There’s no shortage of media attention being given to the dangers of smoking cigarettes. You know you should put down those smokes once and for all, right? If you already have, then congrats. If not, keep working on it. In the meantime, don’t feel like cigarettes are the only vice that can kill you. There are lots of dangerous activities that us girls might engage in from time to time. Understanding their danger can help you make good choices so you live a full life and reach a ripe, old age. That means skipping these activities from here on out.
While skin cancer is generally treatable if it’s caught early, plenty of people die from melanoma each and every year. The single best way to prevent the occurrence of skin cancer is to wear sunscreen all the time. You need to put it on any exposed skin in the morning and reapply throughout the day. It’s a habit that you’ll definitely be glad you started when you were young.
I can totally understand the siren song of the recliner and the latest episode of the Walking Dead, but it turns out that skipping your workout can be just as deadly as smoking cigarettes. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that skipping exercise causes as many as 1 in 10 premature deaths, which is roughly equal to the number of deaths caused by smoking. So hit the gym before you hit the couch!
Ecstasy is a street drug that is hot among ravers. It gives you a high that is enhanced by rave music, bright lights and other such things. The trouble is that it isn’t always what you think it is. It’s made from a substance called GHB, but if the pill you take isn’t pure, there’s no telling what the risks are. Your best bet is to skip any kind of illicit drug for the sake of your health and your life.
A pound or two is nothing to worry about, but if you let the number on the scale get too high, your risk of death goes up dramatically. According to experts, people who become obese before age 15 are two times more likely to die than those who have never been obese. That risk continues to go up the longer your weight is too high. Exercise and a healthy diet really can save your life.
Parents are cautioned against letting their children get more than 2 hours of screen time each day. That’s a pretty good recommendation, but the experts also say that you should be limiting yourself for the sake of your life. Research says that more than 4 hours of daily screen time increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Try reading a book or knitting instead.
Many people live with long commutes, but experts say that it isn’t a good thing. People who spend too much time getting to and from work have less time to engage in healthy habits like eating right, exercising and getting enough sleep. You might be stuck with a long commute for now, but try to counteract it with good habits and you might live a longer life.
You already know that skimping on shut eye can lead to weight gain and stress, both of which can shorten your life. Research says that too much sleep dramatically raises your risk of death due to a heart attack. The magic number for sleep is 7 to 8 hours per night. Regularly getting more than 9 hours can lead to health complications.
Which of these activities do you engage in? Don’t worry – you aren’t alone. How are you going to take steps to correct the issue?