Reducing well known health risk factors like stress, could add years to life expectancy

There are several ways that the effects of stress can be reduced, whether it be the the effects of stress from work, life, partners or illness.

Some forms of stress is good for us – if we feel a little worried about our next project, that may spur us on to make it a brilliant one. This type of worry is not the nail-biting, freaking out about it every minute of the day. It is basically about thinking how best to handle something so that it reflects in the best way possible for us. Thinking about it, deciding how it will be done, and once it has been completed, letting it go. Not worrying about it any more.

When a person is in a constant state of worry and fear about anything and everything, there is no positivity for them to anchor to, and they feel overwhelmed and stressed. Too much stress can lead to health problem being aggravated or leading to health problems starting in the first place (studies are now starting to prove this – stress can make us ill!).

Stress can only affect us adversely if we do not have strategies on how to deal with it effectively.

Affirmations

Some positive affirmation to think about:

• If the worst happens, I’ll deal with it
• I can deal with anything
• Everything will work out ok in the end

There are many books on self-help available, which you can read. Good ones are by Louise L Hay and Shakti Gawain.

Stress relief strategies

• Meditation – this works by calming the body and mind and releasing negative emotion, which tenses the body and mind. Meditation is a way of learning how to sit still and relax
• Visualisation – this is a strategy in which there is some meditation involved, but it is more than just meditation. Visualisation is about imagining the source of the stress melting away and replacing it with calm and positivity
• Warm bath with mineral salts – this is a very effect strategy to de-stress after a long day and can help those that cannot get to sleep at night. All that is needed is a hot bath, some mineral salts (eg Radox or even just plain sea salt / rock salt) and a few drops of a relaxing essential oil such as lavender oil
• Exercise – exercise is a really useful de-stressing strategy. When we exercise, the “happy” hormones (endorphins) are released, but not only that, exercise allows the excess nervous energy to be released in a healthy, productive way
• Yoga – this is a form of eastern meditation and exercise. It is another way to calm the body and mind and again can release endorphins if it is a vigorous type of yoga. Even the more slower forms distract the mind enough to take the concentration off the stress
• Social Activities – spending time with other people helps to ease the effects of stress, as it provides joy and merriment within a social environment

These are the ten most common and avoidable health mistakes that people make to adversely impact their health.

People sometimes sabotage their health with some common mistakes they make. Staying up too late, using tanning salons, smoking and not eating breakfast are a few of the most common health mistakes people make – but there a whole lot more!

Your well-being needs to be a top priority – making these simple health mistakes means that you can suffer needlessly. If you are guilty of any of these health mistakes, act now to save your health.

The list below shows the ten most common health mistakes people regularly make – don’t ignore them.

Smoking

Smoking is very well known to be a complete health hazard, not just for the smoker, but for everyone around them too, as they inhale the smoke, through passive smoking.

Smoking has been implicated in lung, mouth and throat cancer, pregnancy complications, premature wrinkles and likelihood of impotence for men.

Luckily, more and more countries are passing anti-smoking laws for public places – so now it is possible to go out and not be subjected to other people’s dangerous cigarette smoke (no more passive smoking).

While quitting is very difficult for smokers due to the highly addictive nature of cigarette smoke, it is vital to quit, in order to gain better lung health primarily. If you insist on smoking, remember that you need extra vitamin C, as smoking depletes this from the body. This is also valid for passive smokers too.

Not getting enough sleep

Most people need around 6-8 hours of sleep a night, to be able to function effectively. Depriving yourself of sleep is a sure way to feel sluggish and be less mentally alert the next day. Not having enough sleep has also been linked to obesity, heart disease, anxiety and depression.

In order to sleep better, a regular sleeping pattern should be followed – going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day. The bedroom should only be used for sleep (or that other fun activity between two adults), with no distractions such as laptop computers or televisions. The bedroom should be a place for regular and satisfying sleep.

