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Many of our daily habits could be sabotaging longevity, according to the
thought-provoking book The End of Illness. Here are some of the worst
culprits that might harm your health.
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Your unpredictable schedule
One of our biggest stressors is not finances or marriage but the lack of
a regular routine. Even simply eating lunch an hour later than usual can
spike levels of the stress hormone cortisol and disrupt your body’s
ideal state. Try to eat, sleep, and exercise at the same time every day,
365 days a year. |
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Your fruit and veggie selections
By the time produce travels from its source to store shelves, it has
lost many of its disease-fighting compounds. Buy fresh veggies locally
or when in season. If not, stick to frozen, which is prepared at peak
ripeness to lock in nutrients. |
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Your gym workout
Even if you exercise vigorously, spending the rest of your day sitting
could affect cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Find little
ways to get moving all day long, including these sneaky ways to stay fit
without working out. |
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Your nail biting
Rachata Teyparsit/ShutterstockNail biting is more than just a bad
tendency; it can also wreak havoc on your health. In a small Turkish
study, 76 percent of nail-biters tested positive for diarrhea- and
vomit-causing bacteria like Escherichia coli, compared to just 26.5
percent of non-biters. |
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Your "sad desk lunch"
Katarzyna Zdanowska/ShutterstockYour office is a breeding ground for
bacteria—and unfortunately, your keyboard is one of the germiest spots.
In fact, a 2013 study discovered that in just one day, more than 50
percent of surfaces and employees can become infected with a virus.
Eating lunch outside (or at least away from your desk!) can reduce how
much bacteria you are exposed to on a daily basis.
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Your smoking habit
iordani/ShutterstockIf the cancer risk alone wasn’t a good enough reason
to quit this vice, here’s one more: Smoking can decrease your immune
function, making you more likely to catch the flu, cold, or pneumonia. |
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Your unwashed bed sheets
Bad news: Dust mites love your warm, dark bed as much as you do. While
they are relatively harmless by themselves, their droppings and
discarded body fragments can trigger asthma and allergic reactions,
according to the Daily Mail.
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