Us humans, we're surrounded by danger everyday. What's more, we're actually the one's who are putting ourselves at risk, and we don't even notice it. Everything from chewing gum to drinking water can potentially end our lives. But we do it anyway. Why? Maybe it's because we love living on the edge. But mostly, we just don't give a damn.
1. Taking Selfies
The act of taking a photograph won't kill you, but the heights that you'll go (literally) to capture that perfect moment in time can end badly. In 2016, selfies claimed the of 9 people, who died by either falling to their doom, getting ravaged by hungry animals, or getting hit by vehicles. Still want to say "Cheese!" with that selfie stick in your hand?
2. Texting While Walking
According to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, "distracting walking" (aka texting while strolling) caused 6,000 pedestrian deaths in 2017. But fear not, for the National Safety Council (NSC) has implemented a rigorous agenda that will eliminate distracted walking fatalities: the council urges everyone to "look left, right, and left again before crossing the street." Thank you NSC for quoting the wise words of my mother!
3. Drinking Coffee
68 million Americans drink three cups of joe a day, 30 million Americans chug down over five coffee cups a day, and over 21 million drown their intestines with over six cups of coffee a day. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 51 people died from caffeine in 2017. PhD Danielle Wikoff who leads health sciences at ToxStrategies Inc. told Healthline Magazine that. "Many of those [caffeine-related deaths] were associated with exposures on the order or 10 g of caffeine or more, which is quite a bit of caffeine." Long story short, just drink less coffee people!
4. Death by Chewing Gum
You may want to reconsider putting that Orbit Spearmint gum in your mouth. The NCBI has revealed that a 24-year-old man inexplicably died after ingesting chewing gum. Watch out, you may be next...
5. Wearing a Scarf
Before you set off for a night out in your posh scarf, you may want to hear this. The harmless neck garment that you wear to keep yourself warm has caused two nightmarish deaths involving machinery. If you're a careful scarve-wearer, then you'll probably survive. But don't say I didn't warn you when your next visit to Macy's includes an escalator painted in red.
6. Brushing Your Teeth
The dentist tells you to brush your teeth, but should you really listen? According to MedlinePlus, a toothpaste overdose can lead to: "convulsions, heart attacks, shock, tremors, vomiting," and more.
7. Taking Tylenol
Tylenol is composed of a pain reliever called acetaminophen. In the US, 500 people dye annually due to acetaminophen overdose, and over 60,000 people suffer from liver acetaminophen-induced liver damage each year. Next time you've got a grueling ache, you may just want to swallow the pain instead of Tylenol.
8. Taking a Visit To The Vending Machine
Considering that vending machines kill more people each year than sharks, maybe it's best to lay off the chips and opt for a fruit. Between 1978 and 1995, 37 people were killed attempting to retrieve their junk-food fix from vending machines. Happy snacking!
9. Eating Soy Sauce
In 2013, a 19-year-old kid downed a quart of soy sauce on a dare, subsequently landing in a coma and nearly dying from a salt overdose. So just what happens to your body when you overdose on sodium? Hypernatremia occurs when one's sodium level exceeds 145 mmol/L. According to The Week, hypernatremia "makes the body's cells — including the important ones in the brain — swell up, causing brain damage or even death. Other symptoms include confusion, convulsions, fatigue, and nausea."
10. Drinking Too Much Water
Turns out alcohol isn't the only thing that can render you intoxicated. Drinking a lot of water in one sitting can prompt sodium levels in your blood to plummet, a serious and potentially lethal condition called hyponatremia.