How Fiber Reduces The Damaging Effects of Second-Hand Smoke
A new study confirms that early life exposure to second-hand smoke can produce life-long respiratory problems. A study of 35,000 adult non-smokers in Singapore revealed that those who lived with smokers during childhood had far more respiratory illnesses.
Fiber May Protect
However, study participants who reported eating more fruit and vegetable fiber as adults seemed have acquired some protection against the negative health effects. Those who ate more than 7.5 grams of fiber each day -- roughly the equivalent of two apples -- had fewer health problems.
The Benefits
Researchers theorized that fiber may:
- Reduce blood glucose concentrations
- Reduce inflammation
- Enhance antioxidant processes
But they cautioned that the possible benefits of fiber should be taken as lessening the importance of reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
EurekAlert August 30, 2005Thorax August 30, 2005
Dr. Mercola's Comment:
Most people know that I view eating the right foods are far more important to your health than smoking. In fact eating onefrench fry is more dangerous than smoking one cigarette.
I have seen many people ruin their health by stopping smoking and ignoring their food choices thinking they were doing a good thing for their health.
Don't get me wrong, I don't believe anyone should smoke but one needs to have a wholistic perspective on health if you are going to achieve it.
But getting back to smoking, if the true cost of a pack of cigarettes -- estimated to be nearly $40 when all the extra health are taken into account -- won't make you stop smoking, perhaps its harmful effects on your children will. According to the American Lung Association: - Children who breathe second-hand smoke are more likely to suffer from pneumonia, bronchitis and other lung diseases
- Children who have asthma and who breathe second-hand smoke have more asthma attacks
- There are an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 cases every year of infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, in infants and children under 18 months of age who breathe second-hand smoke
One of the best routes to quitting smoking is through complete abstinence. This means cold turkey and not gradual reduction. But that can be tough for anyone. That's why I recommend using energy psychology tools. There are many effective strategies out there for working with addictions but I find the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to be highly effective.
It's good to know that fiber can also help you if you have no choice but to inhale secondhand smoke from your family or colleagues, just as it has many other benefits. One caveat, however:
One of the main sources of fiber in the diet of Singapore patients was soy, a problematic and potentially dangerous "food" if there ever was one. Although processed soy products are consumed by more than 200 million Americans, thousands of studies have linked them to a host of problems, including malnutrition, cognitive decline and infertility.
Fermented, unprocessed soy products like natto, miso, and tempeh, however, are far healthier for you, as the fermentation process aids in liberating otherwise difficult to digest nutrients in the soybean, making them more available for absorption.
Dr. Mercola is the founder of Mercola.com, one of the world's most visited and trusted health websites, and publisher of the free Mercola.com e-newsletter -- the #1 dietary health and wellness newsletter on the Web with over 500,000 subscribers. Dr. Mercola, a physician for over two decades, is also a New York Times bestselling author whose latest book, "Dr. Mercola's Total Health Program," presents his entire renowned dietary health program and has sold over 150,000 copies. He is routinely interviewed by the media for his expert insights, including CNN and ABC World News Tonight. His passion is to change the fatally flawed conventional medical system to one focused on real prevention and cure.