What Causes Cancer? 7 Strange Cancer Claims Explained

What Causes Cancer? 7 Strange Cancer Claims Explained...


Bras, deodorant, and mouthwash­—just a few of the everyday products that have been linked to cancer at some point during the past several decades. Preposterous? Not at the time, and new suspects have been added to the list. The following slides reveal the real story behind ordinary household items that have come under scrutiny.

Artificial Sweeteners - A sugar substitute is a food additive that duplicates the effect of sugar in taste, usually with less food energy. Some sugar substitutes are natural and some are synthetic.

The link: Calorie watchers scored a win when diet sodas were introduced in the early 1950s. Then lab studies suggested that the sweetener cyclamate caused bladder cancer in rats, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned its use. Then saccharin, the replacement of choice, was also shown to cause tumors in rats. Although saccharin was never banned, all products containing the sweetener were required to carry a cancer warning on their packaging.

The reality: No evidence has since emerged that either cyclamate, which is used in other countries, or saccharin causes cancer in humans, according to the National Cancer Institute. Although cyclamate is still banned, saccharin was taken off the government's list of possible carcinogens in 2000, the same year in which saccharin products shed the warning label. The sweetener aspartame has come under suspicion, but scientists have found no increased risk of cancer in humans.

Mouthwash - is a product used to enhance oral hygiene.

The link: A handful of studies since the late '70s have tied mouthwash that contains ethanol to oral cancer. Investigators theorize that it may make oral tissues more vulnerable to known carcinogens, such as those in cigarettes.

The reality: The evidence against mouthwash is weak, according to the American Dental Association. Studies don't show, for example, that brands with higher alcohol content present a greater risk than those with lesser amounts. Mouthwash is safe when used as directed, says the ADA, which, depending on the product, may mean swishing once or twice daily and not swallowing. People who smoke, have a family history of oral cancer, or have other risk factors may want to choose alcohol-free brands to be on the safe side, the ADA says.

Statins - are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol in the liver.

The link: Could these cholesterol-lowering drugs raise the risk of cancer? A 2007 study inspired this belief when researchers investigating the side effects of certain statins—lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, and atorvastatin—found that participants taking high doses were more likely to be diagnosed with various cancers, including those of the breast, colon, and prostate.

The reality: A 2008 review of 15 clinical trials involving statins cast doubt on the initial results; low LDL cholesterol levels, the reviewers found, were associated with cancer, whether or not participants were taking statins, suggesting that cholesterol levels, not the drugs, were to blame. "This study should reassure those taking statins that they are not increasing their risk of cancer by trying to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease," senior author Richard Karas of Boston's Tufts University School of Medicine said in a statement. A separate review of research involving roughly 170,000 participants found no link between statins and cancer.

Cell Phones -  is a device that can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area.

The link: In 1993, a man suing the manufacturer of his wife's mobile phone claimed on Larry King Live that the device was responsible for her brain cancer. The broadcast provoked a public outcry, a rash of similar lawsuits, and millions of dollars poured into studying whether radio waves emitted by cell phones could be harmful.

The reality: The largest study to date, published in 2010, could neither confirm nor dismiss a connection between cell phones and cancer. Scientists tracked nearly 13,000 adults for a decade and found a slightly higher rate of one of four cancers—gliomas, a particularly aggressive variety of brain cancer—among frequent cell users. But cell users overall had a lower rate of the cancers than never-users. Participants gave their own estimates of how much time they spent talking, which may have muddied the results. Researchers have now embarked on an even larger study in Europe.

Antiperspirant and Deodorant -  are substances applied to the body to affect body odor caused by bacterial growth and the smell associated with bacterial breakdown of perspiration in armpits, feet and other areas of the body.

The link: A decade ago, an E-mail warning women that using antiperspirant could cause breast cancer went viral. Since then, some research has suggested that aluminum in antiperspirants and preservatives called parabens in both antiperspirants and deodorants mimic the hormone estrogen, which in high amounts can increase a woman's breast cancer risk.

