Social campaigner Mary Whitehouse abhorred it. Writer and actor Stephen Fry has publicly done and defended it. But how do you feel about swearing? Yeshi Dolma writes.
Be honest, you know you’ve said ‘bad’ words. Who hasn’t? At the very least, most of us will have shouted out some colourful expletives after stubbing a toe or cracking an elbow: because even though we all know it’s taboo, it somehow makes us feel better.
When we were little we might have been threatened with having our mouths washed out with soap for it but, ironically, swearing can help us get through some important social situations. We can use our potty mouth to make people laugh. We can curse with our buddies or coworkers to show solidarity. Or we might pop out a profanity simply because we are deliriously happy, or angry, or scared, or feeling any number of emotions.
But there is also something quite amazing that swearing can do for us: it can help us to feel less pain.
When we start swearing, the electrical conductivity of our skin is affected. Our heart rate speeds up and we might even get cold, sweaty palms. These responses are what Dr Richard Stephens and his team at Keele University believed to be the first signs of a fight or flight response, when our brain perceives a threat. For our distant ancestors, this may have been the sight of an approaching animal with big teeth and claws, but these days our stressors are more likely to be unwanted bills, traffic jams and delayed trains. The aim of fight or flight, as the name suggests, is to get us away from the perceived threat or to stay and fight it. Our body starts pumping adrenaline and other hormones through our body, making us hyper-alert and ready for action.
This story is from the Spring 2017 edition of Optimum Nutrition.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Spring 2017 edition of Optimum Nutrition.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Summer Of
Summer is when we want to be out and about, as the warm embrace of the sofa on a cold winter’s night becomes a distant memory. So where do you go when the brain is willing but the body just can’t cut it at the same level of performance that it managed decades ago? Graeme Wilcockson reviews a few ways to satisfy those competitive weekend instincts that will tax both mind and body — yet leave you able to move on Monday morning
Common Kitchen Practices Making Us Sick
Every year, thousands of us fall sick from food poisoning because of how we have handled food. Louise Scodie and Louise Wates look at common ways in which we are going wrong
Could Antioxidants Save Our Bacan?
Nitrates and nitrites have long been linked to cancer. We look at how they are part of a chain reaction that may not always be harmful to human health... So what’s the case with bacon?
Eat For A Glow That Is More Than Skin Deep
Now that summer is here, it’s time to peel off the layers and make some vitamin D. But if your skin isn’t as peachy as you would like, or if you are worried about staying safe in the sun, find out how good nutrition may support your skin’s health. Maggie Charlesworth writes
Natural Beauty
If headlines about microbeads from cosmetics polluting our seas have got you wondering how you can do your bit for the environment, try using nature’s harvest to feed your skin. Hannah Maryse Robinson writes
A Summer Selection Of Goods And Goodies
Lazy Vegan frozen Chunky Pulled Peaz is a gluten-free, plant-based protein source suitable for vegans and — with a substantial texture — flexitarians.
Do Something Different
As many of us are concerned about keeping our brains active, Ellie Smith investigates whether trying something completely new could boost both our brain health and mental wellbeing
Lifting Weights, Lifting Confidence
When Bianca Mills was bullied at school she could not have dreamt that she would be able to speak in front of a group of women, let alone coach them in lifting free weights. She told Louise Wates why she believes buddying-up is just as important as physical strength for fostering confidence
Teaching Children How To Forage
Catherine Morgan finds out how foraging can teach children (and adults) about more than nature’s store cupboard, and can foster an understanding of and respect for the environment.
Keep Calm And Curry On
In August, India celebrates the anniversary of Indian Independence, yet the Anglo-Indian community, a legacy of the British Raj with its roots in European and Indian ancestry, still treads the cultural line between both communities. Jenny Mallin, author of A Grandmother’s Legacy, tells us about the fusion food in her family and recipes passed down through the generations
