đ€Ż INCRĂVEL: “It’ll Mess You Up Later On”: 56 Casual Habits That Are Actually Way More Dangerous Than We Think đČ
Most of us have bad habits. Some sit on their sofas and scroll for too long; others cope with stress in unhealthy ways, like smoking or eating too much. The good thing is that we’re all in this together â show me a person who doesn’t have a bad habit or two!
In fact, 36% of Americans report having at least one unhealthy behavior, while 23.9% report having two. The most common ones are smoking, physical inactivity, sleep deprivation, and excessive drinking, but there are many more that might do us significant harm in the long run.
Take hand washing, for example: many medical professionals say that it could save us from many health concerns if done more often and diligently. This and many more were brought up by healthcare workers in three Reddit threads: one from u/setealemtresspasser, another from u/bishinishii, and the third one from u/Glass_Extension_9032. We collected the most common ones and present them to our health-conscious Pandas down below!
Unhealthy things the general public tend to underestimate:
* Sleep deprivation
* Lack of hydration
* Sedentary lifestyle.
I work in the ER. Actually follow up with your doctors: If I tell you to see someone, you need to do that. The reason your condition gets worse is that you don’t know really anything about it, so you can’t tell when you need intervention or not. That’s what your doctors are for, and that’s why I tell you to see them even if you feel fine now.
In addition to what has already been posted:
1. Watch the amount of salt you eat
2. Sugar is not your friend, make those things a treat, not a daily habit.
3. If youâre diagnosed with a chronic problem, Congestive heart failure, diabetes, kidney failure, etc… we take a lot of time to teach you how to take care of yourself. Please, follow the instructions. If you donât understand please say so, so we can keep working with you. Do these things so youâre not repeatedly readmitted to the hospital; because this will continue to happen until one day when you are wheeled out by the funeral home.
4. Vaccinate
5. Learn CPR.
While not a doctor or nurse, I was NCOIC of infection control when I was in the USAF. Wash your hands! Thumbs, top of the hands, all if it. This prevents cross contamination. Squirting purell doesnt cut it. That ‘k***s 99 99%” is only in sterile lab conditions.
When you are prescribed antibiotics, take them as prescribed and donât keep some extra so you can âuse them next time youâre sickâ.
Also, if you are told to follow up on something, you should probably follow up on it … we donât say to come back for no reason.
I’m SHOCKED how many people call us b/c their parents are on their third/fourth day 2/3 weeks of a symptom. After a certain age you shouldn’t just let something ‘run it’s course’. Call. Your. Doctor.
Also. It’s always shingles. Always.
Not me. My sister is a registered nurse and she would always remind me of three things because she thinks these things are overlooked:
(1) drink enough water
(2) use sunblock
(3) always wash hands before eating.
Medical dietetics student over here… hereâs some nutrition facts for ya.
1. watch out for added sugars, a lot of nutrition labels are starting to put that underneath the carbohydrates. added sugars = refined sugars
2. trans-fat are basically illegal to have in most products, BUT they still show up in fried foods like fries, so limit those
3. sedentary lifestyle + obesity is a major risk factor for developing chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease)
4. a healthy diet includes VARIETY!! eat a variety of whole grains, nuts, beans, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats.
Brushing your teeth is only half the job. Flossing removes food particles that are stuck between tooth and your gum. If left too long they break down and become acidic, slowly eroding away at your enamel.
Also, mouth washing after vomiting will exacerbate the damage to your teeth from the stomach acids. Rinse your mouth with warm water and bi-card soda to prevent any further damage!
As someone who works an ambulance, know your medical conditions and medications. The amount of times I pick up people with a ziploc full of mixed pills or conditions they can’t remember is astounding. A very real conversation I had this month:
“You have any medical conditions?”
“No”
“Take any medications?”
“Yeah, insulin.”
GET IT TOGETHER.
Iâm a surgical physician associate (PA). Donât let your abdominal pain go on for a week before you seek medical attention. Operating on a gallbladder thatâs been infected for a week, for example, is astronomically more challenging than if you had come in when it started. It also puts you at higher risk for intraoperative complications.
