A Green Eyed View - green ideas and advice

Laughter Is Good Therapy So LOL

What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. ~Yiddish Proverb

We’ve all heard that laughter is good medicine and those of us that laugh loudly and deeply know that’s true. If you’re skeptical, an international research team, led by The University of Oxford, has just released the results of a 10 year study which concludes that laughing properly out loud can help increase your pain threshold by as much as 10%. A polite giggle or titter doesn’t get it.

A good old belly laugh causes exhaustion and triggers protective endorphins to counter act that feeling. According to an article published about the study on The University of Oxford’s website “These endorphins, one of the complex neuropeptide chemicals produced in the brain, manage pain and promote feelings of well being.”

The study consisted of different types of experiments involving groups of participants. For instance, after watching a comedy sketch, participants’ pain tolerance was higher when compared to levels after watching an informational program about golf.

Another factor that increased the sense of well-being was the group effect. Laughing with others is more beneficial than laughing alone. But laughing alone is more beneficial than watching a program about golf. In my humble opinion which is not based on any scientific evidence, watching just about anything other than golf will give you a better sense of well-being. To me golf is a big snooze. I know you golfers will disagree and that’s fine. But I digress.

I’ve seen every episode of The Golden Girls multiple times but I still laugh out loud especially with Sophia who gets some of the best lines. It’s on when I go to bed. I set the sleep timer and I usually drift off before the show ends but sometimes I get to laughing and have to wait until it ends before I can sleep. I always wonder what the neighbors think about all that laughter coming from my bedroom. But I don’t care because I know it’s all good.

So if you want to read the study, here’s a link.

Now go get a friend and laugh your butt off. You’ll feel better, I promise.

Up, Up and Atomic Attic

Atomic Attic has put the UP in upcycling. According to Wikipedia “Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.” That’s exactly what you’ll find at Atomic Attic, an Etsy store with style.

Miles and Aimee Harrison from Siletz, Oregon are the owners and craftspeople behind Atomic Attic. They bring us upcycled, vintage and handmade items that ooze cool. When I die, I want to come back as one of their cats. Their combined ingenuity and creative talent have converted vintage items into a refreshing and inspired home décor collection.

My favorite pieces are the swell pet beds and feeders. My lovely Lucca, the wonder cat, has a fetish for open suitcases. I can put a plush pillow right beside an old open suitcase and she’ll gracefully spring over the pillow right into the luggage. Well now I can offer her an upcycled vintage suitcase made into a bed just for her – cat heaven.

Go check out Atomic Attic and I can guarantee you’ll be amazed and delighted by the wonderful “new” products that have a better life because of Miles and Aimee. Vintage never looked so good.

There’s Always Room for “Jelly” Batteries

I have one laptop computer. I use it at work and at home. My back is killing me from carrying it back and forth. Why does it weigh so much? It’s mostly the battery that weighs me down.

That’s why I’m delighted to learn about a new discovery for what is being nicknamed “jelly” batteries. I  know, they don’t sound very reliable or beneficial. Well as it turns out they should make the heavy lithium batteries in our computers a thing of the past. Hopefully soon because not only is my computer too heavy but I fear it may burst into flames any minute because of the heat the lithium battery produces.

The quick science lesson about “jelly batteries”: The jelly is a novel material derived from a new polymer gel that is thinner and lighter and more stable than the liquid electrolyte technology used in a majority of lithium batteries in laptop computers and smart phones.  That reminds me I need a new battery for my cell phone. When the new polymer gel batteries become available, our cell phone batteries will last longer also.

Here’s a link to a Q&A with the Leeds research team about this new discovery. Oh, by the way, they are less expensive to produce than the current lithium batteries.

 I hope they hurry before my back gives out or my computer ignites!