Everyday Things That Harm Your Health And What You Can Do About It

We live in an era where everything is mass produced to cater to the needs of all individuals. Due to the rise of agricultural development, we no longer have to grow our own food in order to sustain ourselves. If we need food items, we simply go to the grocery store for a plethora of food products from all over the world. This convenience however, comes at a price. In order to mass produce a lot of food, genetically modified organisms were created. It is unclear wether GMOs are safe for consumption. One thing is for sure: our bodies were never made to consume them, and the long term health effects of GMOs are still unknown. Moreover, more than 80% of all genetically modified crops grown worldwide have been engineered for herbicide tolerance. This means that the use of strong herbicides has increased since their existence and the World Health Organization determined that the herbicide glyphosate (the key ingredient in Roundup®, a commonly used herbicide on corn crops) is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”. 

Meat  and animal products are also a problem. Animals who live on factory farms are often abused and mistreated. Cows in milk factories are artificially inseminated, separated from their offspring after birth, and attached to milking machines in confined spaces for the majority of the day without rest. Being plugged into this machine non stop creates infections on the teats of the cows, which leads to pus that ends up in your milk!. These cows are given antibiotics to fight the infections, which end up in our milk along with the pus. 

Fish grown in fish farms also poses a problem. Unlike wild caught fish, these fish are grown in small containers of water filled with antibiotics to make sure they don't get sick from infections. These antibiotics than make their way into our food and compromise our immune system.

Canned foods are also a huge health risk. Not only are cans  pumped with sodium surpassing the daily recommended dosage (one cup of canned soup, for instance, could have half your daily allotment of sodium), but they are filled with food preservatives, and harmful chemicals like BPA, which can leech into our food and  create hormonal problems.

Did you know that daily habits may be very harmful to your health too? Things like sitting at a desk for too long, or staring a screen too much can cause harmful health effects. Sitting down for long periods of time  increases your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.  Our bodies are made to move, and sitting for 8 hours a day leading a sedentary lifestyle is harmful to you. Mental health in our modern society is also an issue. With the rise of social media apps like Instagram, more and more people are developing body image issues by comparing their bodies to face tuned and photoshopped Instagram models. Protect your mental health by limiting your screen time and social media exposure.

Have you ever stopped to read the ingredients found in your personal hygiene products? Most shampoos contain harmful chemicals such as sulphates and parabens,. Recent studies have found that sulfates are toxic and carcinogenic Just because a shampoo advertises that it is sulphate free does not mean that it is paraben free and vice versa. Not only should you opt for chemical free shampoos, but also limit how many times you wash your hair (and body if you're brave!). Did you know that when you shower daily, you strip your skin off of good bacteria? If you'd like to preserve your health, opt for 100% natural soaps and shampoos. We're not asking you to stop showering although we do suggest military showers. They are great for the environment, save tons of water, and are better for your health too! And if your personal hygiene routine involves antiperspirant, and  you'd like to avoid smelly armpits, opting for natural options like using lemon juice or baking powder on your armpits is a great idea. Commercial anti perspirants might contain aluminium which may increase the risk of breast cancer.  They interfere with your body's natural ability to sweat. Don't clog your sweat glands. Let those babies breathe freely! 

Your cleaning products are also a health hazard. Things like bleach cause damage to the lungs, and impair lung function.  Air fresheners also contain dangerous chemicals that create dangerous compounds when they interact with air. One of these compounds is a dangerous gas called formaldehyde, which are know to cause cancer.  These harmful chemicals are not just found in our cleaning supplies. They can come into contact with our food via our containers. Plastic food containers contain harmful products like BPA which can leech into our food, and act as endocrine disruptors. A good alternative is to use stainless steel containers and silicone bags to preserve food instead of plastic bags. Also steer clear of non stick cookware because the chemical Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was used in non-stick Teflon pans up until 2015 and has been linked to many diseases such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver tumors and reduced fertility. Even though stricter regulations are in place, manufacturers are not always transparent about what is in their pans. If you have a non stick pan from before 2015, chances are it is harmful to your health. It is best to get rid of it, and more so if it is scratched.  

What did you think of these revelations? Let us know in our social media.

With love and compassion,

Team Karunaki

First photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash

Second photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Third photo by Manan Chhabra on Unsplash

Fourth photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash