Seven Smoking-Related Conditions and Diseases

By Justine van der Leun

You've heard it all before: Smoking leads to lung cancer, heart disease, stroke. But did you know it can increase your risk of going blind? That smokers are more likely to break their hips? That smoking can even put a damper on your sex life? In fact, there are many surprising ways in which smoking is harmful. Read on to learn some of the little-known effects cigarettes can have on your health.

Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible loss of vision in the developed world -- and smokers are three times more likely to suffer from it.

"Inside your eyes, your lenses are wearing away," says Iyaad Hasan, director of the Tobacco Treatment Center at the Cleveland Clinic. "The theory is that smoking is a vasoconstrictor, which closes the vessels so you don't get enough oxygen to your eyes over the years." The resulting damage to the retina can cause a loss of vision in the center of the eye. And while beta carotene may help ward off macular degeneration, smokers cannot take the vitamin since it increases their risk of lung cancer. The upshot? Just one year after quitting, evidence shows that the chance of developing macular degeneration is reduced by nearly 7 percent.

Severe Forms of Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is no faraway Victorian woe -- in fact, the potentially deadly disease exists in the U.S. today, with more than 11,000 reported cases in 2009. And smokers are at a heightened risk of contracting a severe form of the pulmonary bacterial infection. A 2008 study suggested that toxic carbon dioxide, present in cigarette smoke, may trigger TB (symptoms may include coughing up blood and fever). "Most people have a strong enough immune system to fight against it," says Hasan. "But smokers' immune systems are down." Vulnerable populations include those in crowded, often rural areas with no insurance and poor health care.

Rheumatoid Arthritis
"You're trying to avoid inflammation with rheumatoid arthritis, but a cigarette sends 4,000 chemicals that inflame your body," says Hasan. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune condition in which joints are usually sore and painful. New York University researchers followed 1,405 smokers with RA, finding that the 21.1 percent that eventually quit had fewer tender, swollen joints. And Swedish researchers published a study in 2010 that suggested that smoking accounts for over 33 percent of common RA cases -- and more than half of RA diagnoses in people with a family history of the condition.

Various Autoimmune Diseases
People with all autoimmune diseases should be especially aggressive in their quests to quit smoking. Smoking has been linked to the development of such diseases as lupus, hyperthyroidism and multiple sclerosis, among others. Moreover, the chemicals in cigarettes (ammonia, acetone and formaldehyde, for example) may cause flare-ups of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Smoking can even cut down the effectiveness of medications. "It's an irritant, like if you drank a bottle of Mr. Clean," says Hasan. "We're trying to clear your body out, so why not stop smoking and lower the damage in general?"

Bone Loss
"Smoking is a contributing factor in one of every eight hip fractures," says Hasan. Indeed, smoking has been known to be a risk factor for osteoporosis for more than 20 years. A two-decade study found that smokers had a rise in marginal bone loss, compared to nonsmokers. Those who stopped smoking during the course of the study had much less bone loss than those who continued to smoke throughout. "Your bones need oxygen, and the more you smoke, the more you deprive bones of oxygen and the bone demineralizes," says Hasan.

Erectile Dysfunction <-- Big one Dudes!!
Medical professionals have long suspected that smoking and impotence are related -- and have produced many studies that support the theory. Recently, a Chinese study of more than 7,000 men found a link between the number of cigarettes men smoked and their likelihood of experiencing erectile dysfunction. Researchers even went as far as to suggest that more than 22 percent of all cases of erectile dysfunction may be related to smoking. "It's all about the vessels," says Hasan. "A smoker has a higher chance of developing plaques in vessels, and there are vessels down in that area. So you don't get enough blood flow and now your erection is limp." As well, hypertension and diabetes, which are both linked to smoking, are often thought of as precursors to erectile dysfunction.

