Do you know we have special forces in our body? They are natural killer cells(also known as NK cells).
Viruses or germs that get into the body from the outside can be destroyed by antibodies. However, cancer cells are an enemy growing inside the body, so antibodies alone are not enough to destroy them. NK cells are necessary in this case. When NK cells detect an infected or tumor cell, they release perforin in close proximity to the target cell, which forms pores in the target cell membrane and allows water and salts to pass rapidly into the cell. This ultimately causes the target cell to burst. So, NK cells are our immune system’s most powerful front-line defense.
One of the ways to activate NK cells is to laugh. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins and improves NK cell activity, but stress causes a decrease in the activity of endorphins and NK cells.
Dr. Norman Cousins, an American political journalist and author, once suffered from a rare disease called ankylosing spondylitis and completely recovered from his sickness through laughter. In his book, he states that “Laughter serves as a bulletproof vest.” Why don’t you always wear the bulletproof vest that protects you from viruses and even from cancer?