LIFESTYLE DISEASES

LIFESTYLE DISEASES - MEANING , SYMPTOMS, CAUSE , PREVENTION, CURE ETC


MEANING- Lifestyle diseases are diseases that appear to become ever more widespread as countries become more industrialized. Lifestyle diseases are different from other diseases because they are potentially preventable, and can be lowered with changes in diet, lifestyle and environment,

Modern science through improved sanitation, vaccination, and antibiotics, and medical attention has eliminated the threat from most infectious diseases. This means that now more focus should be given on prevention of Lifestyle diseases

A report, jointly prepared by the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum, says India will incur an accumulated loss of $236.6 billion by 2015 on account of unhealthy lifestyles and faulty diet.


HOW UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE / HABITS INVITE DISEASES ?

(BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL)

1. LESS TIME FOR SLEEP DUE TO HECTIC, BUSY LIFE.

A hectic, busy life can rob you of time you can actually dedicate to sleep. If you find yourself pushing your bed time back further and further to get things done, or getting up earlier and earlier in the name of productivity, you may feel tired a lot of the time but not realize the toll lack of sleep is taking.

Like over thinking, anxiety can make sleep difficult and wake you up at night. Anxiety keeps your mind busy as you imagine threatening scenarios and worry about what may happen next. You may become preoccupied with finding solutions. That racing of your mind can rob you of sleep by keeping your cortisol levels high, making sleep harder to achieve.

'There is an expectation in today’s society to fit more into our lives. The whole work-life balance struggle is causing too many of us to trade in precious sleeping time to ensure we complete all the jobs we believe are expected of us.

‘But in doing so, we are significantly increasing the risk of suffering a stroke or developing cardiovascular disease resulting in, for example, heart attacks.’

Co-researcher Dr Michelle Miller said: ‘Chronic short sleep produces hormones and chemicals in the body which increase the risk of developing heart disease and strokes, and other conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes and obesity.’


But the scientists also warned that sleeping more than nine hours every night may be an early warning sign of heart disease.


Over stress - Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

When you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.

Conclusion - Get adequate sleep, each night. Do NOT foolishly expect mother nature to restore your body without a good night's sleep. Seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night is NOT an option, but rather a requirement for good health.



2. KEEPING THE BLINDS CLOSED ALL THE TIME AND THE WINDOWS LOCKED DOWN

It will assure you privacy from the outside world but at the same time it can create a dark stuffy atmosphere for you and your family to reside in. Open up those shades and wash those windows until they glisten when the sun shines through. Sunlight is a natural healer, invite it in as often as you can.

Fresh air is made up of a number of different gases. Oxygen and nitrogen are the most abundant ones.

Did you know that your body is made up of trillions of cells?

Each of those tiny cells needs a constant supply of oxygen in order to live. We can only live for a few minutes without air.

If your cells get enough oxygen they will be healthy. Healthy cells make up a healthy body.

A steady supply of fresh air is very important. Fresh air provides you with a steady supply of oxygen which is needed by your brain and every single cell of your body.

If you stay in a closed in area for a long period of time, you will end up breathing in the same air over and over again. The oxygen content of the air will go down continually as you (and whoever else happens to be in the room with you) breathe out carbon dioxide and other wastes.

Breathing this stale air will not supply your body with enough oxygen to keep your cells fueled and functioning properly.

KIDS GROWING UP INDOORS. It has its own health threats — not least to growing eyes. Children who spend most of their day indoors have a far greater chance of suffering from ‘high myopia’, a severe form of short-sightedness. Researchers at Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Vision Science believe that lack of sunlight is the culprit. They say exposure to sunshine causes the retina to release dopamine, a hormone that inhibits the excessive eyeball growth that causes myopia.

Their studies have found that children who spend time outdoors cut their risk of short-sightedness by a fifth.


The theory — called the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ — suggests city children do not get to play in the mud, lie on the grass or splash in puddles and are therefore deprived of early exposure to relatively harmless microbes in the soil.

Instead, they grow up in over-hygienic homes — wiped down with antibacterial cleaning products and vacuumed religiously — that deny their immature immune systems the opportunity to develop a normal resistance to germs.

