5 Unhealthy Habits Holding You Back

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.

1. Your Flu Shot Fear

Each time you encounter the intense inflammation that can accompany the flu, you release chemicals that damage blood vessels and may raise the risk of inflammatory-rooted diseases like heart disease later in life.

2. 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.

3. Your Fruits 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.

4. Your Out of Gym Workout Routine

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.

5. Your Heels

You know that stilettos aren’t comfy, but the pain they cause is also a sign of inflammation linked to chronic disease. While Dr. Agus doesn’t say that heels trigger heart attacks, he does believe that sticking to comfortable shoes can protect your body from inflammation’s long-term damage.