When something is a real turn-off, you might declare, "That's disgusting." But sometimes turn-offs can actually be a good thing.

Take the benefits of turning off the TV. A study out of the UK and Hong Kong published in the journal BMC Medicine found that reducing your TV viewing time by even an hour a day can boost heart health.

In fact, the researchers say that 11% of all cases of heart disease could be prevented if everyone simply adopted that one small act of screen denial.

Looking at data on 500,000 adults who were followed for about 12 years, they found that people who watched more than four hours of TV a day were at the greatest risk of heart disease, while those who watched less than an hour of TV had a 16% lower rate.

Sedentary behavior coupled with excess snacking on heart-harming foods constitute the double whammy at work.

How to cut your TV time? For that hour that you turn it off, take an after-dinner walk, practice yoga, or do tai chi. In fact, the options are endless.

And if you can't turn off the tube, break up your sit-down time. Go up and down your stairs in the house or apartment building for 10 minutes every hour. Walk the dog between shows. Do household chores.

And let every commercial break tell you it's time to move.

Here's another clever solution: Put an exercise bike in the TV room and pedal (consistently and intently) while you watch.