There was a time when everything was acceptable within a lifestyle, and a big reason for that was because everyone was doing it, so why not, right? It couldn’t be that bad. Over time, some of these harmful habits can actually be difficult to give up and have a negative affect on your health. After many years of studies, researchers have found a direct link between certain activities and a shorter life expectancy. They’ve pinpointed the 5 deadliest habits to stop as you grow older and here they are.
Drinking sugar and eating processed foods
These are two of the highly recommended habits to stay away from as you grow older. If you haven’t seen the news reports about drinking sugar, please know that drinking soda, juices or any heavily sweetened beverages can take a toll on your body. A study that was conducted for over three decades with more than 100,000 people suggested the more sugar consumed the more likely you are to die from health issues such as heart disease.
In addition to drinking sugar, eating processed foods has also been linked to early death. Anything put through a “process” to be available to you for long periods of time at the grocery store should be limited if not completely eliminated from your life. Examples of processed foods are deli meat, bacon, or anything in a box, bag or can. It’s important to be aware of this when shopping for yourself and your family.
Smoking
This is a no brainer, but has to be mentioned because the bottom line is smoking kills and is considered to be the deadliest habit that exists. If smoking doesn’t kill you one way, it will another. Tobacco causes cancer, but it’s also linked to heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
Smokers inhale chemicals that not only make their way to the lungs, but also the bloodstream with the worst part being the addiction that follows. But the good news is, nowadays there are products available to quit for good and with that comes better health almost immediately. If you’re still a smoker, take the necessary steps and do everything in your power to stop today.
Sitting for long periods of time
What’s been discovered is inactivity affects the way our bodies process sugar and cholesterol; which then in turn puts us at greater risk of having a heart attack and stroke. And with the drastic increase of computer and electronic use, lack of movement is at its worst, especially as we grow older. The best advice is to sit less and move more.
Some call sitting the new smoking because when your body isn’t moving, it stops working; and the negative effects worsen when you’re still for more than 30-minutes at a time. Long bouts of inactivity throughout each day creates the highest risk of death from any known cause. And since most adults spend at least eight hours per day sitting, driving, using computers, watching television, reading, etc; their risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even death is greatly increased.
Being overweight or underweight
Using body mass index as a measure of people’s weight has indicated those who weigh above or below their range face a higher risk of death. While people who within their BMI tended to outlive their peers. Although this measure of health is anything from perfect, it’s most important to be aware of your overall body fat, especially around the middle. Regardless of your weight, abdominal fat is a key factor with strong links to heart health and diabetes. Striving to live a balanced lifestyle with food and weight is essential to longevity.
Drinking alcohol in large amounts
The research and studies continue in determining the link between alcohol and health. It seems that drinking in small amounts such as 1-2 drinks per day is ok. But drinking alcohol in large amounts is absolutely not.
Drinking heavily; which has been defined by the CDC as eight drinks for more per week for women and 15 or more for men, has been tied to numerous health issues such as cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease and injury from being intoxicated. All of these risks from alcohol are associated with shorter life expectancy.
