John Tesh’s KJOY Blog

“LOL” may be one of the most common phrases in text messaging lingo these days, but when was the last time you really laughed out loud? According to the Boston Globe, a growing number of people are doing just that, in something called Laughter Yoga Clubs. The clubs are based on an exercise routine developed by Madan Kataria. He’s an Indian doctor who’s known around the world as the “Guru of Giggling.” There aren’t any jokes or comedians at these meetings. Instead, each Laughter Yoga session begins with a group introduction, where everyone shouts out their name in turn - then lets out a loud chorus of chuckles, cackles, or hee-haws! That’s followed by a series of miming exercises.

For example: Members may be asked to pretend they’re skating on slick ice, dunking a basketball, or catching a fly ball. Another exercise has everyone line up with their hands in the air. Then they all sway from side to side - to mimic the rumbling motion of a trolley car. As everyone moves, they’re encouraged to laugh out loud as much as possible.

What’s the point of all this laughing? It’s about getting healthy. Many studies have shown that laughter can help lower blood pressure and stress, and reduce your risk for developing disease. Also, every Laughter Yoga meeting includes an extended session of “deep laughing” – which forces people to use their full diaphragm. Not only does that give the abdominal muscles a workout, research shows that deep laughing can strengthen the lungs, and give your immune system a boost.

So far, there are more than 6,000 of these so-called “giggle gatherings” meeting around the world. Most people admit it feels strange at first, to force themselves to laugh at nothing, but once they get over the initial weirdness of it all, many find themselves laughing more on their own in normal life. If you’d like to go further, or find a laughing club near you, check out Laughter Yoga International’s website at LaughterYoga.org.

Until recently, one of the ultimate American dreams was to find a permanent, full-time job. Now, according to MSNBC, the ideal job may be a “perma-temp” – or permanent temporary – job. That’s the word from Peter Cappelli, a human resources expert at the Wharton School of Business. He says the latest economic downturn has pushed many companies to get rid of as many fixed costs as possible – starting with employee salaries and benefits! In their place, companies are hiring more temp workers, who can be hired and fired as needed. In fact, just in the past two years, the number of people working part-time in North America has doubled - to more than 9 million. Cappelli says that’s not unusual to see during a recession. What is unusual is that many of the permanent jobs being cut right now will likely stay cut – even after the economy improves! Why?

As you might expect, companies are realizing it’s much cheaper to give those jobs to part-time workers, because they don’t have to offer temps health insurance benefits or retirement plans. Cappelli says once a company makes the switch to using temp workers, they’re unlikely to switch back to using full-time workers ever again.

So, is there any good news here? Yes! For starters: With the economy slowly beginning to improve, the demand for temporary workers is very strong right now. You should know this: Today’s highest paid workers are people with sought-after skills, who are free to jump around from project to project.  That means getting an education is key, because the more special skills you have, the more power you’ll have to negotiate better pay. That also means it may be unrealistic to ever again find a permanent job with one company, that you’ll keep until the day you retire. If anything, being a temp worker will give you a chance to explore several different jobs you love, rather than stay tied down to one that you don’t.

It’s time for a winter driving alert. Last winter, 300,000 drivers in North America were stranded in snowdrifts, or sidelined by cold-weather driving hazards, and over 500,000 crashes occurred last January alone! So, here are the five things state troopers know that you should, too! We got these tips from First magazine:

• It takes longer than you think to stop on an icy road. During dry weather, state troopers recommend the “four second following rule.” In other words, when the car in front of you passes a stationary object – like a highway sign - you should be able to slowly count to four before you pass it. During winter weather, you should add another two seconds for EACH adverse weather condition. For example, if it’s snowy AND icy, follow eight seconds behind so you have enough time to stop.
• The next state trooper driving tip: A little “roof snow” on a vehicle can cause a crash. Melting snow can fly off a car’s roof at highway speeds, landing on the windshield of the car behind them, and obliterating the driver’s view. So, if you’re following a vehicle coated in ice or snow, keep your distance or change lanes. If your car gets spattered with snow, turn on your wipers full speed, and cautiously pull onto the shoulder until you can see again.
• Another winter driving tip from experienced state troopers: Brakes are worse than useless in a skid. If your car starts to skid, don’t slam on the brakes. Experts say that’s the best way to lose control of your car. Instead, take your foot off the gas, and slowly steer in the direction you want to go. That’ll help you regain control of your vehicle.
• Also: When snow or sleet is even hinted in the forecast, fill up your gas tank! Drivers who venture out in bad weather and get stuck can find themselves stranded and shivering. If you have a full tank during a serious delay, you can leave your engine idling and run your heater.
• Finally, keep waterproof gloves in your glove compartment during the winter. If you get stuck trying to dig your car out of a snow bank, they’ll drastically reduce your risk of ending up with frostbitten fingers.

