What's the biggest mistake you're making with your body? Doctors issue stark warning
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Disclaimer: This article cannot be considered medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider for medical guidance, diagnoses, or treatment.
We all know we should take better care of our health, but sometimes it's easy to fall into bad habits without realising the consequences.
Doctors see first-hand the dramatic impact that lifestyle choices can have, and they insist there are a few mistakes in particular that wreak serious damage over time.
But when doctors were asked to name the worst thing people do to their bodies, their answers covered a range of startling activities.
Many of their responses revealed shocking yet commonplace behaviours that can seriously impact health over time.
Sitting Pretty: The dangers of a sedentary lifestyle
Topping the list was a sedentary lifestyle–and the doctors didn’t mince their words.
'Being stagnant with your body will literally kill you,' warned one physician.
'Working out and moving around has helped so many issues in such a short time. The ole “sunshine and walks” may be cliche and annoying to hear, but they haven't been prescribing it for centuries for no reason,' explained one doctor.
Others chimed in that inactivity could lead to poor circulation, digestive issues, decreased bone density, and mental health decline.
Alcohol: More than just a hangover
Doctors named alcohol consumption as particularly damaging due to its long-term effects on the liver.
'It's one of the worst deaths I can imagine,' described one physician of liver failure.
‘It's long and slow while you get to think about the consequences of your actions while you lose your mind and/or bleed to death.’
Alcohol kills liver cells, leading to cirrhosis or scarring of liver tissue. This prevents the liver from removing toxins from the blood.
One nurse recalled alcoholic cirrhosis patients who didn't realise how ill they were until it was too late.
‘I have watched so many alcoholic cirrhosis patients die. It was horrible seeing [the] look on their faces when they realised even though they didn't feel sick when they were admitted, they would not be leaving the hospital alive, and there was nothing we could do to reverse it,’ the nurse recalled.
More than that, alcohol is also linked to high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, cancer and mental decline. A drink or two occasionally is fine, but heavy drinking can silently destroy nearly every organ.
Ignoring health warning signs
While some illnesses silently progress, many others present with obvious and urgent warning signs requiring immediate attention. A doctor stated that it was important to know when a person need to seek medical help.
'Never ignore clear, consistent signs something is wrong,' he advised.
Doctors said any symptoms appearing and worsening over time demand prompt medical attention.
‘You have a weird pain in your stomach? Okay, can be anything, no worries. You have a new pain that stays the same or begins getting worse and worse, and after a long period of time, it's still clearly there? Then go get checked,’ he added.
Smoking: Far worse than lung cancer
No surprise, doctors overwhelmingly named smoking as the worst thing you can do for your health. Beyond lung cancer, smoking causes heart and artery disease and at least 12 types of cancer.
‘Lung cancer is the least of your worries. Smoking destroys arteries. I do cardiac and vascular anaesthesia, and every day is a parade of hearts that don't work, amputations, disgusting arterial leg bypasses, non-healing leg ulcers,’ a doctor shared.
‘It's no secret. Smoking is responsible for the highest number of preventable deaths,’ another added.
‘Beyond that, it also lowers your quality of life badly. It increases your risk of a host of diseases and complicates many, many others. Aside from lung cancer, it aggravates the risk of [the] cervix, colon, skin, oesophagus, larynx, liver, mouth and throat, pancreatic, stomach, and leukaemia cancers,’ they continued.
A dentist also warned about the effects of cigarette smoking, stating: ‘Smoking leads to bad oral health and mouth cancers. Bad oral health can lead to blood infections, endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, and pregnancy complications. Just stop smoking. And yes, that includes the green stuff.’
Unmanaged Chronic Conditions
Ignoring chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can have dire complications, doctors warned.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to kidney failure, vision loss, heart disease and amputations.
‘Diabetes is a gateway to some of the worst possible things to experience. From flesh rotting away and dying to going into a coma—anything is possible,’ a doctor explained.
Another said: ‘Untreated hypertension and diabetes. Oh, and cocaine/crack, the coronary vasospasms will do a number on your heart.’
A different doctor also mentioned obesity, describing it as a ‘chronic inflammatory state–a venous thromboembolism risk, a malignancy risk, a risk of obesity hypoventilation syndrome and sleep apnoea, and the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.’
Constant contact with carcinogens
Carcinogens are substances that can directly alter or cause alterations to DNA, such as through exposure to high-energy radiation or certain foods.
While the human body has mechanisms to repair DNA damage, they are not always effective, and mutations can sometimes result in cancerous cells.
Exposure to carcinogens can come from sunbathing, handling bleach, eating burnt food, inhaling mould, asbestos, and more.
‘Dumping all of those chemicals into your blood... blood delivers those carcinogens/ chemicals everywhere. It increases [the] risk of pancreatic, kidney, bladder, and a slew of other cancers,’ a doctor said.
What are your thoughts on this list, members? Do you have any additional advice on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Share them in the comments below!
