London - From lie-ins to skipping the gym and scoffing carbs... The bad habits that are GOOD for you:
FORGETTING TO TAKE VITAMINS
Taking a multivitamin tablet every morning might seem like a good start to the day, but it can lull you into a false sense of security.
In a study published in the journal Psychological Science, volunteers who believed they’d taken a multivitamin pill walked less than those who hadn’t been given a supplement – and they were more likely to choose a high-calorie buffet over a healthy organic meal. The researchers put this down to “psychological licensing” whereby one healthy act helps us justify indulging in less healthy ones later in the day. Sound familiar?
ABANDONING YOUR MORNING WORKOUT
Next time you choose to hit the snooze button rather than the gym, don’t beat yourself up. Putting off your morning workout could actually be beneficial. Heavy training sessions at the crack of dawn can compromise your immune system and make you more prone to colds and flu, according to scientists at Brunel University.
Researchers put this down to the fact that the immune response is at its lowest first thing due to a higher level of the hormone cortisol – and exercise increases this further. If you’re feeling under the weather, a lie-in could be your best bet.
ENJOYING A FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST
Far from being a bad habit, tucking into a big breakfast could actually reduce your risk of heart disease. A report in the journal Obesity found women who ate a big breakfast and a lighter supper lost more than twice the weight of those who had a light breakfast in favour of a big dinner – despite both groups consuming the same amount of calories a day.
What’s more, triglycerides (blood fats that contribute to heart disease) fell by more than a third in the big breakfast group, but increased by 14.6 percent in the big dinner group.
According to Professor Daniela Jakubowicz of Tel Aviv University, who led the study, it’s a result of the body burning fuel more efficiently in the mornings, so the key is to munch away before 9am.
DRINKING TOO MUCH COFFEE
Health purists might warn us to steer clear of too much caffeine, but there’s one reason to feel good about your cappuccino habit.
Women who drink four or more cups of coffee daily have a 20 percent lower risk of depression, according to Harvard School of Public Health. As well as being rich in healthy antioxidants, the caffeine in coffee is thought to help raise levels of the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin, which are responsible for boosting mood.
GORGING ON CARBOHYDRATES
Pasta and potatoes are frowned upon, but not all carbs are bad. In fact, some can actively boost your gut health – it is a matter of what temperature you serve them at.
When pasta and boiled potatoes are allowed to cool, for example, a form of “resistant” starch develops that ferments in the colon, producing fatty acids and encouraging friendly bacteria to thrive. A recently published review of all available research noted that this, in turn, reduces inflammation in the colon – a condition linked to cancer.
No, cold chips don’t count (because they are cooked in fat) but potato and pasta salads definitely do.
DITCHING GOING TO THE GYM
Regularly hitting the gym can fool us into thinking we’re fitter than we are and make us less active throughout the rest of the day. Experts warn that so-called “active couch potatoes” who spend long periods of time sitting have a higher mortality rate, even if they work out for 45 to 60 minutes daily. Extended periods of inactivity lead to a number of metabolic changes that ultimately make us more prone to heart disease and diabetes.
So next time you don’t make it to the gym, make up for it by simply being more active.
HAVING A SUNDAY MORNING LIE-IN
Spending all weekend in bed isn’t necessarily good for your health, but a few extra hours could be beneficial if you have a busy week ahead. A study in the journal Sleep reported that people who “sleep-banked” an extra three hours a night for seven days before a week of restricted sleep appeared more alert, performed better and recovered more quickly than those who hadn’t stocked up on shut-eye.
LETTING THE HOUSEWORK SLIDE
While hygiene hysterics urge us to wipe clean our kitchen surfaces at every opportunity with antibacterial sprays, they can, in fact, increase your risk of exposure to dangerous bugs.
A team at Stanford University found some bacterial strains, such as E.coli, developed resistance when exposed to triclosan (an antibacterial agent found in many products) over time. Rather use a non-toxic cleaner. – Daily Mail