The reality: There is no evidence that antiperspirants or deodorants cause cancer. Although a 2004 study heightened concern when researchers found parabens in breast cancer tissue samples, suggesting the chemicals may have caused the tumors, the investigators did not check for the presence of parabens in healthy tissue. Evidence suggests that 99 percent of us are exposed to parabens from numerous sources, including various cosmetics and foods, according to the American Cancer Society. Little evidence indicates they may be harmful. The organization says more study is needed to be certain that there is no risk. A 2002 study of hundreds of women with and without breast cancer, found no sign the antiperspirants or deodorants upped cancer risk.

Bras - provides support to female breasts.

The link: Women got a shock in 1995 when "Dressed to Kill," written by a husband and wife team of medical anthropologists, alleged that those who regularly wore bras had a much higher risk of cancer than women who didn't wear them. They theorized that bras promote the buildup of cancer-causing toxins in the breast.

The reality: Experts stress that a link between bras and breast cancer has never been proven. Considerable evidence points to other variables affecting a woman's risk of breast cancer, such as weight, age, and family history. Women who don't wear bras tend to weigh less or have less dense breast tissue, both of which reduce breast cancer risk. Those factors alone, according to the American Cancer Society, "would probably contribute to any perceived difference in risk."

Hair Dye - is the pigmentation of hair follicles due to two types of melanin: eumelanin and pheomelanin.

The link: In 2008 researchers from the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) revived concern of a hair dye-cancer connection after finding a pattern of bladder cancer in male hairdressers and barbers. They found too little evidence to say whether people who used the products every so often at home were also at risk.

The reality: The IARC finding was based on studies conducted at different times, so any increased risk could result from heavy exposure to chemicals that were discontinued decades ago after scientists discovered they caused cancer in rodents. It's unclear whether the chemicals used in current dyes cause cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Most evidence, however, does not support a link.

Health Risks of Soda: Is it Really so Bad?

Soda and obesity

About two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. The Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) reports there is a strong link between the consumption of soda and weight gain. Soda accounts for about 7% of our average daily calorie intake--the largest percentage of any single food source. Soda contains empty calories, and drinkers are less likely to feel full consuming a sweetened beverage than if they were eating the same amount of calories in food. Just one soda a day can add up to 15 pounds of fat gained over the course of a year.

Soda and chronic disease

Soda is a dumping ground for cheap sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup. One can contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar. To avoid health risks, the American Heart Association recommends thatadults consume less than six teaspoons a day. Kids are limited to three teaspoons. Many teens consume nearly 34 teaspoons a day, mainly through soft drinks.

Guzzling soda sends blood sugar spiking. Over time this can lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and maybe even cancer. Researchers at HSPH say that people who drink as little as one 12-ounce soda daily are 50 percent more likely to have developed metabolic syndrome--a group of factors that can lead to coronary artery disease, stroke, and diabetes.

If teens continue to drink large amounts of soda, this could mean serious health consequences for a large percentage of adults in the coming decades.

Soda and bone health

Another issue for growing young people is bone health. As kids and teens drink more soda, they consume less milk. Milk contains calcium for building strong bones as well as protein and other important nutrients. Colas also contain phosphates, minerals that can harm bone density if consumed in a disproportionate amount to calcium. Studies show links between cola consumption and osteoporosis in older women.

Soda and tooth decay

With so much attention being focused on obesity, the link between tooth decay and soda is frequently overlooked. It's not just the sugar, but also the acidity in soft drinks that can "aggressively" harm teeth by eroding enamel studies show.

While an occasional soda isn't bad for you, the problem is the approximately 50 gallons a year that the average person drinks over many years--even decades. As for freedom, Bloomberg's ban doesn't actually limit how much soda you can purchase at one time, it curtails buying huge containers advertised as single servings. A recent infographic by the Centers for Disease Control shows how, over the last 50 years, beverage sizes have ballooned from a modest 7 ounces to a huge 42 ounces.

