Living a healthy lifestyle is crucial for your heart health. We all have heard this from our doctors, peers, as well as multiple studies across the internet. The number of things that could have a negative impact on your heart keeps seemingly increasing, leaving many of us wondering how many more things we should be aware of. New research has painted a clear picture for us and gives the exact number of everyday risks that could slash the risk of heart attack by 63%. In the study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, researchers were surprised to find that removing 56 unfavorable profiles, could lower the chances of declining heart health.

This shows that what we do every day has a really big impact on our heart health and our chances of this happening.

The researchers compared the people who had a sudden cardiac arrest with those who stayed healthy. They looked at 125 different things that people can change, like what they eat, how much they exercise, if they smoke or drink, how they feel emotionally, and even things like their job and money situation. The place you live at can also be a factor as the study noted that things like air pollution, traffic proximity and intensity, the percentage of natural environment can also affect your heart health. This helped them figure out which of these things were most strongly linked to having a sudden cardiac arrest.

Preventable Variables To Look Out For

The study found 56 things in our daily lives, our surroundings, and our health that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. If we pay attention to these things and make them better, like eating healthier or being more active, we might be able to stop up to 63% of these heart problems from happening. It's about looking at all the pieces of our lives.

The researchers expressed their astonishment over how many cases we could possibly prevent. He said that if people who have unhealthy habits or situations made improvements, we could see a big drop, somewhere between 40% and 63%, in the number of sudden cardiac arrests. This shows that making positive changes can have a much bigger effect than we might think.

How Did The Researchers Find This?

To learn more about what causes these heart problems, the researchers looked at a lot of information from a long-term health study in the UK. This study followed over 500,000 people for many years. During that time, more than 3,000 of them had a sudden cardiac arrest. By looking at all this data, the researchers could start to see patterns and find the things that might be increasing the risk.

The research draws attention towards the increasing numbers of people suffering with heart diseases in the world. According to the American Heart Association in just one year 436,000 American died due to cardiac arrests. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, taking 17.9 million lives each year. Hence, changing a few necessary things to protect your heart could save your life in the long run.

A recent study found that we scroll a distance which is equivalent to four times the height of Mount Everest in a year. Intrestingly, it stated that an average person's newsfeed in terms of scroll length can be the same as the Statue of Liberty in a day, two Eiffel Towers in a week and three Burj Khalifas in a month. But where is all this doom-scrolling taking us?

If neurologists and brain scientists are to be believed, then all these hours we spend mindlessly with our phones have only resulted in brain rot. If you ever want to witness the last vestiges of human intellect swirling down the drain, you just open your phone and type the words "skibidi toilet". The video, which will emerge, features an animated human head protruding from a toilet bowl while singing the nonsensical lyrics "skibidi dop dop dop yes yes". The 11-second clip has been viewed more than 215 million times, directly highlighting the intensity of brain rot.

Not so surprisingly, Brain Rot is the Oxford word of the year 2024. The dictionary defines it as "the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging".

Technology Is Causing Brain Rot And We Know It

Beyond the obvious, there are still several people who are aware of how literally technology is rotting our brains, and how decisively compulsive internet use is destroying our grey matter. For the uninitiated, grey matter is the region with high concentration of neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

The concept was portended almost 20 years ago when scientists studied the effects of the then-new invention called "email". They wanted to fathom the impact of a barrage of information on the brain. After conducting multiple studies, they concluded that constant cognitive overload had a more negative effect than taking cannabis, with IQS of participants in a study dropping an average of 10 points. And imagine this was before the internet brought the world to our fingertips.

How To Stop Doomscrolling?

This is not about completely avoiding screens (because let’s be real, that's practically impossible). But we can help kids and teens reduce their reliance on technology and recalibrate their brains. Here are a few tips:

• Lead by example: The most effective way to change behaviour is to model it. Parents who set their own boundaries around screen time and engage in offline activities will set a positive example for their children.
• Set digital boundaries: Start by setting limits on screen time, whether it's through built-in screen-time trackers or apps that help monitor usage. Encourage regular breaks and give time for the mind to relax and recharge.
• Tech-free hours: One of the best ways to reset is by establishing tech-free zones, like at mealtimes or right before bed. These are opportunities to engage in meaningful, face-to-face conversations. As tempting as it may be to scroll late at night, it’s important to keep phones out of reach during sleeping hours—screens can disrupt sleep patterns and negatively impact health.
• The 80/20 rule: Aim for 80% of screen time to be dedicated to educational, enriching or creative content. The other 20% can be reserved for lighter, more entertaining content.
• Rediscover hobbies and offline activities: Encourage kids to get involved in hobbies and activities that don’t involve screens. Whether it’s taking a walk in nature, playing a sport, crafting, reading a book or learning a musical instrument, these offline experiences help foster curiosity and creativity—qualities that doomscrolling tends to suppress.

