A MERRY HEART

HEALTH WARNING

According to a recent study - reported in the journal, Heart - watching comedy films increases the flow of blood, making a good laugh literally heartwarming. The study also found that a watching a good tearjerker has the opposite effect, leaving hearts a little low on blood flow.
The study included 20 healthy young adults who watched 15 to 30 minute segments of either humorous or sad films with a minimum of 48 hours between viewings. The study participants were asked to refrain from aerobic exercise or from using alcohol, vitamins or herbs the evening before the viewings, since these can all affect blood flow.
Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore
collected a total of 160 measurements of brachial artery flow from the participants a minute before and after phases of laughter or sadness. The brachial artery, which runs from the shoulder to the elbow, is a good indicator of blood flow throughout the body. According to the researchers, brachial blood flow was reduced in 14 of the 20 participants after they watched segments from the sad movies. Blood flow was increased in 19 of the 20 participants after they watched clips from comedy movies.
The effect of watching a sad movie caused the same kind of reduced blood flow as remembering episodes of anger and doing mental arithmetic, the study authors said. In contrast, watching a comedy boosted blood flow to a level equal to that of doing aerobic exercise or getting started on a cholesterol-lowering regime!

So in the light of all this research,sit back and enjoy...

Who broke down the walls of Jericho?

The visiting Bible school supervisor asks little Johnny during Bible class, "Who broke down the walls of Jericho?" Little Johnny replies, "I dunno, but it wasn't me!" The supervisor, taken aback by Johnny's lack of basic Bible knowledge goes to the school principal and relates the whole incident. The principal replies, "I know Little Johnny as well as his whole family very well and can vouch for them; if Little Johnny said that he did not do it, then I, as principal am satisfied that it is the truth." Even more appalled, the inspector goes to the regional Head of Education and relates the whole story... After listening he replies: "I can't see why you are making such a big issue out of this; just get three quotes and fix the wall!"