There are times when we read things in the news or in the media, when we are told that something is good for our health, or that something can be detrimental for it. One day, we can be told that something is good, and then a few weeks later we are told that the same thing is bad for us.
There have also been ups and downs when it comes to coffee and alcohol. So what are we to believe when it comes to our health? We look at nine things that we have been told are bad for us but are actually surprisingly good for our health within moderation.
Anger
If you're one of those people who tend to bottle things up, only to explode later, we are being advised not to hold it in so long. Studies show that bursts of anger here and there are good for the health, and can be an even more effective coping mechanism than becoming afraid, irritated or disgusted.
Anger, however, is best in moderation: stay angry for long periods of time and you'll be plagued with a host of health issues, like blood pressure and sleep disorders.
Coffee
Coffee has also had bad press as it has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, raised blood pressure arthritis, and stillbirth.
However, coffee is great for waking us up in the morning and is the World’s most wildly used stimulant drug. It improves short-term memory, boosts muscle power and raises alertness. It is also a major source of anti-oxidants and can help to reduce the risk of diabetes.
Alcohol
Alcohol, in moderation, is good for the heart, but the effect of this is mainly seen in middle-aged men. Two or three alcoholic drinks per day can cut the risk of heart attack by at least 30 per cent.
However, alcohol drunk in excess causes liver disease and also dependency. Less obvious effects include an increase of all types of cancer by six per cent in women, when you have a drink a day.
Scientists from Harvard Medical School have presented findings showing couples having IVF who drank one bottle of wine a week, cut their chances of a live birth by a quarter.
Similarly, while we have always associated beer with a beer gut, new research has suggested that moderate beer intake can actually improve cardiovascular function.
Bubblegum
Something that your dentist will never tell you is that chewing gum actually prevents cavities. Studies have shown that not only does it produce more saliva which helps to prevent cavities, but sugar free gum contains xylitol which helps change the chemistry of your mouth.
Infections
Although many parents these days feel that they need to cocoon their children and wrap them in cotton wool to protect them from illness, young children actually need exposure to viruses and bacteria in early life to develop their immune systems. Those who miss out on such exposure are more likely to develop allergies, such as asthma, later on. Infections on the other hand, are bad for just about everyone else.
Stress
Stress is universally considered a bad thing and in some cases, people have successfully won lawsuits against companies for work-related stress. But what most people don’t know is that a little stress goes a long way to making us healthier because in short doses, it can help to boost the immune system.
Not doing the housework
There is the idea that due to our modern lifestyle, there are increasing numbers of people that suffer from allergies and auto immune conditions. A survey that was carried out found that women who used a lot of household cleaning products during pregnancy and shortly after giving birth, increased their child’s risk of asthma.
Smoking
We all know the risks and dangers of smoking, but there are a number of therapeutic uses of nicotine or smoking too. For example, smokers are less likely to need surgery to provide extra blood to their heart after an angioplasty, the risk of ulcerative colitis is reduced, and it even interferes with the development of Kaposi’s sarcoma (a type of cancer of the lymphatic endothelium).
Perhaps, most surprisingly, is that there are links to smoking and a reduction in allergic asthma. There is also a large body of evidence to suggest that smokers have a dramatically reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Nicotine is currently being investigated as a treatment for ADHD, and schizophrenia.
Video games
Even though console stations and video games are partly to blame for the rise in numbers of people with obesity, scientists have now suggested that they actually help to get us fit and lose weight.
As long as they aren’t used as a substitute for real sport, certain games such as Tekken 3 (a martial arts contest), actually raise the player’s heart levels - they used more energy and began breathing more quickly.