Using tanning salons

It is very well known that too much sun damages the skin and latest evidence has shown that tanning salons also damage the skin. An all-year-round tan is not worth the possible health risks – such as skin cancer and premature wrinkling. A much better option is to use a self-tanners and to just keep out of the sun between the hours of 11am and 2pm, when the sun is at it’s strongest and can potentially cause the most damage. Sunscreen is also recommended at all times when you are exposed to the sun’s days, but some sunshine is necessary for obtaining Vitamin D, so some time spent in the sun is required.

Recent legislation in Australia in a number of states has banned minors (children under 18) from using tanning salons

Legislation in the USA does not allow minors (children under 18) to use tanning salons unless they have permission from their parents, with some states either banning minors from using tanning salons or they are in the process of creating legislation to enable this ban.

Skipping breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because it starts your metabolism up again, after it has slowed down while you are sleeping. Skipping breakfast means your blood sugar and energy levels start to drop and result in reduced mental ability. Eating nothing at breakfast can result in eating more during the rest of the day, to compensate for not having breakfast and feeling hungry.

If you have not eaten breakfast for a long time, a good way to start, is to have small portions of easily digestible foods to get you used to having some food at this time.

Some good examples for those who need to start with a small breakfast are:

• peanut (or any other nut) butter on toast, with a glass of juice and/or milk
• smoothie (some fruit and milk with yoghurt – can be dairy or rice/soy/nut milk)
• muesli or wholegrain cereal with milk (can be dairy or rice/soy/nut milk)

The above breakfast ideas are quick and easy to prepare and easy to digest and will serve the important purpose of ensuring you kick-start your metabolism after sleeping and give you the energy to start the day.

Avoiding regular medical checks

There are many regular medical checks that need to be undertaken by men and women either yearly or less regularly, to ensure you have a clean bill of health and any disease can be caught in the initial stages, when it is far easier to treat it, than if it is already progressed and is in an advanced stage. These visits can potentially save your life.

Women should visit their gynaecologist for a pap smear every 1-2 years, when they will also have a breast examination. A yearly mammogram is recommended for women over 40.

Men should have their genitals (including prostate) checked for irregularities every year.

A six-monthly visit to the dentist is recommended, as is a yearly check-up with your family doctor (unless there are health problems which need immediate resolution, which require a visit).

There are many other medical tests that need to be done, but only for those people who are at high risk of developing these diseases. Your family doctor, who has your family history, will know what to tests to order for you, to keep you healthy.

Not exercising enough or at all

Exercise is vital to ensure all parts of your body are continually being conditioned and used efficiently. Exercise helps your heart function properly, ensures your lungs are working effectively, tones your body, builds muscle tone and helps you lose fat. Most women do not need to build up much muscle tone to gain the benefits of exercise – a faster metabolism which burns fat, even when the body is still.

Exercising also has many other health benefits – one study revealed that people who exercised regularly had 25% less colds than those people who did not exercise.

Exercise releases endorphins – which are “feel-good” hormones. This means that it is a very useful technique to release any stress very easily and effectively.

Not reducing your stress

More and more studies are showing stress causes or exacerbates many health conditions. Stressful situations result in the “flight or fight” syndrome effect in the body. As most stressful situations today do not allow the proper release of stress hormones (namely cortisol), it means these hormone increase and affect the whole body in a negative way.

In one study where university students stress levels were measured, especially at exam time, showed that those students who had higher stress levels had decreased immune function.

Some ways to release stress are to have a regular relaxing massage, curb the negative self-talk (if it is a problem), have time management strategies in place to manage exams or work projects and do some form of physical activity. Exercise is an effective way to release stress. The B Vitamins support the nervous system and are a useful supplement in times of stress. Foods that contain higher levels of the B vitamins are wholegrain and dairy products, vegemite and yeast.

Not controlling your temper

Anger management is vital to good health. Frequent angry outbursts show a distinct inability to handle negative emotions, holding them inside until they have reached boiling point, where an emotional explosion naturally occurs. Holding negative emotions inside, rather then expressing them as they happen is really harmful to health, as it means these emotions often become bigger than they were initially, any further negative emotion is heaped on top and then it all becomes overwhelming and comes out in a temper tantrum, which is not just harmful for the person experiencing it, but also for the recipient and can cause alienation in relationships.

