Diseases Caused by Modern Lifestyle and Their Cure
Diseases Caused by Modern Lifestyle and Their Cure
  • Reporter Jo Han-seong
  • 승인 2015.12.02 21:08
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The modern lifestyle is quite different from that of our ancestors. Our ancestors’ lives were mingled with the nature. Food resources were scarce and they had to be consistently active to survive. On the contrary, nowadays we eat excessively while exercising insufficiently and our lives are greatly dependent on electronic devices which were not present in the past. These unhealthy lifestyles brought on some diseases that have recently come into the spotlight.
The first problem of our lifestyle is the excessive use of electronic devices. Although the development of computers and smartphones has made our lives more convenient, the posture when using them brought a syndrome called the forward head posture syndrome.
The forward head posture syndrome is characterized by anterior positioning of the cervical spine. This syndrome is very common and patients with it would be common around you. Patients could suffer from pain caused by elongation of posterior neck muscles and ligaments. The cure for this disease is maintaining a correct posture and stretching regularly. Moreover, protracted pressure on one’s wrist when using a computer or a smartphone can lead to the carpal tunnel syndrome. Damage in your median nerve could develop into hypoesthesia and pain.The precautionary measures includes usage of wrist rests and frequent wrist stretches.
Furthermore, prolonged exposure to electronic display can result in the VDT (Visual Display Terminal) syndrome. Technically, the syndrome involves various problems such as musculoskeletal diseases, but the term usually refers to ophthalmic diseases. Long exposure to displays brings about eyestrain and focusing disorders. Adjusting the brightness of the monitor and distance between it and user are effective ways to prevent the syndrome.
The second lifestyle problem is our diet and exercise. Modern people eat fatty diets and shun healthy foods. Conjointly, their busy lives lead to a shortage of exercise. As a result, obesity has become a common disease. Obesity refers to a state of having excessive body fat. Obesity itself does not have a particular symptom, but the excessive bodyweight harms our joints and is deeply related to other lifestyle diseases such as hyperlipidemia and diabetes.
Hyperlipidemia is a disease characterized by elevated levels of lipids and lipoproteins in blood. Pancreatitis and xanthoma are representative symptoms and the disease usually develops complications with other lifestyle diseases. Diabetes is a disease in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. Its symptoms are retinopathy (persistent or acute damage to the retina of the eye), neuropathy (damage to or disease affecting nerves), and renal dysfunction. Also, obese people have excessive bodyweight, and the pressure caused by that harms our joints and impedes growth. Moderate exercise and diet management are the key treatments for these lifestyle diseases.
These diseases bring severe consequences and can be prevented simply. If it is possible to make a change in lifestyle, it might be very effective.