Since we haven't been particularly good at self-regulating--especially our consumption of cheap, abundant sugar, maybe it's time for a push from our government. In a June 1, 2012 letter to the New York Times, Walter Willet, chair of the department of nutrition at the HSPH writes: "Of course, this alone won't halt the epidemics of these diseases sweeping our country, but it is a valuable and creative step in the right direction that deserves the support of everyone who cares about the well-being of our children and all Americans."

*****

Soda or SODA may refer to: 

*Soft drink, a beverage product

*Carbonated water, also known as "soda water"

*Ice cream soda, a dessert dish

*Soda cracker, or saltine cracker

*Soda bread, a variety of quick bread

Cook up some fish to keep your vision sharp in old age: study

Cook up some fish to keep your vision sharp in old age: study

In yet another study touting the benefits of omega-3s in healthy aging, a new study out of Canada has found that choosing fish for dinner could help stave off age-related vision loss.

In normal aging, vision loss results from the accumulation of a toxic molecule at the back of the eyes which builds up in the retina. But after feeding lab mice with an omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, the research team out of the University of Alberta found that the nutrient -- found in oily fish like salmon -- prevented the buildup of the toxin which normally increases twofold as people age.

The Canadian study, announced last week, is the latest to build on research vaunting the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in healthy aging. Research published earlier this year in the journal Neurologyfound that a diet low in omega-3 fatty acids may cause the brain to age faster.

Similarly, a study published last year in the Archives of Ophthalmology found that regular consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids reduced the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration in women, a condition that results in the loss of central vision and is the main cause of blindness in people over the age of 50.

*****

Omega 3 fatty acids (popularly referred to as ω−3 fatty acids or n−3 fatty acids) are fats commonly found in marine and plant oils.

A fish is any member of a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits.

Salmon ( /ˈsæmən/) is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae.

Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye.

Amoebiasis: Often mistaken as normal Diarrhea but Deadly

Please allow me to share my personal experience and serve as a warning to other people specially to mothers on which they usually assumed that their infant children are having diarrhea's due to the appearance of milk teeth and realized when its too late already. 


Here is the account of my experience for a period of 5 days: 


1st day: I discharge/go to CR 7 times.(I thought it was just a normal diarrhea since I usually have diarrhea's when I am having an overnight online computer games escapades) - Took 3 diatabs, 3 lomotil, & Drink yakult.


2nd day: Same status with 1st day. Able to consult with a quack doctor as per advice by my auntie. 


3rd day: *Half day on the Comfort Room(discharge 15 times); unable to eat or drink since the more I eat or drink, the more I discharge. Difficulty on walking. Visible weight loss reflected on the face(loss 15 kilos after the check-up; from my normal weight 75 kilos to 60 kilos). Decided to be check in the hospital late afternoon. During medical test, first time to experienced vomiting(based on the 3 days time span). The doctor decided that I am going to be admitted in the hospital since I am already severely dehydrated. My hands and feet tends to move by itself and harden.  
            *During the admission in the hospital: from 6pm to 12 midnight; consumed 12 bottles of normal dextrose and 6 bottles of dextrose with potassium. Catheter was also administered to drain urine from my urinary bladder(one of the most painful experienced that I have encountered). Took Kitnos and Metronidazole tablets as per doctors advice.


4th day: *Normal dextrose is still present(happy that the catheter was already removed ;-P ). Still maintaining Kitnos and Metronidazole. Able to eat soft foods and somehow retain strength enough to go to the CR by myself. Doctor assigned to me informed me that I was bless that I was admitted before its too late since some of the children that was admitted simultaneously with me died from severe dehydration and their young bodies unable to cope the viral infection.


5th day: Discharge from the hospital and pay Php 10,000 for the hospital bills. Travel back to my province in Ormoc City, Leyte. Still maintaining Metronidazole for another 3 days. 


