Every day we do things we believe are good for us because our friends, family, coworkers, or the latest TikTok video showed us something and said it was a good idea. We trust each other, and the information we see online and don’t often realize that some of the habits we pick up are actually bad for us. In fact, there are eight common habits that many people, just like you, think are good for them, but are very harmful to their health.
- Pimple Popping – Doctor Pimple Popper and social media made pimple-popping a form of entertainment. While many people like to squeeze their pimples to extract the bacteria and dirt inside, doing so is not safe. Popping pimples can lead to nasty skin infections, facial wounds, scarring, and can be painful. Talk to your doctor about the right way to deal with skin issues, so you don’t hurt yourself or end up with permanent scarring.
- Eating “Low-Fat” Food – Fats have a bad reputation, and a lot of people think they’re doing the right thing when they buy low-fat milk, low-fat cheese, low-fat dressing, and so forth – but it’s not good for you. The main reason is that processed good manufacturers usually replace the fat with sugar to make it palatable. There are good fats and bad fats and eliminating all fat from your diet, or switching your meals to processed diet foods that tout being low-fat, can be more harmful than good for your nutrition and health.
- Eating Six Small Meals a Day – You’ve heard many dieticians claim the six small meals a day diet is a path to weight loss success. This diet is a common one people think they should follow and nutritionists, doctors, trainers, and others have been recommending the meal plan for a long time because the plan is supposed to help control hunger by keeping your blood sugar steady. Sadly, studies are showing that this doesn’t really work because people who eat smaller meals report being hungrier more than those who eat fewer larger meals. Being hungrier between meals can lead to overeating, snacking, and poor good choices.
- Drinking Bottled Water over Tap Water – Most bottled water is infected with plastic residue. If you live in a place with potable tap water, you should consider using the tap water which is chemically treated by your city. You can get an in-home filtering system that will cut down on chemicals like bleach and fluoride as well as water treatment options for wells if you are not connected to city water services.
- You Drink Juice Every Day – One problem with juice, even if it’s freshly squeezed, is that all the fiber has been removed. Juice also has a lot of sugars, though it is natural sugar, which can affect glucose levels in your blood. The sugars in juice are also terrible for your teeth, and you should always try to brush after finishing a glass. If you’re not squeezing your juice fresh each day, you are also subjected to high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and other additives to the store-bought juice.
- You Don’t Eat Carbs – Many people see friends giving up carbs and gluten, swearing that it is better for their gut health and weight loss. Skipping out on the carbs is one of the components of many different fad diets such as South Beach or Adkins. The truth is, unless you have medical conditions that are helped with a low-carb or no-gluten diet, such as Celiac, you could be harming your health. People without health conditions need carbs – including fruit, veggies, and grains to maintain a balanced diet and have enough glucose to convert into energy.
- You Do Juice and Smoothie “Fasts” – Lots of people today like to do “detoxes” to clean their bodies, and often this manifests with smoothies or juices. The bad thing is, most of the time, these are high-fruit-based recipes that can really harm your blood sugar and your metabolism. Detoxes and cleanses are also diuretics and will have you in the bathroom, and possibly in pain, frequently throughout the day.
- You Exercise for Hours Per Day – Everyone knows that exercise is good for you. Working out increases your health in every way from combatting obesity and diabetes to heart health and mental health; however, some people get addicted to working out and going to the gym. Working out excessively can not only put a damper on your social and family life if it’s taking too much time away from home, but it can also hinder your professional goals, and harm you physically. Athletes understand that while you need to push the limits of their bodies, the limits still exist, and when the line is crossed, injuries can occur. These injuries can even be permanent.
If you know that you engage in some of these habits that you thought were good, you might be shocked to find out that they aren’t great for you after all. Kicking bad habits involves a commitment to yourself and your health with a desire and willingness to grow, change, and become stronger.
