Your mantra for the week: “I am laughing myself to perfect health.”

Did you know that children laugh at least 150 times a day, while adults laugh a maximum average of only 15 times?

This should make it easy to understand that even the Good Book says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

I believe in the adage that “laughter is the best medicine,” especially after finding out what it can do to your body and your well-being.

First, consider that it secretes endorphins that act like analgesics and, in certain cases, a mild form of anesthetic.

Second, its cardiovascular effects are equivalent to a good workout, which definitely means an improved blood circulation.

Norman Cousins, in his book, “Anatomy of an Illness,” shares his experience of how laughter and mega-doses of vitamin C extended his life for 26 more years after having been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (or AS, an incurable form of arthritis) and given only a few more months to live. Such is the power of laughter.

Today, there are laugh clubs sprouting everywhere because it was learned that 10 minutes of belly-laughing has the effect of an hour of meditation. Proof is that many people have tried complaining or being resentful while they are laughing, and found out that it could not be done. If you are a skeptic, you may want to try it yourself.

If you believe in guardian angels, please remember that it is likewise important to be your own angel who brings joy and laughter to others.

Let me be that kind of angel today and share the laughter that these two jokes gave me this week:

Woman asks: “If I sleep with three men, everyone calls me a slut. But when a man sleeps with 10 girls, everyone calls him a real man. How come?

Wise man replies: “It’s very simple. Chinese sage says, ‘When one lock can be opened by three different keys, it’s a bad lock. But when one key can open 10 different locks, it is called it a master key!’”

Husband comes home early at 4 p.m.

Wife: “Wow! What a miracle that you’re home early today!”

Husband: “My boss and I had an altercation and he shouted at me, ‘Go to hell!’ Well, here I am.”

Pinky cares

Pinky Tobiano celebrated a birthday recently in an unique way, especially the time, which, normally, is from 6 to 9 p.m. The invitation read, “from 9-12 noon” at Graces in Bago Bantay, Quezon City, a shelter with 350 abandoned elderly men and women.

“I will just send something for the lolos and lolas but I am not going, baka mapagkamalan ako na isa sa mga lola,” said one socialite who surely cannot be described as being “abandoned” in any sense of the word.

The party was hosted by Pinky Cares Foundation, and those who have observed Tobiano closely know that she truly gives a damn.

Jeanny’s wedding

Richard Skaggs of Omstar—whose product is environmental fuel additives that many large companies, locally and internationally, now use to fight global warming—flew in from California to attend the wedding of Jeanny Jinang who married David Bassiri last Tuesday.

Skaggs and his wife Roberta were two of the principal sponsors which included Edward Hagedorn and Cory Quirino, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and his mother Torrijos Mayor Lorna Velasco, Justice Sec. Vitalliano Aguirre and Lydia David, and Mel Go and Annie Tanco.

The lavish reception was held at the Conrad Manila, with over 300 guests in attendance.

Jeanny heads her own company, Artehub, which helps provide management solutions and whose slogan is “We simply make it happen.”

The groom owns a chain of Italian restaurants in California. What a nice looking couple they make and they simply made it happen.

Helen’s ‘Best Dressed Women’

For the past 14 years, the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS) has been presenting its choices of the Best Dressed Women of the Philippines and Men of Extraordinary Influence. Last week, its organizing committee met at the Manila House, led by PCS chair Helen Ong, and members Betty Chua, Agnes Huibonhua, Sandie Poblador, Marian Ong, Johnny Litton, Elaine Villar, Roselle Rebano and Mario Katigbak.

The committee agreed that this year’s event will be held on September 26 at the grand ballroom of Okada Manila.

Will Tingting Cojuangco and Fortune Ledesma now come out with their own disclosure that their Best Dressed event will also be held on the 26th of the same month at the Manila Diamond Hotel—like it seemed they have deliberately done in these past two years?

Well, at least the trip between Okada and Manila Diamond is much shorter than that of Makati Shangri-La and Manila Diamond.

Looking forward to all of them getting undressed!

Marilou’s PBT

The invitational gala of Philippine Ballet Theatre’s (PBT) offering for its 31st season, “La Bayadere,” was also to welcome and honor the newly-installed Cultural Center of the Philippines president Nick Lizaso.

“La Bayadere,” a full-length ballet created by Marius Petipa in the 19th century, has withstood the test of time because it is a story of eternal love. Its choreography has been described as nothing less than brilliant, and which PBT president Marilou Kahn Magsaysay said, “gives all the dancers that have the privilege to dance it, every opportunity to shine.”

The ballet starred the homegrown, extraordinarily talented Jared Tan, a guest artist from the Atlanta Ballet. He has actually worked with PBT and trained under Russian ballet master Anatoly Panasyukov, who is PBT’s artistic director.

Tan played the role of Solor, a noble warrior. Loby Pimentel as Nikiya and Regina Magbitang as Gamzatti completed the love triangle excellently with the help of artists Julie Borromeo and Malen Claravall.

In the audience, looking truly impressed at the performance, were Criselda Lontok, Tony and Mita Rufino, Rupert and Tina Jacinto, Ching Montinola, violinist Chino Gutierrez (who, incidentally, is giving a solo concert in September), Nenuca Blardony, Bert and Nonie Basilio, Chacha Camacho, Marichu Nepomuceno and Viol Cojuangco.

I got a glimpse of Vietnamese Ambassador Ly Quoc Tuan and chatted with Israeli Ambassador Effie Ben Matityau, who remarked, “I never expected to experience such a sterling presentation of ‘La Bayadere.’ I wish the whole world could have watched this performance that has shown Filipino talent at its very best.”

It was nice seeing Gener Caringal and Eddie Elejar after a long spell.

Lizaso said, “The PBT is the country’s oldest purveyor of classical ballet, has been dedicated towards the preservation of Philippine ballet, and strongly supports promising and emerging dancers. Mabuhay ang Pilipinong mananayaw!”

E-mail the columnist: [email protected]. Listen to his “Positive Session” radio program on DWIZ 882 AM every Saturday, 9-10 p.m.