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Health Technology

Negative effects of screen time

Allowing your kids too much screen time with their various video games, television programs can have residual negative effects which can affect their health in the long run. And while there seems to be little agreement as to what is appropriate screen time – one thing is for sure, allowing your kids too much screen time can cause them to become addicted to the same. This is why it is important that we take a closer look at some of the negative effects of screen time.

Negative effects of screen time

 

Sleep deprivation: Children require more sleep than adults and getting hooked on to various devices from tablets to video games can cause them to sleep less. Children are at an important phase of their development and as such, they require at least seven to eight hours of sound sleep. Moreover, if they sleep with the various electronic devices in close proximity, the residual blue light emitted by these devices can cause them to sleep less fitfully. As a result, they are often extremely fatigued on waking up and this has a cascading effect on their health as well.

Obesity: Obesity is fast becoming a crisis with several teens developing obesity-related health disorders and the rising incidence of diabetes 2 among young patients is equally worrying. One of the causative factors for young children to become obese over a period of time is the fact that they get less exercise as they get hooked on various online games and other devices. And since most of them sit down to access these devices, they become less fit and as a result, more obese over a certain period.

Vision: It goes without saying that spending long hours in front of the PC, television, tablets, mobile phones and/or video games is going to lead to vision impairment.  This is why it is essential that you monitor the amount of screen time your kids are exposed to and if required, regulate the same so that their health does not get impacted. If your kid’s eye is watering as a result of getting too much screen time, then you need to take him to the doctors right away.

Body aches and pains: Spending too much time on the laptop or playing games on devices can lead to joint aches. In fact, extensive laptop usage can cause your kid to develop carpal tunnel syndrome; if he experiences sharp inexplicable pains in his wrist as he moves his hand, then chances are likely that he is indeed suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome.

Addiction: Kids can become easily addicted to various electronic devices which is why you need to carefully monitor their screen time. If you feel that they are indeed addicted, then it may be time to take your kid on a weekend trip to an electronics-free zone but either way does consult a childcare specialist for suggestions and tips on how to handle this addiction.

These are some of the negative effects of too much screen time and this is why it is important you realize the inherent dangers of allowing your kids too much screen time.

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General Health

Negative effects of processed foods

It should not come as a surprise that processed foods can be bad for you to an extent since they are chemically processed or have been made from refined ingredients. For example, the OJ you had just purchased at the store has been chemically processed, with certain additives being added to improve flavoring. This is not to imply that all processed food is bad for your health but that certain processed food which contains flavoring agents, chemical additives can cause several health issues to crop up. That’s why you need to take a closer look at some of the residual negative effects of eating processed foods.

Negative effects of processed foods

  • High in sugar and fructose syrup: Processed foods contain high amounts of high fructose corn syrup and if that’s not bad enough, manufacturers have started using the same for making their products tastier. One of the reasons that fructose syrup is bad for your health is that it gets metabolized in the liver which is not equipped to handle excess amounts of fructose. As a result, the excess fructose gets converted into fat, resulting in obesity. One of the reasons why so many underage patients develop obesity and obesity-related health issues like diabetes at a young age is on account of high fructose corn syrup.
  • Addictive: Processed foods contain several additives including flavoring agents designed to make the food product in question all the more addictive. Processed foods often have less fiber than other food products for the simple reason that consumers can spend less energy consuming the same. And coupled with the fact that these food products can be quite tasty makes them all the more appealing with the end result that the consumer finds them addictive. And being addicted to processed foods can cause you to develop several chronic health problems from Obesity, diabetes 2, heartburn, develop allergies, high blood pressure and more.
  • Low nutritional value: Processed foods contain very little by way of nutrition; most of these processed foods contain almost no fiber which is an essential component for good nutrition and offers little by way of actual nutritional value. Some of the processed foods contain high amounts of trans-fats, salt and high amounts of sugar and taken together with the fact that your body gets little by way of nutritional value, you can see how a diet rich in processed foods can be quite bad for your health.
  • Artificial ingredients: Processed foods contain artificial agents which can impact your health over prolonged exposure to the same. The next time you head out shopping you may want to pay more attention to the list of ingredients listed on the back of the item in question.

