Defeating our vices one step at a time

Everyone has a vice.

Whether it is smok­ing, drinking or gorg­ing on food, there's that one special thing that takes all the stress away.

Unfortunately, many of us let vices control our lives.

Instead of being as pro­ductive as pos­sible, we give in to our weaknesses, and spend more time trying to numb the pain than facing reality.

Don't worry, I'm not going to vilify you for blowing off steam; instead I will enlighten you about some stress-relievers with benefits, rather than drawbacks.

First, going out for a night on the town is not always a bad thing. Of course when you go out every Thursday night and weekend, there may be a problem; but taking one night a month to party can bring about some wonderful benefits.

According to CNN, these include fewer colds -- because guess what? People with more friends get sick less often - have higher morale and better brain health.

Next, a cup of coffee in the morning is not going to kill you. That's right; you can satisfy your coffee cravings without feel­ing guilty afterwards.

That's because coffee - when ingested moderately - fights cancer and heart disease. It can also lower your risk of developing diabetes, Alzheimer's and dementia.

Moving along, if you're 21 or older, I'm sure you've taken advantage of your drinking privileges.

And that's quite all right.

The only thing is alcohol consumption - more specifically wine consumption because all alcohol isn't good alcohol - is only positive when done in moderation.

This means you need to put down that bottle of Ciroc, pick up a bottle of Yellow Tail, and limit yourself to one five-ounce glass of wine per day. Benefits include heart health and increasing good choles­terol.

In addition to enjoying a glass of wine, relishing in your sleep can also be advan­tageous.

There is absolutely no health problem associated with plenty of sleep. Actually, snoozing can increase energy, support immune systems and reinforce memory.

Conversely, lack of sleep can be detri­mental, leading to belly fat and hyperten­sion. So make sure you get at least seven hours a night.

Furthermore, skipping a day of work, school or other daunting responsibilities can prove beneficial.

Yes, I said it; it's OK to take a break sometimes! As a matter of fact, time off boosts creativity and morale, as well as relieves stress.

Finally, one of the best ways to relieve stress and benefit mental health is to get a massage. If that means forcing your significant other to get a little hands-on or shelling out some bucks for a professional, so be it.

Massages have been proven to decrease pain, anxiety, depression and anger. It's a vice you can feel good about.

There you have it, six great ways to blow off steam without getting immoral or feeling guilty.

Next time, before you puff on that cigarette or down 10 shots of Hennessy, remember there are tons of ways to feel great, while benefiting health.

That's my advice, but who am I to tell you?

I'm just a fly on the wall, minding my own business...