I recently wrote a post where medical professionals revealed the “bad” everyday habits that are actually destroying your health. In the comments, fellow doctors, nurses and other health care workers shared additional “bad” habits and mistakes you can make. Here’s what they had to say:
Note: Some answers were pulled from this Reddit thread by u/Sea_Fig1387.
1. “I’ve worked in dental care for 10 years. Please floss. Between your teeth is the dirtiest part. Skipping it is basically the equivalent of showering and not washing your butt.”
—in/PrimalPineapple927
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2. “Don’t take care of your joints. Surgical tech student here (dad is an orthopedic surgeon). Running is great, but can be really hard on the knees. Consider low-impact cardio like exercise bikes or ellipticals. My dad LOVED running back in the day, but his knees and hips are completely shot now.”
“Sure you can still run if you like, but be careful how much stress you put on your joints.”
— Nathanv
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3. “Not monitoring your alcohol consumption is a really terrible habit that not only has psychosocial implications, but also increases the risk of breast, colorectal, oral and esophageal cancer. Some studies suggest that even moderate alcohol consumption increases these risks.”
— Anonymous, Illinois
4. “Ignoring the unexplained weight loss. I’m a nurse. If you lose a bunch of weight in a short period of time without trying, go to the doctor. I’ve had to cry over some terrible samples of cancerous tissue from young men. Like, he’s 37 with young kids and stage 4 cancer. That one had an optimistic six months. I sent him flowers, a wife, and options.”
-u/hyperfatness
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5. “Don’t check your blood pressure and fasting blood sugar regularly. High blood pressure and diabetes are common and treatable conditions.”
—in/konqueror321
6. “You have too much sugar. Diabetes Education Dietitian here. Maple syrup, honey, ‘ultra-processed’ sugar – sugar is sugar, no matter the source. Sugar is not ‘bad’ – however, too much sugar of any kind can be bad.”
—nancyr4e2d1d90c
7. “Family doctor here. Not getting enough vegetables in your diet (Try to split your meal into ~50% vegetables, 25% lean protein of some kind, and the last 25% can be carbs (eg whole grains). Snacks/treats are usually good, but everything in moderation.”
—u/Fairyburger
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8. “Don’t use sunscreen/some form of sunscreen daily, even in winter (UV can still reach you through clouds, though not as much). Good for skin cancer prevention and also if you care about how your skin looks.”
—u/Fairyburger
9. “You’re not drinking enough water/fluids every day. (If your urine is pale yellow, you’re probably fine.)”
—u/Fairyburger
10. “Lack of exercise. Find a type of exercise/physical activity that you enjoy and do it regularly. (Ideally this would be a combination of some form of cardio and strength training/weight bearing exercise.)”
—u/Fairyburger
“I’m in healthcare as an RN. So many of the chronic diseases we encounter are completely preventable. Also, most of the problems are compounded if the patient is already in poor physical shape. Exercise and a balanced diet can help avoid many chronic problems as you age.
One thing that stuck with me was a patient, JD, who was barely in his 50s. JD had high blood pressure and some diabetes. He was also being treated for leg ulcers. JD was sedentary and overweight among his many problems. JD lived a “do anything” life. Compare that to my Brazilian black belt of over 55 years in my BJJ gym. Of course, it’s nowhere near what it was in its prime, but god, it cracks us up when it decides to fight with us somewhat seriously. From a young age, he basically lived his life as an athlete and is reaping the benefits as he gets older.”
—u/UnluckyCustard8130
Related: Doctors Share the Scariest Thing They’ve Seen a Patient Say or Do
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11. “Don’t smoke. Cancer, stroke, heart disease, artery disease and lung disease are all caused by smoking. If you don’t smoke, never start. If you smoke, quit today.”
—u/getridofwires
12. “Sit back and use the back of your chair. Your lower back will thank you for it.”
—u/sidekickrick
13. “No time to BREAK. Find spaces with near-zero input to allow the nervous system to calm down. The cumulative effect pays dividends on so many health conditions, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, sleep quality, mental health, etc.”
—u/outoftownMD
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14. “I don’t go out in the sun and take some vitamin D. I’ve been a general practitioner for 20 years and see at least one patient a week with dangerously low vitamin D levels.”
—u/FuAsMy
15. “I’m not cutting back on caffeine. I’m a pulmonologist, which is the specialty most sleep doctors come from. Seriously, there’s an epidemic of sleep deprivation/dysfunction, and the burden on physical and mental health is massive. Caffeine has a half-life of six hours. A beneficial impact.”
—u/Random-one74
Related: I Stalked The Girls Who Bullied Me As A Child Here’s what they had to say.
And finally…
16. “Not wearing a hat whenever you’re outdoors also cover your ears I am a derm resident and treating skin cancers/ear pre-cancers is not pleasant for the patient or doctor.”
—u/criducat1-
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Note: Some answers have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, what other “bad” health habits do people not realize are seriously harmful? Tell us in the comments, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can use the form below.
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