I was the host for a sickle cell awareness outreach that held last month and one of the questions I got to ask the audience is what is one healthy routine you do on a daily basis and one unhealthy thing you find yourself doing, that you cannot help? In that instance, people went on and on about many unhealthy habits that we just take for granted but something very pertinent that we need to deal with, so that it does not cause a serious health complication in the future.
The Habits to get rid of:
Alcohol consumption: Nothing good has ever come out of alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol in any amount carries a health risk. While the risk is low for moderate intake, the risk goes up as the amount you drink goes up according to Mayoclinic. When you make it a lifestyle staying away from alcohol, it is usually a hard journey but sobriety is possible. And your chances of having a healthy liver goes up.
Eating Late at night: This is one habit that has many people falling on this table. The many extra bags on the stomach most times results from eating late at night. Back in the days of university, I noticed that because I had to stay up late to read, I always had this hunger to nibble on something and eventually gave me extra pounds on my stomach region. The moment I stopped, I saw the change show. Results revealed that eating later had profound effects on hunger and the appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin, which influence our drive to eat. Specifically, levels of the hormone leptin, which signals satiety, were decreased across the 24 hours in the late eating conditions compared to the early eating conditions according to Harvard Medical School.
Eating Junks: It is only because I am shaking the table that things are falling from it. Many young people as me have a sweet tooth. And many older generations have sweet tooth themselves but aging has humbled them into making drastic health changes when it comes to their diets and changing the regimen of their healthy eating. So what is your excuse of not having healthy meals? The price to pay for ill-health is so drastic that making the right choices brings so much gain.
One of the many reasons why you should particularly stay away from fast foods is that it affects your heart health, your blood sugar levels and exposes you to obesity. Healthline reviewed that many fast food meals have added sugar. That means extra calories without added nutrition. The American Heart Association, which referred to people as either men or women, suggests only eating about 100 calories or 6 teaspoons. Trusted Source of added sugar per day for women or 150 calories or 9 teaspoons for men. Many fast food drinks alone contain more than the daily recommended amount of sugar. A 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 9.75 teaspoons of sugar. That equals 140 calories, 39 grams of sugar, and no other nutrients.
Lack of Self-care: The amount that breakdowns people are having from not taking care of their mental health is climbing up the roof. Self-care day should be a routine stuff to do on a daily or weekly basis to stop the outbreak of mental crash that has been occurring. A review by PsychCentral inferred that Most of us have heard about self-care. We know it’s important. We may even know a few things that we “should” do for self-care. But one of the things I hear over and over from women, especially, is “how do I fit self-care into my already packed day?! ” This is such a valid question. Women often find themselves giving and giving to others all day long, at work and at home, and wonder how they can possibly fit time for themselves into that full daily schedule.