Message to all Mothers: If your child is having a severe diarrhea, please don't assume that it is normal specially during the appearance of their milk teeth. Some of the children that have been admitted with me during the amoeba outbreak in Mandaue City, Cebu have died since they were admitted too late. Moreover, I'm not against with herbal/quack doctors or faith healers but on my case, I was told that some kind of spirit is visiting or hurting me and administer me bottles of water with paper floating in it with hand written messages or some kind of their own prayers but with God's blessing and well, I was guided to decide for check-up in the hospital and it was almost too late. It could have cost me my life.


In all of this experience, I would like to offer this prayer to our Lord God Jesus Christ whom guided me and provided me the chance to lived:


Lord, thank you for everything. Thank you for my life, the life of all my family members and love ones, the life of all my relatives, the life of all my friends, for all our life. I know, without your grace, we are nothing oh Lord. Thank you for your blessings, grace and protection. Thank you, Thank you Lord.


Lord, please guide its one of us to decide on the right decision specially if life is at stake. Protect us always and keep us safe. Provide us with long life and good health. 


All this we declare in the name of our savior Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen














Terms Used:


Amoebiasis, or Amebiasis, refers to infection caused by the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica. The term Entamoebiasis is occasionally seen but is no longer in use; it refers to the same infection. Likewise amoebiasis is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to infection with other amoebae, but strictly speaking it should be reserved for Entamoeba histolytica infection. A gastrointestinal infection that may or may not be symptomatic and can remain latent in an infected person for several years, amoebiasis is estimated to cause 70,000 deaths per year world wide. Symptoms can range from mild diarrhea to dysentery with blood and mucus in the stool.


dextrose [dek´strōs]

older chemical name for d-glucose (see glucose); the term dextrose continues to be used to refer to glucose solutions administered intravenously for fluid or nutrient replacement.

catheter (pronounced /ˈkæθɪtər/) is a tube that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel. Catheters thereby allow drainage, administration of fluids or gases, or access by surgical instruments. The process of inserting a catheter is catheterization. In most uses, a catheter is a thin, flexible tube ("soft" catheter), though in some uses, it is a larger, solid ("hard") catheter. A catheter left inside the body, either temporarily or permanently, may be referred to as an indwelling catheter. A permanently inserted catheter may be referred to as a permcath (originally a trademark).

urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow^[1] muscular, and distensible (or elastic) organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor. Urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra.

dehydration (hypohydration) is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid.


quack doctor is a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skill, knowledge, or qualifications he or she does not possess. Fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill.

Dental x-rays linked to common brain tumor

X-radiation (composed of X-rays) is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz (3×10¹⁶ Hz to 3×10¹⁹ Hz) and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma rays. In many languages, X-radiation is called Röntgen radiation, after Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who is usually credited as its discoverer, and who had named it X-radiation to signify an unknown type of radiation. Correct spelling of X-ray(s) in the English language includes the variants x-ray(s) and X ray(s). XRAY is used as the phonetic pronunciation for the letter x.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study suggests people who had certain kinds of dental X-rays in the past may be at an increased risk for meningioma, the most commonly diagnosed brain tumor in the U.S.

The findings cannot prove that radiation from the imaging caused the tumors, and the results are based on people who were likely exposed to higher levels of radiation during dental X-rays than most are today.

"It's likely that the exposure association we're seeing here is past exposure, and past exposure levels were much higher," said Dr. Elizabeth Claus, the study's lead author and a professor at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.

Claus and her colleagues write in the journal Cancer that dental X-rays are the most common source of exposure to ionizing radiation -- which has been linked to meningiomas in the past -- but most research on the connection is based on people who were exposed to atomic bombs or received radiation therapy.

There have been some studies that looked at dental X-rays, but they were from years ago and included fewer people than the current study, Claus noted. Still, they were generally in agreement with the new findings.

For her study, Claus' team recruited 1,433 people diagnosed with intracranial meningioma -- a tumor that forms in the tissues lining the brain -- between May 2006 and April 2011. All of the participants were diagnosed when they were between 20 and 79 years old and they were all from Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina or the Houston or San Francisco Bay areas.

