Source: ShutterStock

We’ve all got a few bad habits that we’ve been told we have to kick because they’re not good for us – but as it turns out, those bad habits really aren’t that bad after all. A recent post in The Daily Mail talks about the health benefits of five “bad” habits that I’m sure we can all relate to and proves that maybe we really don’t need to stop doing these things.

Since I do a few of these things myself, this is actually kind of a relief for me. I’m so sick of doing some of this stuff and then having people around me be like, “Jessica, you seriously need to stop,” and I’m just like, “Let me live.” Now I can take this post and shove it in their faces. *evil laugh*

Want to see if any of your “bad” habits are on this list? Check out what might not be so bad after all:

Burping: As the Daily Mail says, burping may be rude, but as it turns out, it’s really actually good for you. Burping is basically a release of natural gas in your stomach and it’s pretty important to the way your body functions. It’s actually a completely normal part of digestion and stopping yourself from doing it when you feel one coming on is bad for you. So basically, burping isn’t the bad habit – not burping is! Now, that doesn’t mean you should walk around burping the alphabet in a public place, but it does mean that you shouldn’t feel so embarrassed about it happening.

Biting your nails: This is a pretty common bad habit that I’m actually having sort of a hard time believing isn’t that bad. I don’t have this habit myself, but I know a lot of people who do and wish they didn’t. But as it turns out, the worst thing about nail biting might be coming away with some gnarly fingernails that aren’t up for a manicure. Putting the bacteria on your nails in your mouth may help build up your immune system and prevent you from getting sick in the future. Dr. Hilary Longhurst tells the Daily Mail, “Unless your hands are filthy, the bugs we encounter when biting our nails could boost our immune system.” Who knew nail biting could keep you healthy?

Farting: Just like with burping, farting may be rude, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad for your bod. This is another way your body releases the gas that builds up inside of you and it’s pretty important to not, uh, hold it in. Releasing this gas helps to relieve that horrible bloating feeling you can get after eating sometimes. Not farting can actually be pretty painful. If you really need to do it, I wouldn’t suggest letting one rip in the middle of all of your friends – awkward.

This could make you healthier! | Source: ShutterStock

Cracking your knuckles: Ahh, my favorite bad habit of all time. Guys, I’m the worst when it comes to cracking. I crack my fingers at least once an hour and pretty much anything else that can be cracked – my back, my knees, my wrists, my feet, my hips, shoulders, elbows, the list goes on. I’m always told to stop immediately, but contrary to popular belief, it really isn’t harming your joints. In fact, it’s actually making them more flexible.

Eating in bed: Okay, honestly I’ve never really heard about this being bad. I think moms just made it up because they didn’t want their kids getting crumbs in their beds and leading to icky little bugs. But if you’ve been told you shouldn’t do it, fight back because eating in bed actually may help aid digestion. It’s sort of a stretch, but doctors tell the Daily Mail that when you’re in bed, you’re more likely to be relaxed and when you’re relaxed, your digestion is better. So go on and eat your dinner all cozy under your covers! Just be neat, please.

So, you’re welcome for all of this handy info that will enable you to keep up with your “bad” habits. However, as with all things, too much of a good thing is never good. Doing any of these things excessively probably isn’t going to offer as many health benefits, so keep things simple, short and sweet.

Which of these bad habits are you guilty of? What other bad habits do you have that aren’t mentioned on this list? Tell me in the comments. 

What’s the difference between being comfortable with your BF & just gross?

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Farting... it happens to the best of us. | Source: ShutterStock

Honestly, I can understand your embarrassment here. But, and this is a big but, here’s the truth: you really have nothing to be ashamed of! Farting is totally, 100% normal – trust me, I bet your boyfriend does it a whole lot more than you. Okay, it might be a little awkward when it happens, but it’s nothing to freak out over.

First things first: stop avoiding your boyfriend! It’s okay to feel a little bit embarrassed, but refusing to hang out with him is only going to make things worse. For one thing, it’s only making the fart a much bigger issue than it should be. Another thing? He probably already forgot it happened and is wondering what the heck he did wrong to make you avoid him. So go ahead and make a date to hang out. When you see him, don’t think about the farting incident. There’s no need to bring it up again – just act like nothing happened and forget about it.

