6 habits that are just as harmful to health as smoking
Smoking is a habit that damages virtually all of our organs and, as you well know, increases the risk of the onset of various diseases, from hypertension to pulmonary emphysema and various types of cancer.
It is no wonder that cigarettes reduce the lives of women by 11 years and men by 12 – after all, it is estimated that 1 in 2 smokers ends up dying from causes related to this habit.
However, he is not alone in severely harming our health. Check out six other behaviors as dangerous as smoking, even if some of them seem harmless:
1. Taking too much soda
The soft drinks contain high doses of sugar, the main culprit for the increase in cases of obesity, diabetes, heart problems and other chronic diseases. It is estimated that the consumption of one can per day can result in an increase of 7 kg at the end of a year.
Even light soft drinks offer risks because all industrialized beverages contain additives such as colorings, flavorings, and preservatives that overload the liver.
2. Sleepless than 6 or more than 10 hours per day
Both excess and lack of sleep hours increase the risks of diseases such as depression, obesity, diabetes and heart problems. Therefore, the ideal is to sleep between 7 to 9 hours every day, according to your personal need.
In addition, it is recommended to avoid the popular “snooze” function, as the interrupted sleep periods make us even more tired than if we get up as soon as the first alert sounds.
3. Spending a lot of time sitting
According to an Australian survey, adults who spend more than 11 hours sitting a day have a 40% greater risk of dying in the next 3 years than people who remain in that position for less than 4 hours.
Still, this habit increases the risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, even if you exercise often. Therefore, it is essential to get up every hour to move.
4. Drink lots of coffee
Drinking coffee is a great way to feel more at ease in the morning. However, according to US research, consuming more than 4 cups of coffee per day can increase the risk of death in people under 55 years of age.
The hypotheses that explain this effect are related to the fact that caffeine stimulates the release of adrenaline, reduce the action of insulin and raise blood pressure. In addition, there appears to be a genetic factor involved in this mechanism, increasing mortality mainly among men.
5. Cross your legs
This may seem like a harmless habit; however, staying too long with your legs crossed may have complications such as varicose veins, increased blood pressure, tightness in the hips, postural problems and even thrombosis.
6. Having an improper diet
There’s no use in thinking that you have a healthy lifestyle because you do not smoke if your diet is not balanced there. A food rich in fast food and processed foods can offer as many preservatives and other chemical additives as the consumption of tobacco and alcoholic beverages.
And you already know well the consequences of an inadequate diet: anemia, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and various types of cancer, among other diseases.
Does that mean that the cigarette is not so bad? Of course not! Smoking is still a very dangerous habit, but it is essential to keep in mind that just staying away from cigarettes is not enough.
To really preserve our health, it is necessary to follow a global routine of care, seeking to make good choices also in relation to food, rest and physical activity.
