Oleh: Dwi Murdaningsih
Jangan buru-buru mengklaim telah hidup sehat jika anda tidak merokok. Laman Yahoo Shine mengungkapkan ada enam kebiasaan yang jika dilakukan secara terus menerus akan membawa dampak yang sama bahayanya dengan akibat yang ditimbulkan oleh rokok. Bahkan, bisa jadi dampaknya lebih parah. Berikut enam kebiasaan yang perlu diperhatikan:
1. Duduk sepanjang hari
Alberta Health Services-Cancer Care di Kanada mengungkapkan tidak aktif bergerak berkaitan erat dengan 160 ribu kasus kanker payudara, usus besar, portsat, dan paru-paru setiap tahun. Dua per tiga dari penyekit kanker itu diklaim disebabkan oleh rokok, sisanya disebabkan oleh faktor tidak aktif bergerak. Untuk mencegahnya, anda mungkin bisa berjalan-jalan santai sembari beraktivitas.
2. Terlalu banyak mengonsumsi keju dan daging
Proten hewani kaya akan IGF-1. IGF-1 merupakan hormon yang bisa memacu pertumbuhan sel yang tidak normal. Penelitian dari University of Southern California yang dipublikasikan dalam Journal Cell Metabolism baru-baru ini mengungkapkan bahwa orang yang mengonsumsi protein tinggi lebih berisiko meninggal karena kanker dibandingkan para perokok. Uniknya, penelitian ini mengungkapkan bahwa produksi hormon
IGF-1 akan melambat ketika telah melewati usia 65 tahun. Untuk mencegahnya, protein hewani bisa diganti dengan protein nabati. Diet protein nabati seperti kacang-kacangan dan alpukat juga memiliki kadar protein yang setara dengan protein yang dihasilkan dari hewan. Secara umum, orang dewasa perlu mengonsumsi 0,8 gram protein untuk setiap kilogram berat badan setiap hari .
3. Memasak menggunakan kompor gas
Sudah menjadi hal yang jamak rumah tangga menggunakan kompor gas untuk memasak. Namun ternyata, setiap kali memasak menggunakan kompor gas, ada potensi kontaminasi karbon monoksoda, nitrogen dioksia dan formaldehid yang terhirup. Tiga kontaminan ini juga dihasilkan oleh asap rokok.
Penelitian oleh Environmental Health Perspectives pada Desember 2013 lalu mengatakan kadar kontaminan dari kompor gas telah melebihi kadar aman yang diizinkan. Untuk mengatasi hal tersebut, para ibu rumah tangga perlu membuka ventilasi agar polutan yang dihasilkan bisa diminimalisir.
4. Menggunakan minyak yang salah ketika memasak
Bukan hanya masalah kompor gas, penggunaan minyak goreng yang salah juga bisa berbahaya. Minyak sayur atau minyak kedelai bisa menghasilkan zat seperti aldehid, dan hidrokarbon aromatik polisiklik ketika dipanaskan. Kedua zat ini juga ditemukan dalam asap rokok yang bisa mengakibatkan gangguan pernafasan. Untuk mencegah hal ini, rumah tangga bisa menggunakan minyak zaitun atau minyak alpukat yang tidak berbahaya meski digunakan pada suhu tinggi.
5. Kurang tidur
Kurang tidur bisa memicu tekanan darah tinggi, struk dan obesitas.
Penelitian menyebutkan tidak tidur selama enam atau tujuh jam dalam sehari bisa menyebabkan risiko kematian yang sama dengan yang dialami oleh para perokok.
6. Tanning indoor
sebuah peenelitian baru di Journal of the American Medical Association mengatakan bawah tanning indoor atau penggelapan kulit yang dilakukan di ruang tertutup tanpa sinar matahari menyebabkan 420 ribu kasus kanter kulit di Amerika. Di sisi lain, setiap tahun merokok menyebabkan 226 ribu kasus kanker paru-paru. Jika anda menginginkan warna kulit yang lebih gelap, mungkin bisa dilakukan dengan mengonsumsi mekanan yang kaya akan karotenodid seperti wortel dan tomat.
