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Many people find it difficult to believe that second hand smoke can be as harmful to the body as directly taking a drag. To this end, eating vitamin and nutrient supplements can help in maintaining a healthy body, and help protect against the ill-effects of second-hand smoke.
Passive Smoking: The Silent killer
What do you know about second-hand (aka. “passive”) smoke? When someone smokes a cigarette and either inhales or exhales half of the smoke, that smoke is called mainstream smoke. The remaining half of the smoke which comes directly from the burning tobacco product is called side stream smoke. The combination of mainstream and side stream smoke is called as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), second-hand, smoke, or passive smoke. ETS can contain more harmful pollutants than a low emission diesel vehicle. Second-hand smoke is a toxic mixture consisting of poisons and carcinogens, totaling over 4000 chemical compounds. 200 of these are poisonous, while some 69 of them have been shown to have carcinogenic effects in scientific studies. A passive smoker can be affected by second-hand smoke due to the failure of the serum antioxidant defense system, which protects against free radical harm to the body. A person can end up passively inhaling smoke that contains harmful chemicals such as tar and carbon monoxide. When exposed to second-hand smoke, there can also be a reduction in vitamin C levels in the body. Some immediate effects of passive smoking include:
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Eye irritation
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Headaches
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Cough
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Sore throat
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Dizziness
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Nausea
Prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke can cause:
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Cancer
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Breathing problems
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Heart diseases
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Asthma
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Ear infections
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Pre-mature aging/skin sagging/wrinkle formation
How to Protect Yourself From Passive Smoking
Even if you’re already trying to help your spouse or a family member quit smoking, it would also be prudent to safeguard your family from the impact of second-hand smoke. Even if a family member or your spouse still smokes regularly, you can still maintain a healthy environment and body through:
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Regular intake of fruits and vegetables.
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The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences has established a higher Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C at 60mg/day for non-smokers. Therefore, taking smokers nutrient supplements could be a good way to defend yourself against second-hand smoke. Smokers vitamins, nutritional supplements that are customized according to your body requirements can definitely help your metabolism by strengthening your body against second-hand smoke.
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Vitamin E (contained in sweet potatoes) can help slow the progression of
atherosclerosis, a condition in which the coronary arteries harden due to cholesterol deposits and scar tissue.
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Vitamin C will ensure optimum levels of antioxidants in the body.
By taking smokers vitamin supplements, you can help protect yourself from the harmful effects of passive smoke. Since not all of us have a balanced diet, our bodies may remain deficient in some necessary nutrients. Nutritional supplements can also help in this respect. Smokers vitamin supplements can thus help you effectively overcome the harm of second-hand smoke, and at the same time help you maintain a healthy body.