Remember when you were a kid and mom was always hounding you about your bad habits?  Well, the medical research says mama was WRONG.  Calm down Bobby Bouchet, let me explain.  Below are 5 bad habits, or at least you were told were bad, that are surprisingly good for you.

1.   BITING YOUR NAILS - Yeah, you should see my nails.  They always tell you that your fingernails are full of germs and you are just putting them into your mouth.  Actually, biting the nails help expose your body to new germs.  Crazy, right?  It helps you immune system prepare antibodies to fight them off and keep you from getting sick.  Same goes with picking your nose, but let's just stay away from this one.

2.  BURPING - Oh yeah, this was hilarious when you were a kid and what it great day it was when you figured out you could do it on command.  Burping saves your stomach from damage that could be caused by stomach acid.  Sorry for being so scientific, but if the gas were to stay inside, it can loosen the muscle that separates your stomach from your esophagus.  Here is where stomach acid can splash out and cause that dreaded heartburn.  As Shrek would say, "better out than in, I always say".

3.  PASSING GAS - Let it rip! Whether load and proud, or silent but deadly, dropping heat bombs actually prevent the buildup of gas in your intestines that can cause damage, and pain.

4.  EATING IN BED - You will get crumbs in the bed.  Oh well, the horizontal position actually can help you digest your food better.  Stress causes your body to interrupt digestion . . . so if you're relaxed and horizontal, your body breaks everything down completely.

5.  SPITTING - Violet from the Willy Wonka movie said spitting is a nasty habit, but it helps your breathing . . . especially if you're exercising.  When you exercise, you breathe through your mouth, which causes inflammation in your throat.  So spitting helps to clear your breathing passages.

Are these really excuses to embrace these bad habits?  Maybe, when you think hard enough about it, we can justify just about anything we do.

 

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