SMOKING News Most people are not aware of the ingredients in tobacco like carbon monoxide, benzene, cyanide, ammonia, nitrosamines, vinyl chloride, radioactive particles and other carcinogens and irritants. This can really create a health danger to those who smoke and those who are breathing the second hand smoke.
There are many chemical reactions that take place when the toxins from smoke enter the lungs and absorb into the blood stream and other tissue areas. It can restrict the peripheral blood vessels which can contribute to problems with circulation. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin, interfering with the transport of oxygen. In addition, there is an increased development of cholesterol deposits to further hinder the circulatory system. Smoking significantly increases the risk for heart and lung problems. Smoking is reported as responsible for nearly 90 percent of all lung cancers.
"Since oxidants from cigarette smoking lower vitamin C levels in the blood, smokers need higher levels of dietary vitamin C to help counteract smoke's oxidants," says researcher Robert Genco, chair of the Oral Biology Department at the State University of New York in Buffalo. But, he adds, vitamin C can't compensate for the toxins. "Cigarette smoke contains numerous oxidants that can cause periodontal tissue damage regardless of vitamin C intake."
A diet rich in vitamin E foods, such as nuts and whole grains, can lower the risk of lung cancer among smokers by 20 percent, a new study says. The study of more than 29,000 male smokers in Finland found that those who had high blood levels of alpha-tocopherol, the main form of vitamin E, reduced their incidence of lung cancer by 19 percent to 23 percent. The most beneficial health action that smokers can take is still the same: stop smoking.
Emphysema is not caused by smoking. But the smoking burns the tissue in the lungs so that the cells are dying faster than the body is able to replace them with new cells. Flexibility is lost in the lungs and they tear. If this happens too often, you start to build a type of scar tissue and lose the ability to expand and contract freely. MSM gives your body some of the nutrients it needs for building flexible cells which contributes to strong lungs.
About 30 to 40 percent of cancer cases are directly related to choices we make about eating and exercising. A worldwide panel of experts reviewed more than 4,500 studies and found that while environmental factors play a small role in cancer risk, they are dramatically overshadowed by lifestyle choices. Lack of exercise, obesity, and smoking, for example, are much more likely to cause cancer than pollution, radiation, or asbestos.
YET ANOTHER REASON TO QUIT -- Smoking has not been shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer. However, if men with prostate cancer smoke, the smoking appears to cause their cancer to become more invasive and more aggressive.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute smoking is the #1 cause of preventable death in the United States! Being overweight or obese is #2.
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The Culbreths
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please note: the information contained herein has been compiled from various sources and for information purposes only. The above statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We make no claims, either expressed or implied, that any products mentioned in this newsletter will cure disease, replace prescription medication, or supersede sound medical advice.