Playing poker bad for your health

[The Buzz]

An interesting story in TheChronicleHerald.ca today, saying that playing poker is bad for your health. Go into a casino, or the World Series of Poker, and you'll see plenty of evidence, as plenty of pale doughy men resembling the Pillsbury mascot are sitting sedentary at the tables.

But here are some interesting points to consider ...

"Gaming and the lifestyle of too much booze, high-fat food and no exercise — those two seem to have a hugely overlapping demographic," (professional poker player David) Scharf said during a visit to Halifax.

He describes poker as even worse for your health than regular slothfulness.

"The difference is that gaming . . . and poker have adrenalin involved, which isn’t present in watching TV, as a comparison.

"You may have seen heart rate monitors in poker on TV, and you’ll see guys sitting there with a heart rate of 180. That’s my max heart rate, in a full sprint around the track," Scharf said.

"I do know there are no health benefits if you drive your heart rate up based on adrenalin release, which is what gaming does for you. You don’t get the cardiovascular benefit of exercise. So you get all the bad side of raised heart rate, raised respiratory rate, without any of the benefits of exercise, which is too bad."

Dr. Blair O’Neill, the head of the division of cardiology at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, said prolonged bouts of physical inactivity lead to predictable health problems.

...

O’Neill said winning at poker is no healthier than losing.

"You’re still going to have your heart rate up, you’re going to play that hand until the last card is played. Your heart is going to be racing no matter how good a bluffer you are."

http://thechronicleherald.ca/ArtsLife/1057033.html

[universal4]

Well if you sit and watch too much tv and don't exercise or eat right the same thing happens.

If you play too many video games like playstation etc....and eat bad it will happen.

For those that think all you have to do is sit on your ass and knit or crochet and drink lots of beer while eating chips will get you far forget it.

It appears that video games, watching tv and knitting is extremly bad for your health.

Rick
Universal4

[The Buzz]

But what Buzzy found interesting was that poker is actually WORSE for you than generally laziness.

Because of the adrenaline rushes involved, players are at risk of developing heart problems, because their heart rates get so high with no actual cardiovascular benefit of exercise that one would get from getting the same heart rate by exercising.

[thepokerkeep]

But wouldn't your heart rate rise while watching football, baseball or hockey?
What about video games? They tend to get the heart pumping. Or, the ponies?

It seems to me that "poker" is getting singled out when almost any spectator sport would/could cause the same effect if you're a serious fan.

[universal4]

Well, I know when I am crocheting I quite often get the same adrenaline rushes when I start a new row.....

So the longer the afgan is, the more unhealthy I am getting?

Rick
Universal4