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30 Of The Most Innocent-Looking Things That Could Have You Fighting For Your Life In Seconds
There are many things that are detrimental to our health, such as spending too many hours by the computer and too few exercising, for instance. But nowadays, people are quite aware of what can negatively affect their well-being, whether they do something about it or not.
Some things can take their toll on a person without them even realizing, though. Members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community recently discussed the topic after a redditor asked them what is something super detrimental to one’s health that most people don’t realize. Quite a few netizens shared their thoughts on the matter, covering everything from shoes to bosses, and beyond, so scroll down to find them and see what other surprising things can be more dangerous than you would think.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Poverty.
Now of course we all know poverty isn't good for anyone but even now, I don't think we as a society realize just how bad it is.
It backs you into so many corners concerning your health. Worse food, less time for exercise, more stress in life, less money to address physical issues, it keeps you stuck in toxic environments (both mentally and physically).
It's just a lot of negative compounding interest.
RELATED:
#2
Missing sleep
#3
For the love of God drink some plain water and eat some vegetables...signed your x-ray tech & physicians lol.
#4
Losing a pet, 100%. Definitely not at all taken as seriously as other familial losses, and it should be. It can take a serious toll on your mental health AND physical health.
Freya the Wanderer 2 years ago
I have buried a couple cats within the last 10 years, so I know. At least Ragamuffin passed peacefully in her sleep at 18.
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keyboardtek 2 years ago
If you think about it, as an adult you have moved away from your parents so they are no longer a daily presence in your life. But your dog is there for you every day. A pet's death can be worse than losing a relative you rarely see.
Hugh Cookson 2 years ago
Took me over 2 years to get over having to have my friend Buster, a Jack Russell x Collie put to sleep as he had leukaemia. I still miss him 8 years on.
Dirk Daring 2 years ago
Next month will be four years since my Nugget passed away. My heart completely shattered when I felt his stop beating. To this day, the memory will hit me like a lightning bolt, and I'll start crying all over again. Dogs ARE family.
Der Kommissar 2 years ago
Someone once said; The happiest day of my life is when I got my dog. The saddest day of my life was when he passed away.
Joshua David 2 years ago
I'm getting prepared for my baby now. He hurt his tootie (feet if you're interested) and I can't do this. He's my best friend. Right now, I can't even think how I can ever replace his doggy love.
Happy Homemaker 2 years ago
This is because we don’t see pets as pets. Most people see pets as family members and when you lose a family member, it is devastating.
Jeremy James 2 years ago
When I had to say goodbye to my cattle dog, I took it hard. I checked into a motel with an unreasonable amount of vodka and cried for 2 days.
Nice Beast Ludo 2 years ago
Awww that doggie in the photo is so sweet and fluffy. I would love him
Spencer's slave 2 years ago (edited)
Especially when that pet is your whole family. Too many "pet deficient" people don't understand just how much our 4 legged family members mean to us. A loss is a loss and some hurt more and longer than others. We all grieve, no matter who we lose. Much love to all pet parents who have lost their furry family member x.
Sleepy Panda 2 years ago
I lost my Great Dane suddenly to heart failure in May. She was fine one minute, and then the next she was shaking and gasping for air. She was my heart and soul dog and I was absolutely devastated. I was suffering extreme abdominal pain afterwards, so my Dr sent me for an emergency abdominal CT scan because they thought it might have been either appendicitis or a ruptured ovarian cyst with the amount of pain I was in. It was honestly as painful as childbirth. There was nothing there, my GP had to tell me that I was suffering from grief induced psychosomatic pain. I had been trying to hold it all together for my family but the grief was coming out in its own way whether I wanted it to or not.
LooseSeal's $10 Banana 2 years ago
Downvote me to oblivion, but as bad as losing a pet is, it is not on the same level as losing an actual human member of your family.
Mmmm 2 years ago
for some people it is. The connection people have to their pets is sometimes stronger than they can have with their family if they aren’t close.
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#6
Not brushing and flossing as often as you should. It’s not an aesthetic reason. Bad dental hygiene can kill.
#7
loneliness
#8
Shift work. Nights, followed by lates, followed by earlies. Physiologically so destructive.
I work for the emergency services so it's essential 24/7. The management are pretty good but we've been shafted on pay at a national level. Still attritional on the body.
#9
Short videos epidemic and almost every popular app/website has them now. Watching endless short videos of 10 seconds or less really messes up our attention span. Especially for children in their development stage.
#10
Not sleeping enough, working too much.
No, drinking gallons of coffee will not counteract the negative effects caused by these, neither will oversleeping on weekends.
