When it comes to health, some sins of our past are not so easily forgiven. As it turns out, several youthful indiscretions have a potentially long-lasting effect on our bodies. That was our discovery on
reviewing a mountain of medical research and interviewing doctors about such excesses as binge drinking, marijuana smoking and having multiple sexual partners.
But there is a very positive side to the story. By halting bad habits and embracing healthier ones, you can almost always minimise the risks, to the point where statistically they can have almost negligible influence on your health today. In fact, five straight days of eating ice creams or cakes in the past week probably has more bearing on a person's health than any escapades of 30 years earlier, experts made clear.
So it's time to put most of your concerns about your past to rest. In our discussion that follow, we examine 34 habits and lifestyle choices of your distant and recent past, and explain how they might affect your health today and tomorrow. More important, we reveal the best ways to mitigate any damage the habit or lifestyle caused, to make sure that what's done is finally done. Because when it comes to health, you want your best to begin today, and to increase with age.
PAST HABIT
I'm a former smoker, but I quit a year or more ago
Damage done
If you've kicked the habit, you are to be congratulated and admired. Breaking a nicotine addiction isn't easy. With each smoke-free year that passes, you lower your odds for heart disease, serious breathing problems and cancers of the lungs, mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder and possibly the pancreas, too.
But you may not be in the clear yet. Your heart and lungs remain at higher risk of disease than those of a non-smoker for up to 20 years after you quit.
Can I undo it? Absolutely
You'll see immediate health improvements shortly after quitting, but the full benefits of quitting take years to reap. Your heart disease risk drops by 50 percent within a year after you kick the habit, but it's not until 15 years later that your risk of heart disease and stroke fall to the level of someone who's never smoked. As for lung cancer: after ten smoke-free years, your risk is about a third to half that of continuing smokers; it falls almost to that of someone who's never smoked within 20 years.
Good news: if you take additional steps to improve your health beyond staying smoke-free, you can accelerate the recovery and end up with even more immunity to the diseases most linked to smoking.
Plus benefits
Your skin will look younger and less wrinkled than someone who continues to smoke. You're saving money (cigarettes are expensive) and life's little pleasures - the taste of good food, the smell of spring flowers, the sensation of taking in a big lungful of fresh, rain-washed air - are yours to enjoy again. And then there's the big one: lowered risk of most of the life-threatening diseases.
Repair plan
My skin is freckled and worn from a youth spent in the sun
Damage done
Experts believe that most skin cancers are caused by excessive sun exposure before the age of 18. And an estimated 80 percent of signs of skin ageing as you get older are related to cumulative sun
exposure you had, the more likely you are to face wrinkles, splotches, freckles an skin discoloration after the age of 50.
Your odds of developing skin cancer are higher if you have pale skin, blonde or red hair and/or blue eyes: all signs that your skin has low levels of protective melanin. If you endured three or more blistering sunburns before the age of 15, you're at higher risk of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. Five early sunburns doubles it. Not surprisingly, people who work outdoors and athletes - who spend a lot of time outside - are at higher risk of all forms of skin cancer.
Oddly, a history of being careful may also be a risk. Sunburn is more common among people who use sunscreens, which do not reduce the risk of melanoma and may even increase it, according to Cancer Research UK. Why? Perhaps because those most likely to use sunscreen have a greater natural sun sensitivity. It has been suggested that chemicals in certain sunscreens could actually promote cancers, though most experts deny this. Or it could be because people who use sunscreens stay in the sun from 13 to 39 percent longer than those who don't, so say scientists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France. And the stronger the stated protection, the longer they toast.
Can I undo it? May be
Various cosmetic treatments can undo some signs of sun-related ageing on the skin (see on next). There is also now hope that it may even be possible to reverse sunburn damage.
Scientists from the universities of Bath and Nottingham are working on a new type of sunscreen that could repair sunburnt skin and perhaps help to prevent skin cancer. And a study of people with skin cancer at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia found that those who ate at least three weekly servings of green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, more than halved their risk of a recurrence over the following 11 years.
Plus benefits
Taking steps now will help you to prevent further damage to your skin and help to ensure early detection of skin cancers. You'll also experience reduced skin inflammation, meaning less strain on your immune system.
reviewing a mountain of medical research and interviewing doctors about such excesses as binge drinking, marijuana smoking and having multiple sexual partners.
But there is a very positive side to the story. By halting bad habits and embracing healthier ones, you can almost always minimise the risks, to the point where statistically they can have almost negligible influence on your health today. In fact, five straight days of eating ice creams or cakes in the past week probably has more bearing on a person's health than any escapades of 30 years earlier, experts made clear.
