.
  • Do skull crushers. Lay down flat on a bench with a bar. Bend your elbows so that the bar is about a couple inches from your forehead. Slowly push the bar up until your arms are fully extended before bringing the weight back down. Keep your elbows close together. Repeat 3 x 8.
  • Do overhead dumbbell press. Take a dumbbell and carefully lift it over your head so that your forearms, gripping the dumbbell, are horizontal behind you. Lift your forearms into a vertical position above your head, taking care not to hit your head with the dumbbell. Keep your elbows close together. 3 x 8.                                                                                                                   
  • Target your biceps with arm exercises. Dumbbell arm curls are probably the most effective way to improve strength in your biceps. As with all exercises, build muscle by steadily increasing the weight you lift.
    • Do individual arm curls with dumbbells. Sit down on a bench and grab onto a dumbbell on the ground, with your hand in between your thighs. Using your thigh as a fulcrum, lift the dumbbell all the way to the upper chest by curling your arm upward. Switch to the opposite hand and repeat. 3 x 8.
    • Do arm curls on a weighted bar. Standing up, grab hold of a weighted bar with both hands. Let the arms extend all the way down to the thighs. Using only your arms, lift the weight up to your chest by curling your arms upward. 3 x 8.
    • Do pull-ups. Jump onto or grab hold of a horizontal bar that is comfortably taller than you. Lift your legs back so that you are hanging from the bar. With your hands shoulder-width apart, and your palms facing toward you, lift your chin up to the bar using only your arms. 2 x 8.                                                                           Work your quads and hamstrings with squats. Squats are the go-to exercise for building muscle in your legs. Here are three different kinds of squats that will work different parts of your leg muscles.
      • Do standard squats with a weighted bar. Place enough weight on a bar and rack it so that it's a little lower than shoulder height. It should be heavy enough that doing a squat is difficult, but not impossible. If you're a beginner, this may mean using a bar without any weight to start with. Duck under the bar and come up so that the bar fits comfortably between your shoulder blades. Your knees should be slightly bent. Lift the bar up off the rack and move backwards one step. Your legs should be slightly wider than shoulder-length.
        • Slowly bring the weight down by bending your knees. Keep your hips under the bar.
        • Arch your back slightly but keep your torso erect.
        • Bring your butt down as far as you can, keeping the tension on the leg muscles.
        • Exhale deeply and use your legs and hips, not your back, to lift out of the squat. 3 x 10.
      • Do front squats with a weighted bar. Rack a weighted bar at just-below shoulder-level. Come up to the bar from the front, positioning the bar on the front shoulders. Cross your arms over onto the bar and walk it out. Keeping your back straight, bend your legs into a squat, with your hips under the bar. Explode upward and repeat. 3 x 10.
      • Do Belgian squats with a dumbbell. Hold out in front of your chest a dumbbell using both hands. Standing in front of a bench, lift your right leg back so that it's parallel to the floor and resting comfortably on the bench. Bend into a squat using the left leg, so that the right knee almost hits the floor. Explode upward. 3 x 8. Repeat using opposite leg.                                                                                        
      Target abdominal muscles with crunches and core exercises. Your abs define the muscles on your stomach, giving you that chiseled 6-pack look. There are a variety of exercises that work out your abdominals. Here are a couple.
      • Do standard/oblique crunches. Lie down on a mat and position both arms behind your head without locking the hands. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground. Pushing the small of your back into the ground, slowly roll your shoulders off the ground only a couple of inches (not all the way to your feet). Don't use your momentum to help you up; use slow, regulated movements. Repeat 3 x 20.
        • For oblique crunches, tilt your torso to one side as you lift your shoulders off the ground. Alternate sides after each crunch.
      • Do planks to work the abs and the core. Lie face-down on the floor. Lift yourself up so that your body is still parallel to the floor, with your forearms (flat on the floor) and your toes supporting your weight. Keep your body straight and hold your position for as long as possible.
       