For comparison, the researchers also followed 1,350 people who were similar in age, sex and state of residence as the study group, but who had not been diagnosed with a tumor.

The study looked at how often people had three different types of dental X-rays. They included a focused image of one area, a number of images of the full mouth and a single panoramic view of the entire mouth. These are known in dentistry parlance as bitewing, full-mouth and panorex films, respectively.

Each person was interviewed by someone trained to administer a questionnaire that asked about demographic details, family history of cancer, pregnancy and medical history. The interviewers also asked -- among other things -- about the person's history of dental work and the number of times they had the three types of dental x-rays taken throughout their life.

The researchers found that those diagnosed with meningiomas were more than twice as likely as the comparison group to report ever having had bitewing images taken.

And regardless of the age when the bitewings were taken, those who had them yearly or more frequently were at between 40 percent and 90 percent higher risk at all ages to be diagnosed with a brain tumor.

To put that in perspective, Dr. Paul Pharoah, a cancer researcher at the University of Cambridge said in a statement the results would mean an increase in lifetime risk of intracranial meningioma in the U.K. from 15 out of every 10,000 people to 22 in 10,000 people.

Panoramic X-rays taken at a young age, especially if done yearly or more often before age 10, also raised the risk of meningiomas by up to five times.

There was no association between full-mouth X-rays and the tumors, although the authors note they saw a trend similar to that seen for the bitewing X-rays.

The lack of association with full-mouth X-rays led one expert to question the connection.

"They found a small risk (from) a pair of bitewings, but not a full mouth series, which is multiple bitewings. That inconsistency is impossible to understand to me," said Dr. Alan Lurie, president of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.

Lurie also echoed Claus' caution that radiation levels from dental X-rays when some of the participants were younger was much greater than is used now.

He does warn, however, patients shouldn't assume it's fine for the dentist to take X-rays.
"They should ask why are (dentists) taking this image and what is the benefit to me," he said.

The American Dental Association put out a statement in response to the study noting that the interviews relied on participants' memories of how often they had different types of X-rays years earlier.

The statement added, "The ADA's long-standing position is that dentists should order dental X-rays for patients only when necessary for diagnosis and treatment. Since 1989, the ADA has published recommendations to help dentists ensure that radiation exposure is as low as reasonably achievable."

Dr. Sanjay Mallya, an assistant professor the UCLA School of Dentistry in Los Angeles, said that patients should be concerned whenever they are exposed to radiation, but "it's important to emphasize that this concern should not mean that we shouldn't get X-rays at all."

According to the researchers, "while dental X-rays are an important tool in well selected patients, efforts to moderate exposure to (ionizing radiation) to the head is likely to be of benefit to patients and health care providers alike."

Secondhand Smoke Exposure Affects Girls More Than Boys

Smoking -  is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco and/or cannabis, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them available for absorption through the lungs. It can also be done as a part of rituals, to induce trances and spiritual enlightenment.

The most common method of smoking today is through cigarettes, primarily industrially manufactured but also hand-rolled from loose tobacco and rolling paper. Other smoking implements include pipes, cigars, bidis, hookahs, vaporizers and bongs. It has been suggested that smoking-related disease kills one half of all long term smokers but these diseases may also be contracted by non-smokers.

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Article Date: 28 Mar 2012

The negative health effects of early-life exposure to secondhand smoke appear to impact girls more than boys - particularly those with early-life allergic sensitization, according to new research from the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine

Epidemiologists with UC's Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS), funded by the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), found that children exposed to high levels of secondhand smoke who also had allergic sensitizations during early childhood (age 2) are at greater risk for decreased lung function at age 7 compared to children who had not developed allergic sensitizations by this age

Additionally, lung function among girls was six times worse than in boys who were exposed to similar levels of both secondhand smoke and allergen sensitization.

