Welcome to another edition of Common Ground Online. Here's what's in this week's edition:
- Truehope Conference Call Review
- Laugh Your Way to Better Health!
Truehope – Working with Government Health Authorities: Conference Call Review April 5, 2007
In this month’s conference call, Truehope co-founders Tony Stephan and David Hardy talk about the initial development of EMPowerplus and the early research that took place at the University of Calgary. David states, however, that although the research protocol at  the U of C was peer-reviewed and accepted as being safe and ethical, Health Canada stepped in and shut the study down, creating an issue that would take
several years to resolve.
Truehope’s recent court case victory against Health Canada has helped to open the doors of acceptance in government. The Natural Health Products division of Health Canada has been working closely with Truehope in helping EMPowerplus meet the current standards necessary to obtain a Natural Product Number (NPN), which would allow Truehope to make the claim that EMPowerplus “supports mental and physical well-being.” Just as encouraging is the fact that more researchers and medical doctors than ever before are now looking at EMPowerplus as a viable mental health treatment option.
Take some time now to listen to the call. You’ll learn how early struggles with Health Canada have helped to pave the way for EMPowerplus and many products like it to be accepted as having significant therapeutic value in the treatment of disease.
 Generally speaking, those who have suffered with mental illness don't have much to be happy about. And although Truehope offers a safe and effective nutritional product and a comprehensive support program, there are still many things that you can do individually to improve your health.
For example, consider this article from a recent magazine about the healing power of laughter.
"Every time you laugh, it's like taking a miracle pill for your health. According to doctors, laughter can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and protect your heart. It's no wonder we say that humor is "contagious" and that laughter is "infectious."
"So why are we so drawn to humor? Why will we watch Seinfeld reruns over and over again? To answer this question, Dr. Allan Reiss, at Stanford Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, went looking for the brain's "funny bone." He used MRls to monitor volunteers' brain activity while they read cartoons. The scans revealed that humor makes us feel good because it activates the brain's reward centers - the funnier we find something, the greater the reward.
"In a 15-year study of 678 nuns, researchers found that those who used positive words such as "happy," "joy" and "love" when describing their lives lived almost 10 years longer than those who expressed fewer positive emotions. The researchers concluded that good feelings can act as a biological shield against daily stresses that take their toll in the form of high blood pressure and heart disease. And a Dutch study of people aged 65 to 85 at the outset found that 10 years later the optimists had a 55 per cent lower risk of death from all causes than the pessimists.
"Happiness can also help even if you are already ill. For 11 years, researchers monitored 866 men and women (with an average age of 60) who had heart disease. Those who most frequently ticked phrases like "ability to laugh easily" or "lightheartedness" on questionnaires about themselves were 20 per cent less likely to die prematurely of any cause than those whose responses were less positive."
Given the established link between physical health and laughter, it only makes sense that laughter and overall happiness can also have a positive effect for those who suffer with mental health issues.
At Truehope, we encourage you to seek out those things in your life that make you the happiest and that can promote laughter and positive feelings. Doing so can help you experience true mental wellness.
Source: Excerpt from Living Well, Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., Spring 2007
Have you missed an edition of Common Ground Online? Are you new to the Truehope Program? Visit our email archive page for a directory of all previous Common Ground newsletters. These emails are loaded with useful information that can help you succeed on EMPowerplus and the Truehope Program.
Help us to serve you better. Send your questions or comments about the Truehope Program, EMPowerplus, or our support resources to feedback@truehope.com or call 1-888-878-3467 to speak to a Truehope Support Specialist.
We want to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date program information so that you can continue to make informed decisions regarding your health. Our hope is that you will find hope, healing, and health through education and continued support.
Yours in health,
The Truehope Support Staff
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