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Friday 3 May 2019

Five Deadliest (Most Harmful) Habits to Avoid As You Get Older

Erin Bodwin writes:
'Even when they’re truly detrimental to your health, certain activities can be difficult to give up. Whether it’s smoking, regularly indulging in sugary beverages, or binge drinking, there are a handful of practices that experts have linked to an early death. Before suggesting that these activities were harmful, researchers studied big groups of people over long periods of time. In one of those studies, published this week in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, scientists found troubling links between high intakes of soda and early death. And in a large review of two studies published in the same journal last year, researchers pinpointed five habits that appeared to be tied with a significantly shorter lifespan. 

Here’s an overall look at what scientists have concluded are the most harmful habits for your health:

1. Drinking Sugary Beverages and Eating Processed Foods 
Drinking soda, juice, and other heavily sweetened beverages appear to take a heavy toll on our bodies. In fact, a new 34-year study of more than 118,000 people suggested that the more sugar people drank, the more likely they were to die from problems such as heart trouble. However, as with many nutrition studies, this one merely involved observing people over time. That means the research could not definitively conclude that sugary drinks are bad – it could suggest only that they might be. If you’re worried about your drinking and eating habits, there’s plenty you can do to counteract the problems tied with sugary drinks. Aside from simply avoiding soda and juice, a growing body of research suggests that a meal plan focusing on vegetables, protein, and healthy fats has key benefits. Those include losing weight, keeping the mind sharp, and protecting the heart and brain as you age. The best diets (and the ones linked with the longest life) involved high intakes of vegetables, nuts, whole grains, healthy fats (such as those from fish and olive oil), and low intakes of sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, processed sweets and breads, red and processed meats, and trans fats and salt.


2. Smoking 
Smoking kills. No other habit has been so strongly tied to death. In addition to cancer, smoking causes heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Smokers inhale burned tobacco and tar along with toxic metals, such as cadmium and beryllium, and elements such as nickel and chromium – all of which accumulate naturally in the leaves of the tobacco plant. So it’s no surprise that studies find that abstaining from cigarette smoking for life is linked with living longer. If you’ve already smoked, the research still has good news: Both quitting and cutting back have also been linked with positive outcomes related to life expectancy. “Smoking is a strong independent risk factor of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality,” researchers wrote in one study. “And smoking cessation has been associated with a reduction of these excess risks.” 

3. Sitting For Long Periods of Time 
In general, staying sedentary for lengthy periods of time seems to be awful for your health. But getting up every once in a while to do regular cardio exercise is an all-natural way to lift your mood, improve your memory, and protect your brain against age-related cognitive decline. In other words, it’s the closest thing to a miracle drug that we have. A wealth of recent research suggests that cardio – any type of exercise that raises your heart rate and gets you moving and sweating for a sustained period of time – has a significant and beneficial effect on the brain. “Aerobic exercise is the key for your head, just as it is for your heart,” according to a recent article in the Harvard Medical School blog Mind and Mood. Most research suggests that the best type of aerobic exercise for your mind is anything you can do consistently for 30 to 45 minutes at a time.


4. Being Overweight or Underweight 
People who weigh above or below average appear to face a slightly higher risk of death from a range of causes, according to a large recent study that assessed peoples’ weight using a measure called the body mass index (BMI). Researchers like to use BMI for quick assessments of large groups of people. Generally speaking, a BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered within the “healthy range” for adults over age 20, according to CDC. And people who fell within that BMI range tended to outlive their peers who fell outside it, the study found. In other words, people who had BMIs that were either above or below the “healthy range” lived shorter lives than people with BMIs that fell within that range. That said, BMI is far from a perfect means of gauging your overall health. The 1830s-era measure does not take into account a number of key health factors, including overall body fat, gender, muscle composition, or the amount of fat you’re carrying around your middle. This measure, also known as abdominal fat, is emerging as a key alternative to BMI because of its strong links with heart health and diabetes.


5. Drinking Heavily 
It’s been tough to pin down the precise relationship between drinking and overall health. A little bit of alcohol (such as one or two drinks per day) seems to be OK. More than that, however, and the benefits appear to vanish. The most dangerous types of drinking are heavy drinking and binge drinking. Defined by the CDC as eight drinks or more per week for women and 15 drinks or more per week for men, heavy drinking has been tied to a host of negative outcomes, including an overall shorter life expectancy. Binge drinking, or having four drinks if you’re a woman and five drinks if you’re a man within two hours, may be equally or even more harmful, studies suggest. Other problems tied to heavy drinking and binge drinking include cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, and injury.'

The above article is available on several sites but I first saw it here and here

A variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog. Please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan 

39 comments:

mxtodis123 said...

I gave up soda, smoking, and drinking. Am working on my weight issue. Thanks for a great post. Good information.

Lady Caer Morganna said...

Well, let's see - I never smoked my entire life, I gave up drinking a while ago, I stopped drinking soda and tea when I began my diet as to lose weight (it worked), I never eat processed foods anymore (also part of my diet), and I stay pretty physically active so I guess you could say I am good? LOL!

roughterrain crane said...

