Everyone wants to live healthily.
Right?
But "healthy" seems to have a lot of meanings.
Many of the things we deem healthy and healing are often messy and problematic.
So it's time to make some changes.
And really do the research.
Redditor cheerfulspinach wanted to discuss the truth about being cleansed... so they asked:
"What is something people think is a 'healthy option' but actually isn't?"
We all need to research more to define 'healthy.'"
Sneaky, sneaky...
Hold On Waiting GIF by Nature ValleyGiphy"Sugar sneaks it's way into all sorts of 'healthy' foods. Make sure to check the nutrition facts if you are watching for it. I'm looking at you, granola."
cottonfist
Cleanse Crap
"Those stupid juicing detox programs... your body's liver and kidney's naturally detox your body so long as you drink plenty of water. This whole notion that you are detoxing your body with juice is a*inine."
fihiv13853
"The financial director of the WORST place I've ever worked decided to go onto a juice detox. Each tiny bottle was like £5 (this is back in 2016) and his diet was literally 5 of those bottles a day."
"However during work he would get agitated and lacking energy so he'd 'top up' with haribo throughout the day to make sure he didn't collapse. Very freaking healthy."
luv2belis
75 pounds in a year...
"I had a friend in college who believed sub sandwiches were healthy. Like... not specific ones. The Subway health based commercials made her think that anything served in sub form was healthy. She was eating footlong white bread covered in cheese with double bacon and ham sandwiches with extra cheese, extra mayo, extra oil or ranch and whatever else she wanted on them or chicken bacon ranch subs with double cheese and double bacon. Devouring them 2-3 times a day to lose weight."
"She hadn't told anyone she was trying to lose weight but after she gained 75 pounds in a year, some of her friends started asking why she ate so many unhealthy sandwiches every day. Her mind was blown when we told her that sub sandwiches aren't magically healthy just because of the form factor."
SadLaser
Bad Rep
"Smoothies from smoothie shops They use sorbets, ice creams, and juices with an insane amount of sugar in them. My sister worked at a smoothie shop, and people would always come in after going to the gym. It’s not what most people think it is."
wekig10581
"Depends on the smoothie but yes most of those mainstream chains are like that."
iast68
Options
"'Low-fat' or 'fat-free' options. These products often have added sugars and other unhealthy additives to compensate for the lack of fat. In some cases, these options may actually be worse for you than the full-fat versions."
Appropriate-Land9451
"And not to mention they STILL taste worse than the full fat versions. Lowfat yogurt is the bane of my existence."
fallout_koi
Low does not mean no.
Smell the flowers...
"Vaginal washes on a daily basis so it smells like lavender instead of what vaginas are supposed to smell like. It's unnecessary and changes your pH down there and pre disposes you to infections."
fihiv13853
Take a Brake
"I think a lot of Millennials and Gen Zers are beginning to catch on to how bad it can potentially be, but I think dedicating your life just to work is really unhealthy. I mean fair enough if you have a job you really enjoy, but even so if you dedicate almost every waking moment to your job there's a problem generally. Its not a great attitude, live to work."
sopica8678
Buying into the system...
"Toxic positivity. The people who tell you that you need to love yourself regardless of whatever debilitating disability or mental condition you have that makes doing so near impossible Or the people who, whenever you try to reach out, immediately try to downplay your problems (you don’t hate your body, society just MAKES you buy more products/your not depressed, society sucks)."
"People who try to take what you say about yourself and twist it beyond recognition into some pseudo-'woke‘ actually society is the problem’ bulls**t and passively blame you for not waking up farting rainbows because actually everything you’ve ever disliked about yourself was created by 3 white dudes 200 years ago therefore making any doubt you have just ‘buying into the system.'"
LavaRoseKinnie
Muffins
"Honestly, a lot of whether or not something is healthy or unhealthy (especially in the context of weight loss) depends on the specific person."
"For example, I have to avoid eating nuts as a snack because they're extremely calorie dense while not being at all filling to me and hence I can overeat them really easily without thinking about them without any benefits of affecting my hunger level."
"But for someone who doesn't have my issue with snacking foods, a handful of nuts as a snack would absolutely be a great part of a balanced diet."
