OTHER FUN & HEALTHY THINGS
SEX
According to a study published in the journal Biological Psychology, those who have regular penetrative sex deal better with stress than those who abstain or who engage in other sexual activity.
Scientists at Wilkes University in America also found that those who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of immunoglobulin A – an antibody that can protect you against colds – than those who had sex fewer or more times. Thirty minutes of sex also burns off 85 calories.
BEER
A study by the New England Journal of Medicine found that those who drink moderately – up to one beer a day – decrease their chances of suffering a stroke by 20 per cent. Another study found that moderate beer-drinking reduced the risk of heart attacks by 30-40 per cent. It contains a similar amount of polyphenols as red wine. Beer also contains vitamin B6, which helps reduce the chances of heart disease. Beer has no cholesterol or fat and is rich in minerals and vitamins.
CHOCOLATE
A host of studies show that choclolate is good for you. Cocoa beans contain large quantities of flavonoids, which are known to prevent blood clots. Another showed that chocolate is as good as aspirin at promoting healthy blood flow and can help reduce the chance of stroke and heart attack. Researchers at Harvard also found that those who eat chocolate or sweets three times a month live a year longer than those who eat none. Dark chocolate is better for you, and the less sugar it contains the better.
COMPUTER GAMES
Sitting in a darkened room might not be the best thing for your physical health, but playing some types of computer games can be good for the development of your mind. An American researcher called Marc Prensky thinks that games like FIFA Soccer involve learning about strategy, coaching and team-building, while a game called Thrillville teaches you about engineering as you build a safe fairground ride, and also the economics of running a successful business. Games such as Civilization teach history.