10 BAD THINGS THAT

ARE
GOOD FOR YOU

By RYAN ONG
1.Listening to loud Music
if you despair over the thumping soundtrack
blasting from your teen’s room, you may be surprised to hear it
could be doing him some good.
There’s scientific proof that the greater the
music’s intensity the more pleasure it brings, according to
research from the University of Mancherster.
It’s all down to the vestibular system, which is
responsible for balance but also carries vibration; when sound
waves set it off, it sends a positive message to the brain. Study
author Neil Todd believes it’s a hangover from a primitive
acoustic sense connected to basic drives such as hunger and sex.
But if the result is hearing loss, surely it’s not worth it?
Todd found that while sounds carried across a room
had to be louder than 90 decibels, to produce the vestibular
response, sounds carried through mass- such as the floor or
leaning against a speaker- need only be 30 decibels to achieve
the same sensation.
 But watch out!
in reality, clubs and rock gigs can
reach over 100 decibels. Bradfrod, and
expert on music and hearing loss at
the University London, says the longer
you listen to loud music, the more
damage you do. It’s considered safe to
listen to 85 dsb for 8 hours, but if
this increases to 88 dsb, you should
halve the length of time.
2. Texting, Not Talking
In the Philippines alone, about 400 million text
massages are sent in a day, which you may see as another nail in
the coffin of human interaction.
But a survey by YouGov, an international internet
based market research firm, found that 43 percent of respondents
felt mobile phones improved family communications. A study by
Professor Helen Haste of the Nestle Social Research Programme in
London confirmed that for young adults, texting was crucial in
their interaction with parents.
Experts suggest it’s the discreet nature of texting
that makes it so appealing to young people, allowing them to keep
in touch while maintaining their own space.
Phone calls may be more immediate, but texting means
explosive emotions can be edited out and the misinterpretation of
tones of voice, which often leads youngsters to avoid phone calls
(parents may sound interrogative when they’re really just
concerned), becomes a thing of the past.
 But watch out!
 A virgin Mobile survey suggests
millions suffer text-related injuries
each year. Doctors advise against
spending more than 5-10 minutes
texting, to avoid repetitive strain
injury. Spread the load by varying the
fingers you use.

3 . Po u n d in g th e Pa ve m e n ts
Running, particularly on roads, has been blamed for wear
and tear on the knees, which can lead to osteoarthritis. But a new
study shows that those who regurlarly run are actually less likely to
develop the condition than those who don’t. It seems running can
strengthen the cartilage around the knee, preventing degenaration.
Researchers at Monash University in Victoria, Australia, followed 300
adults aged between 50 and 79 over a decade and found that cartilage
volume increase in those who exercised the most.
Regular running can also reduce pain: a study at
California’s Stanford University found that older people engaging in
regular exercise, including running, reported 25 percent less
musculoskeletal pain than sedentary people.
So does this mean that people with osteoarthristis should
exercise? “Yes”, says Dr Adam Bajikowski, president of the Primary
Care Rheumatology Society, UK. ‘the more you exercise your joints, the
stronger they become.”
 But watch out!
“Older people should always get a
medical assessment before taking up
a new activity and you should build
up to running gradually, starting with
a power walk,” says Claire Small of
UK’s Chartered Society of
Physiotherapy.
5 . Fu llFa t D a iry
If yo u ’ ve tra in e d yo u rse lf to to u ch n o th in g
b u t lo w - fa t o r n o - fa t, yo u m ig h t w a n t to re la x . A
stu d y a t th e U n ive rsity o f W a le s o f 2 3 7 5 m e n
o ve r 2 5 ye a rs sh o w e d th a t th o se w h o co n su m e d
th e m o st fu ll-fa t d a iry w e re 6 3 p e rce n t le ss like ly
to d e ve lo p ” m e ta b o lic syn d ro m e ,” a clu ste r o f
sym p to m s su ch a s h ig h b lo o d p re ssu re , b lo o d
lip id s a n d g lu co se le ve ls th a t ca n le a d to
d ia b e te s, h e a rt d ise a se a n d stro ke .