Just laugh about it. Really! | Source: ShutterStock

If it happens again, don’t panic. Instead, try to make the situation funny. Laugh or make a joke about it. Showing that you’re comfortable enough with yourself to fart in front of him and then giggle about it is only going to show him that you’re a totally cool chick. One thing that almost all guys can appreciate is a girl who knows how to laugh at herself. Some guys would be super impressed that you could fart and not freak out. I mean, I’m not saying you have to start ripping some big ones every time you two are together, but just don’t take it so seriously!

And if this dude is totally grossed out and can’t get past it? Um, he’s so not worth your time, girl. Like I said before, farting is normal. Everybody does it, and sometimes, you really just can’t help it. So there’s no need to stress if it happens – trust me, a good sense of humor will go a long way here.

take care,
Heather

What’s on your mind? Heather can help! Send her your question at heather@gurl.com

My BF’s dad caught us having sex! Now what?

Oh. My. God. | Source: ShutterStock

If there’s one thing girls can always bond about, it’s an embarrassing hookup story. Trust us: we all have them. So don’t be shy! Read this OMG reader hook-up confession, and then send your own to confession@gurl.com.

I love getting oral sex. And I really don’t think my boyfriend minds giving it! One day, we were hooking up and things started getting pretty intense, so we moved into him giving me oral sex.

In the middle of the whole thing, I FARTED! It was so embarrassing and was a total turn-off for me. My boyfriend laughed but I was totally disappointed and felt so embarrassed.

Do you think you can top this confession? Send your hook-up confessions to confession@gurl.com. Don’t worry: they’re totally anonymous.

This girl embarrassed herself in front of her crush and her whole class

If neither of them did it... who did?!! | Source: Candid.com

If there’s one thing girls can always bond about, it’s an embarrassing hookup story. Trust us: we all have them. So don’t be shy! Read this OMG reader hook-up confession, and then send your own to confession@gurl.com.

I was at a party with my boyfriend and we snuck into a friends room to fool around. We didn’t mind hooking up on the floor since she told us her bed was off-limits. Just as things were getting pretty hot, I heard the LOUDEST fart ever. My jaw dropped and my reflex was to punch him right in the gut and throw him off of me.

He then explained that it was the girl asleep on the bed that had farted, and not him. I looked up and saw a girl’s butt sticking out the side of the bed and hovering right above us!! I was so disgusted and a little ashamed. Apparently he knew the room wasn’t vacant when we busted in and didn’t let me know.

I’m still pretty proud of that punch though! Plus he’s still never farted in front of me so I know I have a pretty mean and impressive upper cut.

Do you think you can top this confession? Send your hook-up confessions to confession@gurl.com. Don’t worry: they’re totally anonymous.

Read how this girl totally embarrassed herself in front of her crush!

What exactly is farting?

Doctors call this process “flatulence,” but it is most commonly known as farting. Other names for farting are: breaking wind, cutting the cheese and letting one rip, among others…

He's still cute when he passes gas.

Also known has varting, queefing, and fanny farting, vaginal flatulence is the release or expulsion of air from the vagina. It typically happens during or after sexual intercourse. It can also occur while stretching or exercising. The sound is comparable to farting, but vaginal flatulence doesn’t involve waste gasses, and therefore usually doesn’t have an odor.

Where does the sound come from?

Caught in the act!

When you get intimate with your partner, feeling safe is key to a comfortable and happy experience. But some things are mortifying no matter how safe you feel! Like this gURL’s experience! Read on!

I had had sex with a long term boyfriend two years before I met my current boyfriend, but never liked it. When I met my current bf, I realized how great sex can really be. We had been dating for 8 months so I felt safe and happy when our first time came around. In fact, I couldn’t get enough and we experimented in a lot of different positions and had lots of fun for the next few weeks. We tried so many different things and felt like we knew everything about each other!

But one time, I felt like I really had to go – number 2. But we were in the moment, the condom was on, I didn’t want to excuse myself. There was a lot of bouncing and it actually hurt my abdomen a lot. It felt so bloated! When he finally came and pulled out, it was like he unplugged an overfilled pool raft and I let the most massive fart rip. I didn’t know I could make farts that big! There was a moment of shock. He stared at me.  I stared at him.  And after a few seconds of more staring, I burst out into tears. It was awful! I had never felt more embarrassed. He started laughing, wanting to high five me as if I were a dude. But I cried and just ran to the bathroom and stayed there until he finally pleaded that it was cute and that I should come out and that it made him love me more. But at that point, I was crying for a different reason — because I was so lucky to call him my BF.

Have you ever farted in front of your sweetie? What happened? And, want to share your own Hookup Confession? Send it in to askanexpert@gurl.com!