So I can only speak from the ER perspective, but I have a few. More advice in general, less health tips.
1) If I tell you to follow-up with someone, do it. People will say things like, âWell I called them, they didnât pick up. *you called them at 4am on a Saturday and didnât leave a message*
2) If you comment that you donât have a primary care doctor, dentist, etc, and I give you a list of ones that take your insurance, or lack there of, you better have called them if I see you again in the ER. I make note of that stuff in the chart, so Iâll remember.
3) When I tell you that the massive amount of leaf you smoke is the reason for your constant vomiting, believe me. Iâm not lying to you – half of the employees in the ER smoke it, I donât care. This isnât a judgement thing.
4) Max out the dose of the over the counter pain meds before you say they donât work. You mean that 200 mg of ibuprofen you took yesterday didnât fix your sprained ankle?
Hypertension is the silent k***r.
it plays the long game and will mess you up later on.
get it under control and keep it under control. check it at home/med store/at the doctors.
1. Seeing family and friends often. Relationships are so important for mental health and is sometimes over looked when life gets busy and stressful.
2. Most disease and illnesses are lifestyle related – not eating well, drinking too much alcohol, living a sedentary lifestyle, not sleeping, stressing too much, etc.
ER stands for Emergency Room. If you ever say “I’m going to wait to go to the ER unti…” Then you don’t belong in the ER, ya lepton!
Not necessarily something most people donât do, but wear your seatbelt! Seen too many people who just casually drive without it cause theyâre only going for a minute, but anything can happen. itâs right there! It doesnât hurt, it takes 5 second to put on and it can save your life.
Not a doctor/nurse, but I have noticed that a lot of people think one can “stock up” on sleep and then “spend” it till it is gone and then repeat the cycle.
They should be involved in some kind of exercise program that they can tolerate, and will participate in. Make it fun, like walking with your favorite podcast. You donât need to break records â just move your body.
I tell people that if exercise was a pill, everyone would be on it.
If you can’t sleep at night try lowering your room temperature between 60-68 degrees F. Just try it, trust me.
“If it gets worse come back and speak to us”
Sometimes a condition takes a little bit to develop recognisable symptoms. So even though you know somethings wrong it might just solve its or it could get worse. So when a doctor says “come back and see us if something changes” they actually do want you to.
Not either but you need to change your pillow case every week otherwise you are sleeping on so much dead skin cells and it’s awful for your face. :(.
Wash. Your. Hands. Hand sanitizer doesnât count in most cases. Norovirus is going to hit hard and alcohol based disinfectant doesnât stop it. Soap and water 20 seconds.
Have an advanced directive. And encourage your elderly relatives to have one too. Way fewer people would want to be a full code if you saw us doing cpr on your 90 year old grandma.
Preventative health exams. Screening procedures as soon as youâre eligible (mammogram, colonoscopy, etc.). Prioritize quality sleep. Drink water. Move your body in some way each day, and always stretch! Practice gratitude. Make time for leisure! We all need things that are meaningful and purposeful in our lives.
Breathe. Take a few deep breaths, on purpose, here and there. Pause for a sec. Belly breaths (to engage the diaphragm). As long as you breathe, you are alive. Alive is good.
Be kind to yourself, especially during hard times. The amount of self sabotage, self criticism, and other similarly destructive thoughts, language, and behaviour aimed at the self does nothing but poison your health and wellbeing.
Hug a tree, pet a dog, plant a flower, and generally touch or engage with nature and living beings (especially if they donât judge) and marvel at the simple, beautiful things. This helps reduce daily stress and put some things into perspective.
The placebo effect is real. If you believe something is helpful, then it will be helpful, even a little bit.
Iâm in billing, but a lot of people donât realize you can apply for financial aid for medical bills, especially from major hospitals. They make the majority of their money from insurance companies so most hospitals have funding set aside for âcharityâ they just donât really tell you. I had a free hysterectomy at Vanderbilt. After you get a bill you can call the billing department and ask how to apply for financial aid. I had to send some tax returns to prove Iâm broke af, itâs stupid easy if you qualify. If you have a hospital bill laying around call on Monday.
