8 Bad Habits that Compromise Our Health
By Sandy Schroeder
We all have some questionable habits that we know are unhealthy but are hard to ditch. WebMD focused on a few recently to give us some fresh incentive to wipe them out. See if yours are included.
Headphone Blasting - Yes, of course there are times when you just feel like turning up the volume, but when you tip over 75 decibels you are in the danger range. Normal conversations are around 60 decibels. Vacuum cleaners are about 75 decibels. Keeping your headphone below 75 decibels and only listening for a few hours may protect your hearing in the future. Hearing loss hits more than half of people by age 75, and it may bring with it brain tissue loss.
Bedtime surfing - Phones, TVs, and laptops emit blue light that makes it harder to fall asleep. Invest in light-blocking drapes and kick the electronics out to get the 7 to 9 hours of blissful rest that your body really needs. You may reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity, too.
Over-eating - Inevitably, even healthy meals that are too large cause weight gain and raise the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Avoid munching in front of the computer or TV, and focus on size in servings. Start gradually to reduce sizes, count calories and add more fresh fruits and vegetables to increase fiber and nutrients.
Drinking too many wines or brews - When drinking moves past the daily limit of two glasses for men and one for women, the risks begin to climb for heart problems, liver or kidney disease, some cancers, bone damage, and digestive problems.
Eating too fast - When life gets hectic, it’s easy to roar through breakfast, gobble lunch and polish off dinner without really tasting much of anything. That can lead to late-night snacking and unwanted pounds. Make eating the sole focus, dine with friends or family, and chew slowly to really taste every bite.
Forgetting to floss - Brush morning and night, but don’t forget to floss to wipe out plaque that causes cavities and can lead to gum disease.
Giving in to junk food - Burgers, fries, candy, soda, donuts, and candy bars load up our diet with excess sugar, fats, chemicals, and calories that boost our weight and raise our risk for cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Make the switch to fresh fruits, veggies, lean poultry and fish, nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy, and healthy oils such as olive oil, to look and feel better.
Still smoking - If you have tried to quit, talk to your doctor and try again. The list of side effects is too long, leading to cancer diabetes, stroke, bronchitis, heart disease, eye problems and immune disorders. Secondhand smoke raises the risk for heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and asthma.
Whatever your bad habits are, start working on them on a daily basis to enjoy better health long-term.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Goodyear, Ariz.
