Do you engage in risky sexual behavior (unprotected or promiscuous sex) or drug-related behavior that increases your risk of contacting HIV or viruses that can cause cancer?
Viruses such as HIV that are transmitted by risky behavior not only cause AIDS but also various cancers, including lymphoma. These viruses change DNA and, thus, probably influence aging as well. • Do you try to get a suntan? The association between sun exposure and accelerated skin aging is clear. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight directly damage DNA. More sun means more wrinkles sooner. It also means a higher risk of deadly skin cancer. Excessive sun exposure may also have more toxic consequences for the body in general. • Are there dangerous levels of radon in your house? Radon is a gas emitted from various types of rock, especially granite. (New Hampshire, the “Granite State,” is known for its high incidence of radon exposure.) Radon is a potent carcinogen. Having toxic levels of radon in the home is like smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. • Your height and weight. Obesity is associated with inefficient energy production and an increased production of oxygen radicals within cells
