When people think about improving their health, they often focus on what they should add:
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More vegetables
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More exercise
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Better sleep
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Stress management
These are important. But sometimes, improving health is also about identifying what may be working against us. At Remisi, this forms part of our C.A.R.E.S framework through the SubstanceX pillar. SubstanceX focuses on reducing exposure to substances and behaviours that can negatively affect metabolic health, including:
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Excess sugar consumption
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Alcohol
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Tobacco and nicotine products
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Excessive screen use
While these factors may seem unrelated, they can quietly disrupt the body's natural balance over time.
Many of today's health challenges are not caused by a lack of knowledge. Most people already know that:
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Smoking is harmful.
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Excessive sugar intake is problematic.
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Poor sleep affects health.
The challenge is that these behaviours are often embedded within our daily environment. They are accessible, convenient, socially accepted, and frequently reinforced by modern lifestyles. As a result, small exposures repeated consistently can accumulate into significant health consequences.
Sugar itself is not inherently harmful. However, excessive consumption, particularly through sugar-sweetened beverages and highly processed foods, has been associated with:
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Weight gain
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Increased visceral fat
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Insulin resistance
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Higher risk of type 2 diabetes
Many individuals consume more added sugar than they realise because it is hidden within foods that are not obviously sweet. The goal is not complete elimination. Instead, it is developing awareness and reducing unnecessary intake.
Alcohol is often viewed primarily as a social beverage. However, it can influence metabolic health in several ways:
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Disrupting sleep quality
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Increasing calorie intake
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Affecting liver function
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Influencing blood glucose regulation
Regular excessive alcohol consumption has been associated with increased risk of fatty liver disease, hypertension, and metabolic dysfunction.
The harms of smoking are well established. Smoking increases the risk of:
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Cardiovascular disease
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Stroke
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Certain cancers
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Chronic respiratory conditions
Less commonly discussed is its impact on metabolic health. Research has shown that smoking may contribute to insulin resistance and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. For individuals seeking better long-term health outcomes, smoking cessation remains one of the most impactful interventions available.
Unlike tobacco or alcohol, screens are not traditionally viewed as a health risk. Yet excessive screen use can indirectly influence many aspects of health. Long periods of screen exposure are associated with:
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Increased sedentary behaviour
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Reduced physical activity
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Poor sleep quality
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Increased snacking
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Higher stress levels
The issue is not technology itself. Rather, it is the displacement of behaviours that support health.
At Remisi, we recognise that health is shaped not only by what we do, but also by what we repeatedly expose ourselves to. By reducing harmful substances and behaviours while strengthening healthier habits, we create an environment where metabolic health can thrive.
References
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World Health Organization. (2024). Noncommunicable Diseases Fact Sheet.
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Malik VS, Popkin BM, Bray GA, et al. (2010). Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
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Rehm J, et al. (2017). Alcohol use and burden of disease.
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Willi C, et al. (2007). Active smoking and the risk of type 2 diabetes.
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World Health Organization. (2020). Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour.
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American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2023). Screen use and sleep health.