Strategies are required to release negative emotions in a safe way and to cope with the angry outbursts if they do occur:

• expressing emotions should be learnt, in small steps and in ways that do not have negative impacts, as this could be counter-productive
• support from friends and loved ones should be the sought
• learn to listen to other people, to be able to see what they want
• learn to forgive those that have created the angry reaction
• relaxation techniques should be learnt

Avoiding fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables contain the highest levels of almost all antioxidants, which are vital for scavenging and removing inactivating free radicals in the body, as well as boosting the immune system.

Some free radicals are naturally produced in the body as by-products of specific, natural processes, but the body is normally able to handle and remove these harmlessly. It is more often the free radicals from pollution, chemicals in the office and home, cigarette smoke, that can cause a build-up of free radicals in the body.

Damage from free radicals has been implicated in heart disease and various cancers, because of the potential damage to the DNA (the basis of all cells), which leaves an opening for serious disease. Antioxidants mop up the free radicals in the body and remove them harmlessly, thus ensuring there is no DNA damage.

Vegetables and fruits, especially brightly coloured ones, contain the highest levels of antioxidants and should be eaten at every meal to get the healthy immune-boosting and free radical removal benefits.

Going on fad diets

here are a lot of crazy diets in the market, which do nothing for ensuring that weight loss is permanent and health is maintained.

Some diets restrict the kilojoule intake to a level that is too low for normal and healthy human function

Some diets restrict eliminate or severely restrict complete food groups which will only ensure that your health is compromised through the lack of many vitamins and minerals

Some diets advocate eating no fats or oils, which will only ensure that the essential fatty acids are lacking and will cause health problems if followed for a long period

The only way to ensure weight loss is to follow a sensible, healthy eating plan with enough protein, fat and carbohydrates in each meal. This means low fat, but not no fat, carbohydrate and protein is eaten with every meal, as the human body needs the essential fatty acids in fats and oils, carbohydrates for energy and protein to build cells and muscles.

Organic foods have been grown without the use of pesticides, artificial fertilisers, hormones or antibiotics. Organic farmers promote farming methods that care for the environment, are sustainable and have animal welfare as a high priority.

Nutritional benefits of organics

It has been shown in studies that organic foods have higher levels of vitamins and minerals, including those cancer-fighting compounds – antioxidants which scavenge for free radicals to limit or prevent them from damaging the DNA.

Flavonoids (which are potent antioxidants) are produced by the plant to protect it from damage by their natural predators – insects. When pesticides and herbicides are used on plants, these naturally-occuring flavonoids are decreased. When plants are artificially protected from insects (through the use of pesticides and herbicides), they do not produce as much antioxidants because there is not as much need to do so. By using these chemicals to protect plants from disease and pests, a two-fold negative effect is produced:

1. plants produce less antioxidants, so that when we eat them, they do not provide the high levels of antioxidant protection as organic foods grown naturally would,
2. the environment is poisoned by these pesticides and herbicides.

Organic foods contain higher levels of the cancer-protecting antioxidants and are preferable to conventional foods. Check to see if the food is certified by the proper certifying authority.

Costs of organics

Organic foods are somewhat more expensive than conventional foods, mainly because there are more costs associated with producing organic products and also because it is still a smaller industry than conventional farm. Organic farming is still in it’s infancy, although it is the only way that farming was done in the past, before chemicals were introduced.

Organic farming take-up is growing steadily, as more farmers are realising the benefits to them and their families. The more farmers that use these natural farming methods, the more the costs of the foods will be lowered.

