Some of our daily habits and routines, which we think are harmless and possibly healthy, might possess hazards that we are just not cognizant of. Even though the health risks associated with these everyday routines are not of extreme proportion, since we, for the most part, are not often aware of them, they can potentially transform into full-blown health complications.  

In this article, we will shed light on some of these seemingly non-hazardous habits that might lead to some serious health concerns.  

Going Fully Gluten-Free

In recent times, adopting gluten-free diets have become a trend. For some people, avoiding gluten has become a part of their survival routine. However, that is not the case at all. Gluten-laden food does contain certain proteins which are essential for the human body and cannot be acquired from other foods.

So, if you are neither suffering from celiac disease or have a wheat allergy, then it is not prudent to cut off all the gluten-based foods. Even if you are wheat intolerant, eating the minor amount of gluten foods won’t significantly affect your digestive system.

If you are under medical supervision regarding associated with the consumption of gluten foods, speak with your medical professional before making any changes to your diet.

Taking Vitamin Supplements

Vitamin supplements are considered a healthy regimen by many and therefore we see over-the-counter vitamin products in great demand. The majority of the population consume vitamin supplements due to these reasons:

• To compensate for the nutritional deficiency of daily diet
• For the advance prevention of chronic diseases

A research study from a couple of years ago has concluded that taking micro-nutritional supplements won’t help in reducing the chances of getting chronic diseases. 27 clinical trials were conducted in this regard and it was found out that vitamin supplements didn’t have any significant effects on cognitive deterioration and other chronic issues such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

The FDA has even issued a warning regarding the use of biotin, a vitamin complex, popular for its beneficial effects for skin and hair because it can distort the results of the lab tests conducted for diagnosis purposes.

There is no harm in taking vitamins, but don’t rely on vitamins only as your daily supplement for nutriential health. Nothing beats eating the actual foods that contain these nutrients!

Sitting for Long Hours

An expression that is becoming common these days is Sitting is the New Cancer. Today, desk jobs are one of the leading places where many white-collar employees spend their time. The majority of our urban population have jobs that require several hours of sitting behind a desk. It is a well-known fact that desk jobs add up to the prevalence of obesity along with other unhealthy lifestyle habits. Type 2 diabetes also comes into play by sitting for too long.  

Some new research studies have further highlighted the dangers of sitting for too long, especially for women. According to a research report from two years ago, sitting for more than six hours a day can put women at more risk of developing ovarian and breast cancer.

Another study indicates that sitting for long hours results in the development of destructive and unhealthy behavior.  

To shed the negative effects of sitting for too long, get up about once every 15 – 30 minutes. Walk around the office and at lunchtime, take a long stroll. This is also recommended as a healthy routine for your eyes and when you return to your desk, try working while standing, at least for a while. Make that blood flow!

Excessive Use of the Smartphone

Let’s address the elephant in the room by discussing the unhealthy effects of excessive use of a smartphone. Now, it seems impossible to function without these handheld gadgets. Just ask your kids and cutting out their use entirely is not even doable because many daily life chores now depend on the connectivity provided by them.

It has been found out that people who regularly use their phones in their bed find it difficult to fall asleep. The use of phones before falling asleep also affects the quality of sleep.   It usually happens because the light emitting out of the screen represses the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for good night sleep.  

Another study indicates that excessive use of a mobile phone also disrupts the neuronal chemical balance in young people. The production of GABA, a neurotransmitter, responsible for neuronal communication gets increased in teenagers with excessive use of the smartphone. Aside from sleep and neurological disorders, excessive use of smartphones is also linked to provisional vision loss.  

In next article of this series, we will further expand our discussion to some of the routine activities deemed harmless but contain a significant potential threat to the well-being of an individual.