When smokers quit -- What are the benefits over time?

20 minutes after quitting:
Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
(Effect of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure Amplification, Mahmud, A, Feely, J. 2003. Hypertension:41:183.)

12 hours after quitting:

The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1988, p. 202)

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting:

Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp.193, 194,196, 285, 323)

1 to 9 months after quitting:

Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. 285-287, 304)

1 year after quitting:

The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

5 years after quitting:

Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

10 years after quitting:

The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease, too.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. vi, 131, 148, 152, 155, 164,166)

15 years after quitting:

The risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a non-smoker's.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

Immediate rewards of quitting
Kicking the tobacco habit offers some benefits that you'll notice right away and some that will develop over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life a great deal.
your breath smells better
stained teeth get whiter
bad smelling clothes and hair go away
your yellow fingers and fingernails disappear
food tastes better
your sense of smell returns to normal
everyday activities no longer leave you out of breath (such as climbing stairs or light housework)

Cost
The prospect of better health is a major reason for quitting, but there are other reasons, too.
Smoking is expensive. It isn't hard to figure out how much you spend on smoking: multiply how much money you spend on tobacco every day by 365 (days per year). The amount may surprise you. Now multiply that by the number of years you have been using tobacco and that amount will probably shock you.
Multiply the cost per year by 10 (for the next 10 years) and ask yourself what you would rather do with that much money.
And this doesn't include other possible costs, such as higher costs for health and life insurance, and likely health care costs due to tobacco-related problems.

Social acceptance
Smoking is less socially acceptable now than it was in the past.
Almost all workplaces now have some type of smoking rules. Some employers even prefer to hire non-smokers. Studies show smoking employees cost businesses more because they are out sick more. Employees who are ill more often than others can raise an employer's need for expensive short-term replacement workers. They can increase insurance costs both for other employees and for the employer, who often pays part of the workers’ insurance premiums. Smokers in a building also can increase the maintenance costs of keeping odors down, since residue from cigarette smoke clings to carpets, drapes, and other fabrics.
Landlords may choose not to rent to smokers since maintenance costs and insurance rates may rise when smokers live in buildings.
Friends may ask you not to smoke in their homes or cars. Public buildings, concerts, and even sporting events are largely smoke-free. And more and more communities are restricting smoking in all public places, including restaurants and bars. Like it or not, finding a place to smoke can be a hassle.
Smokers may also find their prospects for dating or romantic involvement, including marriage, are largely limited to other smokers, who make up less than 20% of the adult population.

Health of others
Smoking not only harms your health but it hurts the health of those around you. Exposure to secondhand smoke (also called environmental tobacco smoke or passive smoking) includes exhaled smoke as well as smoke from burning cigarettes.
Studies have shown that secondhand smoke causes thousands of deaths each year from lung cancer and heart disease in healthy non-smokers.
If a mother smokes, there is a higher risk of her baby developing asthma in childhood, especially if she smoked while she was pregnant. Smoking is also linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and low-birth weight infants. Babies and children raised in a household where there is smoking have more ear infections, colds, bronchitis, and other lung and breathing problems than children from non-smoking families. Secondhand smoke can also cause eye irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.

Setting an example
If you have children, you probably want to set a good example for them. When asked, nearly all smokers say they don't want their children to smoke, but children whose parents smoke are more likely to start smoking themselves. You can become a good role model for them by quitting now.

* http://www.cancer.org/

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why you should quit smoking

Your health
Health concerns usually top the list of reasons people give for quitting smoking. This is a very real concern: About half of all smokers who keep smoking will end up dying from a smoking-related illness.

Cancer
Nearly everyone knows that smoking can cause lung cancer, but few people realize it is also a risk factor for many other kinds of cancer too, including cancer of the mouth, voice box (larynx), throat (pharynx), esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, stomach, and some leukemias.

