Even One Cigarette Can Prove Lethal, U.S. Surgeon General Says

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Even One Cigarette Can Prove Lethal, U.S. Surgeon General Says

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By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

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THURSDAY, Dec. 9 (HealthDay News) -- As little as one cigarette a day, or even just inhaling smoke from someone else's cigarette, could be enough to cause a heart attack and even death, warns a report released Thursday by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin.

"The chemicals in tobacco smoke reach your lungs quickly every time you inhale, causing damage immediately," Benjamin said in a statement. "Inhaling even the smallest amount of tobacco smoke can also damage your DNA, which can lead to cancer."

And the more you're exposed, the harder it is for your body to repair the damage.

Smoking also weakens the immune system and makes it harder for the body to respond to treatment if a smoking-linked cancer does arise.

"It's a really good thing when the Surgeon General comes out and gives a wide scope to the dangers of smoking," said Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "They're looking at very small amounts of smoke and this is dramatic. It's showing the effect is immediate and doesn't take very much concentration. In other words, there's no safe level of smoking. It's a zero-tolerance issue."

A Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease - The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease, is the first tobacco report from Surgeon General Benjamin and the 30th since the landmark 1964 Surgeon General's report that first linked smoking to lung cancer.

More so than previous reports, this one focused on specific pathways by which smoking does its damage.

Some 70 of the 7,000 chemicals and compounds in cigarettes can cause cancer, while hundreds of the others are toxic, inflaming the lining of the airways and potentially leading to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a major killer in the United States. The chemicals also corrode blood vessels and increase the likelihood of blood clots, upping the risk for heart conditions.

Smoking is responsible for about 85% of lung cancers in the United States. But this report puts more emphasis on the link between smoking and the nation's no. 1 killer, heart disease.

"This report went way beyond pulmonary issues, which people are all too familiar with, but got into cardiovascular risks," Horovitz said. "We've known that even a few cigarettes a day could triple your risk of heart disease. If you have a 3% risk of cardiac issues, as a light smoker you could have 9 or 10%. That's significant. It's a little Russian Roulette."

And the problems don't stop there, the reported stated. Smoking cigarettes can interfere with blood-sugar control for diabetes and can help spur a range of pregnancy and birth-related problems such as miscarriage, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Cigarettes are also getting more addictive, the report stated, with newer formulations getting the nicotine more quickly and efficiently from the lungs -- where it first enters the body -- to the heart and brain. Compounds other than nicotine that are added to cigarettes also help hook people in, the report said.

"The evidence clearly states that tobacco products are lethal weapons capable of shortening the lifespans of smokers and nonsmokers alike," American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown said in a statement. "However, tobacco companies will stop at nothing to addict a new generation of smokers."

"We strongly believe the findings will support implementation of new federal tobacco regulations, including the development of graphic warning labels for cigarette packages," she continued. "We also urge state officials to fund smoking prevention and cessation programs at CDC- recommended levels, enact strong smoke-free policies and boost tobacco excise taxes. Policymakers must not allow complacency to rule in the fight against tobacco. Bold, aggressive measures are needed to save lives, reduce the burden of disease and improve quality of life."

Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

SOURCES: Len Horovitz, M.D., pulmonary specialist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Dec. 9, 2010, Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease-The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease

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via medicinenet.com

Sometimes a Melasma Treatment, can be so simple as reducing the amount of Nicotine in your system. Nicotine is an insecticide and yes it places excessive pressure on your Glands which in turn stimulates skin hyper pigmentation in predisposed individuals.

Thrush – Mouth Candida Symptoms

Check out this website I found at thecandidasymptoms.com

One part of controlling Skin Hyper Pigmentation we address food sensitivities, this is an important part of finding and developing a Melasma Treatment. A working cure or treatment is always tailored to your own personal needs.

U.S. Gets 'Unsatisfactory' Grade on Women's Health

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U.S. Gets 'Unsatisfactory' Grade on Women's Health

More Women Binge Drinking, Fewer Getting Pap Smears, Analysis Shows

By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Dec. 9, 2010 -- More women are binge drinking and fewer women are getting Pap smears to test for cervical cancer, a new analysis reveals. On a positive note, a lower proportion of women are dying of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and breast cancer.

The nation and most states continued to receive a grade of “unsatisfactory” on key issues affecting women’s health in an updated report released today by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC).

For the fifth time this decade and the first time since 2007, the group has issued a national and state-by-state report card on the status of important health goals for women set a decade ago by federal officials in their Healthy People 2010 initiative.

As the end of the decade approaches, the analysis revealed that very few of these goals have been met.

Slideshow: Essential Screening Tests Every Woman Needs

23 of 26 Health Goals Unmet

The number of women in the nation receiving mammograms, the number being screened for colorectal cancer, and the number that had annual dental exams met or exceeded national goals for 2010.

But 23 other health objectives graded by NWLC will not have been met by the end of this year.

And several disturbing health trends have emerged over the last three years, including:

• The percentage of women that reported one or more episodes of binge drinking within a month of being questioned increased to 10.6% from 7.3% in 2007. Binge drinking was defined as having five or more drinks on a single occasion.
• The percentage of women that reported getting annual Pap smears declined from 86% to 78% during the same period.
• The percentage of women that tested positive for the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia increased from 6.3% to 7.4%.