We all know we should take better care of our health, but sometimes it's easy to fall into bad habits without realising the consequences.
Doctors see first-hand the dramatic impact that lifestyle choices can have, and they insist there are a few mistakes in particular that wreak serious damage over time.
But when doctors were asked to name the worst thing people do to their bodies, their answers covered a range of startling activities.
Many of their responses revealed shocking yet commonplace behaviours that can seriously impact health over time.
Sitting Pretty: The dangers of a sedentary lifestyle
Topping the list was a sedentary lifestyle–and the doctors didn’t mince their words.
'Being stagnant with your body will literally kill you,' warned one physician.
Doctors warned that leading a sedentary lifestyle could greatly impact one’s health. Source: Seniors Discount Club
'Working out and moving around has helped so many issues in such a short time. The ole “sunshine and walks” may be cliche and annoying to hear, but they haven't been prescribing it for centuries for no reason,' explained one doctor.
Others chimed in that inactivity could lead to poor circulation, digestive issues, decreased bone density, and mental health decline.
Alcohol: More than just a hangover
Doctors named alcohol consumption as particularly damaging due to its long-term effects on the liver.
'It's one of the worst deaths I can imagine,' described one physician of liver failure.
‘It's long and slow while you get to think about the consequences of your actions while you lose your mind and/or bleed to death.’
Alcohol kills liver cells, leading to cirrhosis or scarring of liver tissue. This prevents the liver from removing toxins from the blood.
One nurse recalled alcoholic cirrhosis patients who didn't realise how ill they were until it was too late.
‘I have watched so many alcoholic cirrhosis patients die. It was horrible seeing [the] look on their faces when they realised even though they didn't feel sick when they were admitted, they would not be leaving the hospital alive, and there was nothing we could do to reverse it,’ the nurse recalled.
More than that, alcohol is also linked to high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, cancer and mental decline. A drink or two occasionally is fine, but heavy drinking can silently destroy nearly every organ.
Ignoring health warning signs
While some illnesses silently progress, many others present with obvious and urgent warning signs requiring immediate attention. A doctor stated that it was important to know when a person need to seek medical help.
'Never ignore clear, consistent signs something is wrong,' he advised.
Doctors said any symptoms appearing and worsening over time demand prompt medical attention.
‘You have a weird pain in your stomach? Okay, can be anything, no worries. You have a new pain that stays the same or begins getting worse and worse, and after a long period of time, it's still clearly there? Then go get checked,’ he added.
Smoking: Far worse than lung cancer
No surprise, doctors overwhelmingly named smoking as the worst thing you can do for your health. Beyond lung cancer, smoking causes heart and artery disease and at least 12 types of cancer.
‘Lung cancer is the least of your worries. Smoking destroys arteries. I do cardiac and vascular anaesthesia, and every day is a parade of hearts that don't work, amputations, disgusting arterial leg bypasses, non-healing leg ulcers,’ a doctor shared.
Doctors mentioned the irreversible effects of cigarette smoking. Credit: Ernst-Günther Krause (NID)/Unsplash
‘It's no secret. Smoking is responsible for the highest number of preventable deaths,’ another added.
‘Beyond that, it also lowers your quality of life badly. It increases your risk of a host of diseases and complicates many, many others. Aside from lung cancer, it aggravates the risk of [the] cervix, colon, skin, oesophagus, larynx, liver, mouth and throat, pancreatic, stomach, and leukaemia cancers,’ they continued.
A dentist also warned about the effects of cigarette smoking, stating: ‘Smoking leads to bad oral health and mouth cancers. Bad oral health can lead to blood infections, endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, and pregnancy complications. Just stop smoking. And yes, that includes the green stuff.’
Unmanaged Chronic Conditions
Ignoring chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can have dire complications, doctors warned.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to kidney failure, vision loss, heart disease and amputations.
‘Diabetes is a gateway to some of the worst possible things to experience. From flesh rotting away and dying to going into a coma—anything is possible,’ a doctor explained.
Another said: ‘Untreated hypertension and diabetes. Oh, and cocaine/crack, the coronary vasospasms will do a number on your heart.’
A different doctor also mentioned obesity, describing it as a ‘chronic inflammatory state–a venous thromboembolism risk, a malignancy risk, a risk of obesity hypoventilation syndrome and sleep apnoea, and the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.’
Constant contact with carcinogens
Carcinogens are substances that can directly alter or cause alterations to DNA, such as through exposure to high-energy radiation or certain foods.
While the human body has mechanisms to repair DNA damage, they are not always effective, and mutations can sometimes result in cancerous cells.
Exposure to carcinogens can come from sunbathing, handling bleach, eating burnt food, inhaling mould, asbestos, and more.
‘Dumping all of those chemicals into your blood... blood delivers those carcinogens/ chemicals everywhere. It increases [the] risk of pancreatic, kidney, bladder, and a slew of other cancers,’ a doctor said.
What are your thoughts on this list, members? Do you have any additional advice on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Share them in the comments below!
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