We can all think of things that obviously are deadly. The list includes smoking, downed power lines, narcotics, and more. However, there are other things that are deadlier than you might realize. Some you might never have known can be deadly at all. Here are 12 things that are far deadlier than most people realize.
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Poverty
Poor people tend to have shorter lifespans than others do. Key reasons for this include lack of healthcare and limited access to nutritious foods. Many poor people live in “food wastelands” where there are few grocery stores. The stores that do exist often have an imbalance of unhealthy vs. healthy foods.
Grapefruit With Many Prescription Drugs
This will surely be news to a lot of people. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interfere with how the body metabolizes a drug. The result is a higher dosage than prescribed. It can be harmful or deadly.
Drinking
Drinking alcohol is popular in our culture. In fact, many who don’t drink often feel stigmatized. Alcohol can shorten lifespans because dangerous conditions can develop quietly over time. Even people who drink moderate amounts on a regular basis are susceptible to these risks.
Quitting Drinking
Quitting drinking is not a bad thing. For an alcoholic, it may be a lifesaver. However, quitting drinking cold turkey when one’s body has a dependency on it can be disastrous. Sudden, complete withdrawal can lead to seizures and death.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common cause of snoring. Snoring may be annoying, but sleep apnea left untreated can be deadly because it puts huge stress on the cardiovascular system.
Brazilian Lifts
You probably didn’t see this one coming! A BBL is all the rage for some who want the Kim Kardashian look. According to some medical research, though, about 1 in 3,000 BBLs lead to death. It’s the world’s most deadly cosmetic surgery procedure.
Tired Driving
For good reasons, we hear about the dangers of drunk driving all the time. However, drowsiness can render a driver just as incapacitated as being drunk does. Just nodding off for a couple seconds can lead to tragedy.
Weirs
Huh? What’s a weir? A weir is a low dam constructed across the width of a river. It creates a short waterfall and can help control the flow of water. Being short and human-made doesn’t make them safe. At the bottom, there’s a rotating undercurrent that’s difficult to escape. Wading just upstream of them or at the base has caused many drownings.
Canoeing
Canoes are fun, and they’re stable in most waters. That doesn’t mean they eliminate all the dangers of being out on the water. Drownings are common when canoes capsize or people fall out of them. Always wear a life jacket and always know what to do if you end up going for a swim.
Running or Cycling at Night
Many people love getting some cardio in at night. It’s understandable since it’s cooler and quieter and there are fewer people out. The downside is that you’re much more likely to be struck by a car. Wear a helmet with a headlamp, wear highly reflective clothing, and use flashing lights. The reflectors that came on your bike are not enough.
Smoke
Everyone knows how deadly fire can be. Think about this, though: how many times have you walked off from a campfire because the smoke was in your face? When people die during fires, the leading cause is from inhaling smoke, not from the flames.
Visine
Thanks to the movie Wedding Crashers, some people think slipping Visine into someone’s drink is a funny prank. That’s because it can cause diarrhea. The problem with this “prank” is the main active ingredient in Visine. Once in the digestive tract, the intestines can absorb it, and then it can end up in your blood. This can cause blood pressure and heart rate to drop to life-threatening levels.
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Source: Reddit
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