What's So Funny About... Heart Disease?: A Creative Approach to Coping with Your Condition - Paperback

by Karyn Buxman (Author)

What's so funny about heart disease? Maybe nothing. Then again, maybe everything. Especially if you understand the premise that so much of our humor comes from pain and discomfort-our own, or somebody else's. And let's face it; if you've experienced cardiovascular disease, you've got more than your fair share of pain and discomfort. Currently heart disease is the #1 killer of both men and women in the U.S. A long-term solution can only come from getting people to change their lifestyles: better diets, exercise and coping mechanisms to deal with this serious condition. The good news: Humor and laughter have been shown scientifically to have positive benefits for cardiac patients. Humor has been shown to lower cholesterol, decrease hormones that can be harmful, and improve resilience. Humor is recognized as a healthy coping mechanism. And humor has also been proven to increase the retention of information. For these reasons, and more, author Karyn Buxman has written the second book in a series of books for patients with chronic illness: What's So Funny About... Heart Disease? When you have heart disease, you need to arm yourself with all the tools that you possibly can to become the healthiest person that you can be. You need a large repertoire of skills. Humor isn't the be-all, end all; it's not meant to replace your medical regime, but rather to be a complement to all the efforts you're already making. Now Karyn Buxman shows you how you can strategically use humor everyday to better manage your heart disease and live a healthier and happier life. And you don't need to be funny. You just need to be able to see funny. "If we took what we now know about laughter and bottled it, it would require FDA approval," says psychoneuroimmunologist, Dr. Lee Berk. The perfect gift for yourself or someone you love, this book is filled with wise, witty, and life-saving advice. Whether you have heart disease, or are the cheerleader for someone with heart disease, there is something in this book for you.

Author Biography

The Really Important Stuff Karyn Buxman is an RN with attitude . . . and a serious sense of humor. As a nurse, she cared for hundreds of patients one-on-one; as a motivational keynoter, she now administers to thousands of people from the stage. Karyn is a neurohumorist-one who researches the neurobiology and psychology of humor, and then translates cutting-edge findings for the layperson, showing how they can harness applied humor to heal and empower themselves. Karyn presents laughter with a purpose. Mirth with a message. Humor that heals. Keynotes that enlighten, educate and entertain. Karyn's key messages include "Humor is power," and "It is more important to see funny, than to be funny." Karyn has been described as "One part Norman Cousins, one part Patch Adams, and two parts Lucille Ball." The Additional Stuff But wait-there's more! . . . There's that mind-body-spirit connection thing! As a researcher and performer, Karyn brings science, psychology and humor together with health, success and spirituality. What else? . . . Karyn has addressed 5,000 members of the Million Dollar Roundtable in Thailand; rocked 8,500 OR nurses in Chicago; and presented her research at the International Society for Humor Studies in Paris. (Oh! She's also addressed the US Air Force, Pfizer, the Mayo Clinic, and 1,197 other organizations.) Karyn has authored six books, she is published in peer-reviewed journals, and she is an inductee into the Speaker Hall of Fame (one of only 37 women in the world). She is a contributor to two Chicken Soup books, and she is the author of the What's So Funny About...? series (WSFA...Diabetes? WSFA...Heart Disease? WSFA...Nursing?) She was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied & Therapeutic Humor. Karyn's mission in life is to improve global health through laughter, and to heal the humor impaired.