Lung diseases
Pneumonia has been included in the list of diseases known to be caused by smoking since 2004. Smoking also increases your risk of getting lung diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These diseases are grouped together under the term COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD causes chronic illness and disability, and worsens over time -- sometimes becoming fatal. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis can be found in people as young as 40, but are usually found later in life, when the symptoms get much worse. Long-term smokers have the highest risk of developing severe COPD.

Heart attacks, strokes, and blood vessel diseases
Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as are non-smokers. And smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. Smoking also affects the walls of the vessels that carry blood to the brain (carotid arteries), which can cause strokes. Men who smoke are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction (impotence) because of blood vessel disease.

Blindness and other problems
Smoking causes an increased risk of macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of blindness in older people. It also causes premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, bad-smelling clothes and hair, yellow fingernails.

Special risks to women and babies
Women have some unique risks linked to smoking. Women over 35 who smoke and use birth control pills have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots of the legs. Women who smoke are more likely to miscarry (lose the baby) or have a lower birth-weight baby. And low birth-weight babies are more likely to die, or have learning and physical problems.

Years of life lost due to smoking
Based on data collected in the late 1990s, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking. And given the diseases that smoking can cause, it can steal your quality of life long before you die. Smoking-related illness can limit your activities by making it harder to breathe, get around, work, or play.

Why quit now?
No matter how old you are or how long you've smoked, quitting can help you live longer and be healthier. People who stop smoking before age 50 cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years in half compared with those who keep smoking. Ex-smokers enjoy a higher quality of life with fewer illnesses from cold and flu viruses, better self-reported health, and reduced rates of bronchitis and pneumonia.

For decades the Surgeon General has reported the health risks linked to smoking.
In 1990, the Surgeon General concluded:
Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. These benefits apply to people who already have smoking-related disease and those who don't.
Ex-smokers live longer than people who keep smoking.
Quitting smoking lowers the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.
Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth-weight baby to that of women who never smoked.
The health benefits of quitting smoking are far greater than any risks from the small weight gain (usually less than 10 pounds) or any emotional or psychological problems that may follow quitting.

* www.cancer.org

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Quit Smoking it's not easy, but you can do it

Why is it so hard to quit smoking?
Mark Twain said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times." Maybe you've tried to quit, too. Why is quitting and staying quit hard for so many people? The answer is nicotine.

Nicotine
Nicotine is a drug found naturally in tobacco. It is highly addictive -- as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over time, a person becomes physically and emotionally addicted to (dependent on) nicotine. Studies have shown that smokers must deal with both the physical and psychological (mental) dependence to quit and stay quit.

How nicotine gets in, where it goes, and how long it stays
When you inhale smoke, nicotine is carried deep into your lungs. There it is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and carried throughout your body. Nicotine affects many parts of the body, including your heart and blood vessels, your hormones, your metabolism, and your brain. Nicotine can be found in breast milk and even in mucus from the cervix of a female smoker. During pregnancy, nicotine freely crosses the placenta and has been found in amniotic fluid and the umbilical cord blood of newborn infants.
Several different factors can affect how long it takes the body to remove nicotine and its by-products. In most cases, regular smokers will still have nicotine or its by-products, such as cotinine, in their bodies for about 3 to 4 days after stopping.

How nicotine hooks smokers
Nicotine produces pleasant feelings that make the smoker want to smoke more. It also acts as a kind of depressant by interfering with the flow of information between nerve cells. As the nervous system adapts to nicotine, smokers tend to increase the number of cigarettes they smoke. This, in turn, increases the amount of nicotine in the smoker's blood. After a while, the smoker develops a tolerance to the drug. Tolerance means that it takes more nicotine to get the same effect that the smoker used to get from smaller amounts. This leads to an increase in smoking over time. The smoker reaches a certain nicotine level and then keeps smoking to maintain this level of nicotine. In fact, nicotine inhaled in cigarette smoke reaches the brain faster than drugs that enter the body intravenously (IV).

