What if someone told you about a miracle treatment that stimulates muscles, strengthens the heart, improves circulation, aids digestion, boosts your immune system and more? My guess is that you would want to know where to pick up at least a trial size.

The truth is, it is available to everyone at no charge. It’s called laughter.

There are things we know we lose as we age _ muscle tone, sensory acuity and even height. Fortunately, humor is not something that decreases automatically.

Humor involves all the major systems in the body. Laughter stimulates muscles and improves oxygen flow. Some experts believe the immune system is boosted as a result of stimulation to the thymus and a rise in the immunoglobulin. (No, I didn’t make this up! I read a lot!) And we all know that endorphins are released when we laugh and that they are good for us. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers.

Laughter has been also shown to increase adrenaline, which can boost alertness and memory. Humor is a sure-fire way to solve problems, gain perspective (if I can laugh at it, I can live with it, is my motto!), increase morale, prevent burn-out, improve communication and develop relationships.

How do we put a little fun into our lives? Here are some suggestions I have collected over the years:

Watch "funny stuff": Pick out TV programs, films or videos that make you laugh.

Retrace your youth: Indulge yourself in things that you loved as a child. Spit watermelon seeds, play a kazoo, try the harmonica, make a whistle out of a blade of grass, learn to square dance, make ice cream, blow bubbles. The list is only limited by your imagination.

Share embarrassing moments: We have all had them. Why not share them? Get together with friends and share a humorous past disaster. Everyone will enjoy the telling and the hearing.

Share jokes: If you are online, you are probably doing this there, but what about your friends who are not online? Send a new joke to a friend, or make a date for lunch and agree that all attending will be bringing a favorite joke. Some of the oldest ones are the best ones, since no one remembers hearing them.

Record a laugh track: Record all the laughs of family and friends. Everyone’s laugh is unique, and when you play it back, the reaction is contagious.

Get a red nose: You know, one of those squishy ones that clowns wear. Put it on and walk into the grocery store. Some folks will not get the joke, but you will, and that will add an enormous sense of humor to your life!

Make a scrapbook: Keep cartoons, jokes, riddles, etc., in it so you can carry this portable fun machine wherever you go.

Pick fun friends: You know the ones. You can have an assortment of all sorts of friends, but be sure to pick some who make you laugh until you cry. Invite them to lunch _ at your house or out. Pick up the phone and just give them a call. It will make your day!

Try to avoid toxic people: For every positive, there is a negative, they say, but try to avoid those whose toxic attitudes keep you from joy.

Who really knows for sure if laughter offers all the benefits that the experts believe it does, but even if it doesn’t, it is still important to our well-being because it feels so good. It has a way of making the road clearer, making the bumps less bothersome, and making us feel that better days are coming. Maybe today.

R. Carol Coltrain is director of the Schoharie County Office for the Aging.