"On a more general level though, muffins. Most muffins you can buy are basically cupcakes but people treat muffins like a diet food."
badgersprite
Be Calm
Relaxing Chill Out GIF by Talk StoopGiphy"Not getting angry. Holding in your negative emotions not only increases your cortisol stress levels, it also prevents you from opening up about the things that are holding you back."
"If you learn how to talk things out and express frustration before things boil over, you just might find that your relationships are more honest and fulfilling."
GoddessLeVianFoxx
Being healthy is all a state of mind.
Anything you'd like to add to this list? Let us know in the comments below.
People Explain What Makes Them Think 'Wow, I Really Am Getting Older'
Old age is something most of us aspire to, but sudden reminders that were getting there quicker than we might think aren't always welcome.
Reddit user nonameuser21 asked:
"What’s a thing that makes you think 'Wow, I’m really getting older'?"
Epic Sound Effects
"Everything creaks and what doesn't creak, hurts."
- insane_noises
"Everybody creaks, ....sometimes."
- SlightComplaint
"When the day is long & the night... The night is spent getting up several times to peeee"
-gliitch0xFF
orgy GIFGiphyCDs
"The CD turned 40 today."
- DHammer79
"The centre spindle hole of the CD is based on the size of a dutch coin that doesn't even exist anymore due to the introduction of the Euro. My useless fact even became obsolete."
-StarFaeire
What's My Age Again?
"When you have to try work out how old you are."
- phackeu
"I had one of those moments earlier this year. I'm 28 and a friend said, 'You're what, 25... right?'And I said 'yeah...' then I sat there trying to figure it out since I hadn't thought much about my age in years. Basically since before covid."
- maltesemania
Don't Care
"Slowly starting to give less f**ks"
- Basic-Basket-1006
"Plus insecurities fading. I am who I am, that’s it that’s all"
- Skkaaishere
They're How Old?!
"Full grown adults who were born when I was a full grown adult."
-AmyHeartsYou
"I think to witness meaningfully all the stages of development of another human being makes a big contribution to self awareness that you simply don't have at 20"
- joelthomastr
My Music Is Classic Now
"When I hear Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Everclear, etc on CLASSIC ROCK RADIO 🤬😡🤬"
- beigereige
""OLD SCHOOL radio"... plays TLC and Sugar Ray"
- three-sense
It's All Relative
"I'm older now than my best friend's dad was when I met him."
- doyourselfafavor
"Well, this made me realize I'm older than my mom was when I was born, and I was her 7th kid."
- Pillsbernie
Oh Snap
"About a year or so ago I went to put on a clean shirt after a shower, as per usual I went to "snap" the shirt first and I hurt my shoulder."
"Couldn't turn my head to the right for like 2 days."
- therewerentanynames
"I had to take two days off work earlier in the year when I threw my back out."
"Everyone kept asking what I did to throw it out. I sneezed."
- Bulky-Sheepherder-22
It Really Was
"Talking to people who think the 80s was a long time ago. I have to do the math in my head each time to verify that it really was a long time ago."
- OogusMacBoogus
"Someone posted in another thread today about something "really old, from the 90s' 😩"
- VLC31
time watch GIF by Chris KläffordGiphyThey Can't Be That Old
"I work with a kid who was born in 2005. Nobody born in 2005 should be older than a toddler."
- squaredistrict2213
Growing old is just a part of life, but we could all do without the sudden reminders that were doing it too.
Getting older is inevitable.
Like everything else on the planet, over time the human body suffers the effects of wear and tear.
Joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, teeth, etc... are put through the ringer and eventually it begins to show.
Things we used to do with ease suddenly aren't so simple.
Redditor iamalsopizza asked:
"What did your body tell you that you had to absolutely stop doing?"
That 24/7 Life
"Pulling all nighters for any reason. My body will not tolerate it anymore."
- Eccentric_Mermaid
"I used to do it every weekend as a teenager, with help from Monster, my PC, and some of the fine programming on Adult Swim."
"Last time I tried as an early 20s adult, I passed out sitting straight up. I'm pretty sure now Monster just puts me to sleep."