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms can lead quitters back to smoking
When smokers try to cut back or quit, the lack of nicotine leads to withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal is both physical and mental. Physically, the body reacts to the absence of nicotine. Mentally, the smoker is faced with giving up a habit, which calls for a major change in behavior. The physical and mental both must be addressed for the quitting process to work.
Those who have smoked regularly for a few weeks or longer, and suddenly stop using tobacco or greatly reduce the amount smoked, will have withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms usually start within a few hours of the last cigarette and peak about 2 to 3 days later when most of the nicotine and its by-products are out of the body. Withdrawal symptoms can last for a few days to up to several weeks.

Withdrawal symptoms can include any of the following:
dizziness (which may only last 1 to 2 days after quitting)
depression
feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger
anxiety
irritability
sleep disturbances, including having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and having bad dreams or even nightmares
trouble concentrating
restlessness
headaches
tiredness
increased appetite

These symptoms can lead the smoker to start smoking cigarettes again to boost blood levels of nicotine back to a level where there are no symptoms. (For information on coping with withdrawal, see the section, "How to quit.")
Smoking also makes your body get rid of certain drugs faster than usual. When you quit smoking, it changes the way your body handles some medicines. Ask your doctor if any medicines you take regularly need to be checked or changed after you quit.

* http://www.cancer.org/

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Treatment for mesothelioma

Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the tumor, stage of disease and patient 's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.

The surgery is a treatment for mesothelioma.
The doctor mayremove a section of the wall of the chest or abdomen and some tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes, part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also deleted.

Radiation therapy
Also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and reduce tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells in the treated area. Radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or to materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).

Chemotherapy
is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells in the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenously or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).

To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor in may using a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has accumulated in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for the removal of the breast fluid is called thoracentesis. Withdrawal of fluid in the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in his chest to prevent the accumulation of fluid. Radiotherapy and surgery in also useful in relieving symptoms.

www.cancer.gov

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Mesothelioma Lawsuit

A mesothelioma lawsuit is filed by a victim of mesothelioma, in order to recover damages related to its development of this cancer associated with asbestos. A case of mesothelioma can help a victim seek compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings and pain and suffering. Mesothelioma is almost exclusively as a result of toxic exposure to asbestos. The disease can remain dormant in a victim for a period of up to forty years, so that people who were exposed to asbestos in the environment in the 1950s may still be at risk of developing the disease.

Who is at risk?
Asbestos has been used for over 5000 products in the last hundred years. Asbestos is a natural mineral that is used to make products such as brakes of vehicles and building materials. Asbestos is added to these products as aid in the heat and corrosion resistance. The deadly effects of asbestos have been known for over sixty years, although still used in a variety of industries. People in the construction, automotive, factories, railways, shipyards, industries and custody may be at risk for serious health consequences resulting from toxic exposure to asbestos.

More common in men
Mesothelioma affects men three to five times as often as it affects women. It is diagnosed in patients at a mean age of 50 to 70 years. Once diagnosed, mesothelioma is fatal. The average survival time after diagnosis is only one year, because the cancer is usually in its advanced stages by the time they were discovered. For people who are diagnosed earlier, about half survive for two years and twenty percent to five years.

Why file a mesothelioma lawsuit?
A mesothelioma claim can be filed within the legal system in order to obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings and pain and suffering associated with the development of this disease. Employers and Manufacturers of products containing asbestos can be held liable for injuries that develop as a result, especially when they are aware of the risks associated with the level of exposure that has caused or permitted. Contact a lawyer is often the first step in discovering what their legal rights and options could be in a lawsuit mesothelioma.

http://www.asbestosnews.com/html/lawsuit.html

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Living with malignant mesothelioma

Any type of cancer is not only a physical illness. People with cancer often suffer from depression and anxiety, have low self-esteem and feelings of guilt and the struggle with helplessness and fear. A diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma may feel like a death sentence. It is also very difficult for family members and friends, who feel their own pain and fear about the disease. Often family members who are involved in financial decisions and care are not willing to do. You may have to give up their jobs or time with his family to accompany the sick person to the hospital and visits to the doctor or to provide support and care at home. These are additional stress factors for family members. Although the feelings of stress, anxiety, pain and depression are normal, should not be ignored.