These are some of the negative effects of consuming processed foods. It is important that you realize the detrimental effects of certain processed foods and avoid the same. It is always a good idea to opt for organic food and other food items which are not processed and are healthy enough for you to eat.

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Health

Negative effects of HGH

There are many reasons why someone would want to take the human growth hormone, but one of the most common reasons why some opt for it is so that they can continue to look young and beautiful. The human growth hormone or HGH is naturally produced by your pituitary gland and is more commonly found among young children than adults. HGH helps to regulate body tone, cellular growth, bone development, as well as fat metabolism and cardiovascular health. But given the fact that more users have taken to injecting HGH as a performance enhancer, it is time that we take a closer look at some of the associated negative side effects.

Negative effects of HGH.

Joint pain – an abnormally high intake of HGH can cause you to develop joint aches, muscle pains; with more consumers opting to use HGH as a performance enhancer, it is only to be expected that they will develop several side effects as a result of the same. While HGH is produced by the human body in normal levels while you are growing up, this tapers off as you become older. And injecting yourself with the same can cause you to develop severe joint paints.

High cholesterol levels: HGH is known to cause your cholesterol levels to shoot up and this can further compromise your cardiovascular health. This is why it is essential that you consult your doctor before you attempt to start taking in HGH to help enhance your performance.

Diabetes: HGH also increases your risk of diabetes; HGH is more commonly produced by your body when you are in the developmental stage of your childhood and when you are more active than you are at the moment. So taking HGH artificially can impact your metabolism and how your body stores energy. As a result, chances are good that you will develop diabetes as a result of prolonged abuse of HGH.

Cancer: As HGH is a growth hormone, artificially injecting yourself with the same is bound to accelerate cellular growth in your body. As a result, you are more likely to develop cancer as a result of prolonged abuse of HGH. While there is no conclusive evidence to back this up yet there is enough compelling proof to point out the fact that HGH accelerates the growth of all cells in the human body including cancer cells. This, in turn, can lead to cancerous growth, and if you feel that you are at risk because of consuming the same, then it is high time that you consulted your doctor at the earliest.

These are some of the associated negative effects of HGH which is why you need to take better care of yourself and that of your health. While there are many athletes who continue to use HGH as a performance enhancer, it has come to the notice of the required authorities. It is vital that you seek medical help if you have been using HGH as an enhancer for a while and get complete medical test done.

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Society

Negative effects of racism

The fact remains that we are not all that different from one another except for our genetic makeup and the morphological differences which are more a result of the local geographical factors than anything else. But sadly, this does not seem to have percolated to the rest of the public who seem to be under the impression that the human race contains several subspecies, based purely on the skin tone. As a result, several individuals actively propagate the theory of superior race based mostly on the premise that their skin color is white.  This is why there is a sudden uptick in racial attacks and if this was not enough, governments have started profiling their own citizens based on the same. This is why it is important that we take a closer look at some of the associated negative effects of racism.

Negative effects of racism

  • Low self-esteem: Often being subjected to racial attacks, from taunts to downright violence can leave one with a low self-esteem. There is enough historical evidence to back the claim that being exposed to prolonged bouts of racial attacks can leave one lacking the requisite confidence to stand up for themselves, to become subservient to others, and to be made to feel that they are less worthy because their skin is in the wrong shade. In fact, racial attacks were often cited to be one of the leading factors behind the sudden increase in young teen suicides.
  • Fear of law enforcement: Since most of the racial attacks were often propagated by those in authority, a fear of being subjected to more racial attacks especially by cops makes victims extremely reluctant to approach the authorities. As a result, several crimes, including racial attacks often go unreported for the very same reason. Apart from this is the fact that law enforcement authorities are becoming increasingly intolerant towards other races seems to have resulted in victims wanting to avoid reporting crimes to avoid any untoward attention by these authorities.
  • Fear: Victims of racial abuse, racial attacks often live in an atmosphere of fear; knowing that there would be little recourse left to them should they choose to report those indulging in racial attacks. Moreover, one constant refrain that most of these victims share is the fact that they fear they would be subjected to more reprisal attacks should they chose to report a crime is why so many cases go unreported. This fear of abuse and reprisal attacks is similar to what several communities world over had to face at one point or another, as a result of racial abuse from others, case in point would be the Jewish community living in Germany before the start of World War 2.

These are some of the negative effects of racism; bottom line, all of us are quite the same and that these morphological differences are just skin deep (no pun intended). In fact, if a person with dark skin tone was to migrate to the colder north, it would be hard to tell his dependents apart from others since the skin tone would have become extremely light in a matter of a few generations. Racism is endemic and one that needs to be eliminated from all sections of our society at the earliest.

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General

Negative effects of natural gas

As a result of organic detritus becoming fossilized over aeons has resulted in earth containing vast reserves of natural gas, petroleum and other associated by-products. In short, the natural gas that you use for cooking food was actually a living organism that lived millions of years ago, which later on got fossilized and got turned into fossil fuel– hence the term. But it is our quest to tap more of this natural resource that has resulted in impacting us in ways we never thought were possible which is why we are taking a closer look at some of the associated negative effects of natural gas.

Negative effects of natural gas

Drilling: One of the processes by which we are able to obtain natural gas is by drilling into the bedrock. And while like other fossil fuels, natural gas does release a certain amount of air pollutants into the atmosphere on burning, it seems that the process to obtain the same is fast becoming a danger to our world at large. As these oil and energy companies drill for natural gas, they end up releasing vast amounts of methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas, directly into the atmosphere. To put it in perspective, methane is thirty-four times more effective than carbon dioxide in blocking sunlight and in warming the earth. What’s more, once released, methane can be an active component for a very long time. Prolonged drilling can result in vast amounts of trapped methane being released back into the atmosphere directly.

Health: Residents, who live in and around areas where active drilling is being carried out, often find out that their health is being compromised, as a result of close proximity to the drilling zone. Companies use various tools and techniques for drilling and extracting natural gas trapped underneath and as a result, often release various air pollutants directly into the atmosphere. These pollutants can include anything from sulfur dioxide to arsenic. Since most energy companies use hydraulic fracturing as a way to access the tapped gas underneath, they often release these by-products directly into the local water system. As a result, most of the local residents often experience several health issues ranging from cardiovascular issues (as a result of air pollutants) to an impaired nervous system as a result of prolonged exposure to high levels of chemicals and even arsenic poisoning in a few cases.

Environmental impact: As a result of drilling for natural gas, most of the local water bodies get polluted. This often results in a knockdown effect on the local environment with several species disappearing overnight with the loss of their natural habitat.

These are some of the associated negative effects of natural gas which is why it is important that we come up with an alternative source of energy. Our natural gas reserves are not infinite and continual prospecting for the same is having a detrimental effect on the world around us, as we know it today.

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Health

Negative effects of Gluten

Gluten is an active protein component of most grains like wheat, rye, barley among others. In fact, when you add water to a bowl of wheat flour and it forms a sticky substance, that’s gluten and the very word is derived from ‘glue like’.  The issue though is that cases of gluten sensitivity seem to be on the increase as a recent study showed how more than a third of the population suffers from it. This is why it is time to take a closer look at some of the negative effects of gluten.

