Many everyday items or common things you might do on a regular basis, things that should make your life easier, things that you should find enjoyable, even necessary things such as water, can not only become dangerous, but can even kill you in some cases.

You might be wondering how this can be true, but isn’t that what life is? Strange, but true?

Keep reading, you will be shocked by some of these, but we guarantee you will laugh at others.

 

1. Water

Yes, too much of anything, even water, can be dangerous. Drinking too much water, too quickly, can even kill you. In a well-publicized case in 2007, a woman in California died in a water drinking contest hosted by a local radio station. In 2005, a young man died in a fraternity hazing ritual in which he was forced to chugalug, not beer, but water, over and over and over again. In both cases, the cause of death was listed as water intoxication. This is a phenomenon that happens when people drink too much water in a short amount of time, so much so that the kidneys can’t process it all, which leads to swelling of the lungs and brain. This has happened to athletes as well, and even people who take club drugs. They feel what they think is an insatiable thirst and they end up drinking so much so fast that they kill themselves with water. To avoid this, drink reasonable amounts of water and never, ever do Molly, ecstasy, or MDMA, which often lead people to believe that they are dying of thirst.

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2. The Kitchen Sponge

You might have seen articles recently talking about how the kitchen sponge is one of the dirtiest things in the house. But your article might have left out the fact that your kitchen sponge, yes, the thing that you wipe down the counters with, the thing you wipe down the kitchen table with, perhaps the thing you even wash a few dishes with (especially for those of you without a dishwasher) is so filthy that it can make you and your family sick. Many kitchen sponges have more germs than a public bathroom. In fact, many kitchen sponges are infected with E. coli. Yep, that same germ that lives in poop. How did that get there? Well, there are lots of ways, but the fact remains that you should nuke your damp sponge at least every other day and just plain replace it every 4 to 6 weeks.

 

3. Shoveling Snow

Believe it or not, every single year, usually after a big blizzard, people die from heart attacks while shoveling snow. One study, which looked at emergency room visits between the years of 1990 and 2005, discovered that accidents involving shoveling snow accounted for more than 11,000 visits to the ER each year. By the way, out of those 11,000 people who somehow damaged themselves shoveling snow, more than 1,640 people died from those injuries. So the next time your wife asks you to shovel the driveway, give the kid next door a few bucks and tell the wife you don’t want to risk your life. If she laughs in your face, show her this article. You’re welcome.

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4. Cleaning Your Bathroom

OK, of course we are not suggesting that you should stop cleaning your bathroom (be sure that you don’t use the kitchen sponge, OK?) but did you know that mixing bleach with other cleaners makes toxic, even deadly, gas? This is an absolute fact! You should NEVER mix bleach with ammonia or any other type of cleaner, no matter how mild or common it might be. Bleach does kill germs, but so do many other non-toxic things such as vinegar, lemon juice, and essential oils such as tea tree oil. If you feel that your bathroom simply is not clean unless you use bleach, use it straight from the bottle and never, EVER mix it with ANY other cleaning product.

 

5. Humidifiers

When dry winter air outside and even drier winter air inside makes your skin feel like paper and your nose bleed on occasion, a humidifier can be a godsend. Unfortunately, if not properly maintained, it can become a terrible source of various pathogenic fungi that get, literally, sprayed into the air. This can lead to serious health problems, especially for those with respiratory problems such as asthma. Clean your humidifier according to the manufacturer’s directions.

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6. Vending Machines

Are you LOL right now? Well, stop. Between the years of 1978 and 1995, there were at least 37 known cases of people being killed, and more than 113 people injured, by falling vending machines. Many soda vending machine manufacturers now put labels on their machines stating that they can cause serious injury, even death, if you rock them or kick them. Moral of the story: it’s OK to yell at the machine when it doesn’t give you what you paid for, but don’t rock it.

