Unhealthy habits?

[DrP]

Biggest baddy is potato chips, as in 200 gram bags. During summer my work makes me sweat heaps, resulting in horrific leg cramps about 2AM. Chips are the only thing I've found that can stop them, but if anybody has a better suggestion, I'm listening.

 

It will be the salt in them that cures the cramps. It's a common cure for muscle cramps - I don't think many modern doctors prescribe it because of the whole "salt will kill you" knee jerk over reaction. I used to do alot of running and hard exersise - I would take alot of salt and water in my diet and I was fine. I started cutting down on salt due to peer pressure "that much salt on your chips will kill you" BS..... and I started to get some cramps during/after heavy exersise. I don't eat anywhere near the amount of salt I used to - but then I don't exersise anywhere near as much either.

[big314mp]

Well, you excrete more salt than normal (via sweat), so it would make sense for you to have to take in more salt than normal. In fact, it would be unhealthy to take in less salt than you do (the cramps being your bodies way of saying "GET MORE SALT!").

 

If you were just excreting the "normal" amount of salt, yet still eating large quantities of salty food, then the whole salt-is-the-spawn-of-satan song and dance would be somewhat more appropriate.

[iNow]

I also like to skydive without a parachute, drive my car with the brakes disconnected, and walk through traffic.

[Mr Skeptic]

I also like to skydive without a parachute, drive my car with the brakes disconnected, and walk through traffic.

 

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

 

What's the point of all this, iNow?

[iNow]

Just having a little fun. It's my way of mocking those who are like, "oh, smoking is SO bad for you," or rambling about how bad drinking is.

 

No kidding. Thanks for the tip, Sherlock. I still enjoy doing it, so bugger off.

 

Also, it may help remind people that there are other habits out there that are not healthy (like flirting with your bosses daughter or tickling strangers beside you at the post office), but really, I was just being an ass.

[big314mp]

I was just being an ass.

 

Warning: Being an ass is hazardous to your health.

 

 

Does anyone have any ideas on how one could compare the effects of polluted air to cigarette smoking, even just a rough comparison?

 

Something along the lines of: Breathing the air in X city is the equivalent of smoking Y packs of cigarettes a week.

[zule]

In my teens and first youth, I took too too too … much recreational drugs: I ate LSD as if they were candies; I took a lot of speed and cocaine; of course marihuana and alcohol; and occasionally heroine, amphetamines and everything that turned up in my hands. This was mainly between 14 and 25 years old and I haven’t taken any illegal drug since before I was 30. I even gave up smocking 5 years ago.

 

So, I can say that I have healthy habits if I compare them with those I had before. Still, I have too much carbohydrates, I am addicted to them, but when I see what most of people usually eats in certain countries, I realise my mostly Mediterranean diet is quiet healthy.

 

Regarding alcohol, I don’t drink often, but when I drink, I usually actually drink. But the chairman of the “Grupo Español de Neurotransmisores (GEN)” always repeats that Spanish red wine is neuroprotector. And as the remainder of the members don’t want to be excessively nationalist; we also have Scotch whisky, Cuban run, American bourbon, Russian vodzka…

 

I send you some photos from a meeting closing ceremony, so you can see how we are neuroprotected. I am the blonde with the blue shirt in the last photo.

Edited September 9, 2008 by zule

[JohnB]

DrP and big314mp. I figured it was the salt but haven't been game to try just munching on salt crystals instead in case it didn't work. We use sea salt and grinders rather than table salt at home, so I have plenty of salt crystals on hand.

 

It's not the salt in the chips that bothers me, rather the overindulgence in a food that has been deep fried in oil.

No kidding. Thanks for the tip, Sherlock. I still enjoy doing it, so bugger off.

iNow, mate. We've finally found something we really agree on.

I also like to skydive without a parachute, drive my car with the brakes disconnected, and walk through traffic.

Wimp. I like to use my pogo stick in a minefield.

[shakira]

Unhealthy-Habits? Who? Me. There are not too many of us who haven’t at some stage of our lives had some unhealthy or bad habits of some description. Probably the most common one that affects our health is, of course, smoking, which is a very unhealthy habit and is the one that I will address here. I am not going to delve, at this stage, into other habits that should be avoided - perhaps that will come later.

------------------------

shakira janet

Edited September 17, 2008 by YT2095
URL removal

[blazarwolf]

I always was able to eat whatever I wanted and got away with it... I still do, when i have the money im "supersize me". I never drank much up until a year ago, I was more of a pothead, still would be if I had the cash, Intoxications a filthy feeling for me..