"Our study shows that the timing of allergic sensitization is crucial because children who are sensitized by age 2 are more likely to suffer the greatest lung deficits during childhood as a result of secondhand smoke exposure," explains Kelly Brunst, first author of the paper and doctoral candidate in UC's division of epidemiology and biostatistics. "This association was not observed at age 4 or 7, emphasizing the importance of this critical window for lung development."
The UC-based team's findings are published online ahead of print in the scientific journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.

This is the first study to explore the differential gender effects of secondhand smoke exposure using an internal biomarker for secondhand smoke - hair cotinine (product of nicotine metabolism) - while also accounting for the importance of timing and extent of allergic sensitization on lung function.

Previous studies have estimated that one in four children in the United States living in a home with at least one smoker have cotinine concentrations more than twice as high as those living with nonsmoking adults. Secondhand smoke exposure during childhood has also been associated with respiratory illness, decreased lung function and asthma development/exacerbation.

"Our results provide valuable information regarding the interwoven relationships between early-life exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, allergic sensitization, gender and lung function," says Grace LeMasters, PhD, UC professor of environmental health and principal investigator of the CCAAPS.

"It's likely that the complex interaction between secondhand smoke and pulmonary function loss in boys and girls is ultimately dependent on the timing of exposure as well as the child's 'total load' in relationship to cumulative risk factors - exposures, allergic sensitization, asthma status, genetic susceptibility and sex hormones."

CCAAPS is a long term childhood study examining the effects of environmental exposures on respiratory health and allergy development. All infants in the study had at least one parent with known allergies and were followed from infancy until age 7.

For this study, researchers examined a population of 476 children in the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area identified from birth to be at increased risk for allergies based on family history and proximity to major roads. Hair samples were collected at age 2 and 4 to measure average cotinine concentrations. At age 7, all children had lung function and asthma diagnosis testing. This information was then correlated with data about allergy sensitization collected through annual skin prick allergy testing, self-report questionnaires about allergy symptoms and the home/school environment.

Why Is Smoking Bad For You?

Smoking is responsible for several diseases, such as cancer, long-term (chronic) respiratory diseases, and heart disease, as well as premature death. Over 440,000 people in the USA and 100,000 in the UK die because of smoking each year. According the US CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), $92 billion are lost each year from lost productivity resulting from smoking-related deaths.

Smoking causes cancer

90% of lung cancer patients developed their disease because of smoking. Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths in the world. Smokers also have a significantly higher risk of developing:

Bladder cancer

Kidney cancer

Cancers of the pharynx and larynx (throat cancer)

Mouth cancer

Esophagus cancer

Cancer of the pancreas

Stomach cancer

Some types of leukemia

Cancer of the nose and sinuses

Cervical cancer

Bowel cancer

Ovarian cancer

In some cases, also breast cancer

According to Cancer Research UK, one person dis every 15 minutes in Great Britain from lung cancer.

Smoking also raises the risk of cancer recurrences (the cancer coming back).

Why does smoking raise cancer risk?

Scientists say there are over 4,000 compounds in cigarette smoke. A sizeable number of them are toxic - they are bad for us and damage our cells. Some of them cause cancer - they are carcinogenic.

Tobacco smoke consists mainly of:

*Nicotine - this is not carcinogenic. However, it is highly addictive. Smokers find it very hard to quit because they are hooked on the nicotine. Nicotine is an extremely fast-acting drug. It reaches the brain within 15 seconds of being inhaled. If cigarettes and other tobacco products had no nicotine, the number of people who smoke every day would drop drastically. Without nicotine, the tobacco industry would collapse.

Nicotine is used as a highly controlled insecticide. Exposure to sufficient amounts can lead to vomiting, seizures, depression of the CNS (central nervous system), and growth retardation. It can also undermine a fetus' proper development.

*Carbon Monoxide - this is a poisonous gas. It has no smell or taste. The body finds it hard to differentiate carbon monoxide from oxygen and absorbs it into the bloodstream. Faulty boilers emit dangerous carbon monoxide, as do car exhausts.

