10 Health Mistakes That Everyone Makes (6-10)

Health mistake 6: 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. Whilst 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.

Whilst it’s natural to worry when you have a deadline looming, panicking too much about petty things needs to be sorted. When you’re worrying, ask yourself a few simple questions and answer them as honestly as you can. 

Will you still be worrying about this in a couple of week’s time? Can this problem be easily resolved? If you can’t let it go, tackle the problem head on until it is resolved.

If you can learn how to control your worrying, you’re well on your way to a happier, healthier lifestyle.

Health mistake 7: 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. Abruptly stopping certain medications can be life threatening, so keep taking it until your doctor tells you to stop, and when you do get the ‘all clear’ take medical advice when you’re discontinuing them.

Health mistake 8: 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; unless you would like to lose all your teeth in favour of some rapper-style gold ones, 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.

It looks like we need to start brushing up (get it?) on our dental hygiene routines for the good of our health.

Health mistake 9: 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.  

Eat breakfast to feel happier, more functional and, most of all, healthy.

Health mistake 10: Drinking water from the warm tap

“Throw salt over your left shoulder”, “say ‘white rabbits’ at the start of each month”, “never drink water from the warm tap” – you’d be forgiven for thinking that the latter statement was an old wives’ tale like the others.

But scientists suggest that drinking water from the warm tap could cause lead poisoning. Lead can enter some water systems – normally homes that were built before 1930 – from corroded plumbing work, but drinking high levels of it can have potential health risks, particularly in children where it can lead to brain damage.

Although scientists emphasise that the risks of lead poisoning are small, it’s recommended that you use the cold tap for preparing baby formula, drinking, and cooking.