Thanks.
I should take less sugar and salt.

JFM said...

Great advice! Thank you Jan!

Valerie-Jael said...

Well I'm not guilty of any of these sins, but I do like my coffee! But never with sugar. Have a great weekend, Valerie

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

Yeah. I'm not doing TOO bad.

Ygraine said...

Great advice here, many thanks for this!
I am on track for most of this, but have to admit to eating too many processed and, sometimes, sweet foods!😟
I do try to give these unhealthy foods a miss, but the craving is just too much, especially when I'm feeling stressed and need a "comfort" type boost!
Yes, I know, I am my own worst enemy!!😉

Have a great weekend!

Miss Val's Creations said...

Such great advice. This should influence people to change their lifestyle while they are still young enough, to be healthier when they grow older.

Tom said...

...I'm guilty!

Lorrie said...

A practical and well-balanced article. I'm happy to say I'm mostly on track.

Jo said...

Some good advice, definitely food for thought.

DUTA said...

I'm used to drink from childhood, not soda, but soda water. It neutralizes toxins in the digestive system and makes it a free-problem system.
As for smoking and overeating, these are gambling with one's life.

Bob Bushell said...

Thanks for your info Jan.

happyone said...

All good advice. Now to just do it!! :)

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I don't have any of those bad habits, except sitting in front of my computer for long periods of time. However, I have learned that I can't sit too long, so get up. go for a short walk, then return to the computer. I must get some small weights and do more cardio. Thanks for this wonderful post, Jan. BTW, I'm glad the researchers didn't use coffee as one of the bad habits, since I drink it 24/7 with half and half (light cream in your world).

Christine said...

wise info as always.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Thank you.

God bless.

Sandi said...


Sitting...oy vey! I am sitting down right now.

The BMI measurement is from the 1830's? Wow...I never would have guessed that.

Thanks for the info. It is a lifeline for many people.

Elephant's Child said...

Always a work in progress. I DO need to be more consistently active. Thank you.

Bill said...

Wonderful advice and very important to remember.
Thanks Jan and have a wonderful weekend.

William Kendall said...

Good advice.

This N That said...

I guess I'm OK..I may sit a bit much but I do walk my dog three times a day..No sugary drinks but not many veggies either..I don't cook..Too old to worry about it much..

Sandy said...

Never liked pop so am good there, not much into fast food, wear a fitbit to help with the moving more, have never been over weight; but I do like my cocktails and wine. I always considered binge drinking when you had a wild night where you drank massive amounts...binged.

CJ Kennedy said...

I don't drink or smoke. Sit too much though I do exercise each morning. Rarely sugary drinks, but eat processed food. Trying to drop some pounds.

Martha said...

Good advice! These things will help keep us healthy and happy throughout our lives.

Mary Kirkland said...

Thankfully I don't drink or smoke. I do tend to sit in front of my laptop for long periods of time when I'm not out with my dog.

kathyinozarks said...

good post-I do sit too much-but our bodies also really change as we get older-for me when I hit 67 doing nothing different I gained weight and am still struggling with losing the weight-

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Great tips! Sugary drinks are my biggest problem, and switching to diet is NOT the answer. Water is! I also have a problem with sitting still too long because of the pain in my SI joints. It does help to move and my watch tells me to get up every hour...which is pretty pathetic that I have to be prompted by electronics. SIGH.

Chris Lally said...

Wow! The best advice, Jan! Thank you:)

Debbie Harris said...

Great post, very informative, though I know this yet could use a tad bit of changing up.
I'm not a smoker,I don't drink anything except water, good spring water right on our own property, I'm an active person, love taking walks daily with some toning, try and stay away from processed food as best as I can.
Now sugar...It does not like me, yet I have it once in awhile, really should just walk away completely. :-)

Thank you for this good reminder ~

Iris Flavia said...

I´m still "amazed" at how many young people smoke. The prices have risen like crazy yet they pay for that stupid, stinking stuff.
And wee, am I gladf I don´t like sweets anyways :-)
But sitting for many is really a problem, hubby included.

Recep Hilmi TUFAN | rehitu.com said...

Number 1 and 3 are my habits also... :(

Margaret D said...

Good read.
I sit too much :)

linda said...

Great advise, I do follow a lot of it but I really need to exercise more.

baili said...

EXCELLENT read my dear Jan!

thank you sooooo............ much for sharing this!

your place is heavenly to me :)
so much awareness and useful knowledge
you are doing GREAT job my friend!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

This is a good reminder for all of us. I try really hard to take care of myself but there's always something I could do to improve! Thanks for this post! Being healthy definitely improves our lives! Makes us happy too!

dellgirl said...

Thank you for the reminder, just what some of us need.

Snowbird said...

Wise advice Jan.xxx

Jeanie said...

An excellent article, Jan. I know I need to get with the program on two of these points.