Written by: Katie Brown
From childhood to
adulthood, everyone warns you about getting rid of your bad habits. Your
parents get angry at you for them, and your peers look down on you for them.
They call these habits rude and unhealthy and criticize those who continue with
them. However, contrary to belief, not all bad habits are so bad after all.
Some of such habits that are commonly heard of include eating chocolate,
getting angry, and drinking coffee.
Everyone enjoys a nice big chunk of chocolate, but almost
everyone says it’s bad for you. Many claim that it leads to obesity, heart
disease, and other bodily harm. But, when eaten in moderation, chocolate is
good for you. Harvard studies actually suggest that eating 2 ounces of chocolate,
preferably dark chocolate, will cut your artery-clogging LDL cholesterol by 14
percent. This prevents dangerous blood clots by up to 36 percent and improves
blood flow. This is caused by antioxidants in the cocoa that dial down
inflammation, relax arteries, plus help control your liver’s cholesterol
output. Chocolate also can
help in preventing the growth of cancerous cells, thus increasing your
lifespan.
Everyone
says it’s not good to get angry. Since childhood, you’ve been told to be calm,
and take a deep breath. But, in actuality, losing your temper every once in a
while is a good thing. "Anger is
actually a good emotion that's often misunderstood or irrationally used,"
says Mary Lamia, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Kentfield, CA. It keeps you from bottling up emotions until
they spill over. Getting angry helps to relieve stress and can also help reduce
the risk of heart attacks.
It is common belief that drinking
coffee is bad for the health because of all of the caffeine it contains. This
is false. Caffeine helps shuttle blood sugar into muscle and
brain cells, cutting your risk of pre-diabetes by as much as half. Coffee can help regulate mood, and
has shown that women who drank 2 to 3 cups a day had a 15 percent lower risk of
depression. Coffee is also a
rich source of antioxidants and other healthy compounds that may help protect
against cancer. Many also dislike coffee habits because it’s thought that
coffee is a dehydrator. Well, according to University of Nebraska
researchers, you absorb just as much water from eight ounces of coffee or tea
as you do from eight ounces of water.
So, not all bad habits are that bad for you. Some may have good side effects for your body and mind. If you look behind the common knowledge of people, then you may find that you can enjoy your habits, even if only in moderation, without feeling guilty about it.
So, not all bad habits are that bad for you. Some may have good side effects for your body and mind. If you look behind the common knowledge of people, then you may find that you can enjoy your habits, even if only in moderation, without feeling guilty about it.