Biohacking may be the future, but not a lot of people know about it. For the advocates of this trend, it is anything that could boost your weight loss effort or help you hack your brain. American billionaire Bryan Johnson is currently the most popular biohacker, who, from time to time, comes up with ways to boost longevity. Notably, while the biological alterations he does are something that requires clinical assistance, some undertakings are relatively safe to perform at home.

What Is Biohacking?

Biohacking is a do-it-yourself (DIY) form of personal improvement in which people attempt to change aspects of their biology to improve their health, performance or well-being. It is not a specific term or undertaking. Rather, a currently popular anecdotal umbrella term for broad, nonspecific activities. There are many ways to biohack:

Fasting

People have engaged in fasts for millennia. It is not only believed to accelerate your weight loss process but also helps you get rid of toxins in your body.

Nootropics

Another popular form of biohacking is using a group of substances called nootropics or "smart drugs". Non-prescription nootropics include tablets, supplements, drinks, and foods. They contain substances that manufacturers claim to help boost brain performance.

Prescription Drugs And Risks

Prescription nootropics (drugs) are medications that have stimulant effects, which doctors prescribe for medical conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A person should only ever take prescription medications as directed by their doctor. Prescription stimulants have several potential side effects and may be dangerous if people misuse them.

Research shows people who take prescription stimulants for medical reasons are at high risk of many diseases such as anxiety, other drug use, post-traumatic stress disorder and impaired academic performance.

Wearable Technology

Wearable tech, such as smartwatches, head-mounted displays, and fitness-tracking bands, is a common form of modern technology. People may use them to:

1. track aspects of their health and use the data to make improvements
2. reach fitness and health goals
3. track reproductive health cycles

3 Primary Types Of Biohacking

DIY biohacking, which some people also call garage biology, involves experts in scientific fields sharing biohacking techniques and information with people who are not experts. This allows more people to conduct experiments on themselves outside of a constrained environment. Examples of these include some people who consider DIY biology to be an open revolution against the academic institutionalization of science and aim to spread an attitude of citizen science and action research without rigid gatekeeping.

Nutrigenomics

It is another type of biohacking that explores how food interacts with people's genes and how a person's genes affect their body's response to food. Researchers are using nutrigenomics to learn more about diet and genes, how they may affect a person’s health risks, and to help find new ways to prevent and treat disease. In this case, a person can send samples to labs where they are tested

Grinders

Grinders are biohackers who consider themselves pioneers of human augmentation. Example: Bryan Johnson. This type of biohacking typically involves devices implanted under the skin and the use of technology to perform body modifications.

Not showering every day is not a big deal. There are some days when even making it to the bathroom to relieve yourself feels like a task. Our parents used to make huge deals about showering regularly, saying that we would fall sick as the germs would catch up to us. However, there is no harm in skipping a few days here and there.

There are times when the availability of washrooms and hygienic spaces where you can clean yourself also stops you from having regular baths. However, one thing you must remember whether you are intentionally skipping showers or doing it out of necessity, that most people should shower twice or thrice every week, according to the Harvard Health Publishing. However, does skipping showering affect your skin health? It's important to think about what our skin needs and not let too much time pass without washing, even if we don't feel particularly dirty.

Sign Your Skin Needs Help

Our skin will start to tell us if we aren't showering enough. You might see dry, flaky patches that feel rough. Sometimes, your skin might change color in certain spots. It could even look like you have dirt on you because of darker areas. These are your body's ways of saying it needs a wash. Ignoring these signs for too long can lead to more serious skin problems that need attention from a doctor, as it could be a condition like Dermatitis Neglecta.

According to the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Dermatitis neglecta is more than just having a bit of dirt on your skin. It's a real skin problem that happens when you don't keep yourself clean for a long time. This lack of washing causes your skin to get very irritated and inflamed. It changes how your skin looks and feels, and it's a sign that your body's basic hygiene needs aren't being met. It's a condition that needs to be taken seriously.

How Does Dermatitis Neglecta Form?

Our skin is always getting rid of old, dead cells. When we shower, it helps wash these away. But if we don't shower regularly, these dead cells stay stuck on the top layer of our skin. Over time, they mix with all the sweat, oil, germs, and dirt our skin comes into contact with. This mix can build up into a tough layer that makes our skin look darker and even feel rough or crusty.

Dermatitis neglecta doesn't just appear overnight after missing one shower. It usually takes many weeks or even months of not washing properly for it to develop. Sometimes, the reason someone isn't showering regularly isn't just a personal choice. It can be a sign of a deeper issue, like a mental health problem that makes it hard for them to take care of themselves. If you notice signs of this condition, it's important to think about all the possible reasons why.

Finding A Healthy Balance For Showering

While not showering enough can cause problems like dermatitis neglecta, showering too much isn't good either. If you wash too often or scrub too hard, you can strip away the natural oils that keep your skin healthy and moist. This can lead to skin that's dry, cracked, and irritated. The best way is to find a middle ground – showering enough to stay clean but not so much that it harms your skin's natural protection. For most of us showering regularly is mostly a habit, however it could actually help your health to skip a shower here and then.