BrownTabby 2 years ago
So what you’re saying is that the rich are killing everyone else. I know this; come back when you’ve convinced other voters.
#13
S****y people, especially if they are family.
Isa's left eye 2 years ago
It's especially great when they don't do anything illegal so you're stuck with them till you're 18
#14
Ongoing, chronic stress. It has physical effects that vary from person to person ranging from chronic sleeplessness, obesity, heart conditions and even death. A person's ability to adapt and be resilient is impaired. The motto of 'that which does not kill you makes you stronger,' is wrong and dangerous.
And yet we all go about our lives like chronic stress is a normal, laudable part of the human condition.
#16
Lack of sleep and proper hydration.
#17
social media
#18
If you do a lot of sitting (like a desk job or a lot of commuting or trucking) and keep your wallet in your back pocket, you're going to f**k up your spine.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago (edited)
Never mind the wallet. The sitting alone is enough. Our bodies are not designed for a sedentary lifestyle. Everything from your digestion to your circulatory system is dependent on a certain amount of moving around. If you're not getting up and walking about *at least* once an hour then this is affecting your current and future health.
#19
Trauma. It’s stored in our body and can cause detrimental damage physically and mentally. Feel free to look up studies.
#20
Painting without a respirator on. We get memoriam emails anytime somebody in our union dies. EVERY PAINTER DIES IN THEIR FORTIES OR FIFTIES! And yet, none of them are wearing respirators. wtf.
Gandalf the Pink 2 years ago
I got a little confused at first because I thought this said that if you're a painter you will die in your forties or fifties. But it's meant to be read: out of all the painters in OP's union who died work related deaths, they are no older than in their fifties.
#21
Constant stimulus from our phones. Makes us bored easily and increases feelings of loneliness. Makes doing things without watching anything on our phones or being with someone a lot more mentally taxing.
Edit: LMFAO everytime I get a notification on this thread, I check my phone. Hehehe it’s 3AM now where I’m at… hehehe… We’re all f*****g doomed.
#22
Narcissistic abuse. It can literally cause brain damage.
Tracy Wallick 2 years ago
Narcissistic abuse is the reason I have depression, anxiety, insomnia and a very un-fun relationship with food. It will seriously ruin your life.
#23
Not doing things that you loved as a kid before you were concerned with adult responsibilities.
Stress is bad for your brain and a lot of people don't have healthy ways to relieve it.
#24
Bad shoes.
A lot of people think that bad shies will cause foot pain, but they can also cause leg, hip, and back pain, and more.
I was amazed how good I felt after getting a professionally-fit pair of work shoes
sturmwesen 2 years ago (edited)
I always wore chucks/allstars or combat boots as a teen, high heeled boots in my twenties. Now I wear either flipflops in summer (with good soles) because I can't really wear sandals or tracking sneakers/boots. Instead of pumps I wear black leather sneaker if it's an official business meeting. Priorities change to comfort
#25
Gatorade is really bad for your teeth.
#26
Lack of exercise. In addition to the numerous physical benefits of exercise, it also does wonders for your mental health and ability to cope with stress.
keyboardtek 2 years ago
At age 68 with five herniated spinal disks, swimming laps every day is the only thing that keeps the pain away.
#27
Cutting random stuff out of your diet when it's trendy. People unbalance their diet by just following some Instagram grift.
#28
I'm not a medical professional and this is not medical advice. Where are your neck and shoulders right now? Are they leaning forward and down? Long term, that causes a lot of damage and inflammation throughout the neck, shoulders, and upper back. If you have to force it to maintain good posture, it's not good posture. Try strengthening those back muscles. Make them do their job. You'll know you have good posture when you don't have to think about it. Also for the love of God, most of us aren't in pain because we're old. You're in pain because you abused your body for decades before paying attention to the damage it caused. You're only as old as you feel. Also, if you have full range of motion, don't stretch it. If it feels tight and you have full range of motion, it's not a mobility issue and stretching won't help it. In fact, if you stretch a joint that is already too mobile, that will cause inflammation. If your joint has too much motion, you need to strengthen it instead. Also, does your lower back hurt? Try stretching your hip flexors. They're probably yanking your glutes and overstretching the lower back.
Mr. Nurse Man 2 years ago
Physical therapy or occupational therapy are HIGHLY recommended if you have chronic pains. It helps my back pain from working long shifts in the ER.
#29
Not stretching your body everyday, hell at least a few times a week.
Gandalf the Pink 2 years ago
Not applicable to all body types, if you're hypermobile you should be careful of those joints and don't overstretch them.
#30
Just keep active as possible. Even if it's a walk a day around your street.
