Tag Archives: smoking

Inactivity is Just as Dangerous as Smoking, Study Shows

If you think smoking is bad for your health, you should consider being a couch potato just as dangerous.

A new study published in the journal Lancet found that one-third of adults aren’t getting enough exercise, and that inactivity is now causing just as many deaths per year as smoking – approximately 5.3 million worldwide. It also estimated that one in 10 deaths caused by heart disease, diabetes, and breast and bowel cancer are the result of inactivity.

Co-author of the study, Dr. I-Min Lee, reported that being inactive can increase your risk of many serious diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. “If you are physically inactive, your risk of premature mortality is probably comparable to that of smoking,” she told BBC News in a recent interview.  (more…)

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Dana

Fear Of Gaining Weight After Quitting Smoking is Legit

Quitting smoking leads to more weight gain than originally thought, discovered a recent study, with an average gain of eight to eleven pounds in the first year.

Researchers analyzed data from earlier studies that were conducted between 1989 and 2024 in the United States, Europe, Australia and east Asia. They looked at weight changes of people who had successfully quit smoking.

They discovered the majority of the weight is put on during the first three months. For quitters who did not use nicotine replacement therapy they gained an average of 2 pounds the first month, 5 pounds the second month, 6 pounds during the third month, 9 pounds at six months and 10 pounds after a year.

Previous experts estimated people only gained an average of 6 pounds when quitting. This new research shows that the weight gain is more than most women are willing to tolerate when it comes to attempting to quit.

However, you shouldn’t let the fear of gaining weight discourage you from quitting. Experts continue to stress that the health benefits of quitting far outweigh the risks of weight gain. (more…)

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Kristina

Quit Smoking by Eating More Fruits and Vegetables, Study Says

If you’re struggling to put down the cigarettes, there’s a new tool that may be able to help you quit – and it’s probably not what you think.

Rather than the usual pill, patch or support system, researchers recently found that kicking the habit may be as simple as reaching for some apples and broccoli. This according to a new study published last month in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research that showed eating fruits and vegetables may help some people quit smoking.

Turns out fruits and veggies are the answer to being healthy once again.

This is especially exciting for the health community as researchers backing the study feel confident enough in the results to report that they may have identified a new tool to help people put an end to their smoking addictions.  (more…)

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Dana

New Study Shows 15 Minutes of Exercise Can Help Smokers Kick the Habit

We all know smoking is terrible for our health, yet so many of us still decide to light up despite the many risks it involves, including heart disease and lung cancer. But for those who are addicted to smoking, there’s hope, and it comes in the form of exercise.

A new study based in Taiwan has shown that exercise can help make quitting smoking easier, and even sliding back into the habit far less likely.

The study monitored the health status and daily habits of 434,190 people in Taiwan between 1996 and 2024, and found that smokers who exercised even 15 minutes a day were 55 percent more likely to quit smoking than people who weren’t active in the slightest. And that for those were were able to quit, researchers found that they were 43 percent less likely to take smoking back up in the future. (more…)

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Dana

A New Answer For Women on Why It is Harder to Quit Smoking

Women may now have a better understanding on why it is so hard to quit smoking.

A recent study shows that a woman’s brain reacts differently to nicotine than for men.

It was once thought that once you start smoking, the number of nicotine receptors increased in the brain. While this still holds true, it is only accurate for men. During the study the researchers saw something completely different with the female smokers.

The research showed that women smokers didn’t have anymore nicotine receptors than the non-smoker participants.

“When you look at it by gender, you see this big difference,” study researcher Kelly Cosgrove, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine told Rachael Rettner from MyHealthNewsDaily.

This finding is important for a few reasons. For one, it has been believed by some that nicotine has been the primary reason behind people being addicted to smoking. This study shows that this belief is truer for men than for women. The other reason this study is important is because it shows that women will not benefit as much using quitting aids as men. The popular nicotine patch and gum will still be helpful to men, but women finding it harder to quit smoking may need to try other methods. (more…)

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Kristina

Grammy Winner Adele Quits Smoking and Takes Up Pilates

After undergoing surgery to repair damaged vocal cords, the young and talented Grammy winner Adele was threatened by a minor health scare that prompted her motivation to start up an exercise program and quit smoking. Bound to take better care of her health, Adele decided to try Pilates.

In keeping with her down to earth and realistic view of the world and herself, Adele wants us all to know that her yearning to drop two dress sizes is not born out of pressure from her critics, but rather is sparked by a genuine desire to be a little healthier and feel better too. So far, as a result of her hard work, sources claim the famed artist has had more energy and even plans to take up jogging.

