A lot of times we eat unhealthy food, thinking “It’s fine. I’m young!” Remember when Khalid sang Young, Dumb and Broke? You may just end up young, dumb, and having a stroke if you don’t take a few things into consideration. OK, fine… maybe the chances of you getting an actual stroke in your teens are a kinda low. What’s alarming, however, is the effect of a bad diet later on in life.

CNN Health had to say this: “Having higher-than-normal cholesterol and blood pressure levels before age 40 can raise your risk of heart disease later in life more than you might think, according to a new study. A level of “bad” LDL cholesterol at 100 mg/dL or higher as a young adult was associated with a 64 per cent increased risk for coronary heart disease later in life, said the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on Monday.”

This wasn’t the first time an article of this nature was published. Several doctors conducting numerous studies across the globe have also come out pleading for preventative measures against heart disease to be taken earlier. Obesity rates have quadrupled in adolescents over the last 30 years. With several fast-food restaurants and a comfy bed to lay on, a sedentary (inactive) lifestyle is all too easy to maintain. Don’t get caught in this trap. Stay woke.

So here’s what you can do to prevent long term diseases from occurring:

Eat your vegetables (heard this before?)

Of all the food groups, the vegetables and fruits tend to get left out. Try to eat fruits that you like and add vegetables to meals that are easier to eat, like burgers,  until you get used to their taste.

Exercise

We can’t stress this enough. Try to get at least half an hour of exercise a day if you can. Strength training is great, but simply walking is a start.

Turn down your music a little bit

Hearing loss is a common thing in old age. Don’t speed up the process by blasting your music too loud. Your eardrums will thank you for it. 

Get sleep

Sleep is vital to your brain, as several processes occur during sleep such as cognition of events throughout the day and even things like repair of muscles. Don’t deprive yourself of sleep because you’re not as bothered by it now. It may come back to haunt you.

Get your vaccines

Prepare your body’s defenses for future outbreaks of diseases that might occur. Remember, prevention is better than cure!

We have to be more proactive guys, the mistakes we make today may just be the death of us tomorrow. 

–Fabrizio Darby