“Do you really need all that stuff?”

For years my colleagues have despaired over my work bag. They think it’s too heavy and full of unnecessary items. I agree, but because I work a long way from home, I worry about forgetting things I may need.

One colleague even kidnapped my bag and refused to give it back until I promised to reduce its weight. I lightened the load, but since then it has crept back up.

I need to address it, especially after learning that carrying a heavy bag is second in a list of the top ten ‘health mistakes’, leading to back and neck problems, arthritis and poor posture. No wonder I feel like a wreck as I hobble home from the train station.

I’m also guilty of the number one health mistake – driving with the windows down. Six per cent of our day spent driving with the windows down can expose us to around 45 per cent of the pollutants we normally encounter in 24 hours.

My windows are down all the time, even in winter – I always thought the air outside a car was fresher than the stuffiness inside. Silly me.

Forgetting to floss is one my dentist would agree with. It’s the first thing he says when I’m in the chair. I intend to, but I’m so tired on a night, I can’t be bothered. However, he didn’t tell me that plaque can find its way into the blood stream and cause chronic problems. I’ll make an effort from now on.

There are some health mistakes that – amazingly – don’t apply to me: spending too long exercising can lead to abnormal hormonal changes and even weight gain. Luckily, I’m allergic to gyms and think jogging is the most boring pastime known to man.

Avoiding the bathroom scales is also on the list, leading to people glossing over weight problems. We don’t own any scales – the mirror is enough of a reminder to cut down on cupcakes.

I didn’t know that drinking water from the warm tap could cause lead poisoning. Sometime both taps in the kitchen at work produce warm water, which could explain my constant lethargy in the office. Or maybe that’s just an allergy to work.

I don’t dispute even for a second that worrying can have an impact on health. I worry about everything – work, home, the children, the cat, you name it.

I know it’s not good for me – endless worrying causes high blood pressure, stomach upsets, chest pain and sleep deprivation – but as a natural born worrier, I can’t help it. This list hasn’t helped – reading it is a health mistake in itself.