Good guidance, whether a therapist, a social worker, clergy, or a nurse or other health professional with experience in coping with cancer, help patients and their families. Many communities have support groups for cancer. Hospice care is usually available and can be very useful not only in relation to pain, but to help the patient and family to say goodbye. If depression or anxiety are important in connection with the drug may be necessary. Feelings of suicide should be discussed with a doctor immediately.

Patients can also make self-care and read books on how to deal with cancer available in the local library. There are many mesothelioma support groups on the Internet. Since malignant mesothelioma is a disease, some patients can have friends who have a disease related to asbestos that can be discussed with. Having a long-term task of any kind can keep people motivated and interested in life.

End of life financial planning should be done. This can be particularly difficult and painful project to find a financial planner who is experienced in working with patients is important. Dealing with issues of money and disease, while fractures and can cause problems between family members no matter how deeply the attention for each other, so having a good support system is invaluable for all.

Malignant mesothelioma, because it is caused by exposure to asbestos, which differs from other types of cancer. People with mesothelioma have the option to file lawsuits for personal injury. An application can be a difficult process for a sick person, but the money can alleviate some of the settlement costs of medical treatment and care, and the filing of a lawsuit often gives people a sense that they are doing something to care for themselves or their families when we feel powerless.

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Malignant mesothelioma

A malignant tumor of the mesothelium is called malignant mesothelioma, however, malignant mesothelioma is often simply called mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is divided into 3 main types:
* Epitelioide (50% to 70% are of this type) - this guy has the best prospects for survival
* Sarcomatoid (7% and 20% are of this type)
* Mixed / biphasic (20% to 35% are of this type)

Treatment options are the same for all 3 types.
Approximately 75% of mesothelioma begin in the thoracic cranial cavity. They are known as pleural mesothelioma. Another 10% to 20% starting in the abdomen. These are called peritoneal mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma starts in the cranial cavity around the heart and is very rare. The layer covering the testes in a outpouching currently PERITONEUM in SCROTUM. Mesothelioma that affects the extent of the testicles can occur but are rare.

It is important not to be confused with malignant mesothelioma benign tumors that begin in the mesothelium. The mesothelium of some male and female reproductive organs can develop a type of benign tumor called an adenomatoid tumor. In men, this cancerous tumor often starts in EPIDIDYMIS (a small cluster of pipelines transporting sperm from the testicles). In women, this tumor may begin in the Fallopian tubes (the tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus or womb). Another non-cancer tumor that may begin in the mesothelium, the female reproductive organs is called benign cystic mesothelioma.

A type of benign tumor is called benign fibrous mesothelioma may lie in the pleura surrounding the lungs. Doctors now know that this tumor actually starts from tissue under the mesothelium, and not from mesothelial cells. For this reason, the new name for this tumor is the sole fibrous tumor of the pleura. The disease is usually not cancer, but the cancer can occur. The same illness from PERITONEUM called solitary fibrous tumor in PERITONEUM. The tumors described here are usually removed by surgery, and there is no need for further treatment. Malignant mesothelioma is discussed later in this document.

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Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the abdomen, in the mesothelial cells that form the peritoneum. The peritoneum is a membranous layer that is made up of two 'sub-layers' called the parietal and visceral layers. The parietal layer covers the abdominal cavity, while the visceral layer surrounds abdominal organs. Together these two layers provide support and protection for abdominal organs and the abdominal cavity as a whole.

