YOU may have been doing the following things all your life without being aware that they are bad for your health. Now is the time to stop and change.

    1. Driving with the windows down

    We feel pretty content cruising up the motorway with the wind blowing through our hair on a warm day, but we never spare a thought for our poor lungs as we breathe in the harmful pollutants emitted by cars. A study from the University of Southern California has found that spending a mere 6 percent of our day driving in the car with the windows down exposes us to around 45 percent of the pollutants that we encounter in 24 hours — that’s a lot of pollutants to come into contact with in such a short amount of time. Instead of winding the windows down during a traffic-ridden commute, try letting some fresh air in before you start your journey and save having the wind blowing through your hair for your voyage through the countryside.

    2. Carrying a heavy handbag

    You’ve packed your makeup, baby wipes, phone, purse and keys. Do you really need all this stuff? Lugging a heavy load around can really take its toll on your health by causing back spasms, disc degeneration, neck problems, arthritis, and poor posture. Spring-clean your handbags and manbags, and possibly consider trading them in for a smaller version.

    3. Spending too long exercising

    It’s pretty common to think that the more time we spend on the exercise bike, the better. The truth is, too much of a good thing can be counterproductive and that goes for exercise too. Working your body too hard can lead to abnormal hormonal changes which can trigger weight gain, a weaker immune system, muscle damage, shin splints, and knee, foot, or back problems. Whilst it’s important to reap the benefits of exercise for a healthy lifestyle, don’t go overboard.

    4. Scrimping on sleep

    You’ve crammed everything you can possibly fit into 24 hours and more, when suddenly you look at the clock and it’s way past the time you hoped to go to bed and closer to the time you need to get up for work. Scientific research has proven that we look less attractive when we’ve had little sleep, but droopy eyelids and pasty skin are the least of our worries when it comes to our habit of scrimping on sleep. No matter how healthy you are, how much you exercise, or how much you weigh, getting too little shut-eye can seriously affect your health. Scientists studied 5,600 people of a healthy weight and size for three years and found those who skipped sleep quadrupled their risk of stroke and heart disease. Fix a specific time to go to bed and stick to it.

    5: Silent worrying

    You worry about the meeting at work, you worry about putting the bins out, you worry that you might forget to feed the cat, and it’s really getting you down. While stress can be positive in helping to keep you alert and avoid danger, too much of it can be detrimental to your health. Endless worrying eventually leads to distress which causes headaches, high blood pressure, an upset stomach, chest pain, and sleep deprivation. While it’s natural to worry when you have a deadline looming, panicking too much about petty things needs to be sorted.

    6. Stopping medicines suddenly

    Most of us are guilty of this one. We’re feeling much better and stop taking our medication, but suddenly end up feeling a whole lot worse. How often do you consider the health risks of this? Depending on the medicine you are taking, going “cold turkey” can cause all sorts of health risks which range from mild, to moderate, or serious. Discontinuing your medicine suddenly can cause mild headaches, rapid return of the illness that you were treating, and seizures, to name only a few. So keep taking it until your doctor tells you to stop.

    7. Forgetting to floss

    Flossing is a key component when it comes to oral hygiene, but it’s a step that many of us skip because we don’t feel much different whether we floss or not. It’s worth changing your routine though, because plaque between the teeth can be more serious than you may think. If the bacteria finds its way into the blood stream it can cause chronic inflammation and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and premature birth. The cosmetic implications of not flossing are another obvious concern. It’s recommended that you floss at least once a day to stop your pearly whites from being weakened by plaque and eventually falling out.

    8. Skipping breakfast

    Skipping your breakfast and then continuing with your day is like trying to drive your car with a very low tank of fuel — it will feel fine to start with but eventually slow down and cut out. Not only will you feel less active and sluggish, skipping breakfast — whether it is due to lack of time or fear of putting on weight — is linked with a higher risk of diabetes and can lead to obesity as your body stores up more fat to use as fuel throughout the rest of the day. (SD-Agencies)