Everyday mindless habits can be one of the biggest detriments to overall health—and most people aren’t aware that small actions can have profound long-term effects. Things like exposure to Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), eating ultra-processed and packaged foods, and even drinking bottled water can negatively affect overall health. Instead, consider healthier swaps like avoiding products with PFAS, eating whole, unpackaged foods whenever possible, and taking a reusable water bottle or a water filter to your job site. Small, healthier actions can be highly impactful.

Quick look

• PFAS are found in everyday household products and personal care products and have been linked to illnesses like infertility, cancer, and liver damage.
• Ultra-processed foods contain excess amounts of fat, salt, and calories and increase mortality of all causes by over 30%.
• Food packaging contains over 3600 chemicals that can leach into package contents, and most have never been studied for their effects on human health. 
• Plastic water bottles can also leach chemicals into drinking water.
• While studies haven’t shown health risks directly from cell phone use, the EMFs they emit are problematic. Sleeping with your phone in a separate room is a good idea to reduce your usage and exposure.

The harmful side of habits

Habits are all those small, seemingly inconsequential things that add up over time to create a big impact. Habits can be good for you—like working out every day or choosing healthy meals—or they can be harmful, accumulating and causing illness and disease in the body. 

Consistent exposure to dangerous chemicals lands squarely in the harmful category. Although the substances and the risk might seem negligible, they can add up over weeks, months, and years. Think about secondhand smoke: Sitting next to someone having a cigarette every so often isn’t likely to cause much of an impact, but breathing secondhand smoke every day can cause lung cancer—according to the American Lung Association, lung cancer causes 7,300 deaths each year in people who never smoked.

In the construction industry, you’re exposed to hazardous materials daily. The things you breathe, touch, and ingest daily can add up over time, making it essential to assess your daily habits and optimize them for your health.  

5 habits to ditch in the new year

1. Exposure to PFAS

What they are: Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are chemicals that have been present in consumer goods since the 1950s. These chemicals are used in non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabric, and even toilet paper. 

Why they’re a problem: PFAS are also known as “forever chemicals” because they aren’t broken down in the human body or the environment. Numerous studies have linked PFAS to health problems in adults, like cancer, high cholesterol, asthma, allergies, liver damage, and decreased fertility. In babies and children, PFAS have been linked to newborn deaths, birth defects, low birth weight, and developmental delays.  

Where to find them:

• Non-stick cookware
• Stain-resistant fabric
• Some cosmetics
• Cleaning products
• Electronics
• Pesticides
• Sunscreen

Safer alternative: 

Take the following steps to reduce your exposure to PFAS:

• Take food out of take-out packaging as soon as possible, and transfer food to a plate or bowl to reheat it.
• Buy furniture and carpets from this list of companies that restrict the use of PFAS.
• Choose cosmetics and body care products from this list of products that do not contain PFAS.
• Avoid non-stick cookware and choose cast iron or stainless steel instead.

2. Ultra-processed and refined foods

What they are: Many foods are processed, taking them from their natural state into other forms that are easier to cook and eat. Beans, for example, are rehydrated, blanched, and canned to create canned beans that can be consumed immediately. But some foods are ultra-processed, undergoing such modification that they barely resemble real food ingredients. 

Why they’re a problem: Ultra-processed foods are some of the worst foods to eat. They often lack nutrients and contain excess fat, salt, and calories. One study looked at data collected over 19 years and found that people who ate a diet high in ultra-processed foods had a 31% increase in all-cause mortality.

Where to find them: 

• Packed snacks (like chips and candy) that are fatty, sweet, or salty 
• Ice cream and other frozen desserts
• Sodas and sweetened juices
• Sports drinks 
• Canned and instant soups
• Breakfast cereal
• Margarine

Safer alternatives: 

Luckily, it’s easy to identify ultra-processed foods and simple to avoid them—as long as you can manage your cravings. Anything that isn’t in its natural form and contains a label is processed food. Prioritize whole, unpackaged foods like fruits and vegetables and minimally processed foods like nuts, seeds, whole grains, and plain dairy products. When shopping, stick to the outer aisles of the grocery store, where you’ll typically find fresher and less-processed foods.

3. Food packaging

What it is: Food packaging includes cans, cartons, bags, and wrappers and contains PFAS and Bisphenol A (BPA). Recent research has shown that over 3,600 chemicals from food packaging can leach into food and drinks.

Why it’s a problem: When chemicals in food and drink packaging leach into the things we consume, they eventually end up in the human body. Most of the 3600 chemicals in food packaging haven’t been studied for how they affect human beings, but 80 have “hazard properties of high concern” for human health. Phthalates, for example, can disrupt the endocrine system. 

Where to find it: 

Virtually all ultra-processed foods are packaged, and many minimally processed foods are, too—think bagged salads, canned vegetables, and most meat. 

Safer alternatives: 

Choose unpackaged foods whenever possible, and when you do purchase packaged food, remove it from the packaging as soon as possible and place it in glass containers instead.

4. Plastic water bottles and tap water

What they are: Water bottles contain water for drinking on the go, and tap water delivers water into homes for people to drink, cook with, and use for cleaning.

Why they’re a problem: Like food packaging, plastic water bottles can leach harmful chemicals into your water, especially if left in the sun or hot environments, such as on a job site in the summer. Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, has been a part of plastic water bottles since the ‘50s and is known to have effects on the brain, blood pressure, diabetes risk, and cardiovascular health. Tap water is problematic, too. Most municipal water supplies in the US and Canada are well-monitored and closely regulated. Still, over 13 million homes in the United States get tap water from wells, which may contain contaminants like heavy metals, germs, and bacteria. 

Where to find it: 

Plastic water bottles, from giant water cooler bottles to single-use bottles, are readily available and convenient ways to hydrate on the go.

Safer alternatives: 

Instead of drinking bottled water, bring your own water in a reusable water bottle made with BPA-free plastic, glass, or stainless steel. Water filters can help remove concerning components of tap water. Reverse osmosis water filters can remove things like arsenic and lead, and filters made with activated carbon can help remove harmful chemicals like mercury and chlorine. While home water filters can come with a significant upfront cost, the long-term health implications of consuming tap water are worth the expense.

5. Cell phones

What they are: Modern cell phones do much more than make phone calls—they’re entertainment devices, banking programs, social hubs, and cameras. Many of us also habitually carry our phones within a few inches of our body.

Why they’re a problem: Scientific studies have not shown any evidence that cell phones are harmful to your health, nor have incidences of cancer risen since their introduction. Yet many are concerned about the impact of cell phones due to the radio frequencies they emit. Research has linked exposure to electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) to minor health issues like headaches and skin rashes, along with more serious health outcomes like fertility problems, DNA fragmentation, cell damage, and cancerous tumors. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies EMFs as possibly carcinogenic to humans.

Where to find them:

Instead of asking where you can find cell phones, it might be easier to ask if there’s anywhere you can’t find them. If we aren’t actively using our phones, we’ll often have them in pockets or purses nearby. 

Safer alternatives: 

If you’d like to reduce the risk of your phone negatively impacting your health, try sleeping with your phone outside of your room. This will reduce your exposure by 7-8 hours each day. You can also turn your phone off or put it in airplane mode when you don’t need connectivity. As an additional precaution, consider investing in an EMF-blocking phone case from companies like SafeSleeve.

Bottom line

Small changes add up. Shifting your daily habits can prevent exposure to harmful chemicals even when you’re out of the office or not on the job site and reduce the risk of illness that may occur as a result.

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