Bad Habits That Can Harm Your Appearance
Our appearance isn’t just an indicator of good looks or attractiveness – it is also a key indicator of our health. If we’re experiencing some health issues, they’re usually reflected in our appearance in some way. In order to achieve and maintain physical attractiveness, youthful look, and overall health, you need to change some of the bad habits that can affect your appearance. These harmful habits include consumption of too much junk food, caffeine and alcohol, smoking, bad posture and lack of sound sleep – many of which are simply a part of our everyday hectic life.
1. Eating too much junk food
Bad habit number one – eating junk food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, we are all dazzled with the fusion of savory tastes we get from biting into a delicious burger. However, we should definitely try avoiding fast food as it contains saturated fats, sugar, and sodium – all the extremely unhealthy ingredients which, when consumed regularly affect your general appearance, fitness and weight. It often results in health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and other serious conditions. Additionally, overeating even with healthy food is also bad for your appearance and health. Besides the aforementioned medical conditions, it can also cause high blood pressure and even some types of cancer. Those are reasons good enough to switch to a healthier diet, limiting the intake of junk food – it will regulate your nutrition, boost your energy, control your cravings and prevent energy crashes. Start by learning how to start a healthy diet and stick to it – it will make you healthy, happy and strong both physically and mentally.
2. Drinking too much alcohol
The delicious vice many people around the globe indulge in – that sweet coffee and ice-cold beer – bad habits we should avoid. They occupy a top place at the list of habits that ruin your appearance. How come? Even though an occasional beer or a glass of wine (one drink per day for women and two for men) can have positive impact on our cardiovascular system, consuming them excessively can cause major health problems such as kidney disease, liver disease, digestive issues, heart problems, bone damage, and even some cancers. It can also cause some mental problems such as depression. Physical consequences of excessive alcohol drinking are usually reflected in weight gain, often in the form of ‘beer belly’. What can you do to change this? Self-control plays a key role here – when you feel the need to drink, try a healthier alternative such as a cup of herbal tea, freshly squeezed juice or simply indulge in some kind of physical activity such as running, walking or swimming.
3. Smoking cigarettes
On the list of habits that can ruin your health, cigarettes occupy an important place. Millions of people worldwide are addicted to this habit that is highly health-hazardous as it affects almost all the organs in your body. Long-term consequences of smoking include health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, bronchitis, emphysema, and many other health issues. On the other hand, short-term consequences of smoking are reflected on your health and thus appearance, in the form of premature wrinkles, yellow teeth, dark circles around the eyes and bad smell. Research has shown that quitting smoking is very difficult for the vast majority of people since it’s quite addictive. However, modern-day science has come up with a transition/quitting solution for all those cigarette addicts. Companies such as Hoopers Vapour offer a wide range of e-cigarettes with many e-juices available, as a healthier alternative to smoking. These e-cigarettes are designed to help you satisfy your cigarette cravings, without the harmful nicotine present. If you can’t quit right away, try this less harmful smoking alternative, and who knows – maybe, in the end, it’ll actually help you quit once and for all.
4. Slouching all the time
Slouching and bad posture is yet another poor life habit that many people have and it is directly connected to your physical appearance. People who have an upright posture and who stand up and sit straight appear as self-confident and assertive people. Busy and hectic, computer-attached lifestyle has to lead us to develop this habit of bad posture and as such, it can have a harmful effect on our health by increasing the risk of muscle imbalance and decreasing our back’s flexibility. How can you help yourself? Well, regular physical exercise has been shown to aid a posture that’s upright. You can even learn about the great yoga poses you can do next to your office desk. Every once in a while, stand up from your desk and do some of the physical exercises that are sure to improve your posture.
5. Having irregular sleeping habits
When talking about how bad habits affect your health, irregular sleep must be mentioned. Not enough sleep results not only in black circles and bags around your eyes but also in some health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Lack of sleep can also affect your cognitive and memory systems. Sticking to a regular sleeping routine of 7 to 8 hour nights’ sleep will keep the dark circles off your face and your cognitive abilities sharp.
Keeping our body and mind healthy is of key importance to our overall physical appearance, the way other people perceive us and the way we affect the environment around us.