It is b e lie ve d th a t m e d iu m -ch a in fa tty a cid s,
p re se n t in fu ll-fa t ( b u t n o t lo w -fa t) m ilk , yo g h u rt
a n d ch e e se , b o o st in su lin se n sitivity in th o se
w ith m e ta b o lic syn d ro m e , m a kin g it e a sie r fo r
th e b o d y to co n tro lw e ig h t.
But watch out!
•Full-fat dairy is
only going to
have these
benefits as part
of a balanced
diet. At the end
of the day, if
you eat too
may calories
you’ll put on
6 . C a ffe in e
Many people assume that decaffeinated coffee and tea
is somehow healthier – and there have been suggested link
between caffeine and heart palpitations and pancreatic cancer.
But there’s a growing list of ways that it might actually be
good for you. Several studies have flagged coffee as combating
or delaying the development of Parkinson’s disease in men.
It’s most likely the caffeine that’s doing it, says Dr
Kieran, director of research for the Parkinson’s Disease Society
in the UK; perhaps it stimulates nerve cells’ production of
dopamine to counteract the disease’s sysptoms, or it may
actually be protecting the nerve cells.
Some studies have suggested that caffeine can help
prevent gallstones, though there’s no consensus yet. A Japanese
study found that middle-aged and older people drinking coffee
daily had half the rate of common liver cancer.
Also, as a pick-me-up, caffeine doesn’t just affect
your mood there’s evidence it can enhance the performance of
athletes.
 But watch out!
It has been suggested that caffeine is
harmful to those with diabetes or
hypertension, though doctors simply
advise sufferers to drink it in
moderation and the Blood Pressure
Association in the UK says cutting
out caffeine does not have a major
impact on blood pressure.
7. Booze
B y n o w yo u ’ llh a ve h e a rd th a t re d w in e in
m o d e ra tio n h e lp s p ro te ct a g a in st h e a rt d ise a se , b u t th e
h e a lin g b e n e fits d o n ’ t sto p th e re .
If yo u ’ re m o re o f a b e e r d rin ke r, ta ke h e a rt: stu d ie s
in b o th th e N e th e rla n d s a n d th e C ze ch R e p u b lic h a ve fo u n d
th a t th e rich vita m in B 6 co n te n t in b e e r ca n p re ve n t th e
b u ilt-u p o f h o m o cyste in e , a n a m in o a cid , h ig h le ve ls o f
w h ich h a ve b e e n lin ke d to h e a rt a tta cks. B e e r a lso co n ta in s
p o lyp h e n o ls --- th e sa m e th in g s th a t in w in e a re la u d e d fo r
co n tro llin g LD L ch o le stro l.
W h a t if yo u ’ re a sp irit-d rin ke r? W e ll, if yo u like a g in
a n d to n ic , yo u m a y w a n t to kn o w th a t th e q u in in e in to n ic
w a te r ca n p re ve n t n ig h t cra m p s. In a sm a ll2 0 0 5 stu d y , D r
R ich a rd C o p p in , a g e n e ra lp ra ctitio n e r in th e U K sh o w e d
th a t q u in in e w a s m o re e ffe ctive th a n ca lf-stre tch in g
exe rcise s in p re ve n tin g th e co n d itio n . O f co u rse , to n ic w a te r
co n ta in s 8 3 m g o f q u in in e p e r lite r a n d d o cto rs typ ica lly
p re scrib e 2 0 0 to 3 0 0 m g o q u in in e to b e ta ke n e a ch n ig h t.
B u t it’ s p o ssib le th a t sm a lle r d o se s m ig h t h e lp to o , sa ys D r.
 But watch out!
Not only is drinking more than 3-4
units of alcohol a day for men (2-3
for women) a health risk, but booze
is high in calories too. And very high
doses of quinine can result in
cinchonism, a cluster of symptoms
including tinnitus, headache,
flushing, nausea, abdominal pain and
rashes.
8 . C o m p u te r g a m e s
T h e y iso la te ch ild re n so cia lly a n d d istra ct
th e m fro m le a rn in g , rig h t? T h in k a g a in .
