By Kashmira Lad

Do you have to think twice even before you laugh? Well, it’s time you take a look at the importance of laughter therapy and many ways a good session of laughter can benefit you completely.

Laughter – is surely the best medicine! We probably realize the importance of laughter only when we grow out of our childhood days. Do we really need a reason to laugh? I don’t really think so! However, with work stress on the rise, laughter therapy sessions are gaining attention worldwide. The benefits of laughter are many! However, one may not really get into the nitty-gritty of issues at a young age. The importance of laughter therapy is realized only when one loses the reason to laugh about the simplest of issues. Well, laughter surely is good for all and those who are unaware of the benefits need to read about the importance of laughter therapy.

Importance of Laughter Therapy:

Have you observed the beauty of a child especially when it bursts into uncontrollable peals of laughter? Well, that’s the beauty of laughter! Laughter therapy provides you a great way to get rid of stress. This is the best stress relief activity, which dissolves all feelings of irritation and anger.

Laughing also helps to motivate a person. This in turn, releases all the positive energy.

A good session of loads of laughter would help one to release all the pent-up feelings that are really not healthy otherwise. Laughter helps to reduce feelings of grief and depression and create a sense of well-being.

Daily sessions of laughter help to strengthen the immune system.

No matter how negative or dejected you feel, laughter is one such therapy that can uplift your emotional state to a very positive level.

A good sense of humor can help in enhancing your personality whether in professional or personal life. Laughter therapy can turn you into a better team member and you can turn out to be an effective person at communication.

The importance of laughter is something that can be felt and known from within. Don’t wait anymore, call up your buddies and ensure you have a good laugh over all the silly things you can recall!

Parents today, need to think about keeping their kids healthy the natural way to combat various health problems. Here are some health tips for kids, which parents need to use to keep the child in good health.

Healthy habits are always instilled in a child during the childhood days. Teaching children the importance of a healthy diet is one of the first things parents always strive to explain to their children. A healthy habit when infused in a child from the early years, only helps in the overall child development and turns him/her into a responsible individual. Children need to be taught about the importance of healthy habits in a gentle manner. With time and care from your side, children are bound to understand the importance of healthy habits. Here is a basic compilation of tips related to kids' health. With these health tips, kids can learn to look after themselves during their growing years.

Importance of Laughter Therapy:

Health tips for kids

Teach your child the importance of a healthy routine. The day should always begin with a healthy breakfast. Help the child to understand why breakfast times are important for the day. You can make a chart of different recipes for breakfast and tell him/her gently about the importance of many vital ingredients for one’s body.

Fruits and green vegetables are so important for a healthy diet. Your child should know why fruits score over packaged foods. You need to include fresh fruits during breakfast times or slip one in the lunchbox. Make it interesting by having fresh fruit juices or even fruit salads to break the monotony.

Children are not aware about many things that are very important for their growth. As parents, you must ensure your child has plenty of water and fluids during the day. Fluids should include fresh juices. Make sure your child carries a bottle of fresh juices to school.

Kids should know the importance of exercise at an early age itself. Teach kids few basic exercises that can be done at home. An exercise routine that incorporates walking or swimming can help children to manage these activities on a daily basis. As they grow up, these routines will naturally form a part of their life.

Kids should also be aware of hygiene-related issues. Youngsters should learn things such as the need to wash hands before and after meals. For young kids, you can simply use a singsong routine to get them into the process. Children will then surely make this a part of their routine once they understand the importance of personal hygiene.

Dental care should begin at an early age. Brushing teeth twice daily is needed to keep teeth looking healthy and clean. You can promise to read a bedtime story for a kid that does not really enjoy a brushing routine. Make it seem enjoyable rather than making the child feel punished.

As your child grows older, you can help your kid maintain a chart on foods to be avoided on a regular basis. It’s important the child knows that indulgence in foods high in sugar is fine once in a while. It should not be done on an everyday basis. Avoid being too stern if your kid wants to enjoy foods such as French fries and ice cream. Simply teach your child how to be smart and consume such foods only occasionally.

