A lot of us have bad habits. Many of us have had bad habits throughout our lives that we’ve recently managed to stop, but now we’re left afraid that too much irrevocable damage has been done. Thankfully, many common bad habits can have a good deal of bodily damage reversed. Here are some of the ways you can improve your health and looks in spite of the things you’ve been doing to damage those things over the years!
Sun damage
A lot of people only think about sun damage to the skin in the short term. They jump to the conclusion that we’re talking about sunburn, the effects of which don’t last that long in the grand scheme of things. But all those times you went out into the sun unprotected can have long-term effects, too. Your skin can get dried out, sun spots can form – and even certain types of cancer may be encouraged. We all need some vitamin D, but that doesn’t mean you should spend too long in the sun! Reversing the effects means spending more time moisturizing and looking into skincare products that contain glycolic acid, which brightens skin and can help reduce sun spots.
Smoking
The first thing you need to do, of course, is stop smoking! Assuming you’ve already done this, you’re already on your way to reversing the effects. Your body will start to repair some of the damage of the next couple of years. However, you may need to be more proactive if you were smoking for a long time. Work on exercises that can improve your breathing and general lung health. Speak to your doctor about any medications that might help heal lung damage, such as theophylline, combination inhalers, and antibiotics. Lung therapy is also something you may want to consider.
Teeth discoloring
Smoking certainly contributes to the discoloring of your teeth, but there are plenty of other bad habits that have the same effect! Drinking excessive amounts of tea or coffee without rinsing your mouth with water afterwards will cause discoloration, and being a bit lax when it comes to brushing and flossing will also contribute to problems in this area. Cosmetic Dentistry is certainly something you should consider looking into if you want your teeth to regain their whiteness and shine. There are also home products and new habits you should look into. Whitening strips and hydrogen peroxide can be more effective than you might think!
Bad diets and no exercise
When people reach their forties or fifties, they start to think that there’s not much they can do to reverse the effects of not having eaten all that healthily over the years. They’re even more likely to think that it’s too late for them to start exercising! But it’s never too late to start reversing the damage and doing some more good for your body. When you’re middle-aged or older, it’s certainly wise to speak to a physician and nutritionist about the route you want to take going forward. Getting your heart checked out should probably be at the top of your to-do list if you’re going to make lifestyle changes!
