A common trait that most adults share, regardless of race or location, is that we swear. Whether it is a frequent occurrence to pepper your conversations with expletives, or if you only say them on rare occasions, you are experiencing some pretty good side-effects.

Some people might frown upon swearing, and think it is degrading, oafish behaviour- but it’s not. Well, not always. Swearing has some good aspects as well, and the act of saying a “bad word” can have many unexpected benefits.

1. Relieves pain and increases pain tolerance.
If you are a “chain-swearer,” or someone who uses swear words like a sailor who was trained by Andrew Dice Clay, then you are probably not going to experience this benefit as much as someone who speaks them only a few times a day.

For the latter,  they will experience a surge of adrenaline when the ‘fight or flight’ response is activated, from swearing.

This triggers and analgesic effect, and can effectively alter our pain perception.

2. Control and confidence.
Swearing can help us to release our fears and gain control over our feelings in certain situations. When we swear, we are showing ourselves that we are not powerless and can fight back- even if it is with mere words.

Saying a swear word can give you confidence, especially if you rarely use them. Like Mark Twain said, ‘When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear.’

3. Self-expression.
When something is important to you, swearing can elevate that feeling and let others know as well. Take  football games for example.

Fans swear all the time to express outrage towards the referees, or immense joy when their team scores. Swearing  allows you to express yourself in ways that suit your moods and emotions, whether they be good or bad.

4. Mental and physical health.
“Sentence enhancers,” as I like to call them, can do some things of which you might not be aware.  Psychology Today says, “The health benefits of swearing include increased circulation, elevated endorphins, and an overall sense of calm, control, and well-being. ”

It is important to keep in mind that we are all unique individuals and people who swear are not less of anything because they do so. They are not less spiritual, less intelligent, or less imaginative. Keep your judgments to yourself, and let people live their lives in the ways that works best for them.

Besides, it’s good for you. 

By now, we all know the benefits of superfoods like kale, spirulina, and wheatgrass, but have you heard of the myriad of health benefits seaweed can offer?

Living in a Westernized society, we might eat seaweed in our California rolls, but it’s not typical behaviour for someone to snack on a bag of the stuff. Well, maybe it should be! After reading all the ways in which seaweed can benefit your health, you might develop an urge to start including it in your diet.

• Seaweed is a natural anti-oxidant, and is high in iodine and calcium. Have you been eating some rather unhealthy foods lately? More and more labels read “irradiated” and “modified” ingredients. A healthy dose of seaweed can help to combat those toxins.
• Shona  Wilkinson, the head nutritionist at NutriCentre explained, “It is a natural source of vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and E as well as minerals including zinc, iodine, magnesium, iron, potassium, copper and is especially high in calcium. It is also very high in iodine. We need iodine for efficient thyroid and pituitary function. The thyroid is responsible for regulating metabolism and body temperature. “
• Seaweed can help reach and maintain a healthy weight, by being a useful diuretic. Those who struggle with water retention will find this doubly useful. An additional functionality of diuretic properties, seaweed also cleanses the system. Continue reading →