In health and humour (From Croydon Guardian)

In health and humour in Sutton

7:00am Saturday 14th January 2012 in Freetime

A woman is using a funny form of exercise to get Sutton healthy.

Laughter is the best medicine according to Wendy Fry, from Sutton, who will teach laughter yoga classes every Saturday.

She usually works as a learning support assistant in a secondary school, but is also a qualified hypnotherapist, life coach and energy healer, and has now turned her hand to something she experienced at a recent workshop.

She says: “I wasn’t sure what to expect; I thought it was traditional yoga moves but it wasn’t at all. As it went along I got more into it and couldn’t stop laughing.

“After the workshop I found I had released tension in my stomach and neck.

“You don’t need to be a contortionist or a slim twentysomething. When you laugh you take more oxygen into the body.

Your tummy is worked and more oxygen goes to your brain. Your whole body benefits.”

Fry was inspired to set up the laughter yoga classes by her own experience suffering from depression in her 30s.

She says: “My ambition is to work with people and show them non-medical ways to get out of depression.

The idea behind the laughter club is to bring communities together, let go of stress and improve fitness.

People of all ages, abilities and fitness levels are welcome to come alone or in groups.

Laughter yoga, Sutton life Centre, every Saturday, 10am to 11am, £5 a session, call 07930 353 941, email info@bepositive.me.uk or visit bepositive.me.uk.