Acid Reflux
Fifteen million Americans suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease -- and one massive 2004 study found that long-time smokers were 70 percent more likely to have the uncomfortable condition than those who had smoked for only a year. The damage may not be reversible, but it is progressive and preventable: Smoking increases acid production in your stomach and irritates a muscular valve that sits atop the stomach, slowly loosening it over time; eventually, when a smoker lies on his side, acid from the stomach can more easily slip out of the valve and into the throat, causing a painful sensation. "People who are smokers usually have some type of heartburn," says Hasan. "Smoking itself is an irritant."

Jelly Beans Helped Me Too ~

Now that it's President's Day, more on me, Reagan and our Jelly Bean Habit ~

Reagan started eating jelly beans when he gave up smoking in the early 1960's.

On his first day as governor of California, candy maker Henry Rowland gave Reagan a big jar of jelly beans, which Reagan put on the Cabinet Room table. That was the beginning of a long tradition of passing out jelly beans during Cabinet meetings.

"We can hardly start a meeting or make a decision without passing around the jar of jelly beans," he told Rowland.

When Reagan was elected President in 1980, Henry Rowland told reporters, "There will be jelly beans in the White House, that's all I can say."

True to form, Reagan kept a crystal jar full of his favorite jelly beans (Jelly Belly's) for Cabinet meetings and encouraged his department chiefs to eat them when they needed energy.

Guests at Reagan's 1980 inaugural parties consumed 40 million jelly beans --- almost equalling the number of votes he received in the election.

Jelly Bellies also was instrumental in helping me quit smoking 589 days ago. In fact, a very good friend of mine bought me the jar pictured and offered to keep me supplied in Jelly Beans as long as I needed!

Other sweet treats like hard candy, suckers, candy kisses also helped as well as a lot of walking to help with my anxiety.

If you're still new at the quit smoking thing, let me say the candy is great but nothing will help as much as exercising!

Good Luck & Happy Valentines Day!

Best Valentine's EVER ~

Surprise your loved one this Valentine's Day by resolving to stop smoking.

Set this day as your new quit date. If you haven't kept your New Year's resolution and many other resolutions before that, make a fresh resolution on this romantic holiday and give the best gift to your loved one.

Your decision can make your loved one happier than any expensive diamond rings ever can. By quitting smoking, you not only make others happy but also improve your health considerably. Your risk of heart and lung diseases decreases, you don't smell of smoke and you have more energy and cash to expend on better things.

What you give up adds a lot of value to Way you can actually give, consider:

*Stale smell of cigarettes on body, clothes and hair
*Bad breath
*Yellow teeth and nails
*Risk of impotence
*Lower life expectancy

If you quit smoking this Valentine's Day, you can not only improve your chances to impress your existing partner but also impress other prospective partners if you're single.

Quitting smoking helps you to save a lot of money which you can spend on romantic getaways, gifts and on other better things with your partner. Also, you can get rid of the stale smell of cigarette, yellow nails and teeth and bad breath.

Smoking cessation also cut down the risks of impotence in men. This is quite important if you want to enjoy your Valentine's Day to the fullest. All these benefits help you to be a better lover this Valentine's Day.

This is the best way to share a Fresh Breath Kiss with your Valentine!

The Origin of Blue Jelly Bellies

Ronlad Reagan can be credited with lots of great things ... But can the greatest be Blue Jelly Bellys? It's almost President's Day and Valentines Day, how better to marry the subject!

When Ronald Reagan was governor of California, he needed a snack to help him overcome a pipe smoking habit. He sought something low in fat, not too high in calories, and something that had enough flavor to help him beat the cravings. He found the perfect snack in jelly beans. At first, any jelly bean would do, but that changed in 1976 with the creation of Jelly Belly jelly beans.

The company responsible for these flavorful candy beans began in the post-Civil War era at Belleville, Illinois, when Gustav Goelitz bought an ice cream and candy store. His brother Albert would load sweet treats into a wagon and sell them in nearby communities. Within a few years, the Goelitz name was associated with the finest candies, and future generations of the family expanded the company into the Herman Goelitz Candy Company. During the Great Depression, chocolate was scarce, and jelly beans were a favorite “penny candy” among children and adults.