Going organic

To start eating organics, the best way to do this, if cost is an issue, is to be a selective organic food shopper. To do this:

• Try to buy organics of the foods that have the most chemicals applied – such as: strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, pears and apples
• Other fruits and vegetables that have a skin that is peeled can be bought from the conventional range
• Try to buy organics of the foods that are eaten most and conventional of the foods that are eaten least
• Check to make sure the food is certified by the relevant certifying authority

Organics in Australia

The following are references for organics in Australia:

• Biological Farmers of Australia
  Provides information about biodynamic and organic farming
• The National Associate of Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA)
  Australian and International Organic Certifier
• Australia Certified Organic Standard
  Australian and International Organic Certifier
• Organic Operators Australia
  The peak body for the Organic Industry in Australia
• Biodynamic Agriculture Australia
  Provides information about biodynamic farming
• Organic Consumers Association
  Provides information about organic agriculture

What is bisphenol A (BPA) and how does it impact human health?

Bisphenol A is a chemical which has been developed and added to plastics for the past 60 years.

The chemicals that are used to make plastics are – Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates as well as a number of other chemicals.  The BPA continuously leeches out of the plastic, at the same rate, over the lifetime of the plastic (whatever it is).  This is a given.

Previously, the health agencies advised that BPA did not impact on human health because people were exposed at such low levels and this did not have an adverse effect on health as the body was able to excrete it without any harmful effects.  This has since been shown to be not true where BPA is concerned.  Even a small, minute exposure, if it is continuous and occurs over a long time is associated with adverse health effects. Continuous and higher exposure over a long period has even worse health outcomes.

Bisphenol A is known as an endocrine (hormone) system disruptor. This means that is associated with blocking the proper function of the hormones in the body, but particularly the sex hormones (eostrogen, testosterone). If the hormones are not functioning as they should be, this can cause a whole rage of health conditions.

BPA acts as a xenoestrogen, which means it behaves as if it has eostrogenic properties, all over the body. The BPA attaches to the eostrogen receptors in the body and it can turn on, turn off or change the signal that the receptor sends out to the body. The BPA can completely alter normal hormone levels by blocking them or causing them to be activated in excessively high or low levels.  All of the bodily functions which are controlled by those hormones get affected by the abnormal hormone levels (too much, too little or none at al) and this is how endocrine disruptors can affect health.

Altering the normal effect of the hormones in the body may cause a number of health conditions, especially reproductive disorders and even neurological damage to the developing brain (of the foetus or child).  Since the endocrine system controls basically every aspect of the body, from metabolism, to fertility, to development of sex organs, any changes to the hormone levels can have an adverse impact.

Interestingly, BPA was studied in the 1940’s as a possible replacement for eostrogen in women who were going through menopause, but was not used in favour of other synthetic eostrogens.

The issue is not exposure from one source, the issue is cumulative exposure from multiple sources, which means the body cannot excrete the Bisphenol A at all because people are simply bombarded with this chemical in just about everything they touch, use and eat.

What are phthalates and how do they impact human health?

Phthalates are a class of chemicals which are used as plasticisers, to soften plastics and make them more pliable. They are often used with PVC (a known carcinogen) to soften it and they are also found in cosmetics and personal care products, including lotions, creams, sun care, hair care and other types of personal care and personal hygiene products.

Phthalates are extremely common in our environment because they are used in so many products people use.  There are numerous phthalates that have been developed for use in plastics.

Phthalates are also known as endocrine disruptors as they disrupt the fine balance of hormones in the body (which are normally released in very small amounts by the endocrine organs and tissues) and this can also impair reproduction and development of the foetus and are implicated in a number of health conditions.

As with Bisphenol A, phthalates were thought to be harmlessly excreted out of the human body quite quickly without any adverse effects, but this again, is thought to be not the case.  Scientists now think that even a small amount of phthalates on a continuous basis over a long period is the issue to health.  Studies so far have shown that blood levels of phthalates in people (especially children) are a lot higher than have been previously reported or expected, often greatly exceeding the upper daily limit that has been specified for humans and this is a huge concern.  Research has shown that women between the ages of 20-40 have over 45 times more phthalates in their body than is either tolerable for good health or was previous hypothesised.