Walking it off

Walking has it all. Simple and natural, it doesn't require any instruction or skill. It can be a very modest form of exercise or it can demand enough skill and intensity to be an Olympic sport. You can walk alone for solitude or with friends for companionship. You can walk indoors on a treadmill or outside in the city or country, at home or away. You can get all the benefits of moderate exercise with a very low risk of injury. And to boot, walking is inexpensive. All things considered, Charles Dickens got it right: "Walk to be healthy, walk to be happy." Exercise burns calories. In the case of walking and running, the calories you burn depend much more on the distance you cover and your body weight than on your pace. This table shows calories burned per mile of walking or jogging on the level for people of varying weights: A hundred or so calories a mile might not seem like much, but they can add up to better weight control. For example, a 2009 study of 4,995 men and women found that the average American gains about 2.2 pounds a year during middle age. But during the 15-year study, people who walked gained significantly less weight than those who didn't; the more walking, the less weight gain. And the benefit was greatest in the heaviest individuals. For example, walking for just 35 minutes a day saved a 160-pound person about 18 pounds of flab over 15 years of aging. Your weight Approximate calories per mile 120 lbs 85 140 lbs 95 160 lbs 105 180 lbs 115 200 lbs 125 220 lbs 135

About Balance and Mobility

Balance is the ability to distribute your weight in a way that lets you stand or move without falling, or recover if you trip. Good balance requires the coordination of several parts of the body: the central nervous system, inner ear, eyes, muscles, bones, and joints. Problems with any one of these can affect balance. Medical conditions can also affect balance. These include:

·       stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and other disorders of the central nervous system

·       Meniere's disease and other conditions that originate in the inner ear, which can cause vertigo and dizziness

·       cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma, which distort vision

·       weakness in major muscles, particularly the thighs, abdomen, and back

·       nerve damage in the legs and feet (peripheral neuropathy) can affect the ability to sense the ground you're standing or walking on.

Other things can also influence balance, including:

·       medications, including antidepressants, drugs for anxiety, pain medication, sleeping pills, antihistamines, and some heart and blood pressure medications.

·       alcohol, which slows reaction time and affects judgment and coordination

A medical exam can identify conditions that may impair balance, and identify drugs that may have side effects that cause lightheadedness.

Improving muscle strength in the legs and the core can improve balance. So can exercises like Tai chi that increase flexibility.

Stroke should attack caught to snow

Brain cells need a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. They are delivered by a network of blood vessels that reach every part of the brain. When something cuts off that supply, brain cells downstream begin to die. The injury that follows is called a stroke.

Most strokes strike when a blood clot becomes lodged in one of the brain's arteries, blocking blood flow. In some cases, the clot forms inside the artery, usually because a cholesterol-filled plaque inside the artery breaks open. This is called a thrombotic stroke. In other cases, a blood clot or a solid mass of debris that originates elsewhere travels to the brain, where it blocks a brain artery. This is called an embolic stroke. A third type of stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.

Since different areas of the brain are responsible for different functions, symptoms of stroke vary. They can be changes in sensation, movement, sight, speech, balance, and coordination. Sometimes a stroke is preceded by one or more transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). These are brief episodes of stroke-like symptoms that last for a few minutes — or possibly up to 24 hours — but that go away on their own.

If you think that you, or someone you are with, is having a stroke, call 911 right away. The sooner you call, the sooner treatment can begin — "time is brain," as emergency room doctors say. The type of treatment depends on the type of stroke that has occurred. If the brain's blood supply is restored quickly and completely, a full recovery with little or no disability is possible. The more widespread the damage, and the greater delay of treatment, the more severe and long-lasting the damage.

Recovery after a stroke depends on how well healthy areas of the brain take over duties that had been performed by the damaged brain tissue. To some extent, especially in children and young adults, recovery is possible because of the brain's ability to compensate for damage in one area by working harder in another — by relying on alternate wiring for some functions or by rewiring around the injured site. When such rewiring isn't possible, rehabilitation techniques can help the brain recover function.

