5 health mistakes never to make

Get the memo about habits that may be wrecking your health and how to reverse it.

1. You brush off aches, pains, coughs and colds.

You think: It'll get better on its own.The truth: It may deteriorate with time, or worse, may be a warning bell for an underlying serious health condition.Fix it: Don't ignore any health issues. Visit your GP at the earliest. Be especially careful with joint pain, coughs that persist beyond three weeks to rule out TB, hoarseness of voice accompanied by weight changes (sign of thyroid disorder), irregular menstrual cycles (signifying a range of gynaecological issues as well as cervical cancer)," says Dr Monica Mahajan, senior consultant, Internal Medicine, Max Healthcare.

2. You are swayed and detracted by your friends and their unhealthy lifestyles.

You think: They are friends after all; I want to belong.The truth: If a close pal had an unhealthy amount of weight gain, your chances of gaining kilos increase by 57%, found one Harvard University study; if that friend is the same gender as you, the odds rise by 71%.Fix it: You don't have to give up your friends, just maintain your own beliefs about what is healthy, focus on it and motivate them as well. If you are going out for lunch, insist on ordering something healthy. And even if you are the odd one in the group and get ribbed about it, don't let it bother you. Go ahead and order your own healthy choice. Sign up for the gym together, motivate your friend by offering to pick her up for the class.

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3. You skip a meal after a heavy previous one.

You think: I have had too many calories already, skipping this one will balance it out.The truth: Heavy meals that are refined are actually processed much faster by the body, so your hunger pangs will be back in a couple of hours.Fix it: "You'd do well to go for a high volume, low-calorie food to balance out the calories in the two meals," says Neelanjana Singh, chief of dietetics and nutritional consultant, PSRI Hospital, New Delhi. "Try soups with lots of veggies and tofu as your next meal or some roasted gram as snack."

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4. You let your GP prescribe meds for everything.

You think: I share a comfort level and trust him completely.The truth: Certain health conditions (heart, diabetes, thyroid, PCOS, fibroids, etc.), even though common, require the expertise of a specialist.Fix it: Ask your GP to refer you to one. Get the line of treatment from the specialist. "If you have diabetes, for example, go to an endocrinologist, who'll devise a treatment plan for you including drug, diet and exercise advice. Visit him every six months (unless you find a complication). At other times (to test blood sugar, for example), go to your GP," saysDr Binayak Sinha, consultant endocrinologist, AMRI Hospitals, Kolkata.

5. You cut down on sleep to finish more work.

You think: I'll make up for the lost sleep time tomorrow.The truth: Scrimping on sleep is not a smart way to squeeze a few more productive hours into the day. You need seven to nine hours of shut-eye daily. You can never really make up for the sleep deficit, and your health suffers.Fix it: Plan your day ahead leaving room for seven to nine hours of sleep. Cut back on your commitments and share responsibilities. "Establish a bed time and stick to it. Adopt some relaxing bedtime rituals like reading and stay away from caffeine, nicotine and alcohol at least four hours before hitting your bed," advises Dr Vivek Benegal, additional professor of psychiatry, De-addiction Centre, NIMHANS, Bengaluru.