We all know that Jamaica is currently suffering from a saddening mortality rate, and another day is promised to no one. But that is no reason to make the situation worse by shaving off extra years from your life by making unhealthy choices. Think about it.

Just four changes in lifestyle can add up to fourteen more years to your life. So ok, it sounds like some wicked algebra, but in reality it’s pretty simple. Four, times three, plus two adds up to fourteen and that’s what we’re working for. This was the result obtained from the largest study on diet and health ever carried out.

The recent study, published in the journal PloS Medicine, examined the impact of making four lifestyle changes. It was found that these four seemingly simple changes could add up to 14 more to your life! The participants in the study lived an average of 14 years longer than their counterparts who didn’t make any changes by:

-Not smoking

-Exercising regularly

-Drinking alcohol in moderation

-Eating healthy servings of fruits and vegetables

All these behaviours are already known to improved health, but when coupled with each other, their benefits are multiplied significantly. This just goes to show how combining good lifestyle practices can immensely benefit health, than just doing one thing alone. Consider too that by eliminating smoking and drinking, we can help to avoid car accidents and other mishaps while out having fun with friends.

As TEENagers today, we need to do everything we can to ensure that we get to enjoy what this life has to offer for as long as possible. So even taking small steps, are still steps in the right direction.