Top 15 Lifestyle Disorders and How to Overcome for a Better Healthy Tomorrow

Reviewed by: | Author: Manoja Kalakanti

According to Wikipedia, Lifestyle diseases (also sometimes called diseases of longevity or diseases of civilization interchangeably) are defined as diseases linked with the way people live their life. Lifestyle disorders are on the rise thanks to our less than healthy way of living. The main factors contributing to lifestyle diseases include bad food habits, physical inactivity, wrong body posture, and disturbed biological clocks.

coverWith our incomes rising by the day, we tend to ignore our health and concentrate on embracing a quick and easy solution to everything. Stress seems to be a perennial by-product of a high-flying job. Strapped for time, we resort to eating junk, and hold on to every excuse available to avoid wearing our sneakers for that elusive workout.

Seeking solace in smoking, drinking and hooked on to our electronic devices, sleep proves to be the first casualty. The lack of exercise leads us to the door of diseases and other disorders, and sometimes it is too late to retrace our steps. So, prevention of lifestyle diseases should be our top priority.

The Top Lifestyle Disorders

Obesity is the immediate effect of modern lifestyle disorders. Lack of adequate physical activity and eating too much of calorie ridden food gives rise to other problems too, like body sweat, as well as skin and hair problems. So what should be our mantra to deal with such problems? To deal with such issues we need to check out what disorders ail us, thanks to our modern lifestyle.

Obesity

Why are more and more people getting obese and over-weight each day? Simply because it is easy to become fat these days. If you are hungry, just order a pizza and while away your time being a couch potato, cooling your heels, your attention focused on the idiot box, rather than the food, so instead of having a slice of that unhealthy pizza you manage to polish off an entire one.

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Are you guilty? Nay! Instead, you sacrifice your gymming because you feel too bloated! So the next time you check your weight, the pounds just seem to keep on rising. You look in the mirror and wonder if that’s the same person, because a few years ago the mirror told a different story! A few lifestyle changes and you will go back to your original size. But the point is you need to motivate yourself enough to dust your sneakers and go for that run!

Body Sweats

The tell-tale signs of sweating are there for everybody to see. Though sweating is considered normal and is the body’s mechanism to cool your body down, the body’s response to the environment varies depending upon the health condition of the person. It is considered to be a part of modern lifestyle diseases.

body-sweat

When the temperature of your body varies, sometimes because of the high external temperatures, vigorous exercise or hormonal imbalances, it activates the two to five million sweat glands that are distributed under your skin. These glands are spread out all across the body, but they are primarily concentrated on soles of the feet and palms of the hand.

Too much of food and a sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity, and overweight people sweat more profusely than regular-weighing individuals because fat acts as an insulator that raises the core temperature.

Acne

If you hate the way you look thanks to the ugly red monster of acne sometimes on your nose, cheeks, chin, and sometimes all over your face like no tomorrow, it’s time to have another look at your lifestyle.

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You have tried about hundreds of creams, to no avail. But have you checked up on your lifestyle? Are you among those who eat junk, sleep less, and never remember to drink up the recommended glasses of water? Well, the solution is simpler than coughing up a huge amount of money to buy those bottled creams, which do not do much to reduce your acne anyway. Bottom-line is there is no running away from healthy habits!

Sleeplessness

Staying put at your desk for long hours, heading home tired and then spending some time with your family over dinner and once again, spending some quality time with your smartphone, sounds like a familiar routine, doesn’t it? You are willing to sacrifice sleep in order to spend some extra time with your gizmo, and who is getting affected in the process? Well, you!

sleeplessness

Modern lifestyle throws at you so many options to keep you entertained and happy that you sacrifice health and suffer the inevitable consequences. A few changes, and getting your sleep on track will fix many health issues, you just need to invest some quality time in yourself. By that, we don’t mean you spend some more time with your gadgets but increasing your snooze time and also sweat time, which is exercising!

Dark Circles

Late nights not only make you feel grumpy the next day, it also leaves signs behind, and yes you end up with dark circles. Your lifestyle catches up with you, you look tired, and it just gets worse. So if you are working for late hours, sleeping less and not eating right, your dark circles may narrate the story of your life. A good eight hours of sleep go a long way in fixing the problem.

Back and neck pain

A computer is a boon and gets our work done in a jiffy. But it also gives you neck and back pain. Sitting for hours together at the computer and an improper computer setup could be the chief reason why these symptoms are occurring. It is essential to have a proper ergonomic setup to decrease the risk of overuse injury in the muscles and joints.

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Hair loss

The truth is out; men are balding as early as in their twenties, quite a sea change from the earlier times when men flaunted a full crop of hair even in their fifties. Women are not finding it any better, they are constantly worried about their crowning glory and how it is getting more sparse than ever. So what could be the chief cause of hair fall? Trichologists put it down to stress, vices, pollution and poor nutrition. In other words the unhappy by-product of an erratic lifestyle.

