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Why common health issues are increasing among millennials

Millennial Health Issues: Are they as healthy as they think?

Why common health issues are increasing among millennials

Millennials (people aged roughly between 23 and 38 years) are known for being slightly boastful when it comes to showing off their health-consciousness. We love our millennials and we're not throwing shade but it's true that they're quick to throw ideological words into conversations, such as 'vegan', 'gluten-intolerant', 'chemical-free', 'eco-friendly' and 'organic'. Activities such as yoga, going to farmers' markets, gym, hiking and meditation are certainly entrenched in the millennial culture - just go take a look at their Instagram posts and you'll see what we're talking about!

The issue lies not in the fact that millennials care about their health and environment. The concern is that if millennials are so health-conscious, why have recent reports suggested that millennials might be one of the most unhealthy generations? Yes, drawn from various data, studies and analytics, reports have stated that millennials are faced with more incapacitating and dangerous medical risks than other generations!

Every generation has its own, unique health challenges. However, with the advancement of lifestyle, medicine, technology and knowledge, one would think that our modern day health challenges would be alleviated. Apparently this is not so. Recent studies have gone so far as to claim that millennials are due to have worse health conditions than their parents as they age!

Further down we will dive into the various health problems that millennials are prone to. Before we get into it, it's important to know that there seem to be 2 main influences causing these health issues amongst millennials: money and technology. Many of the health issues stem from how technology has dominated our lives, especially for millennials! A large percentage of a millennial's day is focused around technology, whether in professional or personal environments. The persistent use of technology consists of checking emails, social media, working on websites, running online businesses and responding to texts, just to name a few.

In addition to spending extended periods of time on technology, the second root cause of millennials' health risks is that money is a somewhat or very significant source of stress. Stress plays a huge role in your health and well-being and often gets manifested in physical ailments. Additionally, coming back to money being a struggle, millennials are less likely to go for regular check-ups due to costs. A large percentage of millennials are unable to afford health care expenses!

The following health concerns of millennials will be discussed:

1. Sexually transmitted diseases
2. Mental health disorders
3. Poor social skills 
4. Substance abuse
5. Bone and back problems 
6. Eye problems 
7. Reduced Fertility

STDs

Multiple reports show that millennials are having less sex but transmitting more sexual diseases (STDs). How does that work?! Well, new data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that young people are engaging in riskier sex! Despite sexual education being a focus in community projects and schools, as well as (free) contraception being available to most, cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise. Our millennials are paying a price with some of the highest rates of STDs recorded! 

It makes sense that the lack of routine medical checkups leaves people unaware that they may be carrying an STD. Being undiagnosed and untreated allows for not only irreversible health consequences, but for the spread of STDs to other people in their age groups.

TipIf you cannot factor medical expenses into your budget, find out where the closest free clinic is to you. They should offer STD tests and be able to advise you on a treatment plan. It's recommended that you go for tests at least every 6 months!

Mental health disorders

Depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders are on the rise amongst millennials! Mental health disorders are increasingly affecting our youth and millennials, so much so that awareness movements are even trending on social media! Search for #mentalhealthawareness or #suicideprevention and you will see the large amount of results that come up. The potential negative impact on the mental health of technology has been well-documented and is very evident within the millennial generation.

The exact reason for mental health disorders being a big health concern for milennials is unclear but researchers suggest there could be a few possible causes.

Common causes of mental health disorders in millennials:

  • Being exposed to electronic devices interferes with normal brain functioning, including hormones that are responsible for mood regulation
  • Quality of food has decreased, which leaves the body lacking in certain nutrients needed to live a wholesome quality life and mitigate against the effects of stress
  • The stress of money affects mood, thoughts, self-esteem and external relationships
  • Being bombarded by social media and influencers, who project 'perfect' lives leaves people feeling unfulfilled and always comparing themselves to impractical standards
  • Failing economies have led to increasing student loan debt, decrease of job stability and difficulty in attaining financial stability

TipMindSoothe is a 100% herbal remedy to balance serotonin levels and relieve depression and mood disorders. Taken regularly, MindSoothe works as a natural mood tonic, improving feelings of confidence and well-being. We strongly recommend that our herbal PureCalm is taken together with MindSoothe for maximum effectiveness against anxiety and depression - especially for people who are struggling with anxiety. PureCalm works quickly to calm you when you need it and also helps during the initial few weeks, while MindSoothe is beginning to take effect. 

Poor social skills

It's common for older generations to label millennials as rude and disrespectful. The millennial generation certainly has its share of criticisms, but could this be because millennials are simply misunderstood? Perhaps the antisocial behaviour displayed by millennials runs deeper than poor manners!

The generation of millennials is the first generation that had wide scale access to technology from childhood into adulthood. Clinical psychologists and behavioural specialists will confirm that spending extended periods of time behind a screen does indeed have social implications later on in life. While millennials seem to be much more adept to the digital world, other important life skills have fallen to the wayside.

It's commonly recorded in clinical practices that millennials admit that basic social circumstances are intimidating for them. The mere act of saying hello to a stranger can be terrifying, and the fear of rejection inhibits them from reaching out to peers. Because work situations are increasingly becoming digitalised, millennials find themselves isolated, with less frequent interaction with others. Naturally, antisocial behavior develops as millennials engage in fewer social encounters. 

