Smoking causes cancer, but these three things are ten times more terrible than smoking!

Did you know that smoking accelerates skin aging and sagging? Not only that, smoking is also a cause of diseases such as high blood pressure and cancer, so it can be said that smoking has no benefits but only harms. But even non-smokers may have some bad habits in their daily lives that are similar to smoking, and these bad habits may be more harmful to the body than nicotine. The English information website SHAPE has summarized some bad habits that are harmful to your health and shorten your life. Let’s take a look.

1. Eat meat regularly

Meat eaters, take note. According to an American magazine specializing in the study of intracellular metabolism, people who often eat animal protein have a relatively shorter life span and are four times more likely to die from cancer. This is almost the same as the chance of smokers dying from cancer. Therefore, don't just consume animal protein, you should also consume plant protein appropriately.

2. Watching TV for a long time

Perhaps many people don’t believe “Why is watching TV as bad for your health as smoking?” Of course, there is nothing wrong with TV itself; the problem is watching TV for a long time.

A survey by the University of Queensland in Australia shows that smoking a cigarette will reduce your life by about 11 minutes. Even for non-smokers, after the age of 25, their life expectancy will be shortened by 21.8 minutes for every hour they watch TV. This is because sitting for long periods of time is also a cause of cancer and heart disease.

3. Drinking carbonated beverages frequently

According to a health survey in the United States, drinking about one cup (237 ml) of carbonated beverage a day will cause immune cells to age by about 2 years. If you drink two and a half cups (592 ml) a day, your telomeres (the repetitive sequences at the ends of chromosomes) will age by about five years, which is the same effect as smoking.

Therefore, it is best to choose sugar-free tea or water when you are thirsty.

Several effective ways to prevent cancer in daily life

Eat more fresh vegetables and less meat

Studies have found that about 30% of male tumors and 60% of female tumors are closely related to nutritional factors. The World Cancer Research Fund found that eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of various cancers, including pharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, and esophageal cancer. You should eat at least 400 grams of different kinds of vegetables and fruits every day, preferably including different colors such as red, green, yellow, and purple. Weekly red meat intake should be less than 500 grams, otherwise it may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and other diseases. You should also eat less processed meat products, such as sausages.

Stay up late less and get enough sleep

In December 2008, the World Health Organization listed night shift work as one of the factors that may cause cancer. Studies have found that people who often stay up late will lead to a decrease in melatonin, which can inhibit tumors. If we don’t get enough sleep, our body’s immune function will decline, and a reversed day and night lifestyle will also affect our endocrine system. Therefore, you should try to go to bed on time to ensure that you are in good spirits when you wake up. People who have to work night shifts should try to reduce the number of night shifts. It is best to have 48 hours of rest after the night shift.

Open windows frequently for ventilation

Indoor pollution should not be underestimated either. Pay attention to ventilation, especially in the bathroom. The American Health Association points out that the high temperature and high humidity environment in the bathroom makes it easier for laundry detergent, disinfectant, etc. to evaporate and permeate the air. Long-term inhalation can irritate the respiratory tract, damage the respiratory mucosa, and even induce cell mutations and lead to cancer. After using various cleaning agents and detergents, be sure to tighten the bottle caps, and frequently open windows and exhaust fans to increase air circulation.

Choose materials carefully when decorating

Do not use radioactive materials or building materials containing carcinogens such as benzene, carbon tetrachloride, formaldehyde, and methylene chloride. After the decoration is completed, wait until the indoor odor is eliminated before moving in. When choosing decoration materials, the brighter the color of the stone, the stronger the radioactivity. White and black stones are relatively safe, while green and red stones are relatively unsafe.

Drink less alcohol

The World Cancer Research Fund said that whether it is alcoholic beverages, beer, wine or spirits, the risk of oral cancer and esophageal cancer increases significantly with the increase in intake. If you must drink, men should not exceed 2 servings a day (1 serving contains 10 to 15 grams of alcohol), and women should not exceed 1 serving.

Not smoking

Tobacco tar contains 4,000 compounds, at least 43 of which can cause cancer. In oncology, there is a "Boskin Smoking Index", which is calculated by multiplying the number of cigarettes smoked per day by the number of years of smoking. If the product is greater than 400 (cigarettes/year), the risk of lung cancer will be more than 10 times higher than that of non-smokers. More than 30% of cancers, including lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, and esophageal cancer, are related to smoking. In addition, smoking also causes second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke pollution.

Use less plastic to pack food

In our daily lives, we often use plastic products to store food, but we don’t know whether they are toxic or not. You can refer to the following identification methods: one is the water inspection method. If you put a plastic bag into water, the non-toxic ones will float to the surface, but the toxic ones will not. The second is the hand touch color detection method. The non-toxic ones are milky white or colorless and transparent, feel smooth to the touch, and have a waxy surface; the toxic ones are turbid in color and feel sticky. The third is the jitter detection method. Grab the plastic bag and shake it hard. If it makes a crisp sound, it is non-toxic; if it makes a dull sound, it is toxic.