The bad girls guide to good health
Tuesday 07 September 2010
We all have those niggling guilty pleasures that we just can’t kick, and believe it or not, scientists are beginning to come around to our way of thinking. Here is a list of naughty habits that, actually, can be quite good for you!
Getting rather peed off with someone/something can keep your stress in check.
While chronic rage is not good – a little bit of anger can be a tonic for both mind and body. According to Women’s Health magazine, angry people make better decisions. Feeling angry can prompt your brain to release less cortisol, the stress hormone linked to problems like obesity and heart problems.
Drinking coffee could decrease risks of disease
Caffeine, the reason that coffee is apparently so bad for you, can in fact, cut your chances of getting diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s and type 2 diabetes. How? Most chronic diseases are related to inflammation and coffee is packed full of anti-inflammatory compounds. So drink way, although drinking cream-filled lattés will almost definitely wipe out the benefits!
Messiness may help breathing
A British study found that messy women could actually be healthier than those pristinely clean women. Hoorah. Apparently a tucked in bed could be giving dust mites a covered breeding area (nice!) Expert Kenneth Rosenman tells Women’s Health magazine, “The huge push to disinfect our homes isn’t healthy. A little messiness is ok.” Getting rid of every germ in your home could be giving way to more serious ones. Put that hoover down and put your feet up, it’s for your health’s sake!
Drinking beer
Research indicates that beer could be even better for your heart than a glass of red wine. If I were you I’d go and crack open a bottle of Fosters because beer contains malted barley, which contains the same heart-protecting antioxidants that red wine has. Not only that, beer also has high levels of Vitamin B which keeps our bods from building up a chemical linked to coronary problems. Good times.
Chewing gum
Ok, so it may not look like the most appealing of things to be doing, but chewing gum is actually quite good for you. As well as having the ability to improve your short and long term memory, chewing gum can also help you slim down by tricking your brain into thinking it’s full. We’d go with the sugar free kind though!