• St. Louis Post-Dispatch n August 19, 2005 St. Louis Post-Dispatch n August 19, 2005 It’s been a week of happy news for couch potatoes. On Monday, readers of our Health & Fitness section learned that people shouldn’t exercise too
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch n August 19, 2005
St. Louis Post-Dispatch n August 19, 2005
It’s been a week of happy news for couch potatoes.
On Monday, readers of our Health & Fitness section learned that people shouldn’t exercise too much. Overly vigorous training can leave you “moody, irritable, sleepless and depressed,” we’re told.
Couch potatoes are in no danger of that. Then on Wednesday, we read that watching TV is mind-expanding. Shows like “24” and “Lost” stimulate the brain by forcing viewers to connect the clues, says Steven Johnson, author of the book “Everything Bad is Good for You.” Reality TV shows teach “the social logic of the universe,” or so he says.
So, vegging in front of the TV is an educational pursuit.
To top it off, it is now reported that some new Bissinger’s chocolate candies have more cancer-preventing anti-oxidants than blueberries. Other research indicates that chocolate can lower blood pressure and mimic the feeling of being in love.
And don’t forget those studies that say that a glass or two of red wine is good for the heart.
It’s enough to make you want to plop down on the couch, challenge the intellect with a soap opera, pop a bon-bon and wash it down with a nice Merlot. All for medicinal purposes, of course.
