Here are lifestyle mistakes we all may be guilty of committing. Getting rid of these harmful habits can improve our health dramatically.
Our overall health is the sum total of many habits that we form over months and years. What we eat, how we sleep, move our body and manage our stress can have long-term implications on our well-being. There are certain habits that might be ruining our health over the years without us realising their negative effect on our physical and mental health. Not being mindful of what we are snacking on can load the body with excess sugar and fat which could go on to develop as obesity which may further lead to several chronic diseases from diabetes, blood pressure to heart illnesses. Similarly, sleeping late at night can disturb our circadian rhythm and worsen metabolism, digestion and alertness levels which can affect our daily productivity. (Also read: 5 rules to eat mangoes to prevent blood sugar spikes in people with diabetes)
Being mindful about inculcating positive habits can go a long way in building a healthy life for future. Most importantly, one should listen to their body and mind before doing anything be it eating or exercising. Over-exerting your body by working out excessively for instance can do more harm than good. Eating without appetite can upset your digestive health.
Ayurveda expert Dr Dixa Bhavsar Savaliya talks about habits that you need to get rid of in order to be healthy.
1. Eating without hunger
Eating your food at a fixed time is a good thing but there are times when we aren’t able to digest our food well and piling up on more food in that case can distress your digestive system further and must be avoided.
“Hunger is a sign that your previous meal is digested well. When you eat without appetite- you’re over burdening your liver. The best rule you need to follow is to eat only when you are hungry. Avoiding eating when you are hungry and eating without hunger can disturb your gut and reduce your metabolism,” says Dr Savaliya.
2. Going to bed late
Many of us end our day quite late and go to bed past midnight trying to unwind, looking at our smartphone screens. It is one of the most toxic everyday habits one can have and can play havoc with your digestive health and nutrition absorption process. Instead of staying late at night, one can use the early morning time for self-care and rejuvenation, which will also work wonders for your overall health.
“Best time to sleep is by 10 pm. 10 pm until 2 am is pitta dominant time means your metabolism is at its peak. If you stop eating at 7-7:30 pm and sleep early, it allows your digestive fire to digest everything you’ve eaten throughout the day and facilitates optimum liver detox which helps you maintain your weight, sugar levels, energy and most importantly your body’s capacity to absorb nutrition from the food you eat,” says Dr Savaliya.
The Ayurveda expert warns that sleeping post-midnight deteriorates the quality of your sleep and also disturbs your circadian rhythm giving rise to mental issues, vitamin deficiencies, poor gut health, etc.
3. Eating post 9 pm
This is something majority of us do and this may be at the root of all our health troubles. Eating late at night can actually affect your metabolism negatively and in long run one may invite chronic diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol. Eating early on the other hand can reverse many of these lifestyle diseases and lead you towards better health.
“It’s best to have dinner before sunset or within one hour of sunset or maximum by 8 pm. Late dinners probably post 9 pm can disturb your metabolism, liver detox and even you sleep. It can lead to diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, heart issues over a period of time,” says Dr Savaliya.
4. Multi-tasking
We all are guilty of multi-tasking at some point or the other. Some do it more than others and are thus at increased risk of health issues. Your mental health can especially get affected when you are trying to get too many things done at the same time. The increased stress level due to doing multiple things together can increase risk of auto-immune and lifestyle illnesses.
“Multi-tasking increases excess cortisol (stress hormone) in the body which makes you more prone to auto-immune and lifestyle disorders. Doing one thing at a time mindfully improves your working efficacy, reduces stress and also makes you feel more content and peaceful at the end of day,” says the expert.
5. Over-exercising
It’s true that one needs to be healthy and fit in order to feel energetic and maintain overall health. But it doesn’t mean that we do not listen to our body signals and exhaust ourselves. Optimum exercising is the way to go.
“Exercising more than one’s capacity can exhaust you, lead to bleeding disorders, dyspnoea, cough, fever, excessive thirst and even vomiting. Maximum exercise can be done in cold season until one’s half strength. This is indicated by sweating on forehead, palms and thighs. If we over-indulge in exercise beyond our body’s capacity without taking nutritious diet, it can lead to severe Vata aggravation, tissue loss and poor agni. So, moderation is the key,” advises Dr Savaliya.
Getting rid of these five habits and the basics right can lead to dramatic improvement in your overall health.
