Science says: these 5 habits are actually very dangerous for you
Since I spend quite a few hours on the train and nine times out of ten have significant delays, you get tired of shuffling your playlist after ten times. No wonder I’ve become a podcast fanatic. From Geuze and Gorgels to the witch of Anjum: I listen to it all. One that ranks high on my list is ‘The Diary of a CEO’ by Steven Bartlett, in which — the name says it all — CEOs and other well-known names are interviewed. Among them is Dr. Daniel Amen, the psychiatrist of, among others, Justin Bieber, Bella Hadid, and Miley Cyrus. The best man literally knows everything about the brain and shared during the podcast innocent daily habits of a person that are actually very bad. for our brain above. So bad that it can actually trigger Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Naturally, you want to prevent that for as long as possible, so I’ll summarize these unhealthy habits for you.
1. If you avoid the sun
You won’t get a tight skin from it, but according to Dr. Amen, that’s not a valid reason to avoid the sun. Enough vitamin D is essential for your brain to function well, although 50 percent of all people don’t get nearly enough of this substance. What you can do is take a supplement.
2. If you don’t learn/try new things
When you learn something new, your brain makes a new connection. If you stop learning, your brain disconnects, so to speak. People with a job where you have to do the same thing every day and don’t need to learn anything new have a higher chance of dementia due to reduced brain usage.
3. If you don’t look at the ingredients on a package
In beauty products that you apply to your body and face every day, there are numerous harmful substances. Many makeup products contain heavy metals, for example. And what about perfumed creams and makeup removers? The packaging may indicate ‘fragrance’, but often that’s a cocktail of hundreds of chemical substances. The same goes for parabens, phthalates, silicones, and I could go on. In short: read that label, and quickly.
4. If you never eat fish
Enough Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for a healthy brain according to Dr. Amen. And where do you find those? Exactly: in fish. Especially in fatty fish. Think of mackerel or salmon. Now, it’s not the intention that you eat a piece of fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Too much fish is dangerous due to the amount of mercury your body can consume. Just one piece of fish a week is already sufficient. Not a punishment, if you ask me.
5. If you never floss your teeth
‘Want a healthy brain? Take care of your mouth,’ says Daniel Amen. A pretty clear message, I think. That an unhealthy mouth causes bad breath is a given, but that it can genuinely be harmful to your brain, you probably weren’t aware of that. Gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums, can play a significant role in the cause of Alzheimer’s. So floss, that stuff.
6. If you’re mean to others
Stress is a real brain killer. And two things that cause your stress level to rise are loneliness and negativity. Being unkind to others is, of course, a major contributor to this, you understand. Loneliness can even double the chances of Alzheimer’s. In short: be kind to others, and your body will also be a lot kinder to you.