Diabetes

Diabetes occurs when the body has trouble using the sugar it gets from food for energy. Sugar builds up in the bloodstream. High blood sugar can have immediate effects, like blurry vision. It can also cause problems over time, like heart disease and blindness.

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes (once called juvenile-onset diabetes) and type 2 diabetes (once called adult-onset diabetes). Both are caused by problems making or using insulin, a hormone that makes it possible for cells to use glucose, also known as blood sugar, for energy.

When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates into a simple sugar called glucose. It also produces a hormone called insulin that signals the body's cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body doesn't make enough insulin, or stops making it altogether. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body's cells don't respond to insulin. Either way, since sugar can't get into cells, it builds up in the bloodstream. 

Too much sugar in the blood can cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms. These include:

• blurry vision
• intense thirst
• need to urinate often
• fatigue
• numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

Type 1 diabetes often comes on suddenly. It usually strikes children and teenagers, but can appear later in life. It is an autoimmune disease, meaning it happens because the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the body's insulin-making cells. Type 1 diabetes can't be cured, but it can be managed by taking insulin before eating.

Type 2 diabetes takes longer to develop. It can begin any time from childhood onward. Type 2 diabetes is usually triggered by being overweight or obese and not getting much physical activity. Treatment for type 2 diabetes includes weight loss if needed, daily exercise, a healthy diet, and medications.

Benifits of Drinking Water

At the airport gate, on my way back to the U.S. (from Africa), the second security check confiscated the 3 liters of water I had just purchased in the main terminal. I cried. Literally, I cried. Clearly, the security agent didn’t understand exactly how much water I consume on a 17 hour flight (about 6 liters actually!). Water has always been my drink of choice. It just makes me feel good. I tell my clients to drink water if they have a craving, a headache, are constipated, hungry, etc. Water is so beneficial, so easy, so free yet so easily overlooked. It’s really a no brainer (actually your brain is 90% water!!!). Your body is about 70% water, the majority of your blood and every cell in your body is composed of water. Therefore, you need water to function properly.I don’t get headaches and don’t own Tylenol, Advil, etc. I believe it’s because I drink enough water. I’ve often been complimented on my clear, youthful skin. Again, Ithank my water intake!

As with most things, the amount of water for each person is very individual, but if your pee isn’t mostly clear or you have any of the symptoms I mentioned above, you most likely aren’t getting enough H2O. Some suggest 8 (8 oz) glasses a day while others suggest take your body weight (in pounds), divide it in half and drink that many ounces. Listen to what your body needs.If you don’t care much for the taste of... nothing, then you can add a squirt of lemon, a squeeze of lime, a few sprigs of fresh mint or a cucumber or orange slice. You can even be so bold as to add a few berries or watermelon. What ever gets you to drink it up. Cheers to your good health!

1. Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue

Since your brain is mostly water, drinking it helps you think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted!

2. Promotes Weight Loss

Removes by-products of fat, reduces eating intake (by filling up your tummy if consumed prior to meals), reduces hunger (hello natural appetite suppressant!), raises your metabolism and has zero calories!

3. Flushes Out Toxins

Gets rid of waste through sweat and urination which reduces the risk of kidney stones and UTI’s (urinary tract infections).

4. Improves Skin Complexion

Moisturizes your skin, keeps it fresh, soft, glowing and smooth. Gets rid of wrinkles. It’s the best anti-aging treatment around!

5. Maintains Regularity

Aids in digestion as water is essential to digest your food and prevents constipation.

6. Boosts Immune System

A water guzzler is less likely to get sick. And who wouldn’t rather feel healthy the majority of the time? Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu, cancer and other ailments like heart attacks.

7. Natural Headache Remedy

Helps relieve and prevent headaches (migraines & back pains too!) which are commonly caused by dehydration.

8. Prevents Cramps & Sprains

Proper hydration helps keep joints lubricated and muscles more elastic so joint pain is less likely.

9. Puts You In A Good Mood

When the body is functioning at its best, you will feel great and be happy!

10. Save Money!

Water is FREE! Even if you choose bottled/filtered water, it’s STILL cheaper than that high sugar and fat-filled latte!

We often hear about the real dangers of getting too little sleep, but on the other end of the spectrum, sleeping too much also appears to have some risks.

Sleep is a rapidly growing field of research, and we are learning more all the time about how rest affects the body and mind. It’s known that sleep is a time when the body repairs and restores itself, and getting too little rest can lead to a whole host of health problems.

So, more sleep must be better right? Not so fast, say some researchers.

More evidence is showing that spending an excess amount of time in bed is also linked with health hazards. In some ways, oversleeping itself appears to directly influence certain risk factors, and in other cases, it may be a symptom of other medical conditions.

Read on to learn about the effects of oversleeping, what to look out for and how to work towards getting healthy, quality slumber.First, let’s address what oversleeping means. The gold standard of normal has long been considered eight hours, and it’s a good median benchmark. Recent reviews of current research from the experts at the National Sleep Foundation broaden the spectrum a little. They say that somewhere in the range of seven to nine hours is normal and healthy for most adults between 18 and 64 years of age.say closer to seven hours could be even better, such as Arizona State University professor Shawn Youngstedt, who told the Wall Street Journal, “The lowest mortality and morbidity is with seven hours.” Other researchers have also linked seven hours of rest with things like longevity and better brain health. The “right” amount of sleep proves somewhat individual as some people will feel great on seven hours and others may need a little longer. However, in most studies and for most experts, over nine hours is considered an excessive or long amount of sleep for adults. If you sleep in a little sometimes on the weekends, it’s likely no big deal. If you regularly sleep more than nine hours each night or don’t feel well-rested on less than that, then it may be worth taking a closer look. It’s estimated that about 2% of the population are naturally long sleepers (typically since childhood), but long sleep can also coincide with health issues and other treatable factors.

How do you do Laughter yoga?

Laughter yoga is the practice of using forced laughter to produce the same psychological and physiological benefits real, spontaneous laughter is believed to give. The laughter yoga technique begins with warm-up exercises, followed by the laughter exercise. It ends with 15 minutes of laughter meditation

FULL ANSWER

1. Begin the session with warm-up exercises
   Yoga instructors instruct the participants to perform warm-up exercises, such as talking gibberish and tongue swindling, in order to express joy. Participants start off doing these exercises quietly, then increase the volume as they get more comfortable. People who practice laughter yoga alone often warm-up in front of a mirror.
2. Perform the laughter exercises
   There are several different laughter exercises a yoga instructor can use. The greeting laughter technique involves the participants walking around the room and greeting each other with a laugh. The argument laughter technique involves participants arguing with each other with laughter. Another technique, the heart laughter technique, has the participants laugh together as they hold hands or hug.
3. End the session with laughter meditation
   The session ends with 15 minutes of laughter meditation, which involves the participants breathing deeply and laughing when they feel like it. Gradually, the laughter winds down to a period of deep relaxation.(Hasyayoga) is a practice involving prolonged voluntary laughter. Laughter yoga is based on the belief that voluntary laughter provides the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter. Laughter yoga is done in groups, with eye contact and playfulness between participants. Forced laughter soon turns into real and contagious laughter.
   In the mid-1990s, laughter yoga was practiced in the early mornings in open parks, primarily by groups of older people. Laughter yoga was made popular^{[citation needed]} as an exercise routine developed by Indian physician Madan Kataria, who writes about the practice in his 2002 book Laugh For No Reason.^[1]The yoga is performed without any humorous reason to laugh, with one practitioner observing that "The mind does not know that we’re faking it."^[2]
   Laughter yoga sessions may start with gentle warm-up techniques which include stretching, chanting, clapping, eye contact and body movement, to help break down inhibitions and encourage a sense of playfulness. Breathing exercises are used to prepare the lungs for laughter, followed by a series of ‘laughter exercises’ that combine the method of acting and visualization techniques with playfulness. Laughter exercises are interspersed with breathing exercises.^[3] Twenty minutes of laughter is sufficient to develop full physiological benefits.