Laughter, heart medicine for diabetics

Hearty laughter is an effective medicine in diabetes sufferers as it can help reduce their risk of developing possible heart attacks.

Compared to their non-diabetic counterparts, diabetics are two- to fourfold more vulnerable to developing cardiovascular diseases. A new study however considers laughter as a cost-free medication for preventing heart disease in this group.

According to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Physiological Society, laughter improves cholesterol levels in diabetics and subsequently lowers their heart attack risk. Laughing is associated with a 26 percent increase in the HDL (good cholesterol) levels; it also helps reduce C-reactive proteins -- a marker of the inflammatory diseases -- by 66 percent.

Some physicians believe laughter and humor can also help lower the increase in blood glucose that occurs after each meal. Scientists urge diabetics to adopt a healthy diet, exercise, watch their blood sugar, and add a little humor to their life.