Tag Archives: smoking

New York Bans Smoking in Beaches and Parks

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From my experience, many smokers will argue that a government’s attempt to make smoking a difficult pastime (by increasing taxes to make cigarettes unaffordable, and restricting the places where on can smoke) is an infringement on their rights to make decisions as individuals. And I would be inclined to agree, if smoking didn’t infringe upon the rights of others.

If one was strolling along, chewing on some sort of hazardous cancer-causing substance, I’d say hey- you’re dumb, that’s gross, but carry on. It is your right to do whatever you please with your body, and it is none of my business if you’re dumb enough to poison yourself. This is how many smokers actually view smoking- their decision, affecting only them. Except that’s just silly. Smoking in its very nature releases smoke into the air, which others inhale without really having a choice in the …

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Another Reason to Breastfeed … Or is It Just More Propaganda?

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When you hear the phrase “a woman’s right to choose,” there’s generally a quick synapse pop to the word “abortion.” However, I feel that the push to force women to breastfeed gives new meaning to the idea of choice … and it’s a meaning that does not reflect well on the medical profession.

Anyway, there’s a new study out that gives yet another enticing reason to breastfeed—it evidently lowers the risk of developing Type II Diabetes (the one that’s linked to obesity) later in life.

From Bloomberg Businessweek:

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh studied more than 2,200 women aged 40 to 78. They found that 27 percent of mothers who didn’t breast-feed developed type 2 diabetes, almost double the rate among women who breast-fed or never gave birth.

The researchers say the differences between the groups held up even after they adjusted the statistics for factors such as age, race, levels of physical activity and body-mass index.

“Diet and exercise are widely known to impact the risk of type 2 diabetes, but few people realize that breast-feeding also reduces mothers’ risk of developing the disease later in life by decreasing maternal belly fat,” said Dr. Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, an assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology, and obstetrics, gynecology …

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A Useful List: “9 ‘Harmless’ Habits That Age You”

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It’s been awhile since I had the distinct pleasure of addressing another asinine list. The thing about this list, entitled “9 Harmless Habits That Age You” and brought to you by Yahoo Health, is that it makes sense. Oh, and there is elaboration and useful suggestions. While I adore ripping stupid lists apart, there’s so much useful information here that I’m turning the snark way down.

It pretty much goes without saying that smoking cigarettes and frying your skin in the sun make you older, so kudos for quitting and slathering on the sunscreen religiously. But if you’re trying to turn back the clock—or at least slow it down a little—don’t overlook these other habits that may be sabotaging your efforts.

1. You keep your college bedtime.

We’re not saying you need a perfect 8 hours every single night, but make sleep a priority more often and your body will thank you. Everyone’s sleep needs are different; to find out what yours are, sleep experts recommend you turn off the alarm clock when you’re well rested, and see how long you naturally sleep. (Most people need 7 to 8 hours.)

All right, so make sure you get enough sleep. Of course, some people work multiple jobs or suffer from insomnia (or both). I can’t think of the last time I got seven hours of sleep … I’m curious enough that I’m probably going to look at my old Facebook status updates. My doctor told me to keep a “sleep journal” to keep track of my sleep patterns, but I don’t need to thanks to Facebook.

2. You have a soft spot for sweets.

It’s not easy to eliminate sugar completely, but limiting added sugar to no more than 10% of total calories can help. If you’re a 45-year-old woman of average height (5-foot-4), that’s 160 calories (or 10 teaspoons) from added sugar—about the number in one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola or six Hershey’s Kisses. By comparison, the average American consumes 31 teaspoons per day of added sugar, or the equivalent of 465 calories. Watch for stealthy sugar in unexpected foods, like salad dressing. Many prepared foods contain hefty amounts of sugar, but it’s hidden under aliases—including barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, and turbinado—on ingredient panels.

Damn, no more Ben and Jerry’s runs for me. But seriously, I went through my cupboards looking for some of those words I’ve never heard before on ingredient labels (yes, I’ll have some turbinado in my coffee, please) and it was kind of scary.

3. You’re stressed more often than not.

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Smoking Myth Up In Smoke?

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smokingFor all of you unaware, I am a smoker.  Being a smoker, I have to contradict myself by saying that I think the habit is disgusting and unattractive.  I hate the way it smells; I hate the way it makes my mouth taste after a cigarette, despite how much I probably did enjoy that cigarette.

I’ve been smoking off and on (mostly on) for about eleven years and even in the face of being intelligent enough to know that the habit may kill me one day, I have yet to make a seriously serious attempt at quitting.  I quit when I was pregnant with my child.  I continued the attempt as I was breastfeeding.  I began again once I went back to work.  It was always a ritual with me.  First cup of coffee in the morning?  Cigarette.  Mid-morning break?  Cigarette.  After a meal?  A cigarette.  My personal favorite: the cigarette(s) with the great glass of red wine.  So, so fine.  It rarely gets old for me.

It’s also a pretty popular habit for college-aged women, it appears, as well.  According to an article in the LA Times, a new study shows that most women smoke nowadays to cope with stress and find that it makes them feel more confident about themselves, oddly enough.  A lot of these same women don’t want to quit smoking because they are afraid of weight gain.  I would have to say, in my most shallow way yet, that I am more than likely a part of that percentage.  Beyond the fact that it’s a disgusting vice that I will admit to enjoying immensely, there is a part of me that fears weight gain in the event of quitting.  I know, I know.  That’s stupid.  Believe me, I know.  Being a semi-intelligent and educated woman, I know how moronic that sounds, up to and including my perpetuation of a deadly habit.

College-aged women who participated in a recent study were split into two “support groups” to compare the effects of two methods of smoking cessation.  One group focused on fitness and exercise.  The other group participated in group therapy, a more traditional form of structured smoking cessation.  The support group model also incorporated body image counseling, which is always a relatively touchy subject for a woman.  After an eight-week session for both programs, the women who participated in the counseling group had almost double the amount of success as compared to the success rate of the exercise group.  To debunk the “gaining weight” post-smoking cessation belief, the women who participated in the group therapy actually lost 3.3 pounds, as opposed to the women who killed themselves exercising, who on average lost none.

If I could be guaranteed to avoid gaining weight, I may consider quitting.  Does that make me anti-feminist?  Does that fact assume that I’m trying to conform to society’s “ideal” of a thin woman?  Nope.  That just makes me a woman who’s got a little bit of a body image issue, herself.  Plus, I really enjoy the disgusting whore of a habit.  Please forgive me.



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