At first when candy companies began to mass produce the sugary treat, it was a colorful pectin bean with little, if any flavor. In 1976, a Los Angeles candy distributor had an idea that would change jelly beans manufacturing and distribution – make a jelly bean with natural flavors. He contacted the H. G. Candy Company and the Jelly Belly was born.

Soon, the Jelly Belly became Ronald Reagan’s favorite candy and he kept a jar of them on his desk in the governor’s office. When Regan was elected president, arrangements were made for Jelly Bellies to be served at inaugural festivities. There was only one problem. The color scheme for the inaugural was red, white, and blue. There were red, yellow, white, orange, and black Jelly Bellies, but there was not a blue one. Recipes were tested and the blueberry Jelly Belly was developed specifically for Reagan’s inauguration. A total of 3 ½ tons of red, white, and blue Jelly Bellies were shipped to Washington, D.C. for the festivities. With roughly 800,000 candies per ton, that is 2,800,000 Jelly Belly beans.

During the Reagan administration, Jelly Bellies were served in the Oval Office and on Air Force One. A special holder was designed for the plane so the jar would not spill during turbulence. Jelly Bellies even made a trip into space when President Reagan sent them on the 1983 Challenger shuttle as a surprise for the astronauts.

While blueberry remains one of the most popular flavors, it was not Reagan’s favorite. That honor goes to the black licorice-flavored bean. There are images of jars with the red, white, and blue assortment at various cabinet meetings and events. Photographs show jars containing an assortment of color Jelly Bellies on Reagan’s desk. Perhaps he picked out the black ones and saved them for himself.

Write Me A Letter ~

Have you recently given up smoking?

Was this your new years resolution?

Are you struggling? Succeeding? Doing better than you ever thought you would? Facing specific challenges you didn't think you would?

Write me a letter and let me know. Share with our other readers your experiences.

Use this as your own therapy but also do something therapeutic to help others who may be experiencing the same struggle.

I'm approaching 600 days smoke free and doing better than I ever thought I would. I am, however, running out of things to share. I feel like I need a new shot of fresh blood to continue to help others who are now going through the same struggles I was meeting a year and half ago.

Someone PLEASE -- give me a shout out.

FJW

83 Weeks Ago ~

My post have come further and further apart, I know. Sorry about that. Especially since I know I have at least two new followers ...

Obviously I do not have a widely read blog here! However, I did start this 580 days and 83 weeks ago primarily as my own self help therapy to my quit smoking adventure.

If you read much of my previous post you know this was not my first attempt at becoming smoke free but I did want to make it my last -- AND -- it looks like it will be! (So far :))

Funny how the stale smell of smoke in people's clothing has bothered me so much lately. I can hardly believe I lived nearly thirty years that way.

Even though the smell nearly gags me, I absolutely know that if I were to inhale a cigarette the desire and addiction would rush back to me in an instant.

So, unlike Leif Garret on Celebrity Rehab w/ Doctor Drew, I continue to not test my temptation.

** Last week was Navy Graduation in Great Lakes, Illinois. Shown here is my new Sailor. :o)

I'll Quit Smoking When ....

Effective Alternatives to Kiss Smoking Goodbye

Have you attempted to quit cigarette smoking but never succeeded? That’s no surprise! There are many like you who ended up smoking again despite the effort to kick the habit. Health experts say that smoking is hard to quit because of the cigarettes’ addictive content: the nicotine. There are also those who cannot simply quit the habit because it helps them handle stress and anxiety.

Quitting may be hard. But come to think of it, there are also a number of reasons why you should kiss smoking goodbye. Besides it is an additional expense, smoking makes ugly stuff: bad breath, unhealthy skin, and weak lungs. Worse, smoking causes a lot of serious diseases like tuberculosis, lung cancer, diabetes and a lot more. You don’t want those o happen to you, do you?

Here are some alternatives should quitting become difficult:

Exercise

Smokers usually smoke during idle moments. Instead of lighting a stick, why not get up from your chair and do some exercise. It can be as simple as walking. Walk and breathe deeply. Invite the fresh air into your lungs. This helps get rid of the urge.