We’d all like to save more, earn more and spend more wisely in 2010. Despite the fresh promise of a New Year - and a new decade – the thought of tackling money goals can be overwhelming. So, here are some guidelines to help make things a little easier. These are from Karen Blumenthal at the Wall Street Journal.

• Let’s start with saving more. It’s the top goal on people’s resolution list this year. In fact, a recent survey found that people put thriftiness ahead of both “losing weight” and “exercising more.” Blumenthal says the first step is to take a few minutes to set up an automatic deduction from either your paycheck or your checking account to a special savings account. Also, increase your contribution to your 401(k) by one percentage point, and commit at least half of any raise you receive this year to savings. That should be easy to do, since you haven’t had that money in the first place.
• Prepare for the new credit-card rules. In late February, the second phase of the Credit Card Act will kick in. To be well-prepared, look at your credit-card bills and memorize your due dates. By law, they’ll be the same each month. Paying your bills on time is the most important factor in your credit-worthiness. Also take a look at your interest rates. If they’re variable, they’ll climb when interest rates go up. So concentrate on paying off those cards first.
• Tame your monthly bills. Colleen Schon is a senior vice president at Raymond James & Associates, a financial services provider in Michigan. She suggests that you review your monthly expenses to see if you can find some meaningful savings. The big three questions to ask are: How can you cut your cell phone bill? Can you combine your cable, phone and Internet services into a lower monthly rate? Can you refinance your mortgage? These three things will provide you with big savings. Remember to redirect at least part of what you save into your retirement account.

At the beginning of this new month, sure wouldn’t hurt to take a ‘refresher’ course on how to get your financial goals back on track.

When it comes to calling 911, there are a few facts emergency dispatchers wish you knew: Information that’ll increase your odds of getting help as soon as possible. This comes from First magazine, and Paul Linnee, an emergency-communications specialist in Minneapolis:

• Dispatchers who repeat questions are NOT causing delays. 911 operators want to make sure emergency teams find you as fast as possible. So, they need to get all the information right – starting with confirming the address and phone number that pops up in front of them. They often double-check even simple spellings to avoid confusing between similar-sounding places, like “Weston Street” and West Tenth Street.”
• Another thing 911 operators wish you knew: Cell phone calls DON’T go to the nearest dispatch center. Calls from landlines go to the nearest call center, but 911 calls on cell phones connect you to the nearest cell tower. If the tower’s in another jurisdiction, your call could end up in a different city, county, or state. Even if you reach the right dispatch center, wireless carriers can only narrow your location to within 300 meters, which is an entire city block.So, if you call 911 on a cell, describe your location in detail – including any landmarks, like a nearby lake, bridge or building, and include the city and state, even if you have an exact address. Neighboring towns often have the same street names and numbers – and paramedics might show up at the right address in the wrong town.
• One final truth about 911 calls: “Dead air” DOESN’T mean your call was disconnected. A lot of call centers aren’t certified to provide medical advice – like how to perform CPR. You may hear weird sounds and silences if they need to transfer you to paramedics for help. Also, if the dispatcher needs to speak to emergency crews while you’re on the line, they may mute the conversation. The fix: Ask, “Are you still there?” If a dispatcher’s on the line, you should get a response. However, if you hear a dial tone or haven’t spoken to a live person in more than 20 seconds, hang up and call 911 again.

Teens taking part in sports is a good thing, right? In most cases the answer is, “Yes.” However, according to Science Daily, a new study shows that some sports tempt teens into taking dangerous risks. Researchers at the University of Minnesota surveyed more than 4,000 middle and high school students about their activities. The students were also asked if they had engaged in behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, or had used diet pills, laxatives or steroids. Luckily, the majority of students had not. However, the teens who participated in sports with a strong emphasis on size and weight - like gymnastics, wrestling and ballet - didn’t deliver good news.

