Jackie Jarvis writes

Laughter is not only able to lift your spirits, it seems, but can also help you lose weight.

Research by a bunch of scientists who one can only assume fancied a bit of a giggle, has shown that one hour of laughing can expend as many calories as a rigorous weight-lifting workout.

So now we know. There’s no need to get all unnecessarily sweaty, wearing yourself out to a frazzle with an exhausting session down at the gym, unsuccessfully battling to redistribute your flab, surrounded by all those sickeningly svelte young things with their six-packs and finely toned torsos.

one hour of laughing can expand as many calories as a rigorous weight-lifting workout

Just sit yourself down in front of the telly, get your laughing gear around a bag of crisps and a glass of wine, tune in to the most hilarious film you can lay your hands on and get those belly laughs rolling.

Joking apart, laughter is a fantastic tool to generate well-being. A few chuckles along the way makes life seem so much brighter.

Admittedly, there is little for many of us to smile about at the moment, what with the depressing way the economy is going. Finding the positives in a world filled with negatives is nigh impossible but I’m a great believer in looking on the bright side – that, no matter what, things are never as bad as they seem. It’s just a matter of perspective.

It is said the best things in life are free. Let’s hope they are because, with little change to spare in our pockets, that’s just about what most of us can afford.

In this age of unbridled consumerism where the modern credit card culture has spawned an out-of-control generation of ‘buy now’, will we ever be able to ‘pay later’? We all need to take stock of ourselves and try and return to a more simple way of life where money is no longer the driving force; our raison d’etre.

Easy to say when you’re being weighed down by astronomical mortgage repayments, you still have to put bread on the table, your little darlings are clamouring for the latest must-have gadgets and pricey designer fashion items, and a spot of retail therapy is the quick fix we give in to in a bid to make us feel better about our lives.

But it must be possible to get the feelgood factor back without too much financial outlay.

If meals out are now one treat too far why not invite friends round to your home for a bite to eat? If everyone contributes to the menu the cost is minimal. You’re spending time in the company of people you like, eating good food and, hopefully, having a laugh.

A walk in the countryside won’t cost you a penny. The fresh air and beautiful views will blow away the blues, inject energy into mind and body, and you’re exercising for free.

If trips to the cinema have had to been reined in, hot-foot it down to your nearest charity shop and take a look at some of the cut-price DVDs on offer. After you’ve watched them, return them to the store so that they can be resold, or pass them on to friends.

You can also find some very reasonably priced books here, in which you can lose yourself. Supporting worthwhile causes gives you a warm feeling and, because you’re getting something out of it, too, everyone’s a winner.

Keep smiling!