Smoking
Source American Cancer Society
Health concerns usually top the list of reasons people give for quitting smoking. Few people realize the risk factor that smoking is for many kinds of cancer including lung, mouth, voice box, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, liver, cervix, stomach, colon and rectum, and some leukemias.
Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as are nonsmokers. Smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles.
Smoking also causes premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, bad smelling clothes and hair, and yellow fingernails. Women over 35 who smoke and use oral contraceptives are in a high-risk group for heart-attack, stroke, and blood clots of the legs. In addition, women who smoke are more likely to have a miscarriage or a lower birth-weight baby.
No matter what your age or how long you have smoked, quitting will help you live longer. People who stop smoking before age 35 avoid 90% of the health risks attributable to tobacco. Even those who quit later in life can significantly reduce their risk of dying at a younger age.
Listed below are links to information about quitting smoking.
This information should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment:
Tobacco Information and Prevention Source