People who are too long in an air conditioned room every day, most of them have respiratory infections.

A study says, is in the open environment will strengthen the immune system. When the white blood cells to fight bacteria, they require a supply of free and fresh oxygen. In addition, the oxygen from the air more friendly with blood pressure and heart rate.

Blood oxygen levels are also linked to serotonin, the 'happiness hormone', which is why you are more likely to slip into a refreshed, relaxed state when in green outdoors.

The hitch, of course, is that most urban residents end up spending close to nine hours a day in air-conditioned offices, often following it up with a whole night's sleep in closed, cool bedrooms.


BENEFITS OF SUNLIGHT

  • Compared to other home lighting methods, natural lighting reduces eye strain and makes it easier for people to see.

  • Feeling depressed? Science has shown that simply being exposed to natural light for a short period of time can prevent depression in adults as well as children and boost one's spirits.

  • Vitamin D is an essential mineral for all people. This vitamin has numerous benefits including immune system regulation, body weight maintenance, asthma symptom control as well as helping to keep the brain working efficiently into later life. Exposure to sunlight is the primary method in which people receive a sufficient amount of vitamin D. Sunlight helps your body convert a form of cholesterol that is present in your skin into vitamin D. This results in lower blood cholesterol levels.

  • If you get regular exposure to sunlight, it will help protect your skin in the long run. That is because your body will build up a natural resistance to the harmful effects of ultraviolet light.

  • If you allow your skin to get moderately tanned, it will be more resistant to infections and sunburns than if your skin is not tanned.

  • The ultraviolet rays in sunshine act as a natural antiseptic. These rays can kill viruses, bacteria, molds, yeasts, fungi, and mites in air, water, and on different surfaces including your skin.


3. SITTING/WORKING 9 TO 5 CONTINUOUSLY IN AIR TIGHT OFFICE.

Whether it's sitting all day, ruining your eyes staring at a computer screen, or messing up your wrists at a keyboard, office work is a lot more dangerous than you'd think. It might not seem like it, but all that inactivity leads to some serious problems in the long term

"Prolonged sitting has been shown to disrupt metabolic function resulting in increased plasma triglyceride levels, decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and decreased insulin sensitivity," Dr. Hidde van der Ploeg, a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health in Australia

With a little creativity, you can take advantage of the few minutes you have between pending deadlines and learn to exercise while you work. It may sound silly (and look even sillier) but exercising at one's desk is an ideal way to keep active at the office. By making exercise part of your everyday work routine, you'll be healthier, happier and more productive. I think a good goal is 5-10 minutes of activity per hour. That could be five minutes every half hour or 10 minute each hour. Obviously, some workplaces are more supportive of taking short activity breaks than others. Many of these ideas can be done “secretly” and no one will know that you are trying to be more active


  • One Australian study found that micro-breaks—that is, getting up and moving every 15 minutes—were perhaps more valuable than taking long breaks.

  • Make your meetings mobile. Why meet around a conference table when you can go for a walk? When it's nice out, grab your tablets and head outdoors. "Walking meetings are a great way to energize your workday while providing essential exercise for yourself," notesthe Center for Health Policy. "Walking meetings may be used for brainstorming, creative discussion, and problem solving."

  • Deep breathing helps you relax and lowers heart rate. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

  • Laugh often. It tightens your stomach muscles, exercises your diaphragm, works your heart, relieves stress and gives you a better outlook on life.

  • Five minutes spent up out of the chair moving around the office (getting coffee, the mail, restroom break, etc.).Five minutes spent doing stretches

  • Standing when you use your phone (or use a cordless handset or headset so you can move around even more)

  • Moving your rubbish bin/printer further away from your desk so you need to get off your chair to access them

  • Taking the stairs instead of the lifts between floors

  • Walking to a colleague to talk to them instead of sending an email

  • Getting up to move around for few minutes or so every hour

Also in air tight offices, air is stale and over time toxic chemicals from carpets, furniture, and cleaning products can build up. This can lead to sick building syndrome for some people. If you are breathing in stale air, you might have started to notice some of the following symptoms:

• Dizziness • Nausea• Headaches• Fatigue and exhaustion • Irritability • Anxiety • Depression • Frequent fevers, colds, or lung diseases

During office hours we should try to find some time for going out in fresh air like in breaks/ lunchtime etc.

