The medicinal value of humor J learned during a recent visit 5 with my son in Prince George. A full-time university student, by Fae Mooney y grand- mother used to say, "You don’t really appreciate your health until you lose it." My grandmother never lost her good health. She lived 99 years and died in her sleep: But she was Tight. I] have been recovering from major surgery. 1% It’s notsomething I would like to [fj experience again. US Are there things we can do to help maintain good health, or improve not-so-good health? Famous last words from my mother have always been, ‘‘Take care of yourself...’ It’s more than just a loving response. Why? Because I am responsible for my body. And my heaith. Another well-known saying — and I don’t know who to credit for having said it — is, “‘Health may not be everything, but everything is nothing without health.’’ So what is the best medicine? You know the old saying: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’’ Do your best to avoid becoming ill. But how? In our little corner of the world we have a lot working for us. Think about it. Seven things come to my mind. Maybe you can - think of more. 1) Our water. There probably is not an unpolluted spot left on earth, but compared to some water sources on this poor planet, our local drinking water is fairly clean. Even for bathing and recreation, our lakes and rivers are cleaner than most. So, firstly, we have the advantage of good and abundant sources of water — for fun, recreation, exercise, for bathing and relaxing, and for keeping ourselves clean inside as well as out. The recommended eight glasses of water daily will keep your in- sides cleansed and help moisturize your skin. 2) Fresh air. None of the smog problems of P.G. or L.A. here. Oh, I know — the purest air in all B.C. is probably inside the H.R. MacMillan Flanctarium. All things considered, though, ——- Terrace air is pretty good. And most of us would not hesitate to — take a long deep breath as we strolled along the street where we live. 3) Even the weather works to our advantage. All that U.V. radiation (sunshine), we are told, is bad for our skin. And to think we used to believe our reputation, shared with British women, for peaches and cream complexions was because of our moisture-laden air (rain). Not so — it's the clouds. They offer us some protection from those U.S.-induced wrinkles. And to some degree reduce our chances of developing skin cancer. — | 4) Exercise. For life and for health, whether conventional, con- temporary, or natural, many forms of exercise can be enjoyed almost anywhere in our area. And as long as you have two feet and two legs that will co- operate, you can walk. Walking is a pleasurable pastime. And good medicine. Such good medicine in fact that Hippocrates, the - father of medicine himself, believes ‘‘walking is man’s best medicine’’. - Brisk walking can be one of the best health investments you can make for the amount of time spent. And the time can be en-: - joyable as well as beneficial. Pleasure walking can induce a feeling of peace and serenity — derived from the activity itself, and from your surrondings: a stroll in the woods, along a river bank or nature trail. Enjoy the fragrant air, the chatter of a squirrel or twitter of a chickadee, the-majesty of our mountains! 5) Nutrition. We are what we eat, they say. When it comes to our food, the less processed the better. Fresh is best. Like fresh veggies from the back yard garden patch. Fresh caught trout. A moose steak! 6) A more relaxed lifestyle. The hectic pace of the big city is in the Big City. Terrace is not a big city. That’s why people in the Big City come to Terrace. | Many diseases ca be directly related to emotional distress. Not stress. We all have — and need — a certain amount of stress. It’s a positive aspect of living. Distress, however, is the inability ‘to cope with stress. It's an emotional overload that can lead to ill- After laying that bit of heavy news on you, my final suggestion is to... 1) Smile! We should try to give humor a higher priority in our - EB he’s paying his own way by working at whatever jobs he can find i that don’t conflict with his studies. The workload is pretty heavy. — But he shared a wonderful stress-releaser with me. Several nights a week he and some friends crowd into his livingroom, line up sofa and chairs in front of a tiny TV, prop feet up on hassocks or coffee table, and watch comedy videos, Sometimes into the wee small hours of the morning laughter continues to resonate through the room. The wonderful thing is — laughing can mak you feel better. . oe Clinical tests have revealed that laughter is indeed good medicine. It can reduce pain and ease symptoms in some chronic health problems. Norman Cousins, author of ‘“‘Anatomy of an Illness’’, claims he cured himself of a chronic, debilitating disease in part with massive doses of laughter. (I can believe it.) He discovered that “ten minutes of genuine. belly laughter... would give... at least two hours of pain-free sleep.”’ 7 : | An Rx for a good belly laugh can be filled at any of the local video shops. Classic comedy: Laurel and Hardy, Abbot and Costello... Contemporary comedy: my son introduced me to the unique humor of Emo Phillips... And right here among the pages of the Terrace Review, Stephanie Wiebe’s descriptions of the way she sees it are always smile-provokers. Izaak Walton said, ‘‘Look to your health; and if you have it, ~ praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of; a blessing that money cannot buy.”’ Here’s to your good health. May it last you a lifetime. _No charges yet in dog slaying ‘NASS CAMP— RCMP in New Aiyansh still haven't decided whether a resident of Nass Camp _ will be subject to charges in con- nection with the killing of two dogs in Nass Camp April.14. The man removed. the two dogs from their owner’s yard and bludgeoned them to death with the blunt side of an axe after his daughter received minor bite ~ injuries from one of the animals. Cpl. Mike Morris said last week the man could be charged under Section 445 of the Criminal Code but added, "We want to have a -chat with the owner of the dogs first." Morris explained that the . man who killed the dogs and the - owner are friends and police don’t want to create unnecessary animos- ity by laying charges if the owner doesn’t want his neighbor prose- cuted. BRITISH COLUMBIA ROYAL COMMISSION ON HEALTH CARE AND COSTS — The Provincial Government has established a Royal Commission to conduct a detailed examination of the provision of health care in the province afid to make recommendations to ensure access for our citizens effective health care in the future. The commissioners are: Robert G. Evans Marquerite Ford Kenneth J. Fyke David Sinclair to high quality and cost ‘ The Hon. P.D. Seaton, Chairman The terms of reference for the commission are wide-ranging and include the mandate of the health care system, its structure, management, and methods of - funding. The commissioners will also review requirements for professional personnel, the use of advanced technology, the promotion of good health, and . the use of prescription drugs. : Public hearings will be held throughout the province commencing in June of this year. The commissioners will welcome submissions in writing, or orally, from any individuals, organizations or institutions who wish to make a contribution to the commission’s work. Those intending to make a submission should notify the commission counsel, Paul Williamson, in writing or by telephone, by June 1, 1990, or earlier if possible. He will assist those who wish to make a contacted at: | submission, and may be ‘Royal Commission On Health 9th Floor, 1285 West.Pender St., Vancouver, B.C. V6B 4E5 - Telephone: 660-0165 FAX: 660-1098