Listen to the programme and complete the blanks 1-7 with the missing information. 0 is an example.
0. Apparently laughter is meant to be healthy.
1. Dr Madan Kataria has devised an exercise which combines laughter with ……………………….. .
2. There are around ……………………….. laughter clubs in India.
3. Endorphins reduce pain and make us feel ……………………….. .
4. Dr Gore Bredan Getaria thinks that laughter improves the immune system, acts as an anesthetic, it …………………………………, it's exercise, it's a relaxant.
5. We can laugh for no reason, we don’t need jokes or ………………………………...
6. The reporter took part in a session of laughter yoga with a group of people who were all doing ……………………………….. together.
7. Rebecca thinks they could suggest to their boss doing laughter yoga in ……………………….. .
Kate: I'm Kate Colin and joining us today is Rebecca. Hi Rebecca. Now you may be familiar with the idea that laughter is supposed to be healthy (0)! Have you ever heard before of this idea before Rebecca?
Rebecca: Well I have vaguely heard that laughing is meant to be good for stress levels and I know from personal experience that you always feel better after a good laugh – it just gives you a natural high.
Kate: Indeed, well, this principle has led a Dr Madan Kataria in India to devise a new type of activity…. laughter yoga.
Rebecca: This is a type of exercise routine which combines laughter with breathing (1) and is carried out in a group with other people. There are now more than one hundred (2) laughter clubs across India and they are increasing in number all the time.
Kate: Well, according to research laughing releases endorphins into the body which bring on a natural high. Endorphins are a chemical naturally released in the brain which can reduce pain and make us feel relaxed or energetic (3). A BBC reporter, Rob Crossan tried laughter yoga while he was in India and we're going to hear him talk about the health benefits that laughter can bring.
BBC Reporter: It's got incredible health benefits. The fellow who started up the whole concept of laughter yoga, Dr Gore Bredan Getaria believes that laughter can boost the immune system, it can act as an anesthetic, it burns calories (4), it's exercise, it's a muscle relaxant…
Kate: Well it all sounds good to me! But how does it work? Does everyone just wait for someone else to say something funny? What actually causes people to laugh in the first place?
Rebecca: Well, apparently people all round the world are learning to laugh for no reason. You don't need a sense of humour (5) or indeed any jokes…
BBC Reporter: You know, rather than just waiting for someone to say something funny which often can take quite a while, let's just do it deliberately.
Rebecca: Let's hear a bit more about how our reporter dealt with it.
BBC Reporter: Well, I did think I'd be awfully British about it and feel incredibly uncomfortable. It's amazing, when you have a group of thirty or forty other people all doing silly things (6) with you. All they really have to do really is look you in the eye and laugh and it's incredibly contagious. Suddenly I'm just convulsed in laughter.
Kate: Well, it seems to work and Rob seemed to really enjoy his laughter yoga. Is this someone you might be interested in trying Rebecca, or is there enough laughter in your life already?
Rebecca: No, I think we could all probably do with some laughter yoga. Maybe we should suggest it to our boss in our lunch breaks (7).
Kate: That's all we have time for today. Thanks for all your help Rebecca and until next week. Goodbye!