4. FITNESS GYM / CENTERS OFFERING QUICK WEIGHT LOSS/BODYBUILDING. – Such centres only lighten yourpocket and waste precious time. You may lose weight after visiting thesecentres but once you stop frequenting them, you might re-gain lost weight. Baddiet and pills with side effects are other major consequences of these slimmingcentres.

Some of these centers claim that you can lose up to 8-10kilos in 15 days by only attending their sessions, without exercise and diet.They also claim of providing spot reductions for those who have a problem areain the body like abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms, chin, etc.


It has been proved from various studies that losing morethan 3-4 kilos a month is harmful to health. Losing weight gradually byfollowing a healthy diet and regular exercise is the best proven way of weightloss. Moreover there is nothing called as spot-reduction. You cannot loseweight only from one part of the body; you can lose only your overall weight.When you lose your overall weight, you will definitely lose weight from thebulkier areas like abdomen, thighs, etc. Genetics plays a role in the fatdistribution which cannot be altered thru ‘spot reduction'.

Lipolysis can lead to discomfort after the initialtreatment. Some people also experience light swelling, redness, a burningsensation and some light bruises. The crash diet might lead to fatigue,tiredness and other unhealthy consequences like a weaker immune system becauseyour body won’t be getting the nutrients it needs to function properly.

Crash diets could lead to multiple side effects, saysMumbai-based fitness guru Sheru Aangrish, adding that problems like haggardlook, dark under eyes, dull skin, sloppy posture and less stamina are verycommon among such people.

Quick weight loss is not healthy either because that leadsto loss of more muscle mass than fat. Patients are being put at risk by doctorsselling them potentially dangerous weight-loss pills at various slimming clinics.


Many systems of exercise advocate keeping the navel drawn inand tight to create good posture and core strength. Chronic tension in our abdomenfrom holding your belly in restricts the movement of our ribs and is anaberration of natural function that sabotages our breath, alignment, digestion,elimination, feelings, movements, and moods. -

The best exercises are ones that simulate how we use ourbody in real life. –



Some bodybuilders use drugs such as anabolic steroids and precursorsubstances such as prohormones to increase muscle hypertrophy. Anabolicsteroids cause muscle hypertrophy of both types (I and II) of muscle fiberscaused likely by an increased synthesis of muscle proteins and are accompaniedwith undesired side effects including hepatotoxicity, gynecomastia, acne, malepattern baldness and a decline in the body's own testosterone production, whichcan cause testicular atrophy. Other performance enhancing substances used bycompetitive bodybuilders include human growth hormone (HGH), which can causeacromegaly.


Many people spend waking hour indoors in Air conditioned Gyms/ fitness centre , breathing stale air and avoiding the sunlight that is so critical to our health, energy and wellbeing. These gym/centers have manipulated the public to believe that they need Stair Masters, leg extension machines, and treadmills to get in shape.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. With crowded communal spaces, sweaty surfaces and lack of fresh air, health clubs can put you at an increased risk of getting sick. Along with the normal range of germs and bacteria that can be passed among club members, there is also growing concern regarding the variety of pollutants released into the air from furnishings, room fresheners sprays, insecticides, cleaning supplies and building materials, potentially leading to a host of health problems. People who are exercising have increased inhalation rates which further exacerbate the dangers.

The key to personal happiness and well being is time spent outdoors in nature.


Use the time you would normally spend in the sweaty, artificially lit gym to get outside– breath in the crisp, clean air, soak up the suns healing rays and explore the playground that is the natural world :)

Strength is not the ability to bench press 300 pounds but the capacity to complete a variety of real world tasks with ease. The ability to run fast but also far, to move dexterously but also lift heavy objects. Training real world exercises like running, climbing and jumping in a natural and varied environment is the best way to develop this kind of real, practical strength.