First Cig at age 7, but not much up until 19, for 3 years ive been at about a pack-a-day (terrible). Ive tried Vicodin and shrooms on a few occasions, I seem really tolerant to those drugs. When i was 13 i was perscribed adderol, it gave me a psychotic/depressive episode.. Ive never wanted to think about putting anything like that in my body again. Recently 2 of my best freinds became stim-heads and completly changed, almost to the point I dont want to know them anymore... I think those are the worst.

[Gilded]

I'd like to add that I tend to play FPS/RPG/RTS games or read forums like 4-10 hours a day which might be considered a bad habit.

[mrsemmapeel]

Procrastination

[insane_alien]

procrastination is more of a bad habit than an unhealthy one.

[DrP]

procrastination is more of a bad habit than an unhealthy one.

 

It depends what it is your putting off. eg. Taking your medicine. Stopping smoking. Starting an exersise program. Complimenting the wife.

[john5746]

It depends what it is your putting off. eg. Taking your medicine. Stopping smoking. Starting an exersise program. Complimenting the wife.

 

suicide or starting heroin use.....

[Phi for All]

I smoked and drank too much, that's what made it bad. I couldn't cut back so I quit both, 14 and 16 years ago respectively. Moderation makes the poisons OK if you can handle it.

 

My most unhealthy habit is being in front of the computer too much. Relational databases for my work are a black hole that sucks every minute of my life away if I don't stand up, walk away from the desk and go outside. It's hard to work from home in sales and find time to go work out. My rec center is 3 minutes away, my bike is in the garage, but my butt is usually in my office chair.

 

I need a better outlet for exercising, especially since I quit doing the extreme sports, like whitewater apple-bobbing and spear-gun tag.

 

procrastination is more of a bad habit than an unhealthy one.

I was going to say that... tomorrow.

 

Procrastination could be unhealthy too, if you're putting off getting that spurting artery sutured.

 

suicide or starting heroin use.....

How can suicide be a habit?

[mrsemmapeel]

procrastination is more of a bad habit than an unhealthy one.

 

Yes true, but mentally it can be unhealthy, it seems that some things you can only put off for so long then you have to do them. Generally writing essays in my case

[Gilded]

How can suicide be a habit?

 

Ever seen Groundhog Day?

[john5746]

How can suicide be a habit?

 

I was referring to procrastination. If you procrastinate suicide, that might be considered a good thing.

[npts2020]

I feel like im coming out of the closet in this group, admitting to being a vegetarian, but yes, for almost 30 years now. For many of those years I ate a strict vegan diet but as of the last decade or so I have "lapsed" to eating fish and seafood once or twice a month and dairy several times a week (this also increases exponentially the number of places you can go to "eat out"). I have been too sick to work for a total of three days since about 1980 (vs more than that almost every year growing up). In my youth (17-24) I tried most available drugs and drank heavily until about 22. Since that time, smoking has been almost my sole vice in that vein, I puff a cigar or two a month and like to unwind with a puff of herbals. I have done no antibiotics in at least 30 years and resist taking even aspirin and ibuprofin, Odin be praised, I have no conditions requiring continuous medication. I love pizza, sandwiches, pilafs, and stirfries, not necessarily in that order but definitely pizza first. I try to drink around 3 liters of liquids every day, usually half water, half juice. My main food vices are too many sweets and fried foods. I try to get at least one round of disc golf in every day (which is about 45min-1hr of a good walk, ruined, according to some). The one thing that most people I meet in person remember about me is my dog, Voodoo, a world class soccer player, unfortunately I dont have a video of her on line yet. Am I the only vegetarian here?

[Dudde]

My sister was a vegetarian growing up, and as I was the main cook of the family, I'll have to admit that it took some time for me to stretch my creativity to learn to cook food well for a veggie person!

 

My new bad habit is Oblivion, on xbox 360

[xnebulalordx676]

I eat raw flesh and drink bloody residue from meat juice. I doubt bacteria or e.coli will get me since I kill my own meat when I'm able and prefer to avoid industries name brands that are cheap-skate with their facility upkeep and sanitize poor (and have such free roaming protozoa). I trust bacteria 's not something that kills but rather only harmful bacteria from a poorly maintained big industry facility that does so. I refuse to eat pork. Pork has worse things going on that beef I tell you (having studied microbiology for a while). I don't like milk unless goat and raw. I say screw the FDA. They are just jealous they don't have my cast iron stomach.