Meditate

When urge attacks, close your eyes and lean back on your chair. Invite positive thoughts into your mind like the clean air and the blue sky. Think about how healthy you can be without the cigarettes. Breathe deeply and enjoy healthful thoughts until the urge disappears.

Eat Dark Chocolate

Besides the nicotine, what makes smoking addictive is the fact that it changes certain brain bio-chemicals involved in the sensation of pleasure. A few bites of dark chocolate defeats the smokings urge as well as helps elevate your mood and relieve your stress.

Remind yourself of the negatives

Surf the net or read a book that discusses the negative effects of smoking to your health. Reading itself is a good alternative to smoking. And as you go over the texts that say smoking shortens your lifespan, you will be more motivated to kick the bad habit. With strong motivation, you will more likely to succeed.

Phone a friend

A good friend is supportive, right? Tell him you are serious with your decision to quit smoking. Do this when you feel like you can’t resist the urge. Be confident and reassuring by telling him you are happy of your decision and that you can do it! You are too lucky if your friend is a successful smoke quitter as he can motivate you more. Be inspired by his success!

The Last Bastion of Smokers ~

I know it's been a while since my last post.

If you're new to the non smoking thing and looking here for inspiration I'm sorry for having dropped the ball.

Last night I went to the local Casino ... Better than 550 days smoke free and I find it nearly hard to believe that the overwhelming stench of smoke bothers me so much.

Not only that I continue to remember that I was once annoyed by people who complained about the smell of smoke.

I just couldn't understand how the simple smell of cigarette smoke irritated them to point of whining and complaining! I really didn't see it as that big of a deal.

Last night was the second time in a week for me. Last Monday I went to a Buffalo Wild Wings where smoking is still permitted and left there with the stale smell of cigarettes in my clothes.

I'm finally finding out why people complained so much years ago.

** BTW: I still believe in personal property rights however ... :) If you own the establishment whether or not to allow smoking should be your constitutional right! (Just me.)

New Year's resolution: Time to go smoke-free

By Jennifer A. Kern, M.S., C.T.T.S.3
from the Mayo Clinic Smoke Free Blog ...

As attention shifts to a new year ahead, it brings about a focus on change, what we want to be new and different in our lives.

Most New Year's resolutions are sound in what they represent, but fall flat due to lack of planning and lack of actual resolve. Many wish for the change and set the intention to lose weight, exercise more or quit smoking, but without making a definitive decision, accompanied by determination and a doable plan, success will be evasive at best.

The result of broken resolutions is a betrayal of the self. Whenever you tell yourself you'll do something, and then you don't complete it, you erode your self-trust. You then have to make justifications for why you didn't follow through, which can show up as blame or pity. When you don't trust yourself in one area of your life, how can you really live authentically in other aspects?

Let 2011 be the year you choose to become smoke-free. It doesn't have to be on the first day of the year. Don't get attached to the date; just be resolved about the final outcome. If you slip, it's OK. Just connect to your resolve and start again as soon as possible.

Here are a few tips to help you get geared up for success:

* Plan, plan, plan. Know what you will do instead of smoking before your quit date. Get your supplies of both tobacco cessation aids, like the patch, and substitutes for your hands and mouth.

* Consider exceptions. You might feel like you can't quit, but think of a time when this wasn't true. You may have quit in the past or perhaps you can go all day long at work without a cigarette. Perhaps there was something else in your life you thought you couldn't do and you proved yourself wrong. Find whatever it is that shows you're capable and hold that image.

* Be purposeful. Dedicate yourself to you and your health. Grow your self-esteem and self-trust by following through over and over again until you achieve the success you want.

* Future focus. How will you feel when you conquer your tobacco addiction? I predict you'lll feel more confident, capable and have a deep knowing that you can accomplish anything you commit to. How will the rest of your life be impacted by this?

Make 2011 your time to finally resolve to be tobacco free and start living the life you really want!