How Modern Lifestyle Ruins Our Health
Technology has become an integral part of modern living, delivering more ease, comfort and convenience. At the press of a button or some keystrokes, the world is brought to us, right where we are. We are spending more time on digital devices for work, entertainment, education, banking, social interaction…basically most aspects of our lives.
Modern Life
No longer is going to the bank necessary as banking-on-the-go becomes the norm. Lugging heavy detergents, wines and groceries from supermarkets is a thing of the past for many with the proliferation of click and delivery services.
Meals are delivered to our doorstep instead of having to pick it up or eat out after a hectic day at work. A friend in Singapore even has her double scoops of Häagen-Dazs delivered whenever she decides on a home-movie night. We stream the latest blockbuster or TV series to watch at home instead of going on a movie outing with friends or family.
While the technology delivers enjoyment, convenience and productivity, how bad is modern lifestyle for our health? Despite the many pluses, modern lifestyle is making us lazier and ruining our health.
Modern Injuries
I suffer from ‘tech neck’ due to prolonged period working on a laptop, up to 10 hours a day when I was holding a job. Lateral rotation of my neck was restricted and I started feeling numbness and tingling sensations in my arms. Alarmed that it could be the onset of a stroke, I promptly went for a medical consultation.
MRI images show C4-C5-C6 vertebrae pressing and pinching on my spinal cord, causing the tingling sensations due to sensory disruption. The clinic recommended surgery but I opted for chiropractic treatment, being less invasive, on advice of a cousin who had a similar episode.
After 2 weeks of intensive 3 sessions per week, the problem started to alleviate and the sessions were progressively reduced. While not fully cured, I need only a couple of maintenance sessions a year now. And I alternate between standing and sitting when using my laptop, coupled with simple posture exercises.
Some friends have ‘cellphone elbow’ and ‘text claw’ from constant scrolling and typing on cellphones. Poll friends and colleagues and you’ll be surprised at how prevalent these medically recognised Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) are. They are on the rise reflecting the fact that we are spending more time on our digital devices.
How Bad?
As recent as 100 years ago, infectious diseases caused by viruses and bacteria were the top causes of death, namely pneumonia and flu, tuberculosis and gastrointestinal infections.
Today, lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular, lung and respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes and obesity account for almost 75% of all death.
Modern lifestyle and inventions like personal mobility devices, electric bikes, elevators, remote controls, Zoom meetings…conspire to reduce our physical activity. Whether intended or otherwise, they are ruining our health.
So much so that sitting is the new smoking. There are ample researches confirming that sedentary lifestyle leads to higher instances of cancer, type 2 diabetes (112%), cardiovascular disease (147%) and back pain.
The avalanche of food and grocery delivery services, and smart home devices extend this sedentary lifestyle to our home. After 8-10 hours at the desk, we come home to a suite of convenient apps, enabling us to control our world from the sofa. Lights, TV, sound system, climate and even meals. While exercise can alleviate, it cannot fully negate the effects of sitting.
Add to that stress, lack of sleep, poor diet and the assault on our health is complete. Such is the irreversible and inescapable reality of modern living. But can we do something about it?
Movement is Life
Our body is an amazing machine, designed to be in constant motion. Blood cells transport oxygen constantly, the heart pumps blood non-stop, the lungs expand and contract continuously to feed our body with oxygen and the spine delivers nutrition to the joints 24*7.
These natural movements enable our body to replenish, repair and renew itself. It detoxifies harmful substances that we ingest, breath in or apply through the skin, fights and purges viruses and bacteria on an ongoing basis.
Bones heal themselves, the skin replaces itself, new synapses are formed in the brains as we learn new things, the lungs replenish healthy cells as soon as smoking is ceased and the liver can regenerate up to 2/3 of its volume within weeks.
Movement is life. It is essential to the body and mind. And it need not be arduous to be beneficial while bringing about a whole lot of goodness. That plus sufficient sleep and proper nutrition for the essential renewal and natural healing of the body.
Small Changes Huge Benefits
Lifestyle is highly personal and boils down to individual choices. And therein lies the solution.
For to have choice is to have power.
It is within each of us to choose for better habits instead of allowing modern conveniences destroy our health and quality of life. If not now, then in later years, from the compounding.
Start by making small changes and amplify through the power of every day. Take hourly break when using the computer, sit less, move more, spend less time on mobile phones, do soleus push-ups while seated, walk whenever possible with the mentality to ‘use it or loose it’. Choose fresh produce over processed foods. Visit supermarkets and restaurants instead of using delivery services (the environment will thank you for it too) and make the latter a social outing. Social interaction is great for our mental health.
While some aspects of modern life is difficult to control, such as stress or the fast pace of life, those that we can, we should.
Think about it: what’s the point of these conveniences if they wreck our health? So what if medical science can extend the number of years but these years are in pain or high dependency?
We all have but 1 body, treasure it, pamper it, treat it well!
Choice is power,
Savvy Maverick
(Main image: Cheung Yin, Unsplash)
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are drawn from my own experiences and do not constitute financial advice in any way whatsoever. Nothing published here constitutes an investment recommendation, nor should any data or content be relied upon for any investment activities. Please conduct independent research and seek professional advice before making any financial decisions. Data and information cited from source are correct at date of publication and will not be updated thereafter.