"Last successful all-nighter I survived until 6 AM. I still woke up at 8:00 on the dot, on my day off. Thanks work."
- EvilDarkCow
"Oh my sweet, honey-glazed christ...I turned 40 last year and I swear it was like someone flipped a light switch."
"I used to pull all-nighters and get 4 hours sleep and be ready to go like a wild hog the next morning."
"Now I get 8 hours of sleep and I could frankly use a nap. Aging sucks."
- Cats-Steal-Things
GiphyNo More
"Got seizures from drinking more or less a liter of vodka a day."
"Took a few years, but I'm now standing at 648 days alcohol free."
- FroggiJoy87
"Currently in the hospital. Came off a hangover caused by 14 shots of Altos and my body was like 'you know what? We're gonna figure all this shit out'."
"I had diarrhea so bad, I was almost in starvation mode when I got to the ER. Turns out, there's a tiny hole in my something and it was leaking waste into my body which gave me an infection."
"Been here 5 days, now. I have a straw in my belly which is draining the infection so the antibiotics can work better."
"Every time I look at it, I'm grossed out and wanna slap myself. I'm never touching a drink again in my life. F'k that."
"I just liked to have a good time and binge drink."
"Well, I'm gonna have to get some new hobbies or something because this sh*t here, ain't it."
- IreallEwannasay
"I use to take pills all the time to get high when I was going through some sh*t in my early 20's that I didn't really know how to handle at the time."
"Well one day while doing the pills, my body just said 'no more' and I projectile vomited everywhere in my room and bathroom. It got on the walls and floor. I was living with my parents at the time and blamed it on food poisoning or something like that."
"I tried again every day for like a week and each time I just threw them back up."
"And that's how I got clean off these pills. Drug free to this day!"
- Necrodotexe
Your Pancreas Says "No!"
"I just checked my blood sugar today and it is outrageous, so it looks like my food shenanigans are over."
"I made homemade bread last night and my blood sugar was 195 this morning. F'k my life."
- KayBeaux
"Yeah. When eating a piece of French bread becomes food shenanigans you know you're effed. Stuff most folks consider fine is now off limits."
"It's not like pork rinds or similar junk food, either. Potatoes, French fries, chips, etc... are absolutely not happening. OJ, cider, milk....all gone."
- jpr_jpr
GiphyEnergy With A Side Of Palpitations
"Drinking Bang energy drinks, last one I had turned me into a panicking rage monster, whole time I thought I was going to die my heart was beating so fast and irregular."
- CaptnRiggen
"I used to work a day job till 6p M-F then work security at bars Thur-Sat from 10p-3am."
"One night I drank two of those 4-Hour Energy drinks. The second one was more of a 'Wonder what would happen?' more than I needed it."
"Holy f'k was that a bad idea. My heart was going so fast."
"I never touched that stuff again. That was before I really looked closely at the nutrition labels. Now I always look at them."
‐ lipp79
"I had this with Redbull—my first time drinking it and I never touched it again."
"Coca Cola also gives me heart palpitations so I rarely drink it but not to the 'omg, I'm going to die' level of Red Bull."
- QuendaQuoll
"I used to work overnights at a store that sold 4-Hour Energy at the counter. My coworkers and I would guzzle them to get through the night shift."
"I always felt that same sensation of irregular heartbeat for hours and the crash afterward was unbelievable."
- jellyrat24
Calm Down
"Being stressed."
"I'm at the age now where I realize that controlling my stress level is an actual physical health issue."
"I started getting bald patches on my facial hair, and terrible neck pain, and elevated heart rate. I'm definitely more mindful.
"I used to think stress was just about what I was feeling emotionally in a given moment, but no it's very physical."
- mjzim9022
Giphy"Yep this one right here! During the summer of 2020 I realize that if I didn’t start working on calming down, I was gonna drop dead of a heart attack or something."
"About six months later I noticed that I had six months growth worth of pure white hairs on the top of my head. I didn’t even have gray hairs before Covid."
"I’m pretty sure that if I hadn’t have started calming myself down, I really would’ve had a heart attack."
