smoking

Need one more reason to quit smoking, eat right and exercise? How about inflammation? Most people think of inflammation as the redness, swelling and warmth that accompanies a cut, injury or illness. These are symptoms of the body's immune system fighting off what it perceives as an intruder. When that intruder is cholesterol, inflammation can wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system and Read more...

Bad habits damage our bodies. But take heart ... cleaning up your act can undo a lot of the harm. Bad Habit: Smoking What's the damage? Smoking is directly linked with nine out of 10 cases of lung cancer. It's also a factor in other cancers, such as cervical and bladder. And it causes one third of cancer deaths in total. It leads to chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) -- a lung Read more...

By Linda BuchQUESTION: I am 56 years old, 5-foot-10 inches, and have had a full hip replacement. I also quit smoking and have been working out for a year. I have slightly high blood sugar, but so far have not been diagnosed with diabetes. I have started to lose more weight than I want to -- now at 185 pounds down from 200. How can I add muscle and not lose more weight?ANSWER: Tackling Read more...

Supplements are the only feasible way for heart patients and others to receive appropriately large doses of Vitamin E. That's the conclusion of a clinical review in the December issue of the medical journal Archives of Family Medicine. Authors Drs. David Emmert and Jeffrey Kirchner say dietary sources cannot provide enough of the vitamin to make a difference in the prevention of heart Read more...

The doctor has just finished giving a man in his ThirdAge a thorough physical examination. "The best thing for you to do," the doctor says, "is to give up drinking and smoking, get to bed early, and stay away from women." "Doc, I don't deserve the best," says the patient. "What's next best?"   - - - - -   Read more...

It's true, scientists say...your love life really can go up in smoke. Research indicates that smokers have sex less often and are less likely to enjoy making love than nonsmokers, and the longer they've been smoking, the worse it can get. According to a report to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, men who have smoked from seven to 15 years had nearly 50 percent less sex than Read more...

Dear Dr. Betty, My husband has been operated on twice for cancer and I'm concerned because he still smokes. I've talked to him about his putting this addiction ahead of me, the grandkids and his own life. I love him but feel hollow inside that he won't stop this destructive behavior. We have no life insurance and if he dies I don't know what I'll do. We also have a grandson who depends on us Read more...

Diet and exercise -- even at later dates in life, can help avoid the hazards of osteoporosis, says British health expert Jane Clarke. She recommends exercising three times a week, 20 minutes each time, and laying off the smoking. And, she says, "men and women should ensure that their diet is rich in calcium --- around 800 milligrams a day," or 1-1/2 pints of milk or 3-1/2 ounces of cheese. Other Read more...