If there is enough carbon monoxide around you and you inhale it, you can go into a coma and die. Carbon monoxide decreases muscle and heart function, it causes fatigue, weakness, and dizziness. It is especially toxic for babies still in the womb, infants and indifividuals with heart or lung disease.

*Tar - consists of several cancer-causing chemicals. When a smoker inhales cigarette smoke, 70% of the tar remains in the lungs. Try the handkerchief test. Fill the mouth with smoke, don't inhale, and blow the smoke through the handkerchief. There will be a sticky, brown stain on the cloth. Do this again, but this time inhale and the blow the smoke through the cloth, there will only be a very faint light brown stain.

Smoking and heart/cardiovascular disease

Smoking causes an accumulation of fatty substances in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, the main contributor to smoking-related deaths. Smoking is also a significant contributory factor in coronary heart disease risk. People with coronary heart disease are much more likely to have a heart attack.

Tobacco smoke raises the risk of coronary heart disease by itself. When combined with other risk factors, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity, physical inactivity, or diabetes, the risk of serious, chronic illness and death is huge.

Smoking also worsens heart disease risk factors. It raises blood pressure, makes it harder to do exercise, makes the blood clot more easily than it should. People who have undergone bypass surgery and smoke have a higher risk of recurrent coronary heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association:

"Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for young men and women. It produces a greater relative risk in persons under age 50 than in those over 50."

A female smoker who is also on the contraceptive pill has a considerably higher risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke compared to women using oral contraceptives who don't smoke.

If you smoke your levels of HDL, also known as good cholesterol will drop.

If you have a history of heart disease and smoke, your risk of having such a disease yourself is extremely high.

A much higher percentage of regular smokers have strokes compared to other non-smokers of the same age. The cerebrovascular system is damaged when we inhale smoke regularly.

Those who smoke run a higher risk of developing aortic aneurysm and arterial disease.



 

Both Too Little and Too Much Sleep Bad for the Heart: Study

Research finds too little sleep may increase risk of stroke, heart attack; too much may cause coronary artery disease....

Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles.  It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than being in hibernation or a coma. Sleep is a heightened anabolic state, accentuating the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems. It is observed in all mammals, all birds, and many reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

SUNDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to what's best for their hearts, people walk a fine line between getting too much and too little sleep, a new study suggests.

Adults who get fewer than six hours or more than eight hours of sleep a night are at greater risk for a variety of heart conditions, according to research led by Dr. Rohit Arora, chairman of cardiology at the Chicago Medical School.

Sleeping too little puts people at significantly higher risk of stroke, heart attack and congestive heart failure, the researchers found. On the other hand, people who sleep too much have a higher prevalence of chest pain (angina) and coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood and oxygen.

The findings are scheduled for presentation Sunday at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting in Chicago.

The researchers analyzed data from more than 3,000 patients over age 45 who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, making theirs the first nationally representative sample to show the association between sleep duration and heart health.

The study showed that people who got too little sleep were twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack and 1.6 times more likely to have congestive heart failure. People who slept more than eight hours a night were twice as likely to have angina and 1.1 times more likely to have coronary artery disease.

The findings remained significant even after the researchers accounted for heart risk factors such as age, blood cholesterol levels, smoking and obesity, as well as for sleep apnea and other sleep problems.

Previous studies have shown that insufficient sleep is linked to a hyperactive nervous system, glucose intolerance, diabetes, inflammation and a rise in stress hormones, blood pressure and resting heart rate, the researchers noted.

The reasons too much sleep can lead to heart problems are unclear, however, and further research will be needed.

For now, Arora said, health-care providers need to talk about sleep with their patients.

"Clinicians need to start asking patients about sleep, especially those who are already at greater risk of heart disease," he said. "It's really a simple thing to assess as part of a physical exam; it doesn't cost anything and it may help patients to adopt better sleep habits."

Although the new study uncovered an association between sleep issues and heart trouble, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until it is published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.