- Drealjas
Sleeping Wrong Is A Thing
"Camping without an air mattress. The last time I did it using only a pallet of blankets I PAID for it the next morning."
"My entire body hurt. Getting old sucks."
- 2gecko1983
"Went to visit my grandmother 3 years ago and the air mattress had a hole in it, so I just said 'Ah its fine I'll sleep ona pallet on the floor'."
"I woke up the next morning with my left shoulder sore and stiff. It hurt all day, and every day after that."
"I finally broke down and went to the Dr about it this year. He said, 'You take anything for that?' I said, no. He said 'You probably should'."
"I was hoping maybe he was gonna fix me. Refer me to a joint specialist. Possibly see about surgery."
"Apparently after a certain age they dont really do that anymore and I now see why Aleve commercials are mostly targeted toward older people. Cause some disinterested Dr said 'You should probably start taking something for that'."
- IGotNoStringsOnMe
GiphyWhat activities has your body put a stop to?
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It doesn't have to take much to completely alter your life.
What can happen is you get into your own head, thinking there needs to be some grand, sweeping act that shifts your entire life's direction. Without this large gesture, then there is no change.
Really, all it takes is a commitment to something small and the results can begin showing up sooner than you think.
Reddit user, u/colorfulsoul_, wanted to know the secrets to turning your life around when they asked:
"What improved your quality of life so much, you wish you did it sooner?"
There might be a way to make your life better, today, right now.
Just go to sleep.
Nothing Good Happens After 11p
"Sleeping when I'm sleepy"
hellofellowhumanss
Who Knew Laundry Could Weigh So Heavily?
"Throwing out ALL my socks and buying a single type."
"No more looking for pairs."
atlantis_airlines
"This, and buying a mesh laundry bag with a zipper."
"when it comes time to fold your clothes, no more looking for that missing sock - they're all in the bag!"
mdsmds178
When Are You Seriously Going To Talk?
"Deleting all the people from high school I don't see anymore from social media"
FineBahnMi
"I did this too. Was one of my best decisions. Social media has never been a kind place for me."
sorryboutth4t
Or Really Any Online Toxic Culture
"Stopped playing league of legends"
Shoddy-Ladder-6233
Physically, there's a lot we could all be doing. While the thought of going to the gym feels like a death sentence to some, in ten or twenty years that sentence could be paying you back with interest.
Let Your Mind Clear While Clanging And Banging
"43y.o. Started exercising regularly again. 4x a week. Forget the physical benefits for a minute, the mental benefits outweigh the "gains" all day."
Longjumping-Step-270
"This is exactly why I finally took up exercise. I've never considered myself a FITNESS GIRL by any means, but last winter my mental health took such a hit that I had to try something, and I liked it so much I'm still sticking with it."
thewitchywordsmith
It's Probably Easier To Walk Up The Stairs Too, Huh?
"Quitting smoking. I couldn't imagine life without it back then. But man is life better without a constant need like that, not to mention all the health benefits."
myteethareallpenises
Get Into Nature
"Hiking in mountains. It's quite hard to explain why. It just feels like finally I've found some sort of peace or some sort of home. Or probably one of the most important parts of self."
hudvin
You Only Get The One Set
"Flossing. I never saw the dentist as a kid, and no one really pushed me to or cared about my dental health."
Ok_Replacement_8801
"As an older redditor who had poor dental hygiene growing up: keep at it."
"Getting old sucks as it is but its even worse when you have a problem that could have been avoided."
Torringtonn
Invest In Your Body, If You Can
"Bought an expensive (think: 1000 Euros) office chair."
"Now neither back nor butt hurts after 10 hours of home office work."
DocTomoe
The Strangest 'Wrong Number' Stories | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Before we all had caller ID, wrong numbers phone calls were commonplace. But now that almost everyone screens their calls, it's wrong number texts that have ...A New Way To Get To Sleep Faster
"It's something I did when I was younger, but life kinda got in the way........I just recently started again and am so glad I did. Swimming. It is such a stress reliever and makes you tired in that way you sleep like a log at night."
