Nearly three-quarters of U.S. women say they try to live a healthy lifestyle by eating right, taking supplements, exercising regularly and engaging in other proactive habits to promote better health.[i]

Yet, even health-savvy women may be inadvertently doing themselves harm by engaging in these common health mistakes.

Ladies, Are You Making These 8 Top Health Mistakes?

8. Drinking as Much Alcohol as the Guys

The health effects of alcohol can impact women more strongly than men because they not only typically weigh less but also have less body water, which means the alcohol is less diluted in your body. If you do drink alcohol, it should be done in moderation, which means no more than one drink a day for women.

One drink is defined as:

• 12 ounces of regular beer
• 5 ounces of wine
• 1.5 ounces of spirits (80-proof)

7. Carrying a Heavy Purse

Slinging a heavy purse over your shoulder causes your muscles, joints and ligaments to function under increased stress and strain, which can lead to muscle imbalances over time — a key cause of back and neck pain.

6. Living in High Heels

You may think they make your legs look slimmer or feel they boost your confidence, but high heels change the way you walk, putting additional stress on your knees. It can even increase your risk of joint degeneration and knee osteoarthritis.[ii]

5. Wearing an Improperly Fitting Bra

This is extremely common and can lead to headaches, poor posture and, frequently, back pain, especially if you have large breasts. “Red flags” that signal an improper fit include:

• Breasts spilling out of the cups (a larger cup size is needed)
• The bra riding up your back (you need a smaller band size)
• Digging in at the shoulders or armpits (wider straps and a larger cup size may help)
• Sagging bust (look for shorter straps or a more supportive style/fabric)
• Improperly positioned underwire (the wire should be completely under your breasts)

4. Not Sleeping Enough

The average woman aged 30-60 sleeps less than seven hours a night during the workweek. Women are also more likely than men to have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, as well as to suffer from daytime sleepiness.[iii] You may be tempted to stay up late trying to add extra hours to you day, but making sure you get the sleep you need will improve your concentration, performance at work and help you avoid chronic disease and weight gain.

3. Not Knowing the Signs of a Heart Attack in Women

Men may be more likely than women to experience the stereotypical heart attack symptoms of chest pain or pain in the arms or shoulder. Women often experience shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue during an attack, and may also have pre-heart attack symptoms for up to a month before, including unusual fatigue, shortness of breath and sleep disturbances.[iv]

2. Not Lifting Weights

Many women are fans of aerobic workouts but may shy away from lifting weights out of fear that it will “bulk up” their muscles. In truth, strength training is an important aspect of fitness that can help you tone your muscles, improve your bone density and build muscle, a key way to burn more fat. And you needn’t worry about turning into the Incredible Hulk; most women are not genetically designed to develop large muscles.

1. Emotional Eating

Women often turn to food for comfort in times of stress or sadness, and almost always that food (cheese fries, ice cream, chocolate … ) is far from healthy. Women who are feeling burned out at work or unhappy with their jobs are especially likely to engage in emotional eating, but just about any type of anxiety can trigger it.

If you know you often succumb to emotional eating or any kind of food cravings, keep a bottle of ThinMist handy (such as in your purse or in a desk drawer at work), as this all-natural blend works at the cellular level to regulate your blood sugar levels and stop cravings immediately.