The issue is not exposure from one source, the issue is cumulative exposure from multiple sources, which means the body cannot excrete the phthalates at all because people are simply bombarded with this chemical in just about everything they touch, use and eat.

According to the US National Library of Medicine web site Bisphenols & phthalates , di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate is listed as a substance “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” in the Eleventh Report on Carcinogens, published by the National Toxicology Program.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences are currently studying several other phthalates and have stated that seven of these pose “minimal” concern for causing reproductive problems, but that one of those phthalates, di-n-butyl phthalate, may adversely affect human reproduction or development.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have also stated that high levels of exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in people who have medical tubing or other plastic devices inserted, especially for feeding, breathing or medication in newborn infants may have an adverse effect on the male newborn babies’ health. It seems likely that the same adverse effect occurs in adults who are exposed to the medical tubing inserted for feeding, breathing or medication.

In 2003, the European Union created a directive to ban all phthalates in cosmetics that are sold in Europe due to the overwhelming evidence about adverse health effects.  There is no such ban in Australia, USA or UK.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has produced two web sites to help people understand exactly what they are putting on their body:

• Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Not Too Pretty – National Library of Medicine web site has a great deal of valuable and useful information about the chemicals in your cosmetics and personal care products
• Skin Deep – The Skin Deep web site is a database of numerous cosmetics and other personal care products with ingredients listed and safety information about those chemicals

Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates may increase risk for certain health conditions

Countless studies show that Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates have a detrimental effect on human health and in particular, both have been shown to impact it in the following ways by increasing risk of the following conditions (listed alphabetically):

• Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Birth defects in the unborn child
• Cancers of the breast, ovaries and prostate – these cancers can occur many years later after the child has been exposed either in-utero or post-birth, in the formative years
• Earlier puberty in girls – this is now being attributed to possible BPA and phthalate exposure
• Feminisation of boys, by reduction of the space between the genitals and anus (a characteristic of girls)
• Fertility problems for both men and women
• Heart disease
• Higher blood cholesterol levels
• Insulin resistance and obesity
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage
• Lowered acetylcholine levels (a neurotransmitter required for proper communication between the nerves and muscles for normal function)
• Lung damage
• Miscarriage
• Problems with learning, memory and mental development in children
• Prostate gland enlargement
• Reduced effectiveness of chemotherapy medications (this has recently been suggested as an issue that could be due to BPA)
• Reduced sperm count in adult men
• Testicular cancer

Where can you find bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates

Both BPA and phthalates are everywhere and impact people in so many ways because of the exposure from multiple sources:

• Adhesive material used in dentistry (for filling, crowns, bridges etc)
• Automobile parts
• Baby care products
• Baby dummies
• Baby products
• Body care products
• Books, especially the front and back covers
• Breast pumps
• Carpet
• Carpet cleaners (especially if perfumed)
• CD & DVD covers and the actual discs
• Cleaning products
• Coffee and tea pots (that have plastic inside)
• Computers
• Cosmetics
• Face care products
• Glues
• Hair care products
• Home furnishings, especially the plastic lining on the back of some curtains
• Insecticides
• Laundry products
• Lining of food cans/tins
• Lining of the underside of lids of bottles
• Magazines, especially the front and back covers
• Medical devices
• Milk containers (many have been covered with some plastic internally)
• Nail polish and nail polish remover
• Perfumes
• Plastic bottles
• Plastic food containers
• Plastic storage containers
• Paint
• Room atomisers/sprays
• Televisions
• Toys
• Varnish (for wooden floors)

How to reduce your exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates

Both BPA and phthalates are everywhere and impact people in so many ways due to exposure from multiple sources and because of this it is difficult to reduce exposure from all sources, but it is possible to reduce the main sources:

