Today I’m sharing a collaborative post on health dangers, but I’d also like to just say a huge thank you for all of the incredibly kind birthday wishes. I have finally just managed to reply to all of the comments on my recent birthday post. I appreciate every single one of them, so thank you very much! ♥
There are various unseen or unknown things that might impact our health, so it’s good to be aware of what they might be and how we can tackle them. This collaborative post explores just 3 of the lesser known ‘invisible monsters’ that are sometimes reported as being potentially damaging to health.
Is Your Health Under Attack By Invisible Monsters?
Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean that it isn’t harmful to you. In fact, there are a number of things that can harm your health without you even knowing about it, and we’re going to be talking about three of the lesser known ones here.
Fluoride : From Toothpaste To Tap Water
Most of us have likely heard of fluoride because it’s an added ingredient in many oral care products on the market today. It’s one of the reasons why you should always spit out the toothpaste rather than swallow it. Fluoride is actually a mineral, helpful for protecting teeth from decay when used in appropriate amounts. What you may not be aware of is that chemicals like this are also typically present in your drinking water.
For over 70s years, community water fluoridation has seen fluoride added to tap water in the hopes of benefiting teeth. There’s a lot of controversy over fluoride in water and whether or not it’s safe, and more research is needed on the potential for adverse health effects. That’s why it’s worth considering a water solution such as Filtap. This will ensure that all the dangerous chemicals are filtered out so that you’re left with clean, safe and healthy water.
How harmful are these added minerals and other chemicals that may be found in tap water? Well, some studies find that they result in cognitive impairment while others have linked them to cancer risk among other health issues. It’s also possible that some people, like those undergoing dialysis, may be more vulnerable to the effects of fluoride, so it’s a mineral worth knowing about for both its benefits and potential risks.
Electro-Magnetic Energy : A Controversial Topic
This is a point of contention, with much debate as to whether one can actually be allergic or sensitive to electromagnetic energy. This is often referred to as electronic magnetic field (EMF) intolerance or electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). Most experts claim that the issue here is more psychological than anything else, and EMF sensitivity has no proven medical basis, nor is it an officially recognised diagnosis.
However, it doesn’t mean that electro-magnetic energy isn’t potentially harmful in some way or that some people believe it does have a negative impact on their health. Indeed, studies suggest that energy produced from everything from your laptop to your phone can impact the body and the way the brain works to varying degrees. Symptoms reported can vary considerably, but common features tend to include the likes of headaches, rashes, heart rate irregularities, fatigue and poor sleep.
Advice articles often suggest putting away mobiles and laptops before bed because the disruption of such electrical devices, in addition to the light emitted, can hinder your ability to get to the deepest level of sleep. If you constantly feel exhausted when you wake up each morning, take a look at whether you’re using electronics in the hour or two before bed or sleeping next to your gadgets.
Stress : A Chronic Problem
Stress is universal and a global problem. Many of us experience it to some degree throughout our lives, often as a result of a particular situation or event. While some stress can be beneficial in keeping us motivated or cautious, for many it’s maladaptive and persists over long periods of time, which is when it can become increasingly damaging to mental and physical health..
If left unmanaged, it can start to manifest as physical symptoms, perhaps starting with fatigue, then moving to headaches, chest pains, rapid heart beats, high blood pressure, and so on. Ongoing high levels of stress can make one more vulnerable to the likes of heart attack and stroke, among a myriad of other heath conditions. It can also worsen mental health, having a knock-on effect with anxiety, isolation and depression.
Stress becomes a vicious cycle that’s hard to break, but there are ways you can take back some control and work at lowering your stress levels, both in terms of the stressors themselves and how you respond to them. See if you can pinpoint the triggers and whether there’s any way to reduce or avoid them. Look at how you respond to them, and whether you can challenge those responses so that you cope with less stress being aroused. Are there any ways you can let out that stress afterwards, so that rather than continually shooting up or staying at high levels, you can keep it on a lower, more even keel?
The are various self-management techniques to calm stressful thoughts and feelings, like art, breathing exercises, yoga and mindfulness. A focus on healthy lifestyle, diet and exercise can also help, as can taking a methodical approach to how to pace and manage the sorts of things that often pique your stress.
Whether stress is just recently creeping up on you or you’ve been dealing with it for a long time, you can always start taking measures to reduce it. You don’t have to do this alone, so please reach out and seek professional advice and support if you need it.
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We hope that you have found this article helpful when it comes to some of the invisible monsters that could be attacking your health. Now that you know more about them, you can be more aware of whether they’re factors in your lifestyle and, if so, you can start taking proactive steps to manage them and protect your wellbeing.
Related Reading :
[ This is a collaborative post & as such the ideas expressed here are those of the author ]
19 comments
Yes on all three and let me add all the processed food. They are making many fat.
Have a fabulous day and weekend, Caz. Big hug. ♥
This is really interesting Caz! It’s always important to know what we’re putting into our bodies and surrounding ourselves with, isn’t it? I’m so glad you included stress as one of the three monsters. It causes so many issues with our health, and with us being such a “results-oriented” society, it seems everyone is under stress most of the time. Both the short- and long-term effects on our wellbeing can be disastrous. Thanks for yet another great article!
Very interesting, Caz! I known about Fluoride for a while and the things that I read about it…oh my. Even some conspiracy theory. I heard also about electro-magnetic energy and there are people that can come to your house with a device and can actually measure the levels. Though, I never used it. But it is a well known that houses beside the electric wire poles are less expensive, at least here. And limiting time beside electronics always helps. Have a good weekend.
