Russian doctor believes in healing by laughter

Andrei Skutin is to set up a clinic where laughter really will be the best medicine. Skutin - from Chelyabinsk, Russia - has just completed a year-long study of how humor affects illnesses and says a good chuckle can work wonders on everything from high blood pressure to cancer.

"Laughter can cure many serious diseases. Ten minutes laughing can reduce blood pressure, strengthen immunity, reduce asthma attacks and so on," claims the 38-year-old doctor who always has his patients in stitches.

Skutin - whose group therapy patients spend an hour telling each other jokes - is now to set up a full time laughter clinic at the South Ural State University.

Photo from here.

"The only people who cannot attend are pregnant women as they may laugh too much and give birth prematurely, or those who have recently had major surgery or stitches as laughing could undo the stitches," Skutin said.

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