A doctor has taken to TikTok to warn followers about the lifestyle habits that can be detrimental to your health - including drinking coffee in the afternoon.
Dr Poonam Desai, who goes by @doctoranddancer online, shared the social media video to her 22.6K followers to highlight the hidden health risks that can be easily overlooked. This comes as the British Medical Association (BMA) reports the UK has a higher amount of preventable illness compared to European countries, while the number of working-age people reporting multiple health conditions has skyrocketed in recent years.
The expert has shared the steps she takes to keep illnesses and diseases at bay, including cutting out alcohol. In the TikTok clip, Dr Desai said: "I'm a doctor and these are the five things I do not do, or no longer do, for my health. The first is drink alcohol. No amount of alcohol is safe for our health."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive alcohol can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other health issues, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Other concerning issues also include cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, oesophagus, voice box, liver, colon and rectum.
The second action that Dr Desai will never do is buy plastic Tupperware. She explained: "Plastic Tupperware, especially when heated, can leach endocrine disruptors, so I no longer buy them." Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are chemicals that may mimic, block, or interfere with the body's hormones, which are part of the endocrine system, writes the National Institute of Environmental Health Services.
The US EPA warns these chemicals have been linked to a variety of health issues, including interference with reproduction, increased cancer risk and disturbances in the immune and nervous system function. Another rule Dr Desai follows is to avoid routinely taking red eye flights, the term used to describe flights that depart late at night and arrive early in the morning. The doctor elaborated: "A red eye flight can significantly disrupt your sleep for a night, so I avoid taking them if possible."
Sleep deficiency has been associated with a number of chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. However, the NHS reassures that a few sleepless nights is usually nothing to worry about.
Number four on Dr Desai's list is never going a day without having five different plant foods. "These can include fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices," she said. The '5 A Day' campaign was introduced after the World Health Organization (WHO) advised eating a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day. Research has shown that the fresh foods can lower the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.
Finally, the doctor claims she avoids having caffeine after 12pm, she said: "Caffeine has a half-life of five to six hours and could still be lingering in your system close to bedtime, preventing us from falling asleep or staying asleep. So I really try to avoid any caffeinated beverages in the afternoon."
What's more, research published in the journal Science Translational Medicine revealed that drinking the equivalent of a double espresso three hours before bed can turn your body clock back almost an hour and give you 'jet lag'.