Letter from the Editor: It's good to laugh
"Laughter is an instant vacation," American comedian Milton Berle once said. After Medical News Today's annual summer party, I have to agree.
In previous years, MNT's summer party events have included community gardening and a rocky, but joyous boat trip. This year, we decided to do something a bit different: a laughter workshop.
Never ones to shy away from trying something new, the MNT editorial team welcomed the laughter workshop with curiosity, though there were some reservations.
"I had no idea what to expect from this session," said one editor. "I thought I'd feel a bit silly and self-conscious."
It's fair to say that running around a yoga studio pulling faces at each other and making Santa-style laughing noises did make us feel slightly silly, but most of us left the session feeling joyful and revitalized.
"Although I can understand why it might not have been everyone's cup of tea, I had a hoot!" another editor commented. "It gave me the blissed out feeling of a yoga session combined with the good feelings of sharing a lot of jokes with a group of friends."
There's science behind these feelings. A study covered by MNT in 2017 found that laughter triggers the release of endorphins, or "feel good hormones," which can promote social bonding.
There's certainly no shortage of social bonding within the MNT editorial office, which contributes to our amazing culture, and — importantly — the content that we produce.
Speaking of our content, we reported on some fascinating studies this month. Our article on a study linking a class of drugs to an increased risk of dementia piqued your interest, as did our coverage of research that sheds light on how calcium in coronary arteries may predict future heart health.
Other popular news included our article on how hypertension treatment could slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and our coverage of research that suggests people with fibromyalgia have different gut bacteria.
Many of you were interested to learn about Neurobion supplements this month, as well as whether there is a link between gluten and rheumatoid arthritis. You also wanted to learn about the differences between veganism and vegetarianism.
One of my top picks this month is a feature written by our Research Editor Yella, who talks about how she got started with intermittent fasting. If you're thinking of taking up this popular eating plan, give this article a read!
Do you have any health topics you'd like MNT to cover? Let us know! You can also reach out to us on Facebook and Twitter.
I'll be back in July with more on what the MNT editorial team has been up to.