Acidity and gastrointestinal issues

Nowadays we are guzzling way too many colas and packaged foods. We are eating yet, we are not concentrating on the food. As a result, we are suffering from acidity, bloating and so on. Consuming too many acidic foods disrupt the pH balance of your stomach, thus creating a breeding ground for various diseases. If you are suffering from heartburn and other problems, you know that you are eating the wrong kind of foods, and need to fix your diet to get relief from such problems.

Constipation

Nowadays we are so into packaged foods that we are consuming less and less of fiber, as a result of which we suffer from constipation. Constipation can make us feel sluggish and creates a major dent on our appetite. Eating more of whole-grains full of fiber like amaranth, brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds and chia seeds is a good way of fixing the problem.

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Irritable bowel syndrome

Most people are nowadays complaining of irritable bowel syndrome. IBS is a mix of stomach discomfort or pain and trouble with bowel movements, making one go to the loo more or less often than normal, diarrhea or having a different kind of stool. The main causes of IBS are stress, foods, hormones and other illnesses. Lifestyle corrections along with medication are the only ways how this condition can be corrected.

Anxiety

A stressful job or family life can cause anxiety. A frenetic lifestyle can cause unmitigated stress, resulting in various anxiety disorders. A number of other factors also play a role, including personality factors, adverse life situations, and current life circumstances, which can lead to anxiety disorder symptoms.

Anxiety

Skin-aging

Our environment and lifestyle choices can result in our skin aging faster than we would like, which are also anxiety disorder symptoms. The medical term for this type of aging is “extrinsic aging.” But we can stop it by taking some preventive actions; we can slow the effects that this kind of aging has on our skin. Just following a few simple steps can help you stall aging for some time. Using sunscreen, a good moisturizer, drinking lots of water and eating a healthy balanced diet can help you get good skin for ages to come.

Allergies

Allergy symptoms occur when your immune system overreacts to an allergen—something that does not cause any major harm. A few of the allergens are plant pollen, dust mites, molds, insect stings or food. Allergies can affect you when you have an immune system which is affected by pollution and your lifestyle choices.

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Migraines

If you are having those recurring headaches and you do not know what to do about it, you have to find out the triggers which set off the migraines in the first place like specific foods, alcohols, smells or similar. An ill-managed lifestyle and poor food choices along with pollution are the chief reasons why people get affected by migraines. If you take the proper steps, then you will be able to control it before it gets out of hand.

PCOS

Are you troubled by facial hair, acne and do you suffer from irregular periods? There is an ample chance that you may be suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a lifestyle-related disease in women who are of reproductive age. The incidence of the disease has risen sharply in recent times, thanks to an irregular lifestyle.

Lifestyle Modifications

The above are the main lifestyle disorders which plague us today. But do you know that a few general lifestyle modifications can bring about a lot of differences in your life? But the question is, are you willing to push yourself enough to bring about the changes? If you are, then the following steps will help you stall these disorders right in their tracks so that they don’t snowball into something more sinister and chronic.

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  • Positivity is the way to go- You can do it, yes; you have to convince yourself, that you are capable enough, and also have to learn to accept things. Accept things that every time you may not come out on top.

The trick is to accept the good with gratitude and the bad without self-reproach. If you are too hard on yourself you are going to suffer from stress and anxiety. Stay close to your friends and relatives and let them be your emotional support.

Exercise

Now this is a no-brainer! You have to invest a good thirty to forty minutes of your time every day, which could be your key to health and happiness. Exercise is the best way to burn calories and fat. You have to plan out the activities that will allow you to burn the most calories.

Choose what you like best from running, weight-training, yoga, zumba, dancing, swimming and so on. The sweat released during the activities will help your body get rid of toxins and the happy hormones called endorphins will elevate your mood like no other. It will help keep you active and also keep chronic diseases like diabetes at bay.

Make healthier choices

Restock your fridge and pantry. Since you can only eat what is there in the kitchen, throw away all the junk foods in your cupboards immediately. Instead, stock up on nutritious, energy-boosting fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Strategize ahead so that you can fix a few go-to healthy meals too, then stock up on those ingredients, along with palm-sized packages of nuts, seeds, baby carrots, cucumbers, organic yogurt and so on for when you traveling. Avoid junk food at any cost.

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Increase the activity levels

Sitting cooped up all day at the office desk will prove to be detrimental to your spine in the long run. So stay active, it is said that one must stand up and walk every hour. Also, walk more to nearby places like your office wherever and whenever you can. Take the stairs and skip the elevator.

Sleep for 7 -8 hours

It is substantiated that a good 7-8 hours of sleep can keep chronic diseases at bay. So you need to concentrate on your forty winks to get adequate rest and refresh yourself to face a hectic and challenging day with full vigor and enthusiasm.

Drink water

Yes, drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water can help you with digestion problems and help your body get rid of toxins. Also combined with fiber, water can cure constipation. It also prevents headaches. So drink it up!

drinking-water

A few lifestyle changes can help you keep away a myriad of lifestyle disorders. Investing in a few hours of me time every day can calm you down, be it meditation, listening to music or talking to a loved one. It also pays if you remain gadget free for a few hours before you sleep. Invest in yourself, as you have only one lifetime to live might as well you live it well.

How to Overcome Lifestyle Disorders for a Healthier Tomorrow – PDF

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