I love it. As someone who plays a lot of Adele in Pilates classeses that I teach, I am more than tickled to know that she too is out there somewhere working hard at her best double leg stretch, criss cross and teaser. But, what is even more attractive about this idea is that her intention is to feel better, shed a few pounds and be a little healthier, rather than shrink down to an unmanageable size and weight. (more…)

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Jill

Avoid Gaining Weight After You Quit Smoking

If you quit smoking for your New Year’s Resolution, good for you, Quitter! This is one of the single greatest things you can do to improve your health. Dropping a nasty nicotine habit can be tough work, and most people end up replacing the oral fixation of smoking with something else oral- chewing and swallowing junk food.

On an average, people tend to gain 5 pounds during their quitting process. The action of lighting up, bringing the cig to and from your mouth and inhaling and exhaling the smoke is one that many people become addicted to just as much as the chemical addiction to harmful nicotine. In addition, when you smoke a cigarette, a chemical reaction occurs in the body and sugars are released into the blood stream. This is why many people consider cigarettes as an appetite suppressant. When cigarettes are removed, a former smoker may fiercely crave sweets.

The oral and chemical addiction can make quitting smoking a tough process, but there are things you can do to keep the cigarettes away and weight gain at bay.

(more…)

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Kelly

Smokers and Obese Workers Must Pay More for Health Coverage

By Kelsey Murray

If you are a smoker, overweight, or have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you may end up paying more for health care as many employers are following a new trend: penalizing those employees who have unhealthy lifestyles instead of rewarding those who have healthy lifestyles.

In the past two years, the percent of American employers who impose some sort of financial penalty on their employees has doubled, making it now 19 percent. This number should double again in 2024, according to Towers Watson, a benefits consultant company.

So why are these people being penalized for their lifestyle choices? It is common knowledge that those who smoke or are obese usually have higher health risks, which in turn leads to increased health care costs. As a result, some companies are now requiring these employees to pay more for their health coverage because it makes sense that these people will end up costing the company more in health care coverage. (more…)

Posted on November 28, 2023 by Health Buzz

Practice Yoga and Quit Smoking for the Great American Smokeout

The Great American Smokeout always falls on a Thursday, one week before Thanksgiving Day. It is an annual event created to help inspire and challenge the 45.8 millions of Americans who use tobacco to finally kick the habit. The American Cancer Society held the first smoke out in 1977, and since then there have been several changes in rules and regulations concerning smoking in public places. As a result of these changes, the use of tobacco products is viewed less as a norm and more as a serious addiction that can severely damage one’s health.

The American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout is a key leader in spurring a cultural revolution in tobacco use. A big part of the day, which takes place on November 17, 2024, is geared toward educating smokers not just about the health risks of smoking but also about the myriad of ways one can stop.

Hypnotism, acupuncture and nicotine patches are clever ways to help you quit smoking, but if you’ve tried these to no avail, taking up a yoga practice may be just what you need to find success. The following are some examples how and why yoga can help you quit smoking, not just on November 17, but for good!

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Posted on November 15, 2023 by Jill

Movember Raises Prostate Cancer Awareness

Sporting my mo for the cause.

For the last eight years, November has been hijacked by the folks from “Movember,” a mustache-themed not-for profit that uses the month to raise awareness for prostate cancer and other men’s health issues.

What started out with humble beginnings in 2003 has blossomed into an amazingly powerful fund raising campaign. According to Movember’s CEO Adam Garone, his organization managed to raise $81 million in 2024, which makes it the largest prostate cancer fund raiser in the world. All by the power of the flavor savor.

Since Movember is all about raising awareness about health issues that affect men, let’s take a look at some of the most concerning and what we can do to prevent or minimize our chances of suffering from them. (more…)

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Jason

Weight Lifting May Help Smokers Quit

The fact that smoking is dangerous for one’s health is not news. However, the statistic that cigarette smoking is responsible for over a thousand American deaths every day may be an eye opener. A large portion of smokers do not want to end up as another death toll statistic, but quiting isn’t as easy as they wish it were. Less than five percent of smokers struggle to quit without help. Recent studies show that the weight room may be the best place for smokers to finally kick the habit.

A team from the Miriam Hospital in Rhode Island recently published a recent study conducted with smokers. 25 male and female smokers between the ages of 18 and 65 were enrolled. Those enrolled reported smoking at least five cigarettes a day for a least one year. All participants underwent a 15-20 minute counseling session focused on smoking cessation. Participants were also supplied with an eight-week supply of nicotine patches. Once these steps were taken, the participants were separated into two random groups. A resistance training group and a control group.

Those placed in the resistance training group participated in two, 60-minute training sessions per week. This training lasted for 12 weeks. Training involved full-body exercises, gradually increasing intensity every three weeks.

(more…)

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Lacy