Your child may require a daily dose of vitamins if the diet does not include the required amount. Make sure you check with your doctor about the vitamin intake to give the right amount of doses. There are many vitamin tablets packed in attractive containers. Generally, kids believe they eat candy instead of medicines due to the innovatively packed products that are available these days. There can also be alternative ways to include food items in the diet, which are a rich source of vitamins. Your doctor would be the best judge to decide upon the diet plan.

Parents also need to make sure their children get the appropriate amount of sleep. The child needs a healthy balance of activities and play. Sometimes, children take a long time to fall asleep. You can read a bedtime story or simply speak to the child softly. This will help the child to fall asleep naturally. This health tip will help children to stay in good health and remain active during the day.

Children need plenty of love and care right from their early years. Along with loads of love, these health tips will help to keep your kid fit and smiling throughout the day!

By Rahul Pandita

Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy focuses on treating injuries and disorders through physical methods. Physical therapy is an emerging science with immense benefits and is likely to grow in the coming years. Today, physical therapy is not only confined to sportspersons and it is being being widely practiced in America in treating patients who suffer from joint pains, ligament tear, bone dysfunction etc. Some of the common methods used in physical therapies are physical exercise, manual therapy, hot and cold treatments, ultrasound heating and hydrotherapy. Let us take a look at the various branches of physical therapy.

Physical Therapy - Types

Below are the five different types of physical therapy according to the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists.

Orthopedic physical therapy: This type of physical therapy is used in the outpatient department of hospitals where the patient may

• Orthopedic physical therapy: This type of physical therapy is used in the outpatient department of hospitals where the patient may visit the doctor on a daily or a weekly basis. It is practiced in sportspeople and patients who have recently met with some kind of accident. It focuses more on the musculoskeletal system, that is related to joints, tendons, ligaments etc.
• Geriatric physical therapy: This type of physical therapy focuses on the ailments related to the aging population. Some of the common problems old people face are Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, osteoporosis etc. In geriatric therapy, the doctor mainly focuses on restoring the mobility that may be affected by illness.
• Neurological physical therapy: As the name suggests, neurological therapy concerns with neurological dysfunctions like Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, brain injury, spinal cord injury and stroke. Neurological therapy takes longer as it is specifically designed for people who need progressive recovery options.
• Cardiovascular and Pulmonary physical therapy: This therapy focuses on ailments related to both heart and lungs. Patients who have had a surgery recently or are facing difficulty in breathing are mainly treated through this type of physical therapy to increase their endurance.
• Pediatric physical therapy: This type of treatment focuses on infants, young children and adolescents. Children in which mobility related health issues have been detected early on are treated through this therapy by teaching them certain exercises to improve their normal mobility.

These were the widely practiced physical therapies in the world. As we can see from these types of physical therapy settings that it takes a specialist to ensure that the therapy is carried out in the right way. So let us take a look at some of the degrees required to be a physical therapist.

Types of Physical Therapy Degrees

To start a career therapy, one needs certain qualifications. Let us take a look at the requirements to become a physical therapist.

• Physical Therapy Assistant Associate's Degree: One needs to study basic medical science and earn a 2-year associate's degree in physical therapy assisting to start practicing.
• Direct Entry Master's: These programs are designed for students who already have a bachelor's degree in some other fields. This degree takes around 2-3 years to complete with students having the opportunity to have on-job clinical practice in the last year. Apart from these two degrees the other known degrees are Direct Entry Doctorate and Transitional DPT. For more information, please read physical therapy degree requirements.

Types of Physical Therapy Jobs

Physical therapists normally hold a license and a Doctorate degree and physical therapy jobs are both rewarding and highly sought after. Physical therapists need to be sensitive and caring as their job also involves making the patients feel positive about themselves. Some of the types of physical therapist jobs are physical therapy assistant, pediatric physical therapists, physical therapy tech jobs etc. The physical therapy assistant salary generally varies between $45,000 and $84,000 in the US as per the reports of 2010. The job also provides numerous opportunities for career growth with experience.

Physical therapy has evolved as a great alternate to surgery and medication. We know that there is a bit of apprehension before going for a therapy, so we always advise you to consult your doctor as he/she is aware of your medical history. So, this was some information about the numerous types of physical therapy. I hope this article will be useful to you in case you ever plan to undergo this therapy or take it as a profession.