• Avoid certain plastics – Avoid plastics with the numbers #3 and #7 – these almost definitely contain Bisphenol A, phthalates or PVC (a known carcinogen). Also avoid #6 and #8 as they most likely contain these chemicals too
• Avoid heating plastics – Do not heat any plastics in the microwave – use only ovenproof glass or ceramic. It should state it on the underside of the dish whether it is ovenproof or microwave proof today. If you are not sure, just use a different bowl
• Avoid putting liquids in plastic – Do not use plastics for drinking water / juice or any liquid hot or cold – use glass, ceramic or stainless steel
• Buy less plastic containers – Try to buy fewer foods in plastic containers for food storage. Try to buy only glass/ceramic/stainless steel containers to store your food
• Certain plastics may be okay – If you need to use any plastics, look for number #1, #2, #4 and #5. Out of all these, #5 is the best to use as no adverse effects have been determined for this type of plastic, but with the other numbers, there may or may not be possible adverse effects
• Don’t buy take-away foods in plastic containers – eat it at the restaurant, or if you want to take home the left-overs, wait until the food is completely cold and then ask your server to pack it. As soon as you get home, transfer the food into a glass or ceramic bowl and cover with glass or ceramic (not plastic)
• Don’t use glad wrap (saran wrap) on left-over foods –  Place any left-overs in a glass or ceramic bowl and use either the lid that comes with it, or if it does not, use a plain ceramic plate to cover it and store in the fridge
• Don’t use PVC gloves – these gloves contain PVC (a known carcinogen) and probably phthalates too. Use gloves that state they are made from “natural rubber or latex” without powder (as long as you are not allergic to latex/rubber)
• Don’t use scratched or broken plastic containers – if you have any type of container, dish, storage containers, baby bottles, baby cups, teets or other plastics that are scratches, chipped or broken, you must throw them away, because these opening in the plastic make it easier for the BPA/phthalates to leech out
• Painting a baby’s room – if you are pregnant and you or your partner want to paint the baby’s room, make sure you do so a few months before the baby is due and only use non-toxic, natural paint. Find one which is the most closest to natural and that is water-based and even organic if you can. Do not do the painting yourself, get a professional (or someone else) to do the painting and air out the room for a few weeks to make sure there are no chemicals left in the room
• Plastic dummy/cups for babies – Do not give your baby a plastic dummy, cups or toys which could contain BPA or phthalates. Find toys,  baby dummy and cups which are guaranteed to be BPA/phthalate free
• Use non-toxic, natural glue – there are a number of non-toxic, natural, water-based glues that are available, have no noxious smell and will not contain the chemicals BPA/phthalates (or very little)
• Use non-toxic paint, floor varnish – there are a number of non-toxic paints and floor varnishes that are natural and do not contain these chemicals (some contain no BPA/PVC, some contain no BPA/phthalates/PVC, while others may contain just a little)
• Use certified organics – cosmetics, face care, body care, hair care, baby care  and personal hygiene products made with certified organic ingredients and foods do not BPA, phthalates or PVC and are also better for your health

Latest updates

In May 2008, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the USA declared that Bisphenol A (BPA) was not a risk to human health and exposure from plastics in food containers and other plastics are “below those that may cause health effects,” according to FDA testimony before a Senate committee.

In January 2010, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the USA revised its earlier statement about Bisphenol A (BPA) above and is now cautioning parents to keep plastics away from their babies, infants and children based on the results of recent studies which had used more “novel” approaches to detect the more subtle, but adverse effects of BPA on human health.

In October 2008, the Canadian Government declared Bisphenol A a ‘dangerous substance’ and started to work on legislation that will prohibit the importation, sale and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA). In addition to this, the Canadian government intend to take steps which limit the amount of bisphenol A that is released into their environment.

In 2006, the Danish Environment Protection Agency provided new guidelines for pregnant and lactating mother to help them reduce their exposure of Bisphenol A and phthalates, based on the results of many experiments showing how detrimental these chemicals are on the health of the unborn foetus and growing child, especially because the effect is from cumulative and continuous exposure.

While this is a positive approach it is simply the start, because it is not only BPA that can cause these effects, it is also a class of chemicals called phthalates, which are also known endocrine disruptors and which also have known detrimental effects on human health.