8 Lifestyle Habits That You Should Stop Today To Stay Healthy

Nobody likes to admit that there’s something wrong with their health, be it mentally or physically or a bit of both, and that too when it comes to their lifestyle habits. But whether someone likes it or not, facts don't change. So, what would you prefer? Will you try to improve your mistakes or keep repeating those mistakes until it's too late? I leave the choice to you.

The purpose of this blog is to make people aware of the everyday habits that lead to something good or bad. Every little thing matters when it comes to your health. But most people realize this way down the road, by then the damage that occurred is almost critical and might take a lot of time to recover. So, to make sure you don't make the same mistakes, here are a few lifestyle habits that can affect your health in the long run. Not just for something as particular as hemorrhoids(bawasir/piles), but in general. These are some of the most common things that almost all of us have done, are still doing. Whether knowingly or unknowingly. These things can lead to serious health problems in the long run.

Here I am listing down the most common 8 lifestyle habits that can lead to hemorrhoids or other health-related issues,

1. Unhealthy/low fiber diet

2. Too much exercise/weightlifting

3. Resisting the urge to pass stool

4. Too much time on the toilet seat

5. Sitting for a long period of time

6. Not drinking enough water

7. Eating too much spicy food

8. Cycling

1. Imbalanced diet -

Balance is the key to a healthy life. Everything starts and ends with your stomach. If your diet is not balanced it will affect your stomach, and when your stomach is not happy you won't be happy. Now, everybody is familiar with the importance of fiber

But why?

Fiber is an essential nutrient that helps with digestion. Fiber or dietary fibers are mainly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes(pulses). Dietary fibers consist of the parts of plant food that our bodies cannot digest or absorb. Fiber cannot be digested by the body and passes relatively intact through the stomach. That is why fibers help to add the bulk to stool and also soften it which makes it easier to pass during the bowel movement.

So, if you are not eating vegetables now and then or are only living on fast foods chances are you have some stomach issues. Whether it be gas, acidity, constipation, diarrhea.

To avoid this mistake. Eat your fruits and vegetables properly because it will help you in the long run.

2. Overexerting your body -

Exercising along with a balanced diet is the key to a healthy life. Everyone should work out to keep the body and mind healthy. Working out helps to increase the blood flow and reduces the risk of -hemorrhoids, as well as other diseases. It increases the blood flow, improves your cardiovascular health, keeps you more active, improves mood and also helps improve digestion which can help maintain a regular bowel function. But too much of anything is bad for our health. Similarly, lifting too much weight in the gym or at work without proper care or technique can put excessive strain and put pressure on your back and rear. It can increase the blood flow to your veins in the anal region. Which can lead to the formation of hemorrhoids in the long run. So, do this instead,

If your work involves lifting heavy objects or you are just competing with your gym buddy, start slow. Learn the proper techniques and always use the proper form to avoid injuring your lower body. Do this and see the difference.

3. Ignoring nature’s call -

Ooooh...., not again, nature calls again? And you were just making some progress in your work. So, what would you do? Answer nature’s call or ignore it. Think again if you want to ignore it. Because it might become a habit. And this habit, which seems small for some, can cause some serious damage in the long run.

When you decide to ignore nature’s call, you have to use your lower muscles to hold the business right. This puts strain and pressure on your rectum and increases the risk of developing hemorrhoids. But that's not the only thing. If you make a habit of ignoring nature’s call, then nature will stop calling. In other words constipation.

So, here's what you can do to avoid this mistake,

All of us feel uncomfortable while thinking of using public restrooms. So, to avoid the use of public restrooms, train your body to have your bowel movement at a fixed time. Make a habit of going to the restroom first thing in the morning. Eat more fiber, work out regularly and it will help with the digestion process. So, next time when nature calls. Don't forget to answer it.

4. Taking your phone to the toilet -

While resisting the urge of going to the restroom is harmful so is spending too much time in the restroom. Everybody likes to take their phones when answering nature’s calls. And I know, there's nothing else to do but stare at the wall in front of you. But when we take our phone or other reading material we spend more time in the toilet than we actually need. But when we sit on the toilet to attend nature’s call, the muscles in our pelvic area naturally relax to help pass the stool. This relaxation encourages the blood flow to the area, which enlarges the vein. So, if we spend too much time in the toilet daily it can increase the chance of developing hemorrhoids, not to mention the smell and the extra time wasted in there that can be utilized in other productive work.

So, next time when nature calls don't take your phone with you. Your time in the toilet will be very much reduced. It will save you a lot of time and also help you prevent hemorrhoids in the long run.

5. Binge-watching -

Sitting in the toilet reading news or sitting in your office working or binge-watching your favorite show on weekends without getting up from the couch causes more harm to your body than you can imagine. Prolonged sitting can put pressure on the veins in your rectum which can lead to hemorrhoids.

So, avoid this mistake by taking breaks between your prolonged sitting sessions. When you feel tired from sitting don't just change position, get up and walk for a few minutes, stretch a bit. Take a bathroom break.

6. Not drinking water -

Our body is 60% water. So, what happens when we don't drink enough water? Dehydration happens. Dehydration makes the stool harder which makes it harder to pass during bowel movement and the hardened stool irritates the anal region when passing the stool during the bowel movement. And not only that, dehydration causes fatigue, dry skin, skin discolouration, constipation, and many other things.

An average adult man should consume about 3.7 litres and adult women about 2.7 litres of water in a day. Nothing can replace the water you drink, especially not beverages. So make a habit of drinking water. Water not only helps you stay hydrated, but it also helps soften the stool and prevents constipation.

7. Eating too much spicy/greasy food -

Most of us like to eat spicy food. Most of us compete among our friends on who can eat more spicy food. But this is bad on your stomach. Eating spicy/greasy foods also has its good and bad sides. Spicy/greasy foods are called soul food for a reason. When we eat them they relieve our mental pressure whatever that may be. You will never find someone stressed eating salads or fruits. But even if you have a lot of stress build-up, eating spicy/greasy food every day can cause more harm than good. Eating spicy food can cause diarrhea. This makes stool become watery and during the bowel movement can cause a burning sensation due to the heat from spicy food which inflames the veins in the rectum leading to hemorrhoids.

So, eat a balanced diet. It's good for the mind and body to have a little bit of everything. However, too much of it is poisonous to both the mind and the body.

8. Cycling -

If you are using a cycle for your daily commute to the office or just like to ride your cycle for a long-distance or spend a lot of time in spin class, you might be putting your lower back in harm. The hard bike seat pushes into the perineum and then leaning forward to grab the handle, can increase the blood flow to the veins in your rectum.

So, if you feel like your cycle seat is too hard for you, change it with a more ergonomic seat to make your rides more comfortable.