How Does Asbestos Cause Peritoneal Mesothelioma?
There are two main theories:
Asbestos fibers are ingested, and these fibers work their way from digestive organs into the peritoneal membrane.
Asbestos fibers are inhaled, and travel to the peritoneal membrane via the lymphatic system.

Symptoms:
* Abdominal pain or swelling
* Changes in bowel habits (such as diarrhea or constipation)
* Development of lumps under the skin on the abdomen
* Night sweats or fever
* Unexplained weight loss
* Nausea or vomiting
* Fatigue
* Anemia

Diagnosis:
A peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis cannot be made on the basis of symptoms alone. The diagnostic process begins with a thorough medical history and physical examination, followed by sophisticated diagnostic testing, such as a CT scan, PET scan, or MRI.
Following these imaging tests, a biopsy is usually performed to confirm that the cancer involved is indeed mesothelioma. A biopsy is a minor surgical procedure that involves the removal of fluid or tissue from the peritoneum.
After the biopsy, the fluid and tissue is tested in a laboratory for the presence of mesothelioma cells.

Treatment
Some peritoneal mesothelioma patients can opt for intraperitoneal chemotherapy, in which drugs are injected directly into the peritoneum, immediately following surgery. In some cases, patients may undergo radiation therapy first - to shrink tumors - before undergoing surgery.
Most patients, however, are not good candidates for surgery; either because their cancer has spread too extensively or because their general health is not good enough to cope with the stress of surgery. These patients are usually limited to palliative treatment options. Palliative treatments do not attempt to cure a patient - instead they are designed to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life for peritoneal mesothelioma patients.

http://www.asbestos.com/

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Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma develops in the lining of the lungs. This lining is called the pleura, or pleural membrane, and it is made up of mesothelial cells. This pleural membrane consists of two layers - the parietal layer, and the visceral layer. The parietal layer is an outer layer that lines the entire chest cavity and diaphragm, while the visceral layer is an inner layer that covers the lungs. Together, these two layers provide support and protection for the lungs and the chest cavity.

Asbestos Cause Pleural Mesothelioma

The method by which asbestos causes pleural mesothelioma is much better understood than for other types of mesothelioma. In cases of pleural mesothelioma, asbestos exposure occurs via inhalation of asbestos fibers. Once these fibers have entered the lungs, they work their way to the pleural membrane, and the body experiences great difficulty in expelling these fibers. Over a long period of time - typically two decades or more - asbestos fibers cause changes in these pleural cells, which may cause scarring of the lungs and, eventually, the formation of tumors. When pleural cells become cancerous, they are no longer regulated by the mechanisms that control division of normal healthy cells. They begin to divide continuously, and this causes thickening of pleural membranes. As a result, lung capacity is reduced, and fluid begins to build up between pleural layers.

Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma

• Persistent dry or raspy cough
• Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
• Difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
• Shortness of breath that occurs even when at rest (dyspnea)
• Persistent pain in the chest or rib area, or painful breathing
• Development of lumps under the skin on the chest
• Night sweats or fever
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue

Diagnosis

X-rays or CT-Scans are often used to diagnose pleural mesothelioma.
Pleural mesothelioma diagnosis is made partly on the basis of symptoms, but because symptoms are non-specific, additional diagnostic tests are needed to confirm the presence of cancer. Following a medical history review and physical examination, patients must typically undergo imaging tests to confirm the location of cancer, and fluid and tissue tests to confirm the type of cancer involved.

Treatment
In general, pleural mesothelioma patients have three options: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Typically, patients will receive a combination of two or more of these types of treatment.

http://www.asbestos.com/

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Types of Mesothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma – affects the chest and lungs

Pleural mesothelioma is not always easily detectable. Frequently, in the early stages of the disease, symptoms may be mild. Patients usually report pain in one area of the chest that never seems to go away, weight loss and fever. Occasionally, other symptoms are more severe and include problems with breathing due to fluid build up in the chest. A CT Scan of the chest area has proven to be the best test for identifying how far along the disease has progressed.

