How Bad Is It To…
BY BETHANY HEITMAN
Sure, you’d love to make the healthiest possible choices all of the time. Unfortunately, life gets busy and sometimes those choices may not be ideal.But how do you know what shortcuts you can make—and which you need to worry about. It can be tricky, really—especially if you rely on Dr. Google to answer your biggest questions. There is just so much conflicting information out there.
We’re here to help! Below, some common health questions that JW gets asked all of the time, and how bad they actually are (which is to say, sometimes they’re not too bad at all).
Photo by Emily Morter
I know wearing sunscreen is important and am really good about applying it—most of the time. But once or twice a summer, I slip up and get a sunburn. Am I doing irrevocable damage?
Chances are, one sunburn isn’t going to lead to serious skin damage. That said, every single sunburn someone gets boosts the chance for skin cancer. Here’s why: When your skin absorbs UV rays, it damages the genetic material in skin cells. Over time, this damage can build up and the more damage the builds, the higher the likelihood of cancer.
All of this is to say that one sunburn may not be a huge deal, but if you are getting a few burns each summer, it’s not great.
Beyond elevating your skin cancer risk, a sunburn can cause premature aging and lead to fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots.
Anytime you are outside (regardless of whether it’s sunny or not), you should be slathering on a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Also smart: Wearing clothes that cover you and throwing on a hat.
It’s kind of a gross habit, but cracking my knuckles feels so darn good. I’m not doing anything harmful…right?
Whether it’s a nervous tick or a way to relieve pressure, there’s something so satisfying about cracking your knuckles. But perhaps you’ve heard rumors that it can cause arthritis? Fear not, this is a total myth.
That popping sound is pretty harmless. It’s caused by nitrogen bubbles bursting in your synovial fluid (that’s the liquid that lubricates joints). Once popped, the nitrogen takes around 20 minutes to reform so that you can start cracking all over again.
As for whether this little habit actually makes you feel looser? Experts agree it’s mostly a psychological relief.
One thing to note: Though rare, if you use excessive force when you crack, you could accidentally cause ligament damage—so if you’re going to do it, be gentle.
What can I say, I’m a creature of habit! I pretty much eat the same three meals every day—all of which are healthy. Is that okay?
First, give yourself a pat of the back for filling your body with healthy, nutrient-filled foods every day. But now we’re going to urge you to mix things up a bit. There’s a few reasons it’s not a great idea to eat the same things over and over.
First, eventually you are going to get bored. With no variety, you may wind up binging on foods that aren’t so healthy for you. You are far better off eating healthfully 90 percent of the time and treating yourself occasionally than you are sticking to a strict diet and then going totally off the rails.
But there is another reason it’s important to mix up the foods you eat. When you consume the same things, you aren’t getting any diversity in gut microbes (a.k.a., the healthy bacteria that keeps your digestion on track).
One study found that you need to eat 30 different plants a week to keep your gut in peak health. Sounds like a lot, right? But if you list out different food options, you’ll see it’s not as hard as you may think. Different types of vegetables, fruits, legumes, beans, grains, seeds, soy and herbs all count.
An easy way to mix things up is to make small tweaks. Say you have a salad every day for lunch. Two to three times a week, try to switch up the protein you add. Or maybe you always do a side of broccoli for dinner. One night, try bok choy or asparagus instead. Simple substitutions are all you need to keep things interesting.
By Bethany Heitman, Contributor
P.S. Remember that no matter what you're going through right now, you don't have to do it alone! There are others like you in our community, where we interact on a daily basis, fight our demons, share our victories, and watch over each other as friends and accountability partners.
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