5. TAKING TOO MUCH ANTIBIOTICS , PAIN KILLERS ETC.

One thing that many people do NOT do; is exercise. They want doctors to fix everything. Many people seems to think that they just want medicines and drugs to solve their health problems, they believe they can always seek medical assistance,. But what they are not aware of is that these pharmaceutical medications may have potential adverse reactions. Some of the most popular prescription drugs on the market are used for the treatment of various conditions such as high cholesterol to depression to rheumatoid arthritis to sexual enhancement. Some of these pharmaceuticals drugs can cause serious problems such as liver damage, muscle pain and in some cases severe muscle breakdown and even death. When you go to a medical doctor and he gives you many packs of pills and capsules in various colours, shapes and sizes, drugs which are toxic to your liver and do crazy things to your health and metabolism, perhaps you obediently swallow those little poisons without considering what they are doing to your body.


6. EGO PROBLEM- DUE TO HIGH FINANCIAL/SOCIAL STATUS.

Most of such have huge expectations of themselves, their lives and everyone in them. They think the universe resolves around them, with a deluded sense of their own fabulousness, and believe they are cleverer, more talented and more attractive than others.

They have trouble accepting criticism and extending empathy because they are so preoccupied with themselves.

So such people have type A personality- they think money/power can buy them everything and that too immediately. Why should they wait for anything when they can pay any amount to get something of their choice.

Type A Behavior (TAB):

• Time Urgency and Impatience, as demonstrated by people who, among other things, get frustrated while waiting in line, interrupt others often, walk or talk at a rapid pace, and are always painfully aware of the time and how little of it they have to spare.

• Free-Floating Hostility or Aggressiveness, which shows up as impatience, rudeness, being easily upset over small things, or ‘having a short fuse’, for example.

• Aim for perfection. This leads to Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). It is the mental disorder of striving for too much success. Perfection is the ultimate goal of the OCPD person, and failure is seen as earth shattering. OCPD is the disorder that, on the outside, seems useful. A drive to succeed is very appealing, but OCPD pushes it past the line of success and into the realm of isolation, anxiety, and depression.

When you expect to be able to do everything perfectly right then you constantly (often unconsciously) compare yourself to other people, to see how you “size up.” You quickly start to doubt your ability when things don’t go smoothly, and this creates a lot of stress and anxiety.

Negative Effects of Type A Behavior(TAB):

Over the years, the type of extra stress that most “Type A” people experience takes a toll on one’s health and lifestyle. The following are some of the negative effects that are common among those exhibiting TAB:

Hypertension: Heart Diseases , Social Isolation , Facial Tension (Tight Lips, Clenched Jaw, Etc.) , Tongue Clicking Or Teeth Grinding , Dark Circles Under Eyes , Facial Sweating (On Forehead Or Upper Lip) etc.

7. UNHEALTHY FOOD

(a) JUNK/FAST FOOD. They have high levels of fat, sugar or salt and are simply unhealthy. Junk food which contains saturated fat increases blood cholesterol levels and therefore increases your risk of heart disease and some cancers.

(b) PACKED JUICES / DRINKS - Fructose sugar is found in high quantities in fruit juice and excessive consumption is a primary cause of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. The key issue is a lack of fiber. When we eat fruit, fiber forms a protective layer that acts as a barrier to the intestine. This slows absorption of sugar, so the liver has a chance to catch up. In fizzy drinks, fruit juices and smoothies, the barrier has gone, which leads to the liver being overloaded.

(c ) ENERGY DRINKS- Based on the sugar and chemical content alone of most energy drinks (just check the ingredients label), should be avoided. They’re bad for your teeth and only add more toxins to your body. Their dehydrating action decrease your body’s internal water supply and natural detoxification processes.

(d) BUTTER ALTERNATIVE MARGARINE - Another side effect of the anti-fat hysteria is a plethora of so-called “healthy” butter alternatives. The most notable example of these is margarine. It used to be loaded with trans fats, now it tends to contain processed vegetable oils instead. In one large study, replacing butter with margarine lead to a drastically increased risk of death from heart attacks.

(e) LOW-FAT OR FAT-FREE FOODS - MOST HIGHLY PROCESSED BREAKFAST CEREALS ARE NOT HEALTHY.

In fact, they are among the worst foods you can eat. They’re often loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates. Then the manufacturers fortify them with some synthetic vitamins and put tiny amounts of whole grains in the mix, then market their products as healthy.

