The 7 deadly sins of health

Gluttony, greed, anger, vanity, lust, laziness and  jealousy  are considered the seven deadly sins. Every one of us observes one or the other of these characteristics in ourselves from time to time. However, one should be careful that the negative characteristics do not gain the upper hand: Because especially in terms of health, the seven deadly sins can have negative effects on our physical well-being.

1. Gluttony (excessiveness)

Eating too much  is bad for us. Because if you give the body more calories than it needs, it stores the excess in the form of fat – preferably on the stomach and hips. An average male adult has an energy requirement of about 2,700 kilocalories per day, which he has to get from food, a woman about 2,000 kilocalories. However, these numbers vary with body size, age and the severity of the work performed each day.

Too much of a good thing is bad at some point – this is especially true when consuming alcohol. Excessive  alcohol consumption puts a  strain on the liver, where alcohol is broken down. The enzymes responsible for degradation are overloaded by large amounts of alcohol and can no longer process it. The consequence of this is that a so-called  fatty liver  develops.

If alcohol consumption is not restricted now, cirrhosis of the liver can develop in the long term  : Liver cells are destroyed, which causes the liver to shrink and cease to function permanently. Once this stage has been reached, there are no longer any chances of recovery.

2. stinginess

But not only excess, but also the other extreme can damage health: stinginess. A balanced and regular diet keeps us healthy. Anyone who eats too little (malnutrition) or the wrong food (malnutrition) runs the risk of  malnutrition.

Malnutrition deprives the body of important vitamins and  minerals  – this leads to deficiency symptoms such as listlessness and concentration disorders. Organic damage, for example to the eyes, and chronic diseases such as osteoporosis can also be the result of an unbalanced diet.

Malnourished people are actually rare in our western civilization – an exception are people with eating disorders. Common eating disorders are  anorexia  and  bulimia  (bulimia). It mostly affects young women who are dissatisfied with their bodies and refuse to eat regularly. The obsession with slimness is reinforced by the ideal of beauty circulated in the media. Eating disorders are often based on psychosocial factors.

3. Zorn

When we’re angry, our blood literally rushes to our heads; the face turns red, breathing quickens, and the veins protrude. Sometimes, after an outburst of anger, the rapid heartbeat calms down minutes later. This is due to the release of the hormone  adrenaline , which is released in large quantities during stress. It originally prepared us for fight and flight situations that are now transferrable to stressful situations in everyday life.

A  permanently elevated level of adrenaline  leads to heart and vascular problems. First, usually unnoticed, an elevated blood pressure sets in. High  blood pressure puts  a strain on the vessel walls, causing small tears to form. These cracks are ideal sites for  clots , the  thrombosis . It becomes extremely dangerous when the clots break loose and get into the heart or brain via the bloodstream – there is a risk of a  heart attack  or stroke. Other consequences of chronic high blood pressure are kidney damage and heart failure.

4. Vanity

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”, the vain queen asked herself in the famous fairy tale “Snow White”. Beauty is extremely important to many people. Some even so much that they are willing to have their natural appearance surgically altered. In Germany,  cosmetic surgeries  such as wrinkle smoothing, breast surgeries and nose corrections are among the most common procedures.

The sometimes serious complications are often ignored. Swelling, bruising and numbness are some of the more harmless side effects. Deaths from pulmonary embolism, heart failure, or bleeding to death are far more serious. When inserting implants, it is often not considered that they have to be replaced after 15 years at the latest – further interventions are therefore inevitable.

While breast surgery is the trend among younger women, many older women opt for wrinkle tightening with Botox®. The nerve toxin botulinum paralyzes the small facial muscles, causing the skin to tighten for a short time. If botulinum toxin gets into the central bloodstream, it can paralyze the respiratory muscles and lead to respiratory arrest.

5. Lust

The need for closeness and tenderness is innate in all of us. A fulfilled sex life makes people happy and for many couples it is an important prerequisite for a good relationship. It is important to think about contraception in order to protect yourself and your partner. Especially people with frequently changing sexual partners  run  the high risk of infection through unprotected sexual intercourse . 34 million people worldwide are infected with  HIV  , and 1.8 million die every year as a result of AIDS.

Infection with hepatitis viruses can be just as serious. The hepatitis viruses B and C are sexually transmitted and can lead to liver cirrhosis and  liver cell cancer if not  treated.

6. Laziness

“Doing nothing is sweet,” says an old Italian proverb. In fact, for many people there is nothing better than putting their feet up and lazing around after work on the weekend. But the joints resent our laziness in the long run. Because  a lack of exercise  leads to back pain, knee problems and tension in the long term.

If the musculoskeletal system is not mobilized, joint wear and tear (arthrosis) occurs: the body has no incentive to nourish the cartilage that surrounds the joints. If this protective coat is missing, bone abrasion occurs in the long term. Muscles that are not used also shrink and shorten. This not only leads to a drop in physical condition, but also to malpositions, which in turn put a strain on the joints. This cycle can only be broken by leaving the sofa at home and doing sports.

7. Jealousy

Healthy jealousy is good for most relationships, but for some people, love can also be torturous: when a partner  develops pathological jealousy  , frequent arguments are inevitable. Often there is no other way out than to end the relationship.

In the case of pathological jealousy, the original joy in the relationship is suppressed by an ever-growing fear of losing the partner. The cause of jealousy is usually low self-esteem. This can lead not only to jealousy but also to envy. But while a jealous person fears loss, the envious person wants to own something that belongs to someone else.

Anyone who suffers from pathological jealousy and thus from fear of loss and low self-esteem should think about  carrying out behavioral  therapy. Mental health problems also affect our physical health.