Nutrition and Weight Loss Ideas

Did you know that lung cancer was actually rare in the early 20th century?

That’s right. There were very few cases diagnosed then. Sure, that might be due in some part to the skills of diagnosticians – or it might be that people were dying of other causes before lung cancer took hold – but, more importantly, there is another factor that has definitely played a role.

It was about this time that manufactured cigarettes began to intrude on the human race. And now, today, 87% of the lung cancers are the direct result of exposure to tobacco smoke or smoking tobacco. There is a definite association between smoking and lung cancer. They are the twin brothers that will lead to the deterioration of our health.

There is a myth that lung cancer won’t occur if you smoke low tar cigarettes. This is simply not true. It doesn’t matter what you are smoking – breathing smoke into your lungs is not good for them. Breathing in any amount of tobacco smoke, regardless of the origin of the tobacco, can lead to lung cancer.

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If you’ve been reading the first few posts on this important topic, I’m sure you’ve noticed that I have a real hang-up about smoking. If you thought that, you’re absolutely correct.

I became a smoker when I was only nine-years old. I didn’t become an ex-smoker until I was in my mid-40s. That’s a lot of years to be polluting my lungs. In some of these articles you’ll see that the research will show that if a smoker quits, that person’s lungs may heal to a certain extent. Perhaps that’s true, but it’s not a complete cure. I can attest to that. I have been a non-smoker for over 20 years (now you’ll get an idea of my age if you do some math [smile]) and my lungs are far from being in good shape.

Did quitting help? Yes. I’m sure it did. I would be a lot worse off if I didn’t give up the habit. One of the main difficulties that I have today is the reduced capacity of my lungs. My lungs are diseased and that is the direct result of smoking all those years. If you have never smoked, that is wonderful. Don’t ever start. If you smoke now, realize that if you quit, you may reduce the risk of ever getting lung cancer. Your lungs may, over time, regain some of their health.

I may have been circling the sun for many years now, but I’m in pretty good physical condition. I’m not overweight – I eat very sensibly (good fats – good carbs) – I exercise regularly both cardio and with weights (I own a Bowflex machine!), and live a very healthy lifestyle.

But …..

• I huff and puff whenever I have to climb a flight of stairs.
• I used to be able to go cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing, two sports I really loved. I can’t do either one any longer without gasping for air. That really takes the fun out of it.
• I used to be able to walk at over four miles-per-hour. Now my top speed is around 3.2 mph.

These and several other shortcomings are the direct result of the non-reversible damage done to my lungs because of smoking.

During all my smoking years I never believed that smoking would harm me. I never believed the articles about lung damage and cancer. I was convinced that I was one of those people who wouldn’t be touched by those warnings. Not me! No way!

All I can say is that I was really wrong!

I still can’t avoid breathing in smoke. Second-hand smoke is everywhere. Many people feel that second-hand smoke isn’t that serious. All I can tell you is whenever I’m around cigarette smoke, my lungs go into a sort of spasm. It suddenly becomes very hard to breathe. This can happen when I’m walking down the street and pass by a group of employees who have been banned from smoking inside of a building and are congregated outside to smoke. As I pass them, I temporarily lose the ability to breathe. Once I pass them, that “spasm” disappears. So I know it’s the smoke.

Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox about why I am so fanatical about this topic. My primary reason for this is an honest hope that someone reading this series will quit smoking. It may not give you back your perfectly clear lungs, but you will be better off in so many ways.

The next article which will be out today is a more “impersonal” look at the relationship between smoking and lung cancer.

Until then – don’t light up, okay? Take care of yourself.

Shanti.

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DISCLAIMER

Always seek the advice of a professional medical doctor.
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