Compared to three years ago, a higher percentage of women in the U.S. are also obese and have high blood pressure and/or diabetes.

In 2010, 26.4% of women were obese, compared to 24% in 2007. Both figures fall far short of the goal of a 15% obesity rate by 2010 set by government health officials at the beginning of the decade.

State-by-State Findings

Colorado had the lowest obesity rate in the nation, at just below 20%; Mississippi had the highest, at 34%.

When states were ranked in terms of successful implementation of policies designed to address access to health care, California, Nevada, and Massachusetts came closest to meeting policy goals and Mississippi, Idaho, and South Dakota were at the bottom of the list.

The report noted that about 12% of Americans live in areas that are considered medically underserved. The state with the highest percentage of medically underserved residents was Louisiana, at 34%. The state with the lowest was New Jersey, at 1%.

via women.webmd.com

Skin hyper pigmentation at times can be created by excessive alcohol consumption. Melasma is a result of irritation to your body's organs (liver), or to put it a different way, Melasma is a signal your body is out of balance.

Stop Yeast Blog » The Dangers of Oral Thrush

The Dangers of Oral Thrush

Thrush is the oral equivalent of a vaginal yeast infection. It’s easily recognizable by the presence of white sores and lesions in the mouth; the infection actually takes hold in the mucus membrane. As with any other condition, oral thrush can become a serious problem if not treated. It is also highly contagious, so contact through kissing or sharing of eating utensils or straws should be avoided.

Thrush is a fungal infection caused by a build-up of Candida. It is common in infants, but in adults it usually occurs as a result of poor nutrition or immune deficiencies. Individuals suffering from HIV or AIDS often contract oral thrush, and diabetics will see it occur when they don’t properly regulate their sugar. These are unavoidable causes in most cases, but there are steps you can take in some instances to avoid infection.

Diet and nutrition are particularly important when you have HIV or are Diabetic. Eating foods with low fat and high levels of vitamins, minerals, and protein will help boost the immune system and eating regular meals with sensible portions will help regulate sugar and insulin production in the body. Candida yeast is a natural substance that is produced internally; overproduction of Candida is what causes yeast infections. Eating right can help prevent this. Probiotics, such as yogurt, can also help keep yeast in check.

In an infant or a normal, healthy adult, there is little to fear from Oral Thrush, but for those suffering from an immune deficiency it can become a serious problem. Left unchecked, oral thrush can spread to the esophagus, brain, heart, joints, or eyes. Chemotherapy patients, because of their lowered resistance from the treatment, are at risk of chronic Candida spreading throughout the body.

The taking of antibiotics is the primary cause of oral thrush and vaginal yeast infections in the United States. It is estimated that ninety percent of the population is affected by Candida in some form or another. That classifies it as an epidemic. The next time you see your doctor for a prescription to get rid of those flu-like symptoms, ask if you can do it without the antibiotic. Taking it may cure your ailment, but it also puts you at risk of Candida and immunity to that same antibiotic if used too frequently.

via stopyeast.com

How To Protect Your Skin From The Ultraviolet Rays

One of the external aging elements you should be wary of is the sun. Don't get me wrong. The sun is beneficial to our health. Sun exposure is imperative for the production of Vitamin D in our body. This also gives us more energy and vitality. But like everything else, too much of something is bad.

Excessive exposure to the sun can trigger the appearance of premature wrinkles and fine lines. The UVA and UVB rays emitted by the sun can stress out collagen fibers. They can also break down vitamin A. This is the vitamin that corrects damaged skin tissues.

To keep your skin protected from UV rays, here are the things you need to do:

1. Apply sun block on your skin 30 minutes before going outdoors.

Sun block products have been formulated with ingredients that can ward off ultraviolet rays. However, they are not cut from the same cloth. Some products can only protect you from UVB rays. You have to look for wide-range skin care products that can deflect both UVA and UVB rays. If you are going to stay under the sun for a prolonged period of time, use a product with a high SPF content. The higher the SPF content, the longer you can stay under the sun protected.

2. Correct damages using an anti aging product.

If you have acquired "photodamages", you should correct them immediately. Look for an anti aging product that is made up of CynergyTK, Phytessence Wakame and Nano Lipobelle HEQ10.

CynergyTK infuses functional keratin to the dermis. Keratin is responsible for the steady regeneration of collagen and elastin. This is capable of preventing the collapse of dermis structure. Phytessence Wakame is a type of sea kelp that can help preserve hyaluronic acid. This acid is vital for collagen lubrication. If collagen is well-lubricated, it does not get damaged easily. Nano Lipobelle HEQ10 is an antioxidant that can get rid of harmful free radicals. This antioxidant has smaller molecules. That being said, it can penetrate deeper into the skin.

3. Take Vitamin C supplements daily.

It lessens the effects of the sun to the skin. This vitamin also corrects collagen fiber damages brought about by cumulative sun exposure. It can also help inhibit melanin production.

4. Get lots of sleep.

When you sleep, your brain produces a hormone called melatonin. This can reduce the harmful effects of the sun to the skin.

You can reduce up to 80% of the wrinkles that will appear on your skin if you protect it from the sun. Use these tips to maintain young looking skin.

via EzineArticles.com

Skin Hyper Pigmentation increases with sun exposure. Any information on Sun Exposure and how to reduce it is worth knowing.