Currently, the average life expectancy worldwide is about 71 years, and for Nigerians, life epectancy is 55.2years, according to the World Health Organization. The human lifespan has slowly but steadily been increasing over the past couple of decades due to increased information that is available online about how to live longer. Of course improvements in work conditions, increased sanitation, removal of dangerous chemicals from our everyday life, as well as an increased awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle have all lead to longer lifespans.
Almost everyone knows the things that you should do to live longer, but how about all those things you should stop doing? Bad habits can shorten your life dramatically.
If you want to live longer, possibly even become a centenarian, then keep reading and see if you are guilty of any of the following bad habits that might stop you from reaching that 100 year mark.
1. Stop Believing Only Big Changes Matter
Although radical changes in a person’s lifestyle can be inspiring, they can also be hard to maintain. The next time you tell yourself that you will go on a strict diet, exercise every day for an hour and a half, stop drinking, stop smoking, stop staying out late on the weekends, and try to get along with your mother in law starting Monday……you are simply setting yourself up for failure. Try making just one change each month. That doesn’t sound like much, but over the course of a year, that is a whole lot of change! And those small things add up to become big things.
Don’t add more stress to your life by making big changes. Start with something small (such as making a healthy lunch instead of eating fast food), then add something else next month. It’s much more motivating to feel the self-satisfaction of take a step in the right direction than to look at another failed attempt to change everything in your life.
2. Stop Eating Junk
You know you do it. You probably have a dozen excuses as to why you do it (I don’t have time, It’s too expensive). But the truth of the matter is that eating fast food and junk food is one of the major contributors towards an early death. Processed foods lead to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, dementia, stroke, and cancer.
Yes, eating right takes more time. Being sick or developing a disease will take more time than you could imagine! Don’t go all out and make a complete overhaul in one day, take those baby steps. Begin by cutting back on sugar, add one vegetable to your dinner plate, and before you know it, you are there!
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