If you’re like most of us, you want to get and keep a high quality of life for as long as you remain on the earth. The good news is that living in the information age gives you the tools to meet your goals. The bad news is that media bombards us with half-truths and downright lies in the hopes that we will buy more of their products or services. We often see their ideas as credible due to marketing hype, celebrity endorsements, and incomplete data. These bad ideas that we pursue can leave us short-changed, tired, and unhealthy. Let’s uncover the truth by examining some good ideas as well as some popular myths.

 

#1 Eat Things That Harm Us

It wasn’t too long ago that pork producers advertised their meat as a healthier alternative to beef, lamb, and venison. Mothers everywhere stocked up on ham, pork chops, and pork sausages to prepare healthy home-cooked meals for their families. The truth is that pork is worse than fast food in many respects. Pigs are scavengers that host many types of parasites, bacteria, and viruses. According to Dr. Mercola, high heat doesn’t kill certain pork retroviruses and parasites even after prolonged cooking.

 

#2 Not Exercising Enough

You wouldn’t dream of lighting up a cigarette because of the Surgeon General’s warnings about cancer. However, most of us don’t think about the harm we inflict on ourselves when we regularly skip exercise. Studies that were published in the medical journal Lancet concluded that not exercising enough was the cause of a tenth of all premature deaths around the world. It causes the same amount of premature deaths as smoking.

 

#3 Fast Food Salads That Are Worse Than Fast Food

If eating at fast food restaurants is a way of life for you, you’ve probably passed on your favorite version of hamburger to get a healthy salad. However, WebMD’s registered dietician Elaine Magee warned that fast food salads are often overloaded with fat and calories because of dressings and other toppings. If you choose a salad that’s topped with creamy dressing, bacon, or fried chicken, it’s likely that your salad is worse than fast food for your health.

 

#4 Sitting Too Much

As a society, we often think cars, luxury furniture, and desk jobs are signs of prosperity. However, these items contribute to a sedentary lifestyle. Experts at the Mayo Clinic warned us that sitting too much leads to a variety of ailments that range from high blood sugar to cancer. The practice doesn’t do our physiques any favors either.

 

#5 Wearing Ties

While a necktie may make a man look polished, this accessory causes more harm than good. According to a 2018 Neuroradiology study, wearing ties lowers cerebral blood flow. Ties choke when fastened too tightly. Your body precisely regulates your brain’s blood flow, and reductions in flow result in brain tissue damage and cell death. If you have children, it’s important to note that this study documented the effects on the brain when ties choke adults; it doesn't consider teen boys whose brains are still developing. Wearing ties is a prime example of how an accessory that’s designed to make you look smarter lowers mental performance and wellbeing.

 

#6 Brushing Teeth Right After Meals

Brushing teeth after meals is a practice that many people aim to do because they believe that it’s part of a good oral hygiene regimen. It’s great that most people never meet this goal because brushing teeth after meals harms tooth enamel. Dental professionals at the Oral Health Foundation suggest waiting at least an hour after eating to brush your teeth. They say that acidic foods weaken tooth enamel, and brushing teeth right after eating a sugary or acidic meal removes the enamel.

 

#7 Night Lights

If you think that soothing night lights are the keys to a restful night’s sleep for you or your children, you’ll likely reconsider when you read what experts at Harvard Health say about the gadgets. Exposure to lights during the night disrupts the body’s natural sleep cycle. Scientists are conducting further research studies to verify the links between nighttime lights and diabetes, heart conditions, and certain types of cancer.

 

#8 Overuse of Smart Phones

Smart phone addiction is real, and the consequences impact your physical and mental wellbeing. UK opticians claim that overusing your smart phone can damage your eyes. Other smart phone syndromes include text neck back pain, text claw finger cramping, and no-phone zone anxiety.

 

#9 Over Prescription of Antibiotics

Consuming too many antibiotics tops the list of bad ideas we pursue. Over prescription of antibiotics in humans result in changes to our gut microbiome. Gut bacteria help us to digest our foods and absorb nutrients. Over prescription of antibiotics to humans isn’t our only problem, however. Antibiotics are extensively used in livestock husbandry, and this practice contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

 

Conclusion

Bad ideas are pursued by us with great enthusiasm. Ideas are the fuel of creativity, and the driver of activity, but sometimes no idea is better than plain bad ideas.

 

Purveyor of Ideas,

Sunil Thankamushy, Los Angeles