Seven serious health threats to avoid in the Office

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"sitting is a new way of smoking." You've probably heard this before - from doctors, health experts, and article titles. Maybe you're even one of those front desk jockeys who throws office chairs into their desks. A wise move. But sitting isn't the only bad habit that keeps nine to five year olds from getting and staying healthy. Here are seven other common office threats that will definitely take you off course, as well as some expert advice on what you can do to deal with them.

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1. Threat: infectious colleague Eric Miranda, M.D., a dignified health expert, says there are two main routes of transmission of influenza and cold viruses: contaminated surfaces and people coughing or sniffing around you. Try to avoid your co-worker's germs. When the domino effect starts and everyone in the office catches a cold, it's hard for us to stay healthy. Now listen to this: why Americans are so obsessed with "happiness" that we are under pressure.

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even if your colleagues don't smell, almost every surface in the office is covered with bacteria. A 2012 study found that the restroom's hand washing faucet handle, microwave door handle and keyboard are the three places with the most bacteria in the office. Credit: monkeybusinessimages / iStock / Getty Images Your colleagues may think you are an overly cautious carrier of germs, but it's much better to deal with your reputation than to seize someone else's!

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3. Threat: today's cafeteria's free food, companies usually attract employees by offering free lunches, bagels on Mondays, soda machines and unlimited snacks. These sound like some very sweet little treats - that is, unless you consider that free meals are usually in the form of high calorie comfort foods, you usually avoid them as much as you can. " In fact, your house can be completely free of junk food and (except) completely clean food, but we spend most of the day in the office, which gives you a lot of opportunities to lose control of your environment, "said Jennifer Gibson, director of nutrition and coaching at Vida health.

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solutions

"don't get to this point when you're too hungry," said Jennifer Gibson, a health coach. If you walk into the office and see a bunch of bagels and doughnuts sitting there, and you haven't had breakfast yet, it's going to be tempting. " If you know a big box of doughnuts will be there to welcome you, plan a healthy breakfast before you leave the office. Keep healthy snacks in your drawer so you can buy pizza in the office kitchen instead of free.

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4. The threat is: never ending pressure

demanding customers. An almost impossible deadline. Poor colleagues. Stress is not new to traditional office workers, it can appear in many different and surprising ways at any time. According to the National Institute of intelligent health, stress can inhibit your immune system and disrupt your normal digestive function. As anyone who has participated in a high-profile project in a time critical situation knows, stress can interfere with sleep. If stress persists, more serious problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and depression, will eventually work. Both meditation and mindfulness practice can reduce stress, "said Dr. Eric Miranda. If they can be included in your schedule, do it. " Consider downloading a meditation app, such as stop, breathe and think, and listening to guided meditation when you can rest for 10 minutes.

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5. Threat: 12 hour workday

for many people, 12 hour workday is acceptable. But as you continue to record those long days, you may eventually notice that your overall well-being is greatly affected.

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repair method

has regained control of your day. If your calendar is full of meetings, ask yourself if attending them is absolutely critical to you. " A lot of people invite a lot of people when they schedule meetings in case "you want to join," said Jennifer Gibson, a health coach. However, if you don't think you will benefit from the meeting, you are free to opt out. " Gibson also suggested the art of accepting assignments. Are there any colleagues or resources that can lighten your burden? If so, please feel free to ask for help.

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6. Threat: poor posture

too common desk posture - hunchback shoulders and bent spine, neck and head extended to the computer screen - doesn't help your body at all. " Bad office posture often leads to upper back and neck pain, "said Dr. Eric Miranda. 'it's going to have a negative impact on your health and your energy level,' said Dr. Eric Miranda, who wrote in 2012 in the journal biofeedback. 'pay attention to your posture and how you raise your shoulders while sitting.' You can also think about sneaking in some stretching during your workday. " Health coach Jennifer Gibson said: "in a more formal jobIn the environment, it can be awkward to get up and exercise in front of everyone, but if you have a little private space, you can do a desk stretch or even squat - just to let the blood flow. " Try being a downward facing dog to help increase blood flow back to your brain and fight midday depression, she said.

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7. The threat, says health coach Jennifer Gibson, is that with too much screen time, most office workers don't realize they've been away from their desks for three or four hours. According to a Nielsen report, this is a new normal because American adults spend an average of 11 hours in front of the screen every day. What was the result? Eventually, says Dr. Eric Miranda, your eyes will feel tense, dry and begin to ache.

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repair plan

put an anti glare screen on your computer to reduce the negative impact, Dr. Eric Miranda suggested. And be diligent to leave the screen on a regular basis. Health coach Jennifer Gibson says setting a timer every two to three hours to remind you or make your rest non-negotiable by drinking water all day long. When you need to get up and go to the toilet, you will keep plenty of water and have a built-in rest time every few hours.

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What do you think? Are you facing these health threats every day? Which one? What do you do to keep fit? Have you tried the suggestions on this list? Which do you think you can try? Share your suggestions and stories in the comments section below!

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