Don’t be fooled by the labels… low-fat, fat-free, whole grain, etc. Just check the ingredients list on these products, The food manufacturers loaded these products with chemicals, artificial sweeteners and massive amounts of sugar. .

Bottom Line: Avoid everything labeled “low-fat” or “fat-free.” These are highly processed products loaded with sugar and other harmful substances. Always prefer fresh food.

(f) EATING FOOD PREPARED BY ANYONE WITH NEGATIVE VIBRATIONS (LIKE SERVANTS ) Normally servants prepare food with thoughts of compulsion, anger, revenge, greed, hatred, tension etc. and so there will be vibrations of such thoughts in that food.

We should prepare food with cleanliness and in a peaceful and calm stage so that food gets filled with spiritual and peaceful vibrations and when we eat this food we would feel happy and positive.

Our mental stage affects directly the atmosphere around us, and of course, any of the food that we prepare and eat.

A significant part of our lifestyle should be to consider the quality of our thoughts required while making food.

FOR MORE DETAILS CLICK https://sites.google.com/site/unhealthylifestyle/unhealthy-food


8. SMOKING/ALCOHOL “Many people believe that smoking acts as a stress buster, but this concept is actually a complete myth. It actually reduces a person’s stamina in the long run leading to the development of multiple diseases”.

Similarly Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down the brain and the central nervous system's processes.

Eva Cyhlarova from The Mental Health Foundation says: "Over time, heavy drinking interferes with the neurotransmitters in the brain that are needed for good mental health. So while alcohol may help deal with stress in the short term, in the long run it can contribute to feeling of depression and anxiety and make stress harder to deal with.

"People who drink heavily are more likely to suffer from mental health problems."

9. SEDENTARY ACTIVITIES – LIKE SITTING FOR LONG IN FRONT OF TV, COMPUTER, LAP TOP, PHONES , USING LIFTS INSTEAD OF STAIRS ETC.

Sedentary activities include sitting, reading, watching television, playing video games, and computer use for much of the day with little or no vigorous physical exercise.

We should include walking, running, or performing other exercises during breaks and lunchtime as well as finding opportunities for exercise throughout the day. Practices like using the stairs instead of an elevator, parking farther from work to have to walk a bit more each day, and exercising legs and arms even while sitting at a desk are all excellent ways for someone to increase his or her activity.

Following are some of the diseases/illnesses that a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to or be a risk factor for:

Depression , Type 2 Diabetes , Obesity , Colon cancer ,Anxiety disorder , Osteoporosis , Lipid disorders & High blood pressure

FOR MORE DETAILS CLICK https://sites.google.com/site/unhealthylifestyle/sedentary-activities

10. UNNECESSARY LASER TREATMENTS, USELESS SURGERIES ETC. They are not only expensive and wasteful but can actually imperil the health of patients.

The interests of politicians and the medical-industrial complex continually trump those of patients, seducing the wealthy, with unnecessary procedures.

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LIFESTYLE DISEASES ARE ACTUALLY OUR OWN CREATION.

Rampant following the western style of living, job requirement, sedentary lifestyle, unsustainable eager to grow and that too with a rapid rate have all given rise to all these diseases. A total neglect to our centuries old traditions and tested way of life have all been left behind to get a grab of hard currency.


EVERYBODY HAS FORGOTTEN IN THIS RAT RACE THAT HEALTH IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THIS RACE. IF HEALTH IS LOST YOU WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY OUT OF THE RACE WHATEVER MAY BE YOUR IQ LEVEL, WHATEVER LEADERSHIP SKILLS YOU HAVE HOWEVER SELF-STARTER YOU ARE.


Like our cars and other automobiles, the human body also need a certain kind of diet, it may allow temporary shift in dietary habit but if the shift continues for long - it will result in failure of various systems in the body. Similarly the body also needs a kind of nourishment which can be provided by physical work, some enjoyment. These will all rejuvenate the human body system and the body will be ready for other stressful work. If the car is not sent for regular checkups at the service station, what happens - everybody knows. Same thing is true with ourselves also. The first and foremost requirement is to take care of physical health and then follow other things in life.


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