Steer Clear of Smoke

(MS) - Did you know that you could be inhaling more than 4,000 chemicals at home or on school grounds on a regular basis? If you breathe in secondhand smoke you're being exposed to a host of dangerous chemicals. Of the thousands of chemicals in cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke, 60 are known to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). Secondhand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), contains ingredients you'd be likely to find in a chemistry lab: formaldehyde, arsenic, cadmium, benzene, and ethylene oxide to name a few.

Secondhand smoke comes in two forms: sidestream smoke and mainstream smoke. Sidestream smoke is the smoke that wafts from the burning tobacco product. Mainstream smoke is the smoke that is exhaled. Both types have enough chemicals to cause dangerous consequences. Check out the statistics:

According to The Mayo Clinic, experts believe that secondhand smoke is to blame for roughly 3,000 deaths from lung cancer in adult nonsmokers each year in the United States. Secondhand smoke is also linked to cancer of the nasal sinuses. The dangerous particles given off in secondhand smoke can linger in the air for hours. Even inhaling them for 20 to 30 minutes can be unhealthy in a variety of ways. And breathing in secondhand smoke over time can be all the more dangerous.

The American Lung Association reports that children who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from pneumonia, bronchitis, and other lung diseases. Additionally, they have more ear infections and are more likely to develop asthma. There are an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 cases every year of infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia in infants and children under 18 months of age who breathe secondhand smoke. These result in between 7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations, according to the California Environmental Protection Agency's report on Health Effects of Exposure to ETS, September 1997.

Protect Yourself

Here are a few steps you can take to safeguard your health.

· Dine in smoke-free restaurants or those that adequately vent away smoke in smoking areas.

· Ask those who enter your house not to smoke.

· Don't carpool with friends who frequently smoke in the car.

· Avoid bars and clubs where smoking is allowed.

· Don't smoke. Secondhand smoke is bad, but firsthand smoke is even worse.

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Healthy Smoothies - A Tasty Tool for Health and Weight Loss

It seems like wherever you turn there is a new smoothie shop opening up to serve you the latest refreshing frozen fruit shake.

It is easy to see why smoothies are so popular and all the rage.

Smoothies can be so soothing and invigorating. When you are in a hurry they can be a great meal replacement. Plus they are quite yummy and if they are made right they are low in fat.

Smoothies can fill you up so don't feel hungry. They are easy to make, you can grab them and take them on the go -- all huge advantages in our busy lives.

Smoothies are an easy way to pack lots of fruits and vegetables in your meals or snacks and they refresh and energize your nutrition craving body.

What you may not know is smoothies can be a great tool to help you lose weight.

Have you been trying to lose weight? Do you feel like no diet plan will help you succeed? Do you feel desperate to lose weight but just can't seem to diet?

Don't give up. Drinking smoothies to lose weight really does work. You won't feel hungry or deprived or like you are on a diet when you are on a diet with smoothies. In fact, you will never feel hungry because smoothies are so filling. There are also a few tricks to preparing your smoothies and some special ingredients you can add to your smoothies that will assist in your weight loss.

Keep in mind, because smoothies can contain so many different ingredients that not all smoothies are created equal. To lose weight with smoothies you want to be careful that your smoothies have a variety of nutritious fruits and vegetables. You want the majority of the ingredients in your smoothie to be low fat and low calorie -- this does not mean that your smoothie won't be delicious.... on the contrary...you can make smoothies that are highly habit forming because they taste so good!

Smoothie recipes that encourage weight loss and improve your health are simple to find online and in many books.

You can hasten your weight loss, boost your energy, enhance your health and improve your appearance all by adding nutritious tasty smoothies to your daily regimen. So try adding smoothies to your menu today and begin to see your extra pounds disappear and the new healthy you begin to emerge.