I NEVER take my good health for granted, because so many have to work through illnesses of all kinds, chronic and otherwise…this is a terrific post because it showcases three potential “health attackers” that we can fight back against! Bravo!
No wonder there’s no fluoride in kids’ toothpastes.
Yes Yes and Yes, and I also agree with Sandee processed food is a killer, Thank you Caz
This is such an interesting post! I have braces, therefore I have to have toothpaste with lots of fluoride in it. I never noticed it could be in tap water, that’s a bit scary. Stress is a very threatening health issue, I agree. Fortunately, as a young person, it’s less demanding. However academia and exam seasons put way too much pressure on young people! No wonder so many are diagnosed with mental health problems at a young age. I was going to say ‘sadly’ before ‘diagnosed’ but it’s not sad to be diagnosed, it’s the way to help solve the problem. Thank you for yet another interesting post! Hopefully this comment will post x
Stress can be a killer and it’s so sneaky too! We often don’t realise until the effects of stress interfere with our lives, and sometimes by then it’s too late. Love this!
Charlee: “We’ve heard that stress is a big problem for humans.”
Chaplin: “We suggest finding a cat and giving it treats and petting it and listening to it purr.”
Charlee: “That’s a great stress reliever.”
Chaplin: “Yes it is. And don’t forget the treats.”
Lulu: “Are you trying to help people de-stress, Chaplin, or are you just looking for treats?”
Chaplin: “Why can’t I be doing both?”
Awesome post, Caz! These are very real threats that have mostly come throughout the modernizing of society. Stress increased due to the ‘always on’ mentality. Electronic gadgets replaced real connection in family units. Fluoride was added because we have become such a polluted world on every front. It’s sad really, what we’ve done to our planet, our homes, and our lives.
I agree with all 3 of these wholeheartedly. I do believe there is something to the electro-magnetic energy sensitivity. The reason I say that is due to what I’ve noticed when the power goes out. Have you ever experienced that? A hush falls over the room. It’s such a beautiful stillness. No hums. No buzzing noises. Just quiet stillness. It’s refreshing! There’s no way we could be exposed to this type of ‘energy’ day in and day out and not have some kind of repercussion from it. But hey, that’s just my humble 2 cents of it all!
Stress is *definitely* a killer. On days when I’ve not taken proper care of my mental health, my body suffers tremendously. We all do in that way. Your post says it all. Tension headaches, high blood pressure, panic attacks, chest pains, increased risk for heart disease and strokes — on and on we could go! We must learn that our lives matter. Sometimes stress can point us to the areas that need attention, calling for change. At times, we can change what’s stressing us, but sometimes, it’s just life being crazy. All we can do then is change how we respond to it whenever possible.
Sending you my love, dear friend. You’re awesome & always spread such helpful advice every time you share a post. BIG hugs headed your way. ????
My dentist prescribes me with an extra high fluoride toothpaste but gives strong advice not to swallow it and to keep it out of reach of kids if they visit. My water is just water with nothing added – a benefit of country living. It comes straight off the hill. When I visit other people, I’ve been known to take my own water because theirs tastes so full of chemicals.
Stress! Oh yes, I reckon it’s one of the biggest monsters.
Fluoride has been in water for years. Why do we continue to put our health at risk for a benefit that has not been proven? All the better to filter the water! Extra minerals in water has been known to affect people with compromised immune systems…and we do nothing. It’s the same for electromagnetic energy.
Just because nothing has be found harmful (yet) doesn’t mean we cant remove some of the sources away from or out of the bedroom for a chance to have better sleep. Move the cell phone away from the bed. I’m all for that.
Stress can eat a person alive like Ebola. Silent and deadly, it can take years off your life. All the reason to have positive people around you and read positive postings from blogs like your site Caz.
I thank you for helping us stay positive in a negative world.
This was an interesting article to read! I’m so glad to have learned something from this very informative post.
Yeah, stress is indeed the bigger health culprit.
I don’t use fluoride, but I know stress has been affecting me. Being cooped up with kids during this pandemic is no joke. Thanks for all the helpful info!
Another fantastic post! My husband’s teeth have been permanently damaged because of overfluoridization. Stress is the biggest factor!
Some great (and controversial) discussion points, Caz! I’m not a fluoride fan, whatsoever. I don’t use fluoridated toothpaste and adamantly refuse any & all Fluoroquinolone family antibiotics. I, personally, think the dangers of it are understated. Incidentally, I never get cavities. Great talking point!
As for the stress, I wish that was easier to avoid than switching toothpaste. But you’re SO right about the havoc stress wreaks in our bodies. It’s typically what triggers me most.
Caz, there is a lot of food for thought in this post. My significant other and i both have chronic health issues. He has MCS and post polio. A friend has MCS and EMF sensitivity. My late husband, Andrew Batavia, was a quadriplegic attorney who wrote regulations for the ADA of 1990. There is an article about him on Wikipedia. It looks like a lot of the issues on your site will be familiar to me. 🙂 All the best! Cheryl
Caz, I just left a comment, but don’t see it yet. I just followed you. Cheryl
Wonderfully interesting topics, Caz.
I drink only water that has been purified in our kitchen purification system. I also use it for cooking. (Our little four legged friends, Beau and Pebble, receive the purified water too! Only the best for them.) 🙂
I ensure all electronic devices are well away from us whilst sleeping.
Stress: There is so much less stress in my life these days, Caz. And I hope the same for you!
xoxoxo