Remember when you were in your 20s, full of vitality, you thought your energy would never run out; to look more mature and sensual, you couldn’t help but smoke every day; in the summer, you seized every opportunity to show off your youthful charm. Times have changed, and now you have become just one of the ordinary people: just like others, you bear the pressure of repaying loans, and more energy is spent on planning various domestic affairs, and leisure and entertainment have long become an occasional luxury. At this moment, you may start to worry that the carefree lifestyle of your youth might suddenly turn against you? Smoking, drinking, clubbing, sunbathing, these seemingly youthful activities, what threats will they bring to your future health? Let’s find out.

The First Major Harm: Repeated Weight Loss

Harm:The medical community once believed that repeated weight loss could lead to metabolic disorders, decreased muscle density, and even sudden death, but in-depth research has shown a trend of negating the above conclusions. However, the impact of repeated weight loss and weight gain on health is also not optimistic. Recent research by the Washington Medical Center shows that repeated weight loss can lead to a long-term decrease in human immunity. Although the specific cause has not been found, researchers have found that repeated weight loss can reduce cell vitality and the ability to fight colds, infections, and early cancer cells.

Remedial MeasuresFor people with overweight, losing 4.5 kilograms can reduce the incidence of hypertension and diabetes, and shedding excess fat is of course healthier and more stylish than dragging around extra flesh. However, the key lies in how to protect the results of weight loss. First, it is necessary to find out the causes of obesity and abandon past unhealthy lifestyles and habits; then take practical actions, scientifically and happily lose weight according to the advice of nutritionists and one’s own acceptance ability—both controlling excessive eating and ensuring the intake of various nutrients required by the human body each day. In addition, regular exercise can not only reduce human stress but also promote fat burning, making the weight loss effect more significant and enduring. Finally, no matter how good the weight loss method is, it requires the perseverance of the weight loser to cooperate.

The Second Hazard: Passionate About Sunbathing

Harm:Many people believe that sunbathing not only brings a charming skin color but is also beneficial to health. However, don’t underestimate the power of the sun—frequent or prolonged sunbathing may also lead to skin cancer and premature aging (such as freckles, wrinkles, skin sagging, and broken capillaries, etc.). Although no one can prove the direct causal relationship between sunbathing and skin cancer, studies have shown that those who have been sunburned in the past have a higher chance of developing melanoma (the most deadly type of skin cancer) than others. A recent study shows that among all those who enjoy sunbathing, white people have three times the risk of developing melanoma as other ethnic groups. In terms of sunbathing methods, ‘artificial’ sunbathing is more harmful because the skin absorbs a concentrated amount of ultraviolet light in a short period of time.

Remedial measures:From sunburn to skin cancer, there can be a latent period of 10 to 30 years. Therefore, if you were sunburned as a child, you must be vigilant now. Check your entire body monthly to see if there are any new moles or if any old moles have changed color or shape. If you find any suspicious symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. At the same time, if you have many moles or if family members who often sunbathe have had skin cancer, you should have a professional skin examination once a year. Of course, the most basic point is to never accept direct sunlight without applying sunscreen.

The Third Hazard: Frequently Being in Noisy Environments

Harm:You will find that your hearing is much worse than before if you were passionate about rock music in your youth. Being frequently exposed to loud environments can easily cause the auditory system to have a decreased ability to receive mid-frequency sounds, and sometimes it is difficult to hear what others are saying, especially when there is noise around. As people age, they become less sensitive to higher-frequency sounds, which means the ability to hear high-pitched sounds, such as doorbells and telephones, decreases.

Remedial measures:The loss of hearing is irreversible. However, we can take action to prevent further decline in hearing. For example, deliberately turn down the volume when watching TV or listening to music, wear ear protectors when using vacuum cleaners and other noisy electrical appliances, etc. If there is a constant buzzing in your ears, it may indicate that you have tinnitus, which is a common disease for those who like to play music loudly. Although there is no definitive cure, if this symptom occurs, it is still necessary to seek medical attention in a timely manner to rule out the possibility of other diseases and to understand the methods of symptom relief.

The Fourth Hazard: Unprotected Behavior

Harm:You may contract a sexually transmitted disease without realizing it. Experts point out that about 75% of women carry chlamydia, but have no clinical symptoms, and most women with gonorrhea only show mild symptoms such as discomfort during urination or yellowish discharge from the vagina, and they never think they need treatment. Unprotected sexual behavior can transmit these diseases to men. In addition, 80% of men with genital herpes do not show obvious symptoms such as pain. Further research has found that up to 75% of men are affected by human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common sexually transmitted disease. It usually has no obvious symptoms, but if it is not treated in time and transmitted to women, it can lead to the occurrence of cervical cancer.

Remedial measures:If you do not have the habit of regular physical check-ups, then start to do so from today. When facing the doctor, you must be honest about your sexual situation. Herpes is a chronic disease, and medication can control the progression of the disease, avoid pain, and prevent transmission.

The fifth major harm: excessive drinking

Harm:Excessive drinking can easily lead to alcohol poisoning, especially in cases where there are such patients among the direct relatives. The medical community defines excessive drinking as drinking 5 bottles or more of beer at one time, or having an alcohol content in the blood that reaches or exceeds 0.08. Since a large amount of alcohol can kill brain nerve cells, over time, it can lead to memory loss. It may also cause liver diseases such as fatty liver and liver cirrhosis, and in severe cases, liver transplantation may be necessary to save life.

Remedial measures:If you have not reached the level of alcohol dependence, then start to set a rule for yourself to drink no more than one bottle of beer a day. With the reduction of alcohol intake, the liver is likely to naturally recover to a normal state. At the same time, although we cannot revive dead brain nerve cells, as long as there is no large amount of alcohol stimulation, the memory function of the brain will gradually recover.

The sixth major harm: smoking

Harm:Whether you are a light smoker who occasionally ‘means’ it for social occasions or a heavy smoker who can’t live without cigarettes, the harmful components in cigarettes will significantly increase your risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and other types of cancer. Specifically, the proportion of cancer deaths caused by smoking can account for 30% of all cancer deaths.

Remedial measures:For those who have been smokers for several years, even decades, is there any way to save their health? The answer is to quit smoking. Experts point out that even if you quit smoking for just one year, it can effectively reduce the risk of heart disease by more than half. If you can keep it up for 15 years or more, the chance of developing cardiovascular disease can be restored to the level of never-smokers. Regarding the prevention of lung cancer, researchers have found that those who have quit smoking for 5 years have a reduced risk of lung cancer by half compared to smokers, and those who have quit for 10 years can reduce the risk to the level of normal people. During the quitting period, it is advisable to eat more fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, which can promote cell repair and eliminate carcinogenic free radicals in the body. At the same time, it is recommended to actively participate in sports to strengthen lung function and promote blood circulation in the lungs.