Get yourself prepared for summer fun with these helpful tips!
Habits: we’ve all got them. Whether it’s procrastinating on writing papers (guilty) or accidentally leaving the water running in the bathroom, some habits were just meant to be broken from the start. I researched five of this year’s most prominent habits among young women, and discovered some interesting, and sometimes grotesque, facts about the real consequences of our daily behaviors. So read up, because you may have succumbed to one of these practices!
1. Nail-Biting
About 23% of young adults between 18 and 22 bite their nails, mostly from stress and anxiety. While nail-biting may seem harmless (they always grow back, right?), the facts may actually disgust you. Bacteria, dirt, and traces of everything else you have touched sit under the fingernails until you bite. They are then transferred to your mouth, from which you can get infections, dental problems, and swollen and contaminated nail beds. Your nails may look clean, but the invisible germs hiding beneath show no mercy when ingested through your mouth. Besides the unhygienic aspect, employers and other people you interact with do not want to see your unkempt, uneven fingernails. It’s a total turn-off for guys, too.
Luckily, there are steps you can take to break this icky habit! I love Bite It nail polish, which goes on clear and tastes absolutely terrible, thereby keeping you from wanting to bite at all. Another tip is to always keep your hands perfectly polished — the urge to bite goes away if you can’t see the tip of your nails. Who cares that you bought that cute new bathing suit if you’ve got raw, red nails to go with it? Fight the bite!
2. Using a Curling Iron/Straightener
Beach waves in your hair? Not this summer if you use a curling iron or straightener too frequently! These appliances damage your hair with heat, breaking and drying out the strands, as well as causing split ends. Using a deep conditioner will somewhat help fix your fragile hair, although it will do little to help with nonstop use of a straightener or curling iron. If you must use a straightener to subdue your out-of-control curls, try using a ceramic flat iron, which does the least harm to your hair. The negative ions repel the positive ions in your hair, keeping the hair from breaking as much.
3. Caffeine Addiction
Many people can’t even get through the day without their two venti extra-shot caramel lattes anymore. Having four or more cups of coffee a day, however, can seriously put you at risk for future health problems. Even 1 to 2 cups of regular coffee can cause nausea, headaches, anxiety, and sleep difficulties — the last thing you want going into the summer. Soft drinks also have caffeine (about 35mg in a regular Coke), but not as much. It isn’t recommended to switch from coffee to soda, however, because the large amount of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients in soda do more harm than the coffee.
A tactic to try to wean you off is to drink tea instead of coffee — there are four cups of tea to three cups of coffee in terms of caffeine, so drinking the same amount in cups of tea is drinking less overall! If this doesn’t sound appealing, try gradually switching to decaf instead. Your body might hardly even notice the change in caffeine! It’s better to break this habit before going into the next school year, or else the vicious caffeine cycle will start all over again!
4. Borrowing Money
The summer brings concerts, dinners out, and other activities that threaten financial ruin without a money savings plan. It’s annoying to have to ask your friends every time you want a hot dog at a Red Sox game, so why not plan ahead? Set aside $20 of emergency money in your wallet for incidentals like Fenway Franks. Get a debit card that you can easily use to get money, without having to worry about overspending (and then owing the bank money). Every time you get your paycheck, put a little on your debit card. If you don’t have or want a debit card, put that little bit of money towards paying back the people you already borrowed from. Your wallet will thank you in the long run.
5. Late Night Snacking
Bringing together an emotional college girl and an open refrigerator cannot do anybody any good. Feeling stressed, lonesome, or bored can trigger an eating rampage at any time of the night. Believe it or not, studies show that eating an extra 300 calories after dinner can make you gain 30 pounds in a year, while eating a piece of fruit instead of a sugary snack will make you lose 20 pounds in a year! To make sure your blood sugar follows a normal schedule, eat a little bit more for breakfast and lunch to make up for eating that small snack before bed. Try popcorn, yogurt, or toast for something light, and you’ll be bikini-ready in no time!
Sources:
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/images/fs/large/71769773161.jpg
http://www.dailyhealthfacts.com/uncategorized/nail-biting/
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_biting_your_nails_bad_for_you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracking_knuckles
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_cracking_your_knuckles_harmful
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6631177/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/
http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/how_much_is_too_much.html
http://www.energyfiend.com/the-caffeine-database
http://www.freedomunplugged.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/break-bad-hab…
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=116871&page=1
http://workoutyourdiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/late-night-snackin…