In 2015 alone, over nine million deaths were caused by Pollution across the world.
The USA loses more than 200,000 people to air pollution every year. Air pollution is the leading cause behind 7,700 premature deaths in Canada every year.
But contamination of our environment isn’t the only silent killer.
Processed and genetically engineered foods, lethargic lifestyles, excessive time spent on mobile phones and laptops, working late at night, skipping proper sleep every day are slowly deteriorating our health every passing minute.
Much More Smartphones?
As our dependence on modern technology continues to soar, people of all ages have embraced rather unhealthy lifestyles.
Confused? Consider the time you spend browsing social media and watching videos on your mobile phone. Confession: I spend anywhere between 2-3 hours every day! It’s not bad, it’s horrible!
This routinely prolonged exposure to the mobile screen post my 7-8 hour-long workday is the reason why my head and my eyes often hurt in the middle of the day. Not to mention, it made me anxious, stressed, hurt my neck muscles, robbed me of precious time that
My doctor labeled popping pills a temporary solution and recommended I limit my ‘mobile time’ to not exceed 30 minutes. Can’t say if it worked wonders as it has only been a week, but my eyes sure feel better!
An average American spends around 144 minutes on his/her mobile every day. Imagine the damage.
All this time we spend, curling in comfy couch chairs in unhealthy postures, with sugar-laden coffee and a handy mobile screen playing the latest episode of Game of Thrones or House of Cards isn’t doing us any favors. This lethargic, screen-addicted lifestyle is dangerous.
Throw in skipped breakfasts, thrift 4-5 hours of sleep, processed food consumption, reliance on takeouts laden with Trans and saturated fats, lack of physical activity, pill-popping for weight loss, detox, brain boosters, stimulants, uppers, etc., and you have the recipe for disaster.
A proactive lifestyle
Speaking from experience, replacing morning fries or instant fattening noodle breakfast with oatmeal and fruits might just be the best decision of your life. When your stomach is feeling creative, try hummus, bread, and some wonderful yogurt or kefir.
We aren’t destined to be doomed, but as a generation, our collective spiral into a world of stylish and fast cars, instant foods, chemically altered foods, toxic smoking, and drinking habits are taking us towards a point of no return.
You don’t want to suppress life and the gifts of nature with smog, pollution, fast cars, flashy mobiles, screens so big that they cover the entire walls, buildings loftier than mountains.
People work late nights just to impress their boss for an appraisal, binge on unhealthy foods on their desk and in bed, breathe the same air they smoke in.
If you notice, it’s a strange, hopeless cycle that we contribute too heavily. We pursue convenience and accumulate cars, phones, smart-watches, fridges, and washing machines that work on artificial intelligence.
We eat ready-to-cook foods, they order in even on traditional dinners, add layers of so-called virgin oils to salad! Not only that, but we smoke, switch to e-cigarettes, and succumb to luxury and lethargy with flashy SUVs. Our consumerism and consumption are what’s accelerating pollution, obesity, depression, drug addiction, etc.
I recently started a 25-minute exercise routine, and it has done me wonders. I just stretch, do planks, squats, and lunges and try to walk at least 10 minutes a day, and it’s working out pretty great for me. Cutting back on the time I spent on my Smartphone has helped me sleep better this week, too.
I had a particularly nasty habit of completing assignments late at night, but sleeping 8 hours every day for the last week has been a blessing for me.
Next on my list is using public transportation instead of driving to work every day. A few friends who made this colossal lifestyle change last year and their consequent savings inspired me to switch to simpler, quicker public transportation, and I have high hopes indeed.
The smallest changes make the most difference
My mother always taught me to be a morning person. However, when you are a creative writer for a leading advertisement agency, every night is a cocktail of stress and pending tasks.
But I made the big change this summer: I decided to wake up early every morning, get most of my individual brainstorming done and take care of professional and personal communications then. My colleagues found my early morning replies to their mails a bit strange, but they adjusted to the change. I feel less exhausted and my stress levels aren’t through the roof either.
Another big change I made this winter was diet. I decided to eat rice and oatmeal with fried vegetables every morning for breakfast and cereal for dinner on weekdays since November. It hasn’t even been two months and I already feel light as a feather.
In What ways Might Friendships be Beneficial to You?
Having a decent group of friends is important for your physical and mental well-being. In good and bad times, friends can lift your spirits and provide you with a shoulder to lean on. In addition to preventing isolation and loneliness, friends allow you to provide companionship to others in need of it. Also, “Friends can”
- Boost your sense of purpose and belonging.
- Make yourself happier and less stressed.
- Boost your self-esteem and confidence.
It can help you deal with tragedies like divorce, serious sickness, job loss, or the death of a loved one.
Encouraging a change in unhealthy habits, such as excessive alcohol consumption and a lack of physical activity, health benefits from the company of good friends, too. Adults with strong social ties are less likely to suffer from serious health issues like depression, hypertension, and obesity (BMI). According to research, those who have strong social ties and meaningful relationships are more likely to live longer than those who lack those connections.
Go Green
My employer recently tied up with a ‘go green’ not-for-profit organization to spread awareness about global warming, pollution, climate change, the importance of greenery, etc. Our entire team accepted the job wholeheartedly and planted 5 potted plants each, either at the workplace or at home.
My terrace now looks prettier, greener and I feel healthier breathing cleaner air inside my house.
Often, we don’t realize how chasing gadgets to make our lives easier really turns us to cancerous lifestyles. Nevertheless, a proactive and picky approach towards the pleasure of digital and convenient life and accountability towards the environment and personal health will push us into the right direction.
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