Frequently serum markers are used to diagnose of various forms of cancer. Mesothelioma cannot be diagnosed using this method as no serum markers currently exist. If high levels of hyaluronic acid are present it may be possible to distinguish mesothelioma from other types of cancer or to determine the effectiveness of a treatment protocol.

The survival rate for patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma typically is not high. Patients typically do not live beyond seventeen months from the onset of symptoms. Only 8% of those diagnosed with mesothelioma will live three to five years from the onset of symptoms.

Pericardial Mesothelioma – affects the heart

Pericardial mesothelioma is the least common form of mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma, as the name suggests, involves the heart. This rare type of mesothelioma invades the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart. As the cancer progresses, the heart is not able to deliver oxygen as efficiently to the body causing further decline in health at an increasingly rapid rate. The symptoms most commonly associated with pericardial mesothelioma mimic those of a heart attack: nausea, pain in the chest and shortness of breath.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma – affects the abdomen

Peritoneal mesothelioma originates in the abdomen and will frequently spread to other organs in area including the liver, spleen or bowel. Severe abdominal pain is the most common complaint that patients present to their doctor. There may also be a discomfort level with fluid build up in the abdomen as well. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include difficult bowel movements, nausea and vomiting, fever and swollen feet.

The survival rate is even worse for those diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma will patients typically surviving only ten months from time that they first started experiencing the symptoms noted above.

Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer and of all asbestos related diseases, the most serious. The symptoms associated with the disease make it difficult for doctors to diagnose. Often, by the time that a proper diagnosis is made, the disease has progressed to a point where patients do not respond well to treatment therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is caused almost exclusively by the inhalation of airborne asbestos particles. Another unique factor associated with the disease is that there can be a long latency period between the time an individual is exposed to asbestos and the actual manifestation of the disease in the form of malignant mesothelioma.

Benign Mesothelioma – affects the peritoneum

Cystic mesothelioma primarily affects women of younger age and affects the peritoneum. This type of mesothelioma is not frequently diagnosed and is also not a malignant form of the disease. It is, however, extremely difficult to identify and requires specialized microscopes and immunologic techniques to aid in diagnosis.

Mesothelioma in Uncommon Sites

A form of cardiac cancer that is rarely seen involves the pericardium. Tumors associated with this type of mesothelioma are not easily detectable and patients presented with this diagnosis tend to have a very low survival rate. There have also been reports of mesothelioma involving ovaries in women and the scrotum in men. Treatment for all of these rare forms of mesothelioma will vary depending on what stage a patient has progressed to but in most all cases the projected outcome is not favorable.

http://www.mesothelioma.com/

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Mesothelioma Diagnosis

A review of the patient's medical history is an important part in assessing the risk of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma's symptoms are not unique to it and the disease's relative rarity, so cases of mesothelioma misdiagnosed are not uncommon.

As a first step in diagnosing the disease, the doctor may order an x-ray of the chest or abdomen or a CT (or CAT) scan or MRI may be performed. Although mesothelioma typically cannot be seen on an x-ray, the tumor often causes a pleural effusion, or fluid collection between the lung and chest wall. This abnormal finding is associated with shortness of breath and warrants clinical follow up. Lung function tests may also be completed.

The doctor may look inside the chest cavity with a special instrument called a thoracoscope. A cut will be made through the chest wall and the thoracoscope will be put into the chest between two ribs. This test, called thoracoscopy, is usually done in the hospital. Before the test, the patient will be given a local anesthetic (a drug that causes a loss of feeling for a short period of time). Some pressure may be felt, but usually there is no pain.

The doctor may also look inside the abdomen (peritoneoscopy) with a special tool called a peritoneoscope. The peritoneoscope is put into an opening made in the abdomen. This test is also usually done in the hospital. Before the test is done, a local anesthetic will be given.
If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and have it reviewed under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. Biopsies are usually done during the