Have you been talking about making some changes so that you are living a healthier life? Good for you! We know some of the things we should do such as eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep. Let’s look at five things you should avoid. 

1. Avoid processed and refined carbs. They offer you no healthy value. Eating any foods with more than ten grams of sugar and less than three grams of fiber per serving will increase your risk of heart disease and/or diabetes. Make sure you take the time to read labels.

2.  Do not use artificial sweeteners. These sweeteners are five hundred times sweeter than sugar and no calories, what more could you ask for? You will be disappointed when you learn that research has shown you are much more likely to be overweight if you use artificial sweeteners. That is because the sweet taste of artificial sweeteners causes your body to think it is going to get a rush of caloric energy. Then it does not and you start to crave food so you eat too much.

3. You should not eat bologna, hot dogs, or other processed meats. They are high in fat, salt, and nitrates. Fat and salt are linked to heart disease, and nitrates are linked to some forms of cancer. 

4. Limit yourself to no more than one drink a day. More than that can result in an increased risk of dementia when you are older. 

5. Do not be fooled by packaging that reads fortified when you are looking at junk food. These nutritional claims that flash across the front of the packaging should not be believed. Instead, take the time to read the label so you know what the ingredients are. Remember enriched four is simply a fancier way to say refined white flour. Products that list fructose, sucrose, etc are to be avoided – these are just other names for sugar. Make sure you understand what the ingredient listings really mean. Make sure to look up ingredients you don’t understand. 

These five things to avoid are a great way to improve your overall health, when combined with lifestyle changes. You want to live longer, but let’s make sure those later years are healthy ones so you can enjoy quality of life no just live longer. Be good to yourself now and enjoy the benefits now and later.