When people begin to understand that they need a more healthy lifestyle if they want to ensure longevity, they often add one or two things that are good for them. Although commendable, it will take more than that to add a few years to your life. It is most likely that adding some good habits will have little effect unless you also drop the bad habits.
Many people know that smoking and drinking too much alcohol are harmful to their health. Despite knowing this, some will add some healthy habits in hopes that they will overpower the effects of the bad habits – and they continue to do them.
In general, it is always a good idea to add new healthy habits. However, the effects of some bad habits are so harmful that the benefits gained from good habits are still outweighed by the effects of the bad ones. On the other hand, when bad habits are completely stopped, the benefits will often be noticeable quickly – often within two or three weeks.
If you intend to see an increase in your longevity, it will be necessary to stop the bad habits and add several good ones. You can do this by replacing a bad habit with a good one.
Aim to develop habits for health. Instead of eating fast foods such as fried foods, pizza, and sodas, start replacing them with healthy foods. You are apt to find it difficult at first, but you will also find it easier to lose weight and control your blood pressure and sugar levels.
These conditions are some of the factors that lead to serious and even fatal diseases. Lifestyle diseases introduce slight changes in the cells and how they function, which weaken your immune system. Unless you control these things and give up a sedentary lifestyle, you are apt to reduce your lifespan by a dozen years or more.
Developing a healthy diet and lifestyle can also affect your emotions. Too much sugar in the diet can lead to highs (sugar spikes) and lows. Oftentimes, when you eat a lot of fast food and ignore a healthy diet of less meat, more fruit, and vegetables, your body lacks the nutrients needed to restore good health.
Being a couch potato is one of the worst habits you can do that is guaranteed to harm your health. One study revealed that sedentary people over 45 almost double their risk of early death when compared to more active people. The solution is a program of regular exercise, which needs to include 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
Eating too much sugar is harmful to your overall health. Sugar, which now comes in many forms and products and may not even be recognizable on the label, can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, weight gain, diabetes, cancer, and liver and kidney disease. It can also affect how well your brain functions.
Other habits that can hurt your overall health include a lack of sleep, not eating a healthy diet, ongoing stress, and too many medications. Eating many processed foods and foods high in salt can also hurt your health.
Protecting your health, for most people, will only come when you make healthy life choices. It means the bad habits must go, and you must replace them with good habits. There are no shortcuts – it is the best move you can make to help ensure your longevity.