Make sure you get enough high quality sleep to meet your needs. Exercise, even a little. Stop eating garbage. Stop drinking so much alcohol. Pay attention when your health care provider says you are at risk for something and follow their recommendations. Drive safely and unimpaired/undistracted.
Nothing.
There is nothing that is universally applicable to EVERYONE. Health needs differ based on individual circumstances and even things that are great for the majority of the population have exceptions where people shouldnât do them.
People need to stop thinking there is a such thing as universal answers to anything. Especially something as complex and individualized as overall health.
Being aware that humans are MORTAL. Making your 90 year old meemaw a full code (that means yes to CPR, intubation, pressors) is just downright cruel. She will inevitably die, but she will die slowly and painfully as I crack her ribs and shove large bore IVs into her arm.
Seriously guys, anyone 85+ should have a DNR. Just because we can maybe get a heartbeat back doesn’t mean we should. These geriatric codes often lead to nothing, or meemaw survives just another few months only to rot in a hospital bed.
To men
Go see a doctor if someone tells you to, or if something seems odd about your body.
Men are notorious for not seeing us until it’s too far along.
Agree with what others are saying about eating nutritious foods and moving your body. I would also add 1) brush and floss your teeth. And 2) take care of your mental health – invest in your community and the people around you, stop doomscrolling and interact with others face to face as much as possible.
Prevention is better than cure. Do healthy choices now so you donât suffer later.
Genes play a big role. Make sure youâre well aware of the diseases in your family.
Listen to the doctorsâ recommendations, not the politiciansâ.
Washing hands after going to the bathroom. This includes nurses and doctors who are at work. Source: self, with over seven years at a research hospital. I do wash my _own_ hands every time, mind you.
(Iâm interpreting ânobodyâ in what I assume is intended sense of âfar fewer than it should be.â).
Consider wearing a mask if you take public transit
Don’t come into work if you’re sick and contagious….
Drink more waterÂ
Tell family and friends you love/appreciate them. Life is short and can change so drastically. Working on units and departments with patients passing away always does this thing to me. Makes me realize I’m blessed my family members are alive.Â
Don’t be too serious. Learn to breath and relax. Even if you work in a stressful environment. Find a quiet spot at work to take your break. That half hour of silence helps.Â
Wash your hands. There are doors at work I can totally see 10 – 15 people per day touching the knobs. Or use the hand sani at leastÂ
Be kind to the worker making your coffee/breakfast in the morning or in the day. They’re stressed and sometimes overwhelmed serving the crowds of people in this huge hospital.Â
Learn to accept yourself. Working in the medical field has a way of causing one to compare yourself to your coworkers if you let it. Like who seems more successful, age, salary, whether they are in a better spot in life, who has more connections, etc.. I remember listening to a coworker lament about their age and how they’re only just now starting their career. They are not even that old. We do it to ourselves. Including me.Â
LaughÂ
Think of things to be thankful forÂ
Adding more: Try to come to work early. I like to arrive 30 – 40 minutes before my shift starts. Not having to rush gives me less stress. I get that people sleep in or traffic is very bad but when you can control it, earlier is kind of better. .
Getting a colonoscopy starting at age 45. I say this as a nurse and a colorectal cancer survivor (although I was diagnosed at 42).
Why has no one even mentioned nutrition? Every single person should know a fair amount of nutrition. Almost everything people are taught about it is wrong.
Donât smoke, donât be over weight, get your screening exams.
Nurse, not a Dr.
Stop shoving your face full of sugar.
Metabolic syndrome is one of the leading, and most avoidable cause of death out there.
Cardio Cardio Cardio! Even something as minor as walking around your house/apartment for like 15 minutes a day can do SO much, especially if you’re mostly sitting down for your job most of the day. It all adds up in the end!
Youâre not gonna like this one but⊠donât see mid level providers (NPs, PAs, etc). They make a LOT of medical errors, trust me. Itâs the product of being asked to do the same as docs do but with literally tens of thousands of hours less training.
Don’t ignore the blood on the toilet paper. If it keeps happening every day you have cancer in your b*m.
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