Ways The Environment Effects Your Mind And Health

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Your environment affects your health either negatively or positively. Everything you experience in your environment, including what you hear and see, affects your stress level. Your body responds to the increases and decreases in stress biologically. Prolonged stress can negatively affect your immune system and cause disease. Besides the things you can see and hear, there are things in the environment that you may not be aware of that can affect your health. Here are some of the largest environmental effects on health.

Food

Studies show access to fresh fruit and vegetables provides better health outcomes. If you live in an area where a local grocery store isn’t easily accessible, you will be tempted to purchase pre-packaged foods for their shelf value. Pre-packaged foods are loaded with salt, chemicals, and preservatives. If this is your situation, consider a garden and learn how to preserve your harvest. Your health will thank you. You can monitor and track how your body reacts to food and lifestyle choices by measuring your metabolic health. This is done through continuous glucose monitoring. By monitoring your metabolic health, you can begin to understand how lifestyle choices can affect your metabolic fitness and your overall health.

Lead Paint

Today’s homes no longer use lead paint, but lead paint may be on the walls or in the woodwork if you live in an older home. The paint can chip off and be toxic, especially to pets and children. If you live in an old home and can’t afford lead paint remediation, contact local non-profits who sometimes have access to government grants.

Smoke

Cigarette smoke is dangerous to everyone in the household. If you smoke, consider the effects on those around you. Children that live in homes with smokers developed asthma and other breathing-related illnesses. If you live with a smoker, try and get them to smoke outdoors. Maybe place a comfortable chair and a small table to encourage them to go outdoors.

Poverty

Poverty affects many things in the environment, including your mental and physical health. Those with little means can spend a lot of time worrying about paying bills such as rent or electricity and buying food. In poor areas, access to quality health and dental care is limited. Living in poverty can mean you forgo regular health screenings until the situation becomes an emergency. Parents in poverty may take dangerous jobs or work several jobs to support a family.

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Crime

The stress of living in a high-crime area affects both your body and your mind. Fear can cause you to stay indoors, which can hinder your ability to get exercise and fresh air, both of which will negatively affect your mind and body. If crime is a concern, lack of sleep can creep up as you stay awake listening for any unusual sounds. Consider getting a dog or forming a neighborhood watch where everyone watches for unusual activity and contacts neighbors when something suspicious is observed.

Air Quality

Poor air quality has several adverse effects on the body, such as asthma, overall breathing, and a decline in outdoor exercise. Air pollution puts your body under severe stress, affects energy levels, and can cause illness and disease. If you’re aware of certain polluters in your neighborhood, work with your local government officials to correct the situation. It’s not easy, but remember, it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

Water

Clean and contamination-free water is essential for drinking and bathing. For those living in environments with poor water quality, it can be a challenge to stay healthy. You may need to boil water or buy bottled water. If the water source is contaminated, all sorts of health and diseases can present themselves. Everything in your environment affects your health either positively or negatively. Even in the worst environments, with the proper awareness, you can make positive changes to help your body perform at its optimum health.

Reduce your stress. Find time to breathe, exercise outdoors and socialize with your friends. These are things you can pull into your environment that will produce positive results.

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