• Almost one in 10 male wrestlers and gymnasts had induced vomiting or used diuretics within a week of the survey. That’s more than 600 times higher than the researchers expected.
• Steroid use was highest among teen girls! Nearly 7% of the ballerinas and gymnasts admitted to using them, and almost the same number owned up to vomiting and using laxatives to control their weight.

Study author Marla Eisenberg says it’s important for parents and coaches to emphasize skill and talent instead of weight. It’s also important for teens to understand how dangerous steroid use and extreme weight control measures can be. Steroids weaken bones and damage the heart and liver. They also cause depression and other psychological problems. Binging and purging ruins teeth, decreases lung capacity and can cause seizures. If you’re the parent of a teen, some things to watch out for are: mood swings, aggression, sudden muscle growth, red spots on the skin, and persistent bad breath. You should also keep an eye out for packages of laxatives, diet pills, and secretive eating habits. Any of these warning signs warrant a trip to the doctor. The good news is that the sooner your teen is treated, the less severe the effects will be.

It may not be the cheeriest of pieces to share with your listeners, but with weekend games, matches and tournaments coming up, it’s good intelligence to share!

The beginning of a year is always about motivation. So, no matter what you hope to accomplish in the next 12 months, all you have to do is adopt these three secrets of motivated people that we found in Real Simple magazine.

• Secret #1: Anticipate speed bumps in your plan. Before even trying to achieve a goal, plan for potential pitfalls and either preempt them if you can, or come up with a strategy to deal with them if they arise. Peter Gollwitzer is a professor of psychology at New York University, and he says that people who plan for obstacles are more likely to stick with their goals than those who don’t. For example, maybe your goal is to go for a jog every morning. What if you wake up one day and it’s pouring rain? Have a plan like, “If the weather’s bad, I’ll spend 20 minutes walking up and down the stairs in the hallway, rather than skipping exercise altogether.” This’ll help you stick to your new routine.
• Another secret of motivated people: Go public with your goal. James Fowler is a political scientist who studies social networks at the University of California, San Diego. He says other people can help reinforce your behavior. After all, it’s harder to abandon a dream when you know that people are tracking your progress. Take 25-year-old Stephanie Samarripa from Dallas. She wanted to lose 20 pounds, so she created a blog and asked her friends to read it, and hold her accountable. She weighs herself each week and announces the results on her blog. Samarripa says the positive comments people leave help keep her going – and keep her in line.
• Finally: Challenge yourself, and change things up. It’s hard to remain enthusiastic when everything stays the same. That’s the word from Frank Busch, who’s coached three Olympic swimming teams. To keep his athletes motivated, he constantly changes and surprises them – adding a new exercise to their workout routine, or giving them a break from a scheduled practice so they can recharge. So, if your goal is to finish that novel you started, try writing in a different room, or using a notebook instead of your computer. The more you change things up, the more motivated you’ll be to stick with it.

Groceries are one of the biggest money-drains you have, but you can save thousands of dollars a year just by making a few simple changes. For example, taking a minute or two to wash and cut your own fruits and veggies makes a HUGE difference. A bag of pre-washed romaine lettuce costs over a dollar more than a head of cut-it-yourself lettuce. By ditching the pre-packaged produce, you’ll save over $400 a year. Here are some other ways to slash your grocery bill, courtesy of the researchers at Real Simple magazine.

• Reduce your meat. Melissa d’Arabian is a host on the Food Network. She says that a recipe calling for a pound of ground beef – which is 16 ounces – can easily be made with just 13 or 14 ounces. Those few dollars of savings will add up quickly.
• Befriend the managers. The folks in charge of the produce, meat, dairy and seafood departments can tell you what time of day the food is marked down, so you can get the best deals.
• Buy more fruits and vegetables. Research from the American Dietetic Association shows that when families add more produce to their diets, their waistlines get smaller and their food budgets shrink by 25. That translates to more than $900 saved on average each year.
• This last tip is very important: Make a list and stick to it. We’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. According to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, people who avoid impulse shopping save big - spending up to 23% less on grocery bills. That’s an annual savings of more than $860.

Want to live even just a little longer?  From the book by John Corso, “Stupid Reasons People Die”, talking to your doctor about a few simple tests can prevent fatal illness, and add years to your life.  Here are 4 ways you can be proactive:

4.  Malignant melanoma- check yourself, and look for flat, dark brown, or black lesions with irregular shapes. Find one; see your doctor.