Doctor’s Orders; Belly Laugh

They say laughter is the best medicine. Michael Miller, a cardiologist and medical professor at the University of Pennsylvania, says they’re right. Laughter is an obvious stress reliever. But Miller says it’s even good for your heart. Madan Kataria — a physician in Mumbai and the founder of laughter yoga — agrees. Laughter yoga involves breathing exercises, light stretches, and silly movements and sounds that force you to laugh. Kataria suggests bringing laughter into your daily life, even at things that might not seem funny. Recently, he demonstrated what he calls “credit-card-bill laughter.” He held out his hand as if looking at a statement, and burst into a roiling, infectious laughter.