Well, if increased risk of cancer, heart diseases and other respiratory illness are not good enough reasons for smokers to quit smoking, perhaps this will.
According to The New York Times, epidemiological studies looked at more than 600 men and women, with 50% of them being smokers. After controlling for variables, researchers found a significant and consistent link between smoking and early greying. Scientists have long speculated that cigarette smoke may accelerate hair loss and premature greying. The association was largely due to toxins in smoke that can harm hair follicles and damage hormones.
Last year, another team studied the link in a group of 740 men in Taiwan aged 40 -91 years. After controlling for age and family histories, the researchers found a greater rate of hair loss among the smokers, a risk that grew with increasing smoking.
Whether the link is a result of tobacco toxins affecting the scalp or f smoking is causing severe disease that speed up aging, the point is smoking can lead to premature greying and hair loss.
By the way, if you are not aware, smoking causes blindness too. This has been confirmed by a joint study by hospitals in Scotland and Singapore. You can read it here.
How do you know you can quit smoking successful without picking up a cigarette to puff again? Honestly, you have to do some deep thinking and soul searching to know the answer. The higher self awareness you have, the easier it is to chart your success level. Take the following test to check out your success probability. It doesn’t mean that you are doomed to be a smoking addict for the rest of your life if you scored low in this test. It just means that you have to make some serious adjustments in life – from your thoughts, words to action – to complete your quest. If you scored high, well, what are you waiting for? Quit smoking now and use all those money you save for a good treat!
The Higher the value, the higher determination to stop smoking!
1. How important for you to stop smoking?
3) Very important
2) Moderate importance
1) Less importance (more…)
You have been smoking for some time but you don’t think you are an addict. That is quite understandable. Most of us believe that we are in control and command. We don’t believe that we can be slaves to alcohols or cigarettes. Still, it will be good to take a test to check out your dependence level on nicotine via a simple Icotine Dependent Test. At least, it may give you a reason to stop smoking or not to quit smoking.
Today is the last day of 2007. Pause, do the test and decide if you want to make 2008 a smoke-free year.
Icotine Dependent Test
1. When do you smoke your first cigarette after you woke up?
3) Within 5 minutes
2) About 6 – 30 minutes
1) About 31 – 59 minutes
0) After 60 minutes
2. Do you find it tough not to smoke in “smoke-prohibited” places?
1) Yes
0) No (more…)