Negative effects of Gluten

Celiac disease: One of the most insidious forms of auto-immune diseases, Celiac disease is quite difficult to diagnose and a lot harder to treat.  When people who have an inbuilt sensitivity to Gluten consume the same, this often results in their body’s immune system targeting the gluten proteins and in the process, the celiac cells present on the digestive system. The immune system mounts an attack on transglutaminase which is often present on the inner walls of the digestive tract. As a result, the patient can experience several symptoms of fatigue, anaemia, lack of adequate nutrition and much more. This is often an indication of Celiac disease which is why you need to consult your physician for the same especially if you happen to suffer from the same symptoms

Non-celiac Gluten sensitivity: In this case, your immune system does not launch an attack on your digestive tract as a result of your gluten sensitivity. But you do get to experience similar symptoms once you have consumed Gluten. Some of the symptoms that you may experience on account of your gluten sensitivity can range from diarrhea, feeling bloated, abdominal cramps, severe fatigue, joint pain and much more. Again, should you experience the same, it is advisable for you to consult your healthcare worker and find out if you are allergic to Gluten.

Irritable bowel syndrome: Often, Gluten causes people to develop irritable bowel syndrome as a result of Gluten. The interesting part is that Gluten can even cause those without sensitivity to it to develop these symptoms for no reason at all. Moreover, Gluten has also been known to affect the inner lining of the digestive tract along with the intestine. This is why you need to have regular health checkups done so that you can find out more about your current condition and take effective measures for the same.

Cerebellar ataxia: This serious neurological condition which can impair some of your basic functions has recently been linked to gluten consumption and in fact, it is now called gluten ataxia. Studies are being conducted to better understand this linkage but it has been proved conclusively that gluten consumption can cause you to develop this rare neurological disorder.

These are some of the associated negative effects of Gluten; given this perhaps it is time that you opted for a gluten-free diet to take better care of your own health. And remember to consult your physician should you experience any of the above symptoms.

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Health

Negative effects of Hypnosis

Hypnotism is where you are put into an altered state of consciousness by a hypnosis expert, one which leaves you open to suggestions. In fact, hypnosis is often recommended by certain psychologists as a way to overcome some deep-seated fear or trauma. Generally, hypnosis was thought to be safe and in a sense beneficial for the overall health but that’s before medical experts started noticing that hypnosis can cause you to experience several side effects. So before you head over to a hypnosis expert, you may want to check out some of the associated negative effects of hypnotism.

Negative effects of Hypnotism

Dizziness: While hypnosis is supposed to induce a relaxed or calm state of mind and it does do that by tapping into the sub-consciousness, the fact remains that the episode can leave you feeling dizzy and at times be unable to stand upright without requisite help for a while. Not everyone gets to experience dizziness and what’s more, most hypnosis experts tell you that you are calm, relaxed as they wake you up out of the trance. Despite this, a few individuals do end up feeling extremely dizzy post a hypnosis session.

Nausea: A few individuals have even reported being extremely nauseous post a hypnosis session to the point of throwing up, shortly after a session got over. The common theory is that it is the body’s defense mechanism that’s kicking in and that’s the result of the same. The problem though is that although hypnosis has been studied and even researched, there is no clear explanation for why it causes adverse reactions in some, more than others. This only underscores the fact that when it comes to hypnosis we have barely scratched the surface.

Stomach upset and abdominal cramps: This is rarer than most of the other adverse reactions and as pointed out earlier, you may experience gastrointestinal effects would be on account of your body’s defense kicking in and trying to purge your body of toxins. That’s the theory and as hypnosis and its effects are still being studied, you may want to be prepared for some side effects as you head over for a session.

Fatigue: And even though a hypnosis state does tax your brain to an extent and that you may be commanded to confront traumatic memories, generally these sessions should leave you refreshed as you awake from the altered state of consciousness. But more than  a few customers had reported feeling extremely fatigued and tired once they were woken up from their altered state. This can indeed be troubling.

False memories: One of the drawbacks to hypnosis is that it can create false memories; the human brain is indeed a wonderful organ and a powerful one at that. In the course of a session, a hypnosis expert can help create false memories to help you deal with a particular trauma or a bad situation. And while that does serve its purpose, it also creates a false memory in your head and this can be indeed troubling.

These are some of the associated negative effects that come with hypnotism. So before you book a session, you may want to become aware of the fact that hypnotism does come with side effects.