#31
Not keeping on top of dental hygiene. Not only does it affect your teeth and gums, gingivitis can affect your joints and cause pain, and the bacteria in your mouth goes into your bloodstream and can affect your heart. There was a period of time where I didn’t go to the dentist for three years (moved to a new state for college, extremely busy with schoolwork, never had a chance to find a new place), flossed maybe a few times here and there, wasn’t always brushing twice a day, and I was right on the cusp of having periodontal disease with irreversible consequences. In that time, I also had increasing joint pain in my hands, wrist, knees, and hips.
Don’t skip the dentist.
BrownTabby 2 years ago
Would’ve been nice if more than 10% of people in my country had voted for the “make it so that more than like half of our citizens can afford to go to the dentist” party, then.
#32
Energy drinks. Yes, people know that they're bad, but not how bad. A lot of people drink them just about every day. Do that for 5-10 years and the effects are second only to hard drugs.
There's no quicker way to a heart attack or debilitating conditions like diabetes, arrhythmia and numerous other heart conditions.
Imagine consuming a Monster energy drink as a batch of raw ingredients. 14 teaspoons of sugar, 4 teaspoons of coffee, far too much vitamin B (up to 300% daily recommended). With an added 230 calories and 60 grams of carbs.
IMO the consumption of energy drinks should (and probably one day will) be restricted from underage persons like alcohol and tobacco are, and should also not be glamorized like it is.
Camber Hollywood 2 years ago
This is silly. It's the individual ingredients to be aware of. There are many other ways to get too much sugar or caffeine. As far as B vitamins, that's not even something to worry about.
#33
Unyielding dedication to your job
BrownTabby 2 years ago
I am begging y’all to quit living in this fantasy world where every overworked person is choosing to be overworked. It’s embarrassing. Upvote the poverty one and let’s call it a day.
#34
A lack of vitamin d. I never got out of the house except for going to work or the store due to mental health issues. Now, some of my hair has fallen out, my immune system is compromised (which makes me scared for the harsh cold weather that’s about to come up), and I can feel it energy wise and in my bones. I haven’t had a depressive episode since February or march of this year. Depression combined with anxiety (which anxiety just refuses to go away! 🙄) made me scared to get out of the apartment. I’d over think and I’d stay in. I now feel a lot better mentally and have a s**t ton more clarity. Now, I WILL be getting out of the house next spring/summer, lol. Edit: part of the reason why I was staying a recluse was due to me being narcissistically abused. So, I was dealing with the repercussions after I disowned my entire family.
#35
Worrying about things you aren't capable of changing.
Edward Treen 2 years ago
First of all you have to identify which things you can't change: not always easy, and finding out the hard way can be very painful and damaging.
#36
Staying with the wrong person for too long. The mental stress it causes you isn't worth trying to save something that's broken.
#37
Mould. That s**t will f**k you up if you're constantly around it.
James016 2 years ago (edited)
Yep, finally had the funds to replace 3 mouldy windows at home. I am talking about 30 year old aluminium frames with broken seals and gaps between the window frame and the wooden surround. One of them was my son's room but his bed is right the other side of the room and one is for the room I work in, no doubt it was causing problems. Rest of the mould has been taken care of with mould killer, a sealer/undercoat and paint.
#38
Breathing polluted air
#39
Some basements produce Radon gas which comes from the soil. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Almost no one tests for it.
#40
Working 40+ hours a week. It’s arbitrary and scientifically proven to be unhealthy
BrownTabby 2 years ago
Said it before and I’ll say it again: everyone gets a plate before anyone gets seconds but for leisure time. Middle class people on sites like this - in this very thread! - have so much to say about the 40 hour week but then when they see someone who has to work more than that to make ends meet they’re just like “can’t you just not work so much?”
#41
being too connected to suffering happening to other people far away from you. you're not built to take on the collective misery of the world via news and social media. invest in your immediate community's well-being and leave the infinite pain of all existence to the select few who honorably make it their whole mission.
Jeevesssssss 2 years ago
And take care of yourself if you have s****y MH! You can best support others when you're taking care of yourself - you simply have more resources to share.
#42
Passengers should NEVER rest their feet on the dash of the car; because when the air bag does its thing, it has only one way to go. Several terrible things can happen at this point: 1. Your knees get pushed into your face, and I won't paint that picture. Or, 2. Your hips are dislocated.
