Being healthy is crucial, however, we often don’t start to think about our health until it starts to decline. Researchers from all over the world work tirelessly to figure out what makes a truly healthy person. We already know some things we can do to better our health: drink more water, exercise, don’t smoke cigarettes, or eat junk food. But can you tell you are healthy? The quiz you have in front of you will help you answer this question.
Our health, well-being, and general shape depend on many factors, such as our personal choices, but also what kind of care we receive or even where we live.
Environmental factors, such as the air that you breathe in, can affect how healthy you are. High levels of air pollution have been shown to increase mortality, hospital admissions, and emergency department visits. Elderly people, children, and people with respiratory problems and chronic diseases are particularly affected by this issue.
When talking about air pollution, we usually think about man-made pollution, such as car exhausts, or by-products of the industrial processes. However, natural pollutants are also concerning. For example, pollen and mold spores are often linked with asthma and allergies.
Climate change and natural disasters disrupt the natural world, which can impede our health and make us more vulnerable to diseases. The various effects may increase the susceptibility to nervous and respiratory diseases, diarrhea, and other conditions. Furthermore, climate change increases the frequency of natural disasters, which often have a devastating impact on homes and communities and sometimes result in fatalities.
Lack of proper health care in many areas contributes to the poor overall health of people living in those places. They face barriers that prevent or limit them from accessing the needed health care services. It could be financial barriers, unreliable transportation to medical facilities, or a lack of education about the significance of preventative care. People who don’t have access to medical care are at higher risk for chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
Shocking statistics reveal that more than 780 million people in the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. Additionally, about a third of the world’s population lacks access to proper sanitation services. The result is many people die from diseases caused by poor water quality. Industrial waste and pollution, lack of access to proper water treatment and sanitation services, and outdated plumbing infrastructure are all factors that contribute to the uncleanness of the water.
Did you know that prolonged stress can affect your health? The longer the stress lasts, the more harmful it is for your mind and your body. It wears you down and can make existing problems even worse. For example, long-term stress can cause chronic headaches. It may also cause disease, either because of changes in your body or the overeating, smoking and other bad habits people use to cope with stress. A highly stressful job is associated with an increased risk of coronary disease.
Even short-lived episodes of stress can have an impact. The sudden emotional strains can trigger heart attacks, arrhythmias, and even death. Although this happens mostly in people who already have heart disease, some people don’t even realize they have a problem until acute stress causes a heart attack or something worse.
Our bad habits can also influence how healthy we are. For example, did you know too much mobile phone use can hurt your wellbeing? Our cell phones became a fixture in our lives and we can’t imagine surviving without them. For a lot of us, days start and end with checking our phones. Sleep problems, increased stress, poor posture, and reduced attention span – are all problems that might stem from excessive phone use.
Biting your nails can seem like a harmless habit, but it’s not. Your nails often carry germs, and when germs are invited into your mouth they can bring on diseases, such as flu, jaundice, typhoid, and others. Your teeth and nails can also get damaged.
If you like listening to loud music, watch out! Keeping the volume high can be dangerous to your health. The loud sounds can irritate nerves and trigger headaches. Prolonged exposure to loud noise, especially through headphones, can even cause hearing loss.
Your diet and eating habits will also affect how healthy you are. Skipping meals, eating too much or too little, eating junk food – all this will have a negative influence on you.
Longer gaps between meals can disrupt your hormones, immunity, mood, metabolism, and overall health. Eating more smaller meals instead can boost your metabolism, help in managing weight, and improve your hormone balance. Eating on time is just as important as eating healthy food.
If you eat too much, not only will you gain weight, but also you will be unhealthy. Too much food can cause indigestion and bloating. Gaining weight in itself can lead to many problems, for example, heart diseases. Consuming more than you need to can be a sign of underlying health issues, such as diabetes or hormonal imbalance.
As you can see, many things can affect your health. Are you ready to find out how healthy are you? Take the quiz and find out!