 

7. The Flu

Although flu shots do carry a risk, so does the flu itself. Although everyone feels like they might be dying when they get the flu, some people actually do. The flu kills thousands of Americans every year. Death rates range from 3,000 to more than 50,000 per year. Even then, more than 200,000 people each year end up in the hospital. The flu tends to be especially harsh on those under 5 and those over 65 years of age, those with other health problems, and even pregnant women. Of course, you can usually avoid the flu by keeping your immune system strong. Consume plenty of anti-viral herbs, get vitamin D via natural sunshine, and eat an organic, healthy diet. If you fall into any of the high risk groups, however, you might be wise to get a flu shot. Speak with your doctor to determine the risks.

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8. The Kitchen Blender

Although some people have unfortunate accidents involving their blender, the main problem with blenders tends to be cleanliness. Although most people are quick to give their blender a run through the dishwasher or to rinse it out in the sink, there do not appear to be many people who care to really take the entire thing apart and wash it. The gasket that stops the liquids from moving past the blade tends to get neglected and builds up junk and bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella. This can cause you to become very, very sick. Don’t get lazy. Take apart your entire blender; wash the glass, the blade, and the rubber ring. Your stomach will thank you.

 

9. Tylenol

Most people think of Tylenol like water. It’s safe for children, so it must be OK no matter how much you take, right? Tylenol overdose causes 500 deaths each year in the U.S. When taken according to directions, Tylenol is just fine, but taking too much Tylenol or taking it in combination with other drugs (such as Nyquil or Advil) can cause serious problems. When taken to excess, Tylenol causes liver damage. More than 60,000 people discover this fact far too late each and every year. Always follow the instructions on the label. If you are taking multiple products, or if you are taking prescription medications, speak with your doctor before consuming any other product, including Tylenol.

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10. Pressure Washers

People always think that those videos on YouTube with toddlers holding pressure washers that knock them on their butts are hilarious, but pressure washers, as convenient as they might be, also cause death and serious injuries. Pressure washers, as the name implies, spray water at a super high pressure, which can cause some pretty serious wounds if you point it at other people, animals, or even at yourself. Many people believe, at first sight, that the wound is not that severe. However, wounds that appear to be minor mean that many people do not visit the doctor until a severe infection has taken hold. There have been cases of people being wounded by pressure washers who delay treatment, then end up having to have a limb amputated. Other risks that go along with using a pressure washer are electric shock, carbon monoxide poisoning, and the fact that when the spray hits small objects, such as rocks, pebbles, and even small toys, these simple things can turn into terribly dangerous projectiles.

 

11. Lakes, Pools, Bathtubs …Water in General

The third leading unintentional cause of death is drowning, according to the CDC. For children under the age of 4, it is the #1 cause of accidental death, outweighing even car accidents! Of all drowning deaths, almost half occur in natural water sources such as lakes or ponds. Another 16 percent happen in swimming pools, and about 10 percent in the family bathtub. The last 27 percent occurred in unspecified bodies of water, such as buckets. Never leave your children unattended when they are in or around water. Even a kiddie pool can turn deadly for a toddler. Don’t leave buckets of water unattended when you have small children. If you do not know how to swim, take classes and take your children with you.

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12. Cheating on Your Wife

You might be thinking, “Yeah, because she would kill me if she found out,” but the truth is actually that you might have a heart attack.

 

READ ALSO: This One Common Habit Is Slowly Killing You (And We Don’t Mean Smoking)

 

The American Heart Association conducted an autopsy review of male subjects who died suddenly. They found that about 75 percent of those who died were having sex with their mistress when they had a heart attack. Now it’s true that most of the men had younger partners and often had consumed a great deal of food and alcohol just before having sex, but the fact remains … someone had to explain to the wife and kiddies what happened. Make things easier for everyone. Be safe, don’t cheat. Or at least find a mistress your own age.

 

References:

http://link.springer.com

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com

http://circ.ahajournals.org

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