When Healthy Habits Backfire

Good health is of prime importance to all of us. Any significant health problem, chronic or acute, has the capacity to disturb the balance of our life. And we all have been taught since our childhood that Healthy Habits are a prerequisite for good health. Additionally, healthy habits can also boost your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood.

But can healthy habits get you into trouble? Here are a few that really can:

1. Drinking too much fruit juice: While fruit juice is obviously a better choice than those sweetened fizzy drinks, but be careful as this healthy option isn't quite as healthy as it seems. Most fruit juices are sugar added and fiber stripped. So try to limit your intake of juice to around 250 to 300 ml a day. A glass of water or a fresh fruit is a better option than fruit juice.

2. Too much sleep: Adequate rest is essential, but too much of it is dangerous. Excessive sleeping (more than nine hours a night) is a common symptom of depression and has been related to back problems and memory problems. It also leads to carbon dioxide built up which can cause headaches.

3. Over exercising: Over exercising leads to injuries and illnesses. Your body and mind do not need more than three to five days a week of 30 to 45 minutes of exercise. Make sure you integrate one day for recovery in your exercise routine. Listen to your body and give it the time it needs to recover if you feel over tired or in pain.

4. Cutting all carbs: One of the most common changes people make to their diet plan to lose weight is cut out carbs. While excess of carbs is bad for your health, but cutting all carbs out of your diet will leave you with no energy; making you feel tired and irritable. You should rather focus on limiting or cutting out refined and highly processed carbs ("bad carb") such as white bread, and replacing them with good carbs from fruits, vegetables and wholegrain breads and cereals.

5. Avoiding sunlight: While most people try to avoid sunlight to keep clean of skin cancer, they forget that exposure to sunlight is essential for producing Vitamin D. It is responsible for making bones strong and boosting your immune system. Thus you have to incorporate a minimum of 10 to 20 minutes of sun exposure in your daily routine.

6. Drinking to much water: Drinking more water than your body needs can cause a drop in the concentration of sodium in the bloodstream. This condition is known as hyponatremia which can trigger fatigue, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Stick to the 8 glasses a day rule.

7. Brushing too much: Brushing too often or with too much pressure can thin the enamel and darken your teeth. Aggressive brushing can make the teeth painfully sensitive, cause tooth decay and damage your gums. It is recommended to brush two to three times a day using a toothbrush with soft bristles.

8. Washing face too often: Washing your face is good to eliminate dirt and bacteria, and open the clogged pores, but it doesn't mean you have to wash it every hour of the day. Over-washing may dry out your skin thus increasing your risk to irritations that may even cause acne. For most people, washing your face two to three times a day with a gentle cleanser is sufficient.

9. Too much fortified food: Nowadays more and more packaged foods are fortified with vitamins and other minerals like iron. Too much fortified food can cause a nutrient overload on your body putting it under pressure. Whenever possible, get your nutrients from whole, unprocessed foods instead of 'added' foods. These foods not only provide an ideal balance of trace minerals and antioxidants, but also provide many beneficial phytonutrients that are not available in the fortified food.

10. Choosing 'Diet' soft drinks: Diet soft drinks are obviously a better choice than regular soft drinks. But you should still consume them only in moderation as too much artificial sweetener can actually cause your body harm.

11. Too much fiber: While fiber is essential to keep your system clean and to lower cholesterol, too much of it can get you in trouble. Excessive fiber is reported to cause flatulence, diarrhea and stomach cramps.

So as with everything else, healthy habits also need to be moderated. Too much of it can cause irreversible damage.