10 Common Stereotypes About a Healthy Lifestyle That Are Actually Harmful

lifehacker May 29, 2021 0 comments

Nowadays, having a healthy lifestyle is pretty trendy and it is actually a great and positive thing to set as a goal. A balanced diet, physical activity, good sleep – all of these make us strong, healthy, and happy. But very often false stereotypes, that seem to be true, appear on the wave of a trend and we have to be careful because believing these can harm us. Check out the following list and tomorrow you will probably decide to get rid of that uncomfortable “ergonomic” chair or diversify your diet with dishes prepared in a multi-cooker.

We have investigated a list of these stereotypes and will fill you in on the reality so you can start your true pursuit of self-perfection. At the end of the article, there is also a bonus that will tell you the best time to take a shower.

1. The redder salmon meat is, the healthier it is.

10 Common Stereotypes About a Healthy Lifestyle That Are Actually Harmful

Wild breeds of salmon such as sockeye salmon, coho salmon, chum salmon have an intense bright coloring, while more expensive and fat salmon breeds (which are also rich in Omega-3s) are actually much more pale. And those white streaks you see in fish are actually good – they mean that no dyes were added to the fish.

So, color is not an indicator of freshness or ‘wildness.’ Most of the salmon sold in supermarkets is either delivered from farms or has been previously frozen – all because a freshly-caught fish spoils really fast.

2. Ergonomic furniture is always better than normal furniture.

Ergonomic furniture has been widely advertised as a cure for backaches. Unfortunately, this is only a commercial trick. It has been proven that a wrongly-chosen ‘fancy’ chair can cause deterioration in your back. The instructions for using this type of furniture are also very specific when it comes to sitting positions and postures.

The trial period for an ergonomic chair should be very long, thoughtful, and attentive. If you don’t have an opportunity to check and test this expensive purchase over time, then it’s better to skip it.

3. Our body needs regular cleansing.

We are not talking about cases where special diets and enemas are prescribed by a doctor – that’s a different situation. It’s when you do these things without consulting a doctor first that can cause some issues.

Research hasn’t confirmed the efficiency of methods of detox like frequent enemas, special diets, fasting, and juice drinking. But the same research has shown possible negative consequences like problems with microflora, bloating, vomiting, stomach disorders, and liver failure. The consumption of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables is much more useful and safer.

4. Microwave or multi-cooker food is harmful.

The patent for a microwave oven was issued in 1946, while a multi-cooker is a direct descendant of a Japanese rice-cooker from the 1950s. Despite the fact that people have been using them for quite long, there are still many legends about them.

It has been proven that products from a microwave oven and a multi-cooker (the working principle of which is based on the combination of different heating and pressure modes) don’t get ‘radiated’ and don’t lose vitamins and nutrients. Their usefulness depends only on the ingredients.

Also, a microwave oven and a multi-cooker are both more suitable for preparing diet food because of the small consumption of oil during the cooking process.

5. All fruits and vegetables should be peeled.

According to nutritionists, most vegetables (cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers) and fruits shouldn’t be peeled. By removing the skin, we deprive ourselves of useful intestinal fiber, as well as, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins (C, K, PP, carotene, group B vitamins) and antioxidants.

Keep in mind that you should wash these products carefully (kiwi should be washed with a brush).

6. You should make yourself wake up early on weekends.

Research done by The University of Chicago has proven that sleeping in on the weekends neutralizes an increased sensitivity to insulin that appears due to lack of sleep. It also decreases the risk of diabetes.

Scientists from Sweden came to a similar conclusion – compensating for lack of sleep on the weekends decreased the increased risk of early death by 15% for those not getting enough sleep. And this once again proves that a lack of sleep harms your body negatively and you should try to avoid it.

7. It’s safer for your health to drink water from bottles.

According to scientists from Canada, all plastic bottles have a tendency to collect huge varieties of bacteria. The situation is even worse for one-off bottles – it’s difficult to wash them thoroughly, their material deforms quickly and gets microcracks, and they become a perfect habitat for different bacteria.

By the way, this is the reason why water spoils quickly when left in a bottle – nobody disinfects the bottleneck after touching it with their lips.

8. It’s beneficial to stretch before training.

As studies by scientists from Canada and the USA have shown, static stretching doesn’t warm up muscles before training and can actually instigate injury. Of course, stretching makes muscles more flexible, but at the same time it can weaken them, worsen endurance, and negatively affect the results of strength training.

Most coaches recommend joint articulation and dynamic stretching as warm-up exercises, leaving static ones for the end of training.

9. “Positive thinking” is the key to mental health.

Psychologists claim that ‘positive thinking’ mantras like “I can do it all!” are actually dangerous. This concept narrows your perception of reality, doesn’t allow for the calculation of negative consequences and risks, and leads to neurosis, anxiety, or depression when unavoidable failures appear on the way to achieving your goal.

You shouldn’t cut off all negative thoughts and feelings – you can use these for a sensible estimate of the real situation.

10. It’s healthy to drink a lot of juices.

Research by scientists from Australia and Great Britain has proven that the harm done from drinking large amounts of juice (when doing detox diets, for example) can be compared with the harm done from drinking soda. Huge amounts of sugar (it doesn’t matter whether it’s packaged juice or fresh juice) increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Bonus: When is the best time to take a shower?

There have been many debates over whether you should take a shower in the morning or in the evening. But, in fact, it depends on different factors – it can be your skin type or your propensity for insomnia.

If you have oily skin, take a shower in the morning because early showering will help cleanse the fat stored in your pores overnight. Conversely, if you have dry skin, it’s better if you shift the procedure of taking a shower to the evening. This is because dry skin gets rid of a huge amount of skin cells that get collected on your body during the day and an evening shower will help wash them away.

Also, if you have difficulty falling asleep, it’s better to take a shower in the evening because cooling your body down after a hot bath will automatically make you feel drowsy and you will fall asleep easier.

0 comments… add one