TRIBUNE
There are some habits that naturally have positive impacts on the health and wellness of individuals, but if not done the right way, they can lead to damage and affect wellness. The important requirement is to understand the balance and individual system so that while trying to get healthy, one will not get into trouble.
Some habits are recommended for well-being, but when abused, they can lead to crises. Such habits include:
Sleep: Taking the required rest through sleep is a recipe for good health and wellness, but too much of it could do the body more harm than good. Too much sleep can also be linked to health problems. While everyone’s sleep needs are individual- some people need as little as six hours to feel refreshed while some may need nine hours.
Exercise: Exercise is good but you can do a number on your body if you hit the gym too hard. Overuse can damage joints, tendons, ligaments, and even your heart. Women who exercise too much may start missing periods or speed up the bone loss that leads to osteoporosis. If your workouts leave you exhausted or irritable, or if you have a hard time sleeping, eating, or concentrating, it might be time to scale back.
Antibiotics kill many of the bacteria that cause infection and sickness but bacteria can change if they are in contact with antibiotics too often and become resistant to the drugs. Take antibiotics only when you’re sure you need them.
Sex: People that have an overactive sex drive think about and act on sexual feelings more than the average person and when focus is always on sex, it can affect your everyday life and relationships in a negative way.
Hand washing: this is the best way to keep germs at bay but too much suds can damage your skin and give germs a place to grow and thrive.
Healthy Food: Overeating causes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep problems, and even depression—no matter what kind of food you put on your plate. And if you take in more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.
Water: Water is good for the health but you can drink too much water. When you do, your kidneys can’t get rid of the extra fluid fast enough. This drops the sodium in your blood to unhealthy levels—a condition called hyponatremia. It can cause nausea, weakness and fatigue, headache, or, in severe cases, seizures, coma, and death especially if you are an athlete who exercises for long stretches of time, like a marathon runner.
Work: Are you a workaholic? If you feel like you should be working all the time and tend to choose work over relationships, you are destroying your mental and physical health and this may cause huge problems.
Smartphone: Phones make a lot of things easier, but if you can’t stop looking at your screen, it can affect how you relate to people, your mood, your sleep quality, and even your brain chemistry.
Vitamins are said to be good for the health but too much iron can cause nausea and vomiting, and if you overdo the vitamin C, it can lead to nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Too much vitamin A can cause vision problems, among other things. Excess vitamin D can make muscles weak, and it can even lead to heart problems. And vitamins K and E can cause bleeding issues.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN TRIBUNE