#44
Sodium! The average American eats 3,000-4,000mg a day, when the USDA only recommends a max of 1,500mg a day (with a real goal of 1,200mg a day.) Even reducing your daily intake by 1,000mg (meaning just going from 4k to 3k) can lower your blood pressure *3 to 4 mmhg!* It's incredibly hard to limit sodium if you eat processed/convenience food. Even "healthy" foods have SO MUCH sodium. ~~It's a massive contributor~~ it increases your blood pressure and contributes to heart disease, stroke, etc.** (Also, lots of people say "but your body needs sodium!"-- only 500mg. 1 teaspoon of salt is 2,300mg.) EDIT: not a doctor, wording made it seem like I was implying I'm an authority. [here's the CDC saying it's bad!](https://www.cdc.gov/salt/index.htm#:~:text=Eating%20too%20much%20sodium%20can,year%20than%20any%20other%20cause.)
keyboardtek 2 years ago (edited)
Studies in Europe negate much of the American medical belief that salt is bad. In fact people who are fanatics about avoiding salt die prematurely. There is zero evidence that salt causes high blood pressure. The only reason doctors have one restrict the salt once you have hyper tension is because the only way they know how to reduce high blood pressure is by removing fluid from the body with diuretics. There is zero evidence that high salt intake by itself causes any health problem. The bad connection is that salt is added to many junk foods to get one to eat more of them. It is the junk food that is the cause of the bad health.
#47
Covid. It increases your risk of stroke and heart attacks. It exhausts your t-cells, which fight cancer. I suspect cancer rates will start increasing in 5-10 years.
Silver5trike 2 years ago
COVID was actually so messed up... Especially long COVID. I got COVID twice and even though I'm fully vaccinated and healed fairly quickly without needing the hospital, I'm now really susceptible to begging sick and have almost constant migranes bc long covid messed with my sinuses... the pandemic just becomes more horrifying the more you learn about it...
#48
The cascading effects of drugs, particularly alcohol. If you get drunk one night, your chances of making bad dietary choices and skipping workouts increases for days.
If you’re drinking most weekends it really does kill your potential because you’re just not operating at 100% for the majority of your life.
People know that alcohol isn’t so great, but I highly doubt most people understand how much time it truly takes from you.
#49
Forcing autistic people to suppress stimming.
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What do you think ?
jdtimid123 2 years ago
Was hoping for something new, but most of these are just basic stuff that everyone knows is bad for you, we just don't all do anything about it. Yes, you should sleep, destress and cut down on sugar and social media. That's not news.
neytjie 2 years ago
I'd rather die early than miserable and old bc you literally can't enjoy anything. No salt, no alcohol, no sugar, almost no work, no pretty shoes, no occasional energy drink. Whats next, no baananas bc they contain a lot of sugar? No coffee? No sex, bc your heart rate just may spike during it? And stress is mentioned so many times. Like you can just decide not to be stressed, worried, anxious or bothered by anything.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago
Well, I can guarantee that moping around being negative like that will make your life shorter and much, much more miserable. If you didn't want health advice there are plenty of other articles to choose from. You can absolutely choose not to be as stressed, but it takes actual effort to stick to something like therapy, exercise or meditation.
Load More Replies... Nice Beast Ludo 2 years ago
Ok let's not exaggerate...none of these will have ua fighting for our life in SECONDS, BP
David Paterson 2 years ago (edited)
Each list is different. Same topic different content. Unfortunately, a lot of it really is badly influenced by deliberate lies and spin doctoring in advertisements and hyped by the news media. But we may not agree on which ones are wrong.
Load More Replies... jdtimid123 2 years ago
Was hoping for something new, but most of these are just basic stuff that everyone knows is bad for you, we just don't all do anything about it. Yes, you should sleep, destress and cut down on sugar and social media. That's not news.
neytjie 2 years ago
I'd rather die early than miserable and old bc you literally can't enjoy anything. No salt, no alcohol, no sugar, almost no work, no pretty shoes, no occasional energy drink. Whats next, no baananas bc they contain a lot of sugar? No coffee? No sex, bc your heart rate just may spike during it? And stress is mentioned so many times. Like you can just decide not to be stressed, worried, anxious or bothered by anything.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago
Well, I can guarantee that moping around being negative like that will make your life shorter and much, much more miserable. If you didn't want health advice there are plenty of other articles to choose from. You can absolutely choose not to be as stressed, but it takes actual effort to stick to something like therapy, exercise or meditation.
Load More Replies... Nice Beast Ludo 2 years ago
Ok let's not exaggerate...none of these will have ua fighting for our life in SECONDS, BP
David Paterson 2 years ago (edited)
Each list is different. Same topic different content. Unfortunately, a lot of it really is badly influenced by deliberate lies and spin doctoring in advertisements and hyped by the news media. But we may not agree on which ones are wrong.
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