R e se a rch e s h a ve fo u n d th a t kid s w h o clo ck u p
re g u la r co n so le tim e ca n im p ro ve th e ir h a n d -e ye
co o rd in a tio n , th e ir g rip o n scie n ce , e ve n th e ir IQ .
A 2 0 0 2 stu d y o f 7 0 0 ch ild re n fo u n d th a t
stim u la tio n a n d a d ve n tu re g a m e s su ch a s S im
C ity a n d R o lle rC o a ste r Tyco o n d e ve lo p e d
ch ild re n ’ s stra te g ic th in kin g a n d p la n n in g skills.
A n d re se a rch b y Pe te r E xce ll, h e a d o f co m p u tin g
a n d co m m u n ica tio n s te ch n o lo g y a t U n ive rsity in
W a le s, su g g e sts co m p u te r g a m e s a re a g re a t
w a y to exp la in th e b a sics o f p h ysics. ( A w e a p o n
th ro w n in a g a m e , fo r exa m p le , h a s to fo llo w a
ce rta in tra je cto ry , illu stra tin g th e la w s o f g ra vity.)
 B u t w a tch o u t!
Some games can create stress-like
symptoms, with younger children
more affected because they are less
able to distinguish between fact and
fiction. Ensure the computer is
somewhere you can see it.
9 . S u g a ry S o ft D rin ks
S u re ly it’ s g re a t th a t so ft d rin ks co m e in d ie t
fo rm ? T h e sa m e d rin k w ith virtu a lly n o ca lo rie s. B u t a
2 0 0 5 stu d y fro m th e U n ive rsity o f Texa s fo u n d th a t in a
g ro u p o f 6 2 2 p a rticip a n ts stu d ie d o ve r e ig h t ye a rs,
th o se w h o re g u la rly d rin k d ie t so ft d rin ks w e re fa r m o re
like ly to b e co m e o ve rw e ig h t o r o b e se th a n th o se
d rin kin g th e sa m e a m o u n t o f n o n -d ie t d rin k .
A lth o u g h a rtificia lsw e e te n e rs m a y ta ste th e
sa m e a s su g a r, “ yo u r b o d y m a y n o t b e fo o le d th a t it’ s
re ce ive th e sa m e ca lo rie s – so it cra ve s m o re ,” sa ys
Lo w d o n , a sp o ke sp e rso n fo r th e B ritish D ie te tic
A sso cia tio n .
D ie t so ft d rin ks m a y a lso lu llyo u in to a fa lse
se n se o f se cu rity.
“ S o m e p e o p le fe e lth a t if th e y d rin k o n e , th e y
ca n h a ve a M a rs b a r,” sa ys Lo w d o n .
 But watch out!
To lose weight, you still have to
cut down on calories. “Have one
sugar drink a week and enjoy it,
rather than a lot of diet drinks
that don’t satisfy you,” advises
Lowdon.
1 0 . B e in g a w o rkin g M u m
D o yo u so m e tim e s w o rry th a t th e stre ss
o f ca rin g fo r a fa m ily w h ile h o ld in g d o w n a jo b w ill
d rive yo u in to th e m a d h o u se o r a n e a rly g ra ve ?
In fa ct, a 2 0 0 5 stu d y fo u n d th a t th e
w o m e n w h o co m b in e a ca re e r w ith m a rria g e a n d
m o th e rh o o d a re le ss like ly to h a ve p o o r h e a lth
th a n th o se w h o sta y a t h o m e o r h a ve n o ch ild re n .
A stu d y in th e U K fo llo w in g B ritish m e n
a n d w o m e n b o rn in 1 9 4 6 th ro u g h o u t th e ir live s,
a lso fo u n d th a t 3 8 p e rce n t o f lo n g - te rm
h o m e m a ke rs w e re o b e se b y th e ir fiftie s,
co m p a re d w ith ju st 2 3 p e rce n t w h o h a d b e e n
w o rkin g m o th e rs.
 B u t w a tch o u t!
Sadly the same benefits don’t come
from going it alone. Lone working
mothers were less healthy than ones
with partners or childless women
(though still healthier than mums
who didn’t work.)
Thank you for reading!
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