Laughter is the best medicine! In honor of April Fool’s day, we’re excited to invite a special guest and WM friend Barbara Lovejoy to share her gift of spreading joy with us. Barbara is a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader and a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker living in California. Come learn about the therapeutic benefits of laughter, and practice getting your giggles on! Both seated and standing options available, all levels welcome. Recorded April 1st, 2024

Barbara is a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, trained by a Certified LY Teacher under the guidance of Dr. Madan Kataria in India, the founder.

Resources:
*The Laughter Yoga page on Barbara's website: https://www.claimjoy.com/laughterplay_yoga

*The international website of the founder of Laughter Yoga, Dr. Madan Katari:
https://www.laughteryoga.org/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456

Short-term benefits of laughing

A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
* Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
* Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
* Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term effects

Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:
* Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
* Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
* Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
* Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your stress, depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier. It can also improve your self-esteem.



Chair Yoga class:
Take a 45 minute "self-care" break: manage your stress, improve your balance, energize your vitality, and stimulate the immune system by moving the breath and body. While we will remain seated for most of the class, we stand and use the chair for support for some poses, with modifications so all levels can practice. Recorded March 25th 2023.

Our 45 minute classes will incorporate some of the following:
1. Breath exercises for reducing stress and boosting the immune system
2. Gentle stretches designed to energize the whole body
3. Yoga poses that move the lymph fluid, and improve balance and steadiness
4. Meditations to facilitate mindfulness, acceptance, and relaxation

Important Note: Yoga is a complementary or integrative practice to be used in conjunction with standard medical treatment. For more information on WM yoga offerings, visit Ann's Cancer Care page: https://anngraceyoga.com/cancer-care/

Chair Yoga for Waldenstrom's Care - if you would like to join the live weekly Zoom class that meets on Mondays at 2pm ET, or any other Wellness Program Class, please reach out and ask for more info: anngrace@iwmf.com

Research:
• Cancer survivors including those recently diagnosed report better sleep, less stress, and improved mood and quality of life with the practice of yoga.
• Qualitative results showed improvements in overall mental health, anxiety, depression, and mood. Physical health showed improvements in fatigue. These improvements were shown to last 8 weeks post practice.

Instructor:
Ann Grace MacMullan is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT) and yoga instructor (E-RYT 500) and the IWMF Wellness Program Coordinator. She enjoys uplifting the WM community through breath-connected movement, mindfulness, and by creating a supportive group environment on Zoom. Her father was diagnosed with WM in 2019.

Ann can be reached directly at anngrace@iwmf.com