CurtCurmudgeon
Not everything is physical, and not everything is going to happen today, but real change begins to slowly unravel in time.
No, You're Not JUST Tired
"Eating healthy. It's amazing after you realize how much you feel like sh-t after you just took down a double cheese burger, extra large fries, and a large coke, but at the time, you don't realize it and just "think" you're tired. Good eating habits and exercising changed my life."
D1sCoL3moNaD3
Learn To Do What You Love Because You Love It
"To do the things that I love without being desirous of superficial success. This lesson largely sprung because I was into writing fiction, and as we all know it's not that financially rewarding. When I got over the fact that not everything has to eventually have a financial outcome, and that it needn't necessarily to turn into a career, I leaned towards many things in my life that made be a better person - things that a stable job could never hope to provide."
"And this eventually led me to have better relationships, make braver decisions, and stand up for myself."
SpecificAccountant43
Just Say, "No."
"Learning to be okay with saying "no" and starting off all relationships (personal and professional) with healthy boundaries. You don't ever need an excuse to say "no" to if you don't want to do something."
"Don't feel like going out with friends that night? No thank you."
"Don't want to work an extra shift at your place of employment if it's not mandatory? No thanks boss!"
"Boundaries are amazing, and when set from the beginning, they are much easier to maintain for your own mental well being."
DnDYetti
To Quote: Just Do It
"Making decisions without constantly overthinking about them."
"I was in a dreadful, toxic work environment. I loved my peers but management significantly impacted my ability to maintain my aspiration to grow with the company. My mental health started to suffer, began drinking heavily, gained lots of weight and could not wake up in the mornings to drive to work. All of this toxicity for a close to minimum wage job."
"I was always overthinking about quitting and my fears of not finding another job. Not being able to pay my bills. What my girlfriend at the time would think of me if I was jobless."
"One day, I decided to take a calculated risk and stop overthinking. I quit, with no back up. I decided I would go back to school with my small savings and get a proper education. In hopes that I would have a stable salary."
"Once after taking that leap, my college professor knew a tech recruiter that worked at a massive organization. I was quickly recommended by the professor, got the job, and am now financially stable. Most importantly, my mental health is back in a steady state."
"Sometimes, you just have to trust that the universe will guide you through all these deep and dark paths, so you can arrive at your blissful destination"
merkin-slayer
It's Not As Important As You Think
"Letting my pride and ego take hits. I used to have been such a 'me, me, me' person in my early life. When I allowed myself to be taken down a peg or two, I started having new perspectives on life and people around me."
neoastic
"It's a great lesson for young people: If you're wrong about something, don't double-down on it, just admit fault, learn, and keep it movin'. We all make mistakes, let's quit pretending we're somehow "better" than everybody else!"
RoguePlanet1
There can be real change in your life so long as you stick with, hold it in your life every day, and work towards something. Trying to be better is enough, and we all deserve it.
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Women Are Sharing The Lengths They Have To Go To Protect Themselves While Running In Eye-Opening Thread
Most men do not think twice about their safety when they go running.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for women.
TV writer Amanda Deibert posed a question on Twitter, asking how women arm themselves for protection.
The response to her thread was overwhelming and a sad indication of women feeling vulnerable as they exercise around their neighborhood.
Deibert, who writes for Al Gore's 24 Hours of Reality, tweeted:
"One of my mom groups has a thread that is just women listing and recommending which kind of protection they take when them when they go out running (Ie. pepper spray, alarm necklaces, whistles, etc) in case you wondered what being a woman is like."
She asked in a followup:
"Also, women: what do you use when you go out running?"
One of my mom groups has a thread that is just women listing and recommending which kind of protection they take wh… https://t.co/7fOgETAz0E— Amanda Deibert 🏳️🌈 (@Amanda Deibert 🏳️🌈) 1559154072.0
Users shared their precautionary measures to protect themselves in the event of an attack.
