Quit smoking or not, that's the question.

Quit smoking? Or not. To be or not to be... That is the question. To address some answers, here's the research from what people say, what the scientific literatures says and what my own conciousness can share.

Interestingly a few weeks ago, I created an online interview on a website called Searchwarp, because I wanted to know what people thought since the Anti-Tobacco Law for Public Places was released in Mexico and other countries. These were the results:

Out of 30 responses: (I think some people thought the person who asked must be from the government)... Some countries have established rules or laws to prevent smoking in public places or interiors. What is your perception in the New Statistical status of smoking where you live?

My dad was a social smoker until I was 3 years old. One of the acts that made me admire him more was the day he decided to quit smoking.

There I was, three years old girl with my thumb inside my mouth, and my eyes with an astonished look when he said that if I stopped "eating my finger", he would quit smoking. Then, he just his cigarette off and never touched any again.

At the age of 15 years old, under the influence of friends, I experienced smoking for the first time. It was not pleasant, at first (and I do not believe to this date that such first time was pleasant for anyone), but after, I thought of smoking like a way to be included in my new group of friends. (I was a little shy then).

I did not like, it was not relaxing or fun, and I dreaded going to the store to buy them. I did not like the smell left on my clothes or breathlessness. And so, I wisely decided that if I did not like, I didn't have to do it a habit. In such way, I decided to quit smoking.

I like sports, I enjoy them, I love the outdoors, I enjoy being healthy. Smoking was not consistent with what I thought and liked. I wasn't able to perform as I wanted and needed, I would start coughing and feeling tired instantly, that's why to quit smoking makes sense for any one's fitness plan.

Later, at the age of 19 years old, my grandmother (who had been for more than five years with emphysema), was in coma at the Hospital of Respiratory Diseases, with a tracheotomy, piped to different devices (that "helped" her to breathe), and there was not an encouraging prognosis.

She finally passed by, in a very terrible manner, due to one of "those hospital bugs." The mere sight of her non healthy status made me think even more, that smoking was not the type of vehicle in which to put my life to transport me to the other life.

My personal position to quit smoking is, that smoking costs, and it does so in many ways: it costs money (just yesterday the news commented that the cigars would rise $ 10 pesos more per cigarettes box, without counting that these products are already one of the most taxed items.

The highest cost of course is on loosing health. Which many people do not seem to value. Some even preach that if they have to die of something, let it be of smoking! Wow... That phrase makes me shake!! Is there anything wrong?

I believe that without health you do not have opportunity to enjoy other things, even if you have money or time to do what you want. Would you say a small piece of cigar is more valuable than such things? Such tiny thing controls your life more than anything?

People who smoke: don't get me wrong, I don't want to pursue you guys or try to evangelize you, I'm just giving my reasons why I decided to quit smoking and never do it again. If any one finds interesting my point of view and possibly shares some of this reflections too, OK, if not, OK too.

Given my experience with the cigar and the high displeasure it used to generate to me, I am in favour with the Anti-Tobacco Law, and I fervently believe that is one of those habits that should not be taught in the family. I don't mean if you smoke in your family go and get hide to smoke. I mean not teaching it at all.

Good information and example from the family, then the school and the society, can promote better decision making for adolescents and adults when faced with the curiosity of lightening the first cigar of their lives, no matter what the reason for doing it.

For me, sharing my story is an interesting way of perhaps sowing the seeds of unrest, not to try it ever again.

Now, more and more in touch with nutritional learning and teaching, cigar not only takes your capacity to enjoy and smell flavours of foods, it also helps to deplete many nutrients like calcium and other minerals.

Also, studies suggest that vitamin C requirements increase for pregnant smokers. Studies also indicate that ß-carotene, vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6 and folate concentrations appear lower in pregnant smokers than in pregnant non smokers. (J. Nutr., May 2003; 133: 1722S - 1731S).

A meta analysis selected (J. Nutr., Sep 1998; 128: 1450 - 1457): Fifty-one published nutritional surveys from 15 different countries with 47,250 nonsmokers and 35,870 smokers. Smokers declared significantly:

So for me, in conclusion, believe me, dying of smoking isn't the reality of any smoker's death, but one of these awful problems. One enough huge reason for me to quit smoking, and for you?

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Quit smoking? Pros and Contras and what does it have to do with fitness and nutrition

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