Sumber: republika.co.id
“To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” These are the words of Buddha. I can’t describe the point better! Most of us develop some habits and daily routines that have adverse effects on our health. It is necessary that we know the consequences of our bad habits and fix them for our health’s sake! Knowingly or unknowingly if we have adapted ourself to these habits, take this as a good opportunity to correct or get rid of them. If we give up these dangerous habits we can happily lead a healthy life style! Here’s my list of top 10 habits that are dangerous to health…
6. Biting Nails
If you can’t control yourself from biting your nails then you definitely are going to face bad consequences. Nail biting or onychophagia can damage the cuticle leading to viral infections. And if the nail biter bites the surrounding skin along with the nails it may cause bleeding and severe pain. The germs present under the nails may enter your mouth and you can get sick. The regular habit of biting nails can have severe impact on teeth too. Some ways to avoid nail biting are trimming your nails or getting a manicure, using bitter tasting nail cosmetics, and occupying your mouth with chewing gum. I personally got over this habit with the help of lollipops!
5. Problems due to Technology
This is the 21st century and the technology is at its best. Almost every individual has a personal mobile phone and they have a computer and television at home. Risks associated with using computer for long time are frequent headaches, sleeplessness, depression, stress, eye strain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Social problems arise too, like isolation and bullying on social networking sites. Watching television too much will have detrimental effects on health. There is a chance that the radiation emitted by mobile phones will cause headaches or brain tumors. Using mobile phones while driving is very dangerous and is one of the main causes for road accidents. I agree that computer, television and mobile phones have many advantages but you have to see their side effects too and remember to be careful not to overspend your time with technology.
4. Careful with your Water Habits!
By not drinking sufficient amount of water you can be dehydrated. Drinking enough fluids is necessary to maintain health, energize your body, improve digestion and detoxify your body. Then again, drinking excess water can be harmful as it lowers the salt concentration of blood. It is important that you consume right amount of water for good health. You must not drink water while eating as it neutralizes the acid in stomach causing indigestion. Also, storing water in reused plastic bottles is not safe as there is a chance that harmful substances leech out from the PET bottles. As you can see, it is very obvious that you have to be cautious with your water habits!
3. Bad Posture and Slouching
These have a negative impact on your health besides making you look less attractive! Neck, shoulder and back pains may be due to poor posture. Bad posture can also cause spinal and joint dysfunction due to muscle changes. Also, poor posture will inhibit the lungs from expanding causing severe health issues. By following some simple tips you can quit slouching and get rid of your bad posture. Try to sit upright and walk straight confidently with your head facing the world. Whenever you get up from a still position, stretch to relax your fatigued muscles. Maintain flexibility of your body. Check that you sleep in good position. Wearing heels alters your posture causing stress on your back, so wear flats for casual circumstances and save your heels for special occasions!
2. Food Issues!
Skipping breakfast, eating too much junk food and snacking too much even though you are not hungry are the main habits that are the issues regarding food! Skipping breakfast may seem not much of harm but what you don’t know is that it is linked with higher risk of diabetes and can make you obese because the body stores more fat to use during the day. You will be inactive and lazy through the day and may even over eat later due to hunger. Most of you are attracted to junk food. I think that you can surely resist it if you know its bad effects. Eating junk food causes hypertension, obesity, glucose intolerance, cardio vascular problems and many heart diseases. Remember that junk food only has fats and calories not the nutrients that your body requires. You have to stop mindlessly munching on snacks otherwise you will end up becoming overweight!
1. Smoking
“Cigarettes are killers that travel in packs.” But why are people still smoking them? The reason maybe that they are not fully aware of the threat it poses. A cigarette has some 4000 chemicals and more than 400 toxic compounds. Majority of them are harmful enough to cause various types of cancers. Diseases and risks caused by smoking include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, COPD, hypertension, asthma, ulcers, reduced vision, cataracts and even dental diseases. Smoking is involved with many deaths across the world. It even reduces one’s lifespan. Quitting smoking has many benefits like improving health, sense of taste and smell, and efficiency to do work. Stop smoking; don’t puff your life away!
Courtesy: www.listdose.com
