9 everyday habits that could be making you ill

These might seem harmless but...

Woman covering her face

We all know that eating too much junk food, smoking and avoiding exercise can be bad for our health. But there are plenty of seeming harmless things we do every day that could also be making us sick. 

Here we reveal some of the surprising habits that might be putting you at risk… 

1. Hanging your clothes on the radiator

When the weather is bad there's no hope of drying your laundry on a washing line outside. And, if the heating is on inside your home, then it makes sense to hang wet clothes on the radiator - doesn't it? In fact making a habit of it could lead you to contracting a potentially fatal condition.

According to researchers at the National Aspergillosis Centre in Manchester drying damp clothes indoors can give rise to dangerous levels of mould, causing a fungal condition called aspergillosis. 

While many people are immune to it, aspergillosis can prove fatal for those who have lung conditions like asthma or cystic fibrosis.

Medical experts advise that if you have todry clothes inside make sure your house is well ventilated. 

2. Flushing the toilet with the lid up

Men not putting down the lid of the toilet is a gripe of many a woman, but now there's proof that not closing it could make you ill. 

A study conducted by Leeds University showed that flushing the toilet without closing the lid can spread a cloud of germs across the bathroom, which then settle on other surfaces. 

According to the scientists'' experiments this increases the chance of nasty viruses like the winter vomiting bug being transmitted to other people. Closing the lid massively reduces the risk.

3. Watching TV before bed

Millions of us watch television in our bedrooms to help us wind down and nod off. Yet our nightly habit of being glued to the box could lead to chronic health problems. 

Psychiatrists at the University of Pennsylvania identified that late night TV viewing was likely to disrupt the amount of sleep we get. Not getting enough shut eye has been found to increase the risk of obesity as well as heart disease and depression.  

4. Using talcum powder

It's something that many of use sprinkle on our bodies every day. Yet there have long been worries that innocent looking talcum powder might be linked to cancer. A new study, fromBrigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, US, found that women who regularly powdered their genitals with talc increase their risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer by a third. 

One of the study's authors Dr Daniel Cramer, says: 'Talc is a good drying agent, but women should know that if it's used repeatedly, it can get into the vagina and into their upper genital tract.'

5. That evening glass of prosecco

We all know that eating too many sweet treats, or drinking fruit juice can be bad for our teeth, but what about our booze habits? Many alcoholic drinks are acidic. This acid can erode the enamel of our teeth, potentially leading to sensitivity, pain and decay. 

But the worst offenders are sparkling wines. The bubbles in them are caused by carbon dioxide which is acidic and topping the list is prosecco, made from grapes that contain a large amount of sugar. It's now one of the nation's favourites drinks with 28 million bottles sold in the UK annually. 

6. Telling little white lies

You might think telling a few porkies is a harmless habit. On the contrary, it could be damaging both your mental and physical health. 

According to experts any amount of lying creates stress in the body and researchers at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, US, found that subjects who actually reduced the amount they lied suffered less from psychological problems, but also from fewer headaches and sore throats.  

7. Wearing shoes indoors

Many of us don't bother kicking off our shoes when we come into our homes, but it could be risky for our health. A University of Arizona study, which investigated what kind of germs and microbes were on our shoes, found an average of 421,000 different bacteria on footwear. 

Among the threats identified were E.coli and meningitis. You could also be bringing in dangerous toxins from pesticides and petrol as well as pollen, which increases the risk of setting off allergies. 

8. Drinking water from a bottle

After your workout or during a warm day you casually swig from a bottle of water, knowing how important it is to stay hydrated. Yet according to experts puckering up while you drink out of a bottle can cause the same sort of wrinkles to form around the mouth as those produced by smoking. 

US based dermatologist Dr Marilyn Berzin warns that doing this regularly for just two years is enough to cause wrinkles. Fellow American dermatologist, Dr Mitchell Chasin, says:  'The repetitive motions of things that we do in everyday life – drinking from water bottles – will form these deep wrinkles in our lips.'

9. Doing the housework

You might hate it, but you probably feel virtuous after getting your place spick and span. Yet several scientific studies suggest you might want to avoid doing the housework as often as possible. 

A study carried outthe Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Spain found that using things like cleaning sprays just once a week could put people at risk of developing asthma. 

Other findings, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggest that the stress of keeping up with the household chores can actually increase blood pressure, linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

Written by James Moore

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