 

I respect vegans more than they would respect me. Vegans are not able to pursue the big industry so guess who they go after now. They pick on the poorer farmers and more humane hunters and backyard killing lamb owners.

Many vegans are a bunch of 'farmer animal rescuers'. I have heard them recommend stealing animals out of someone's backyard if they think they're are going to killed for food. And taking farmers sheep and lambs or chickens to the SPCA!

 

Many vegans are so out of touch with their fellow man and they don't realize that ruminant animals don't live as long as man and that throughout the ages animals water themselves and plants don't and are more simplistic and to deal with and had their forefathers not wanted to eat meat they would not be here with half a brain. Since fish supports big brains. I support that most animals [with the exception of and rarest species] [also excluding felines and most dogs since I think they would be nasty] are supposed to be eaten by humans and this be honorable act as long this be a humane as possible act.

 

I have strong opinions on the subject of exercise and diet I suppose.

I believe swimming be best for joints. I say running hard shouldn't be the norm and that taking all the pressure of running and that leads to arthritis earlier. A long forest walk be all that's needed and also fixes the olfactory sense so smell food best. I view exercise as trivial when aerobic and overly hunger inducing rather than helpful at weight loss. I think gentler movements and or Yoga assists weight loss more. As do thermogenic plants such as mustard, bitter orange and bitter melon. some have bigger bones than others so weight charts may quite well prove incorrect on certain levels. But face stuffing with fast food and noticeable weight gain from this source be an ignorance. I know more regulations are needed on for those corporations to not have such garbage available since quite similar to a hard drug.

I believe everyone should get ninja style "flippamadoo" harness for the back pressure be relived by suspension upside down. Get massages also to reduce that joint gas buildup.

 

I believe smoking a cigar be healthier than cigarettes. Since someone only inhales cigs since they are able but a bigger cigar deflects the amount of inhale one does anyhow [psychology]. Weeds totally grosses me out as smells like hair. So not thanks on that one.

I believe that drinking should be limited and every three days. One cup of wine or beer with shot of brandy or gin drop into this cup should be that limit.

 

I have such a love hate relationship with cheese. Today I think I hate all cheese.

Tomorrow I'll probably eat a Gorgonzola experimental sandwich.

 

For the days when I think I need some weight reduction I nibble on a bowl of beans or black eyed peas and some corn mixed. Usually I hate corn. Simply a mutant (and so are bananas ). Did I mention must have heirloom veggies and fruits to be pleased. If not at least a two hundred years old, not messed with genus then I don't want that crop.

 

Since Beta carotene turns into vitamin A no-one on the planet need persuade me we actually need those carrots that the Dutch screwed up to turn orange. And since Lutein for eyesight come mainly for spinach I eat that steamed for night vision.

 

 

I would like veggies but quite frankly they give me gas and haven't agreed as well as flesh, sashami sushi and fruits.

 

Coffee mixed with creamer be the number one reason females get ovarian polyps.

Men should eat watermelon seeds are they truly are natural viagra.

I could preach on this subject all day long.

Alright I am done for now.

[insane_alien]

I eat raw flesh and drink bloody residue from meat juice. I doubt bacteria or e.coli will get me since I kill my own meat when I'm able and prefer to avoid industries name brands that are cheap-skate with their facility upkeep and sanitize poor (and have such free roaming protozoa).

 

big industries have very tight regulation on how they process the meat, but that is not always the source of the infection. the animals could have been infected before going to slaughter.

 

I trust bacteria 's not something that kills but rather only harmful bacteria from a poorly maintained big industry facility that does so.

 

a fair number of bacteria can kill you, they are found everywhere. probably more likely to be in your kitchen than in a factory that follows the regulations.

[Mr Skeptic]

That's one of his unhealthy habits, I suppose

[SkepticLance]

nebulalord

It disturbs me when someone prefaces his statements with "I believe" as though it were some kind of blind religious faith.

 

This is the science forum, and most of us respect objective and empirical evidence as a source of belief. Much better for you to show that a belief you have is backed up by data.

 

For example, you 'believe' that exercise is not good for weight loss. In fact, in this you are correct, since there is a lot of experimental data showing that moderate exercise stimulates the appetite, and the overall result is more fitness and greater health, but no net weight loss. More extreme exercise, however, causes weight loss (such as a marathon runner's schedule), and these guys have a real problem simply eating enough to maintain weight.

 

 

On the other hand, there is no scientific evidence to support your belief that gentle exercise is better for weight loss. In this forum, I think most of us prefer good evidence, rather than an 'I believe' statement.