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How To Undo Your Health Mistakes

Written By Agent 737 on Friday, December 28, 2012 | 9:00 AM

How To Undo Your Health Mistakes
We're all guilty of having taken some risks with our health, whether it was in pursuit of a tan or just a good night out. But how do you know how much harm you've done and what can you do to repair the damage?

  • You used to WORSHIP THE SUN

Damage done? You're at increased risk of skin cancer and premature ageing (age spots, wrinkles, leathery skin, broken blood vessels).

Although nobody knows how much sunbathing on its own increases your risk of skin cancer, several studies have found that people with a history of severe sunburn have a significantly increased risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest of skin cancer.

And a recent study at St. Thomas's Hospital in London found that fair-skinned people who regularly used sunbeds nearly tripled their risk of melanoma. 'Indoor tanning does not even more damage because you're absorbing concentrated ultraviolet rays in a short period of time,' says Dr. James Spencer, a Florida-based dermatologist.

The bounce-back factor? FAIR

There's a 10-to 30-year time lag between when a person sunburns and when skin cancer develops. So if you baked on the beach as a teen, your risk for cancer is higher now.

Inspect your skin from head to toe once a month to check for any moles or ones that have changed colour or shape, and see a doctor every year if you've had lots of sun exposure or used sunbeds regularly, have many moles, are fair skinned or have a family history of skin cancer.

And from now on, no sun without sunscreen!

  • You used to SMOKE

Damage done? Whether you had the occasional cigarette or couldn't start the day without one, having smoked increases your risk of heart disease, lung cancer and a whole host of other cancers significantly (the habit accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths).

The bounce-back factor? GOOD

'Even if you've been smoke-free for only a year, you've already reduced your excess risk of heart disease by half,' says Dr. Donna Bacchi, director of the Center of Tobacco Prevention And Control at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, US.

After 15 years, your risk of cardiovascular disease is similar to a non-smoker's.

As for lung cancer, after five years of being cigarette-free, your risk decreases to half of what it was when you smoked, and after ten years, your fatality risk is on a par with someone who has never smoked.

While you're waiting for time to heal, eat antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, which can encourage cellular repair and ward off cancer-causing free radicals.

And make regular cardio workouts a priority. Doing so can help restore lung function by increasing blood flow to your lungs.
  • You used to HAVE SEX WITHOUT PROTECTION

Damage done? You could have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and not realize it.

About 70% of women with chlamydia have no symptoms and it's on the increase.

Women usually have no idea that something's wrong until they try for a baby. They either have trouble conceiving and/or suffer an ectopic pregnancy.

The second-most common STI is gonorrhea, which can have mild symptoms (such as discomfort while urinating or a yellowish vaginal discharge).

Left untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to infertility.

Similarly, 80% of people with genital herpes don't get the painful sores that characterize the condition.

A cervical smear can detect the human papilloma virus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer.  

The bounce-back factor? FAIR
Have regular check-ups from now on - and be open about your sexual history when you do.

Request tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea, and the blood test for genital herpes.

While chlamydia and gonorrhoea are curable, herpes is a chronic condition.

Medication can suppress it, reducing the chance of painful outbreaks and passing it on.

There's no treatment for HPV, but your doctor can monitor you for abnormalities that may indicate cancer or a pre-cancerous condition.
  • You used to BINGE DRINK

Damage done? Hazardous drinking at a level that is likely to cause harm in the future is classed as having between 14 and 35 units a week for women - six units in a day is consider a binge. For men, 21 to 50 units a week is considered hazardous and 8 units in one day is a binge.

If you exceed this on a regular basis, you're increasing your risk of heart disease, liver disease and cancers such as breast cancer.

Regular binge drinking could also lead to memory problems, as large amounts of alcohol kill brain neurons.

It can cause fat to accumulate around your liver and even lead to cirrhosis (or scarring) and, in extreme cases, the possibility of needing a liver transplant.

The bounce-back factor? V GOOD

If you're only a moderate drinker now, defined as having fewer than 3 alcoholic drinks per day plus some alcohol-free days, your liver has probably fully repaired itself since your binge-drinking days.

Even if you already have liver disease, your liver has a certain capacity to regenerate itself, but this depends on how badly you've damaged it.

However, some people have livers that are particularly sensitive to damage. If you're in any doubt, ask your doctor for a liver-function test.

Though you can't get back lost brain cells, studies of recovering alcoholics suggest that when you stop binge drinking, you can regain memory function without those lost cells.

  • You used to YO-YO DIET

Damage done? Surprisingly, not that much.

We used to think that repeatedly losing then regaining the same 10 or more pounds messed up your metabolism, decreased muscle mass and could possibly cause sudden death - but research has discredited all of those risks.

However, yo-yo dieting may decrease long-term immune function.

According to a recent study, losing and regaining weight reduces the activity of the cells that fight colds and infections and kill early cancer cells.
  • The bounce-back factor? V GOOD
Since losing even just 10lb can lower your risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, it's better to keep trying to lose weight sensibly by eating less and moving more than it is to just live with thore extra pounds.

First, work out how to maintain a healthy weight by pinpointing where you've gone wrong in the past.

Then take action!

Consider seeing a nutritionist or joining a  slimming club, which can help you control portions and still eat foods you enjoy.

And take regular exercise - besides keeping you stress-free, it can help you lose pounds and keep them off.
  • You used to DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY AT NOISY CLUBS

Damage done? You may say 'Huh?' more often than you used to.

People with a lot of exposure to loud noises tend to lose hearing in the middle frequency first. They complain of having difficulty hearing people speak when there's a lot of background noise in restaurants or pubs.

As you get older, you may also have trouble hearing in the upper frequency, meaning it's tough to hear high-pitched sound such as a ringing telephone.
  • The bounce-back factor? POOR

You can't recover lost hearing!

However, turning down the volume on your mp3 player and wearing earplugs when you're exposed to loud sounds, such as a lawnmower, can protect against further damage.

Don't ignore the early warning signs of hearing loss: If you experience ringing in your ears or muffled hearing, it's your body warning you that you're at risk of causing long term damage.

If you experience constant ringing in your ears, you may have tinnitus, a common condition that plagues those who've long listened to loud music.

There is no cure for it, but it's still wise to see an ear, nose an throat (ENT) specialist, who can rule out any other reasons for the ringing and recommend ways to mask it or teach you how to cope with it.


Adapted from Zest, August 2012.
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