Before technology took the world by storm, if someone needed something from a friend or family member, it would require interacting with them on a personal level. These days, a simple text message or phone call gets the job done, without ever having to meet the person face to face!

Tip: Although it may be overwhelming and scary, the best thing is to force yourself into social interaction. While you may experience the effects of social anxiety, it is an internal experience which will ease with practice. If you suffer from social anxiety, taking a remedy during times of stress or triggers helps greatly. Feelgood Health's PureCalm works quickly to calm you when you need it and effectively alleviates feelings of anxiety.

Substance abuse

Drawing from the above issue of poor social skills, many millennials find it difficult to immerse themselves in social situations without the help of substances like alcohol or drugs. Increases in alcohol and drug deaths have affected all age groups, but the impact on people in their 20s and 30s are pronounced. Countless case studies and data prove that substance abuse has a profoundly negative impact on many young adults and their families. While social impairments play a big role as an underlying cause of substance abuse amongst millennials, other factors are also to blame.

Millennials have found themselves struggling to establish businesses and reach financial stability in the midst of economic crises and high costs of education and housing. Young people with college debt, financial pressure and social stresses are known to be prone to substance abuse and even suicide. Getting help for addiction can be extremely costly, money which many millennials just do not have!

Tip: If you, or anybody you know, suffers from addiction or substance abuse, please seek help. Addiction destroys families and ends lives. Feelgood Health manufactures a product called Crave-RX, which helps withdrawal symptoms. This product helps to reduce the physical craving for nicotine and other drugs and also helps to prevent depression, restlessness and anxiety often associated with nicotine and drug withdrawal!

Bone and back problems

Young adults these days suffer from more back pain than people double their age! Spending excessive periods of time hunched over cellphones, laptops and tablets is resulting in postural issues and spinal injuries (sometimes causing long-term damage). Experts are certain that electronic devices are to blame, claiming that technology is creating a generation of hunchbacks. It's simply not a natural position for the skeletal system!

Spending majority of the day without regular movement, the back muscles (and other muscles) start to waste and the muscle fibres, ligaments and tendons that connect the muscles to the bones shorten, resulting in stiffness and pain! Additionally, there are other external factors that influence the condition of millennials' skeletal health.

Common causes of skeletal problems in the millennial generation:

  • Lack of essential vitamins and minerals being available in foods (leading to conditions such as osteoporosis or other degenerative disorders of the bones)
  • Spending extended periods of time on computers and laptops
  • Poor posture
  • Little time for exercise as work responsibilities and pressures take up most of one's time
TipIf you're unable to avoid spending long periods in from of devices, make sure you take breaks to get up and move around. There are many quick exercises you can do to strengthen your skeletal system so as to avoid back and bone problems. Remember, prevention is better (and cheaper) than cure! View our entire collection of natural remedies and supplements to support a strong skeletal system and prevent bone health problems later in life!

Eye problems

Despite being such a young generation, the millennial generation is already encountering increased numbers of eye and vision problems that aren't normally expected at their age. Tyler Sorensen, the President and CEO of Rebuild Your Vision says, "A recent report from The Vision Council, a massive organization representing providers of vision care products and services, claimed that nearly 70% of all millennials surveyed during a study reported some symptoms of eye strain.".

Eye strain, from frequently staring at digital screens, can cause severe eye discomfort, blurriness, and even headaches. This all affects quality of vision and long-term eye health.

These are the common causes of eye problems in millennials:

  • Extended periods of time spent using electronic devices, which forces eyes to work overtime to focus 
  • Digital device users have a lowered blink rate which causes dry eyes, leading them to be scratchy and irritated
  • The blue light emitted from digital screens can have long-term impact on the retinal cells responsible for vision

Tip: Anybody who works on electronic devices needs to take regular breaks in order to give their eyes a chance to relax. Additionally, a diet rich in vision-boosting vitamins and minerals helps your eyes cope under pressure and prevent long-term damage associated with electronic use. Taking a powerful natural supplement like Vision Guard Plus helps to reduce symptoms of eye disorders. This excellent supplement improves circulation to the eyes, enhances oxygen and energy levels in the eye tissue and has also shown potential benefits in preventing or treating poor vision!

Reduced Fertility

Millennials often put off having children to their late 20s or 30s, when fertility is
beginning to decline. This is in contrast to their parents who tended to have their
first baby in their early 20’s. In addition, various lifestyle and environmental factors are reducing fertility and many millennials find it difficult to conceive once they decide to start a family.

For instance, did you know that many chemicals in foods, as well as BPA plastic,
chemicals such as parabens in cosmetics, shampoos, foods, etc. have a hormone disruptive effect on the human body, resulting in reduced fertility? 

Tip: If you can, eat organic foods and make sure that your health, hygiene and beauty products contain natural ingredients only and are free from unwanted
chemicals. A healthy lifestyle, including avoiding smoking, drug and alcohol use
and plenty of exercise can also make all the difference in improving fertility for
men and women. Herbal remedies like Fertile XX for Women and Fertile XY for Men can also help.

If you have any question, please contact us or leave a comment below for FREE health advice. We always love hearing from you!

Saskia Michele holistic health blog

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