In our modern life, we have certainly habits that we think are alright to follow but in reality, could be slowly eroding away at our health and immune systems.
Neha Mittal, the co-founder of healthcare device company OneAbove, shares 5 habits as dangerous as smoking:
Compromising sleep: Have you noticed how cranky and irritated you become the next day if you do not sleep properly? It is one of the side effects of ignoring quality sleep. As per health professionals, we must take at least 6 hours of sleep each day to make sure our body is rejuvenating at its natural speed. Any compromise in the sleep hours affects your immune system, respiratory and digestive system negatively.
Eating high animal-protein meals: Excessive consumption of meals rich in animal proteins such as cheese and meat can promote cancer growth due to a hormone named IGF1. The risk factor for this is equivalent to smoking. To avoid overconsumption of such proteins, do include plant proteins, like beans, in your meals.
Long hours sitting: Sticking to your chair for the whole day when you go to the office is as dangerous as smoking. Studies have linked sitting for long hours, whether it is for work or driving, to various cancers like lung, breast, and colon. Be sure to move around a little every one or two hours and then continue your work.
Being lonely: While in normal life, we may not view being lonely as an important issue, it certainly is. Being lonely makes one more prone to heart diseases. Not just that, it invites additional diseases such as anxiety, emotional disturbances, and even harmful addictions. Try to make some good friends who listen to you even when you are low.
Tanning in a controlled environment: Many people have started tanning in a controlled environment rather than taking in sunlight. Sunlight can indeed cause skin cancer, but tanning indoors is harmful too. Stop going to the local tanning salon and start taking adequate sunlight.
UV light is well-known to kill anything that has DNA or RNA, including human cells, viruses, fungi and bacteria. It has been used in hospitals and commercial ventilation systems for years but products for consumer use are more recent.
Your frame of reference is unique to you. You are the best judge for what you need in your life, and sometimes we get to do things that are a little out of our comfort zone to make small shifts that lead to small wins.
Jagjeevan Singh of Brampton, Ont., who is one of Bajaj's patients, developed Type 2 diabetes two years ago at age 32. Singh said he believes the stress of his job at a large warehouse contributed to the chronic disease. But he improved his condition by switching jobs, changing his diet, losing the weight he'd gained from not eating properly while doing shift work, and started practising yoga and meditation.
Plogging a trend that combines jogging or walking and picking up litter. It is an excellent way for residents to get outside and increase their physical activity, while also giving back to the community.
How to stay hopeful, strong and happy during difficult times
The ultimate purpose of our lives is to be HAPPY! However, given the unpredictable times that we live in, especially the current state of the world, coupled with the stress of our day-to-day living — for many — the very term ‘happy’ seems like a far-fetched notion.
Flexibility is not only key for improving mobility and healing aches and pains, it can free up blocked energy pathways, and can open new realms of fitness capabilities.