So it's time to put most of your concerns about your past to rest. In our discussion that follow, we examine 34 habits and lifestyle choices of your distant and recent past, and explain how they might affect your health today and tomorrow. More important, we reveal the best ways to mitigate any damage the habit or lifestyle caused, to make sure that what's done is finally done. Because when it comes to health, you want your best to begin today, and to increase with age.
PAST HABIT
I'm a former smoker, but I quit a year or more ago
Damage done
If you've kicked the habit, you are to be congratulated and admired. Breaking a nicotine addiction isn't easy. With each smoke-free year that passes, you lower your odds for heart disease, serious breathing problems and cancers of the lungs, mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder and possibly the pancreas, too.
But you may not be in the clear yet. Your heart and lungs remain at higher risk of disease than those of a non-smoker for up to 20 years after you quit.
Can I undo it? Absolutely
You'll see immediate health improvements shortly after quitting, but the full benefits of quitting take years to reap. Your heart disease risk drops by 50 percent within a year after you kick the habit, but it's not until 15 years later that your risk of heart disease and stroke fall to the level of someone who's never smoked. As for lung cancer: after ten smoke-free years, your risk is about a third to half that of continuing smokers; it falls almost to that of someone who's never smoked within 20 years.
Good news: if you take additional steps to improve your health beyond staying smoke-free, you can accelerate the recovery and end up with even more immunity to the diseases most linked to smoking.
Plus benefits
Your skin will look younger and less wrinkled than someone who continues to smoke. You're saving money (cigarettes are expensive) and life's little pleasures - the taste of good food, the smell of spring flowers, the sensation of taking in a big lungful of fresh, rain-washed air - are yours to enjoy again. And then there's the big one: lowered risk of most of the life-threatening diseases.
Repair plan
- Be vigilant Habits and addictions do not die easily. Even if you've been smoke-free for years, it might take just one weak moment to restart your habit. Always be mindful of the benefits of not smoking and the self-respect you've earned in kicking the habit, and do not allow yourself to be tempted.
- Stay away from second-hand smoke Passive smoking nearly doubles your odds for a heart attack - and may be even more risky for former smokers whose lungs and cardiovascular systems are still recovering from past insults. Avoiding smoke at home, at work and when you're out socialising may be the biggest preventive step a former smoker can take.
- Eat lots of fruits, veggies and whole grains These natural foods are packed with cell-sheilding antioxidants that further protect against heart disease, stroke and several forms of cancer. Bonus: you get extra vitamins and cholesterol-lowering fibre.
- Get checked out Stay up to date with blood pressure and cholesterol checks. Make regular appointments with your doctor in advance so you don't forget.
- Monitor lung health Stay alert for signs of lung problems, such as persistent coughing, shortness of breath and chest pain. Tell your doctor right away if you have these.
My skin is freckled and worn from a youth spent in the sun
Damage done
Experts believe that most skin cancers are caused by excessive sun exposure before the age of 18. And an estimated 80 percent of signs of skin ageing as you get older are related to cumulative sun
exposure you had, the more likely you are to face wrinkles, splotches, freckles an skin discoloration after the age of 50.
Your odds of developing skin cancer are higher if you have pale skin, blonde or red hair and/or blue eyes: all signs that your skin has low levels of protective melanin. If you endured three or more blistering sunburns before the age of 15, you're at higher risk of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. Five early sunburns doubles it. Not surprisingly, people who work outdoors and athletes - who spend a lot of time outside - are at higher risk of all forms of skin cancer.
Oddly, a history of being careful may also be a risk. Sunburn is more common among people who use sunscreens, which do not reduce the risk of melanoma and may even increase it, according to Cancer Research UK. Why? Perhaps because those most likely to use sunscreen have a greater natural sun sensitivity. It has been suggested that chemicals in certain sunscreens could actually promote cancers, though most experts deny this. Or it could be because people who use sunscreens stay in the sun from 13 to 39 percent longer than those who don't, so say scientists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France. And the stronger the stated protection, the longer they toast.
Can I undo it? May be
Various cosmetic treatments can undo some signs of sun-related ageing on the skin (see on next). There is also now hope that it may even be possible to reverse sunburn damage.
Scientists from the universities of Bath and Nottingham are working on a new type of sunscreen that could repair sunburnt skin and perhaps help to prevent skin cancer. And a study of people with skin cancer at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia found that those who ate at least three weekly servings of green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, more than halved their risk of a recurrence over the following 11 years.
Plus benefits
Taking steps now will help you to prevent further damage to your skin and help to ensure early detection of skin cancers. You'll also experience reduced skin inflammation, meaning less strain on your immune system.
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