A healthy lifestyle is always good to follow, but have you ever thought about whether you might be overdoing it? As with most things, doing them to excess can become unhealthy, and experts say this rule can even apply to the consumption of certain vitamin-packed foods and even simple hygiene habits like sanitising your hands.
A number of experts revealed some common 'healthy habits' that people might want to reconsider.
1. Eating too many foods containing high levels of histamine
While you may recognise antihistamines as the little tablets you pop when spring blooms and the hayfever starts to grip, histamine is actually a chemical made in the body. It has an "important role in modulating the immune system and regulating allergic and inflammatory reactions," says Hannah Braye, a nutritionist at Bio-Kult.
However, the regulation of histamine in the body is strictly controlled by the body, and messing with your levels can lead to histamine intolerance (HIT) in some people, where levels of the chemical exceed the body’s ability to break it down.
Symptoms can include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, painful periods, hay fever, difficulty breathing, hives, flushing, itching, blood pressure issues, and headaches.
So, if you think histamine could be an issue, Ms Braye says it is worth trialling a low-histamine diet for a short period of time, before reintroducing foods to test tolerance.
2. Taking too many supplements
You'll see on bottles of vitamins that it often says to take one per day - well that is for good reason.
Too much of certain vitamins can actually be detrimental to your health.
For example, an excess amount of vitamin C can cause digestive issues such as stomach cramps and nausea.
So, stick to the instructions!
3. Eating too many veggies
While everyone knows that eating enough vegetables is very important for your health and wellbeing, eating too many can have a negative effect, particularly for those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Andrea Burton, Technical Advisor at Bio-Kult, told The Sun that many IBS patients get a flare-up of symptoms after eating certain vegetables like broccoli and cabbage.
“This could be due to the amount and type of fibre and sugar in the veggies," she said.
“For example, with raw vegetables, your digestive system may not break down all the fibre effectively which may then irritate the digestive tract as it passes through.”
One way of treating this is to engage in what's called a low FODMAP diet plan.
“FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols) is the collective abbreviation for a group of fermentable, short-chain carbohydrates," Ms Burton explained.
“These are poorly absorbed in the small intestine, and so provide easily available food for bowel bacteria to ferment."
Low FODMAP foods include bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, bok choy, carrots, chives, cucumbers, eggplant, ginger, lettuce, olives, parsnips, potatoes, spring onions, and turnips.
4. Drinking solely bottled water
Consuming only bottled water can have a detrimental effect on the body, Ms Buron explained.
She says this is due to some plastic bottles containing certain harmful chemicals, and also the fact that bottled water isn't always as pure as tap water.
Instead, she suggests that people filter their tap water and make up their own bottles at home.
5. Ditching all fatty foods
Eating fatty foods to excess is well-known to bed bad for your health and can cause significant weight gain, along with other issues.
But consuming healthy types of fats - found in foods like nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil - can support good health.
These types of fats can help boost energy levels and aid the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K.
6. Brushing teeth too much
Brushing your teeth every morning and evening is essential to maintain good oral hygiene, but it is possible to overdo it to the detriment of your pearly white smile.
Because tooth brushing is abrasive to the teeth, it can become damaging if done too vigorously or for too long.
7. Using too much hand sanitiser
The COVID-19 pandemic led to many keeping hand sanitiser on their person at all times, and the habit is likely to have stuck for many.
But while hand hygiene is incredibly important to avoid being infected with certain illnesses, it can also be detrimental to natural immune support if used too frequently.
It can also damage the microbiome of the skin, which can increase the risk of penetration of UV rays, allergic reactions, and germs breaching your natural defences.
8. Exercising too much
Working out is extremely important for general health and wellbeing, but doing it too much can be damaging.
Your body needs to rest and recuperate after exercise, and if you overdo it, you can end up with injuries.
Over-exercising can also be detrimental to your mood and energy levels, leading to irritability, anger and sleep deprivation.
9. Chewing gum
Gum can be a great way to freshen up your breath in an instant, but chewing it too often can cause digestive issues due to the amount of air you swallow.
Plus, when you chew gum, the stomach expects that food is imminent and starts producing enzymes needed for digestion.
This in turn can make you even more hungry and can lead to overeating.
Certain chewing gums also contain sweeteners which can be difficult to digest and can cause bloating and gas.
