Indeed, keeping healthy is no walk in the park. All the dead bodies piling up in America, a number which has risen to over 200,000, should be a grim reminder of how vulnerable can we be. The pandemic certainly made us look weak. But in the process, it has taught us to fall in line and be conscientious about our health. The problem is, like it or not, myriad things surround us that can sabotage our health, starting with junk foods for instance.
Even with great pursuit, we can still manage to undermine our health. Often times, our focus on the major components of health make us forget that not-so-apparent ones can also cause us a lot of distress. One thing’s for sure. When these less important things go south, everything could fall apart, like how a toothache can make you stop no matter how important what you’re doing is, destroying your day in the process.
Putting off dental hygiene
If you don’t put a priority on this, your teeth are bound to make you set your priorities straight. The truth is that many adults feel it’s important for children to have regular dental checkups but don’t schedule one for themselves. Instead, they look at dental health in hindsight. Well, sorry to disappoint you, dental checkups are important for both children and adults.
According to the CDC, it has been found out that about 26% of adults in the United States have tooth decay that has been left untreated. And that’s not all. The study also outlined that about 46% of adults above the age of 30 have signs that indicate gum disease. That’s a lot if you think about it.
This just shows how much people neglect their dental health.
Considering the times we are in now, access to an experienced dentist is a treasure trove. By doing so, you would be able to do a reality check on the health of your enameled army of food crushers. And in the process, certain remedies can be applied to make your teeth as healthy as ever.
Then again, even with regular dental check-ups, tips on how to care for your teeth should go a long way in keeping your teeth intact. By following these tips you can surely improve your dental health even in the comfort of your home.
The good news? Paying proper attention to your dental health will reduce the risk of untimely complications. An example of this is severe gum disease, an issue bogging 9% of adults in the United States.
Not getting enough sleep
Well, how about that? Sleep has got to be one of the most neglected essentials in America even when many of us actually know that sleep is very vital to our health. Chances are, we always come up with excuses as to why we can’t sleep as much until it’s too late.
Studies show about 51% of adults all around the world don’t get enough sleep at night. Take note that the recommended number of hours of sleep for adults is 7 to 9 hours. The sad fact is many adults barely sleep for 5 hours a day.
But the results can be short of catastrophic. Sleep deprivation weakens your ability to function well. Your decision-making is weakened and your ability to solve things also gets compromised. Why? Simply because your brain is not performing at its best.
Not observing proper posture
One thing that many people are mistaken about is that paying attention to your posture is just for your appearance. Well, there is more to your posture than that. For one, Harvard published an article that states that posture can definitely affect your overall health.
But that should be easier said than done considering the fact that many of us now work from home and attend classes online. Without putting your focus into it, the situation can lead you to a higher risk of posture problems.
Why? That’s because you would have to sit at your computer table for hours. And this has an effect on straining the muscles in the back. In the end, all that bad posture can lead not just to back pains but a whole set of health issues, from poor digestion to a dysfunctional lung.
The good news is that there are things you can do to improve your posture even while at home. For starters, avoid sitting down for long hours straight on the same spot. Take a 5-minute break from to time and stretch when taking the break. This would help improve posture and reduce back pain. Also, when you have time during the day do simple exercises like cycling, walking, and swimming.
Staying healthy is like a tug of war these days. You have to fight the temptation of not opting for things that can be harmful to your health. And then be intentional about doing things that would improve your health. But it’s all worth it. At the end of the day, you get to finish more work and enjoy more time with your loved ones, all because you kept three important things in mind.