Medical Professionals, Share The Everyday Habits That Many People Think Are "Harmless" But Are Actually Silent Killers
We're all guilty of bad habits — but sometimes, those habits can have consequences.
Like, I've said this before, but putting off buying a proper ergonomic chair left my chronic lower back pain unchecked for years. If I had just bought the dang proper chair sooner, I may have saved a lot of discomfort (and visits to the physiotherapist).
While my chair setup wasn't necessarily killing me, it did cause some serious pain and got me thinking about all the other everyday things many of us do that are slowly causing us damage (or maybe even taking years off our lives).
So, if you're a doctor or medical professional, I want to hear from you — what are some everyday things people are doing that you believe are slowly killing them?
Maybe you’re a general family doctor, and while sedentary lifestyles aren’t new, you’ve noticed an increase in young patients spending more time indoors, sitting down, rather than leading active lifestyles. You’ve observed that excessive screen time is affecting their mental well-being — not to mention the heightened risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes associated with inactivity.
Perhaps you’re a doctor specializing in managing diabetes and obesity, and you’re consistently surprised by how few patients pay attention to product labels — particularly the sugar content. Adults in the U.S. unknowingly consume 2–3 times the recommended daily sugar allowance, and you see firsthand how patients fall victim to deceptive marketing tactics.
For example, companies may highlight "zero fat" or other seemingly positive health claims (i.e., "gluten-free") on packaging to detract from the high sugar content. You're committed to helping patients become more aware of these dangers, which you believe are literally killing them.
Maybe you're a dentist, and you see time and time again bad oral hygiene leading to severe, and sometimes deadly, complications down the road. What many people don't realize is that untreated gum infections can cause far more than cavities or tooth loss. Poor oral health, including gum disease or tooth loss, has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular issues like heart attacks and strokes.
If you're a doctor or medical professional, let us know what everyday things you believe are slowly killing people — whether obvious or more unknown – down in the comments or at this anonymous form.
Your response could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post.
