8 Popular Things That Cause More Harm Than Good

More and more people are starting to care about their health and ecology. Thanks to this, many new useful things and habits have appeared in our lives. For example, things like detoxing the body regularly and wearing faux leather have become quite popular nowadays. But are all these novelties really as useful as we think they are?

We at Bright Side decided to take a closer look at some of the seemingly useful habits that appeared in our lives not that long ago to figure out what dangers or harm they may cause.

Detox diets

Detox (or detoxication) is a wide-spread type of short-term diet that ultimately aims to remove toxins from the body. It sounds promising, especially taking into account that many celebrities use this diet. But the thing is, the body itself is an expert at fighting harmful substances and it actually doesn’t need extra help from the outside. Moreover, the benefits of detoxing haven’t been proven scientifically.

Many detox diets involve large amounts of soft foods such as mashed potatoes, smoothies, and detox shakes, while our digestive system needs fiber for normal functioning. By limiting the consumption of fiber, we interfere with our bodies. Moreover, such diets can lead to a variety of health problems in the long term, like dangerously low blood sugar. Therefore, make sure to consult your doctor before starting any type of detox diet.

Healthy protein bars

Many nutritionists and fitness trainers recommend replacing chocolate bars with organic protein bars that don’t contain gluten. However, some protein bars contain just as much (if not more) sugar than typical candy. That’s why you should always read up on the composition of the bar, otherwise, you risk ingesting a big portion of sugar and other harmful ingredients, like saturated fats, instead of a healthy snack.

Excess consumption of water

We keep hearing that we should consume more water. However, excess consumption of water, just like drinking it in minimal amounts, can lead to serious health issues. One of the main problems that can arise is hyponatremia, which is a low level of sodium concentration in the blood. It occurs when the body consumes more water than the kidneys can process.

And while many nutritionists recommend drinking 0.5 — 0.7 gallons of water, keep in mind that there is no exact formula for everyone — it depends on many factors, like age, gender, the level of physical activity, etc.

Products with activated charcoal

The trend of products containing activated charcoal started to gain popularity several years ago. However, not only is this type of food not healthy but it’s actually dangerous. That’s because activated coal removes harmful substances from the body, adversely affecting the intestinal microflora due to its absorbing action. Additionally, such charcoal reduces the efficiency of medicine over time, which means that we receive harm instead of benefits.

We need to understand that charcoal only cleanses the intestines and is useless in the fight against harmful substances accumulated over the years in other parts of the body.

Air fresheners

Most air fresheners contain volatile organic compounds such as ethers, alcohol, limonene, and formaldehyde. They all affect our health negatively, from increasing the risk of developing asthma in children to causing headaches and allergies. That’s why airing the room out naturally is a much better option than using air fresheners.

Paper cups instead of plastic ones

Today, due to the rapidly growing issue of plastic waste, more and more people opt for paper cups and plates over plastic ones. However, this approach hides some dangers too. Every year, 6.5 million trees are cut down to produce coffee cups, while the energy used for it would be enough to supply power to 54,000 homes a year. Moreover, paper cups are coated with a polyethylene film that makes them unsuitable for further recycling.

Natural cosmetics

Though most of us associate natural cosmetics with eco-friendliness and reliability, such items can damage one’s health greatly. This is because most countries don’t regulate the term “natural” and we are often sold cosmetics containing hazardous synthetic ingredients and toxic chemicals high in heavy metals under this label.

If you want to buy truly natural and healthy cosmetics, pay attention to items with the “organic” symbol on them. Such products are subject to stricter control and they’re guaranteed to be free of harmful substances and compounds. At the same time, don’t forget that even these products can contain natural allergens so make sure to carefully study their composition.

Faux leather

Nowadays, more and more brands prefer to stop using natural leather, giving preference to faux leather. Though no animal products are used to produce the latter, faux leather can still harm the environment more than real leather.

Faux leather is actually made of plastic, and plants manufacturing it emit large amounts of toxic waste into the environment. Moreover, clothing made of faux leather doesn’t last all that long, and in most cases, it’s not recyclable.

What other things, in your opinion, bring more harm than good into our lives?