The healing power of humour?
By Sarah Mayes

OTTAWA — As the old adage goes, "Laughter is the best medicine."

Humour is purported to “boost” the immune system, provide a natural analgesic effect, and even promote a longer, healthier life.

And the centuries-old proverb has spawned a modern humour-health movement with some curious applications: an obscure form of yoga known as "laughter yoga", and a software that allows doctors to give their patients personalized humour prescriptions.

But does science support the humour-health hype?

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