@amandadeibert My women running friends also use: A running partner also, a dog - medium size - Its surprising how… https://t.co/F35RT4dXN1— Daniel Maycock (@Daniel Maycock) 1559155317.0
@Dupe1970 @amandadeibert I don’t wear my glasses when I run, so I’m often running toward a scary, mysterious blob w… https://t.co/bq03RIKHdb— SecretlyStephie (@SecretlyStephie) 1559227861.0
@amandadeibert My daughter runs with a vest and we modified it to carry a knife which she knows how to use to devas… https://t.co/KDzEt2lB5J— Kranium (@Kranium) 1559154732.0
I’d love to run 10pm-12am. I don’t because 1)If I am attacked I will be blamed for being out after dark. 2)If I am… https://t.co/aZo9qZdChb— beth peralta-reed (@beth peralta-reed) 1559160126.0
@amandadeibert I’m in a women’s running group and it has to be the most common thread. For me it’s my knife. Highly… https://t.co/B3soGCrwkX— Elizabeth (@Elizabeth) 1559161331.0
@amandadeibert My daughter starts 6th grade in August and will need to use the school bus for the first time. The b… https://t.co/lShp8xlBCI— ScotOfTheSouth (@ScotOfTheSouth) 1559155201.0
Deibert told Buzzfeed News she used to be a runner but now takes walks and hikes.
A question in a Facebook group got her thinking about the various ways in which she protects herself, like running in well-lit areas, pretending to be on the phone, and carrying her keys between her knuckles.
At one point, she pretended to go into a building to avoid a possible confrontation.
"It just hit me like...wow, this is something most women think about every time we go out to get exercise or even just walk to our car."
She is not alone in her thinking.
@shanegreer @amandadeibert I once had a guy fall in behind me while I was running in my neighborhood after dark and… https://t.co/zgojx24RSQ— Lizett S. (@Lizett S.) 1559240644.0
@shanegreer @amandadeibert It's sad, but a real threat. I live near a small city. There's a wonderful public walkwa… https://t.co/zWhUXh40Qd— Paul&Mary (@Paul&Mary) 1559233852.0
Her thread went viral, but the responses were not reassuring and only reinforced the fact that female runners are more vulnerable than men.
If you search on Amazon for "women safety running," you get a whole list of various devices specifically designed to make women feel safer while running, including pepper spray, personal alarms. While it's good that these exist, it's pretty damning that they have to.
Still, Deibert felt the discussion was important for raising awareness.
"It makes me sad that it is so common for us as women to feel the need to take extra safety measures, but ultimately I feel like discussing it is a good thing."
This runner relies on arming herself with Katy Perry.
@LgndsWaverider @shanegreer @amandadeibert During my non-sunlit runs, I forgo the headphones and take my UE Boom to… https://t.co/LU4yv3F4ZD— ham-burger-end-tater-thots. (@ham-burger-end-tater-thots.) 1559187469.0
Sadly, heckling is still a thing.
@danielmaycock @amandadeibert This x10000 For weeks there was a construction team doing work on my run route. When… https://t.co/RSztSiZB9b— Marthe de Ferrer (@Marthe de Ferrer) 1559164057.0
Some male runners make a conscious effort to distance themselves on the sidewalk.
@amandadeibert i've said this before but i will say it again. when i am out running i intentionally run out into th… https://t.co/fTohHT9iwz— Dupenstein (@Dupenstein) 1559154819.0
@amandadeibert I think about this a lot when I run (very early mornings when it’s dark) and encounter solo female r… https://t.co/FG1N41xceL— Shane Greer (@Shane Greer) 1559165718.0
@amandadeibert I also run often with a female friend and safety is a topic that always comes up. Just by my being t… https://t.co/9paWPkSUlG— Shane Greer (@Shane Greer) 1559165933.0
Dogs are a popular running companion.
@amandadeibert I use dogs. https://t.co/LttYctSd3M— Zara-Blue Barry (@Zara-Blue Barry) 1559154386.0
@amandadeibert I only go out running with my dogs. Barney is intimidating and I seriously wouldn’t go without him.… https://t.co/E2VlQKM5e0— Elizabeth (@Elizabeth) 1559159159.0
The reality of the dangers involved for female runners is a wake-up call for men.
"I've had so many men respond to the thread saying they have never even considered it because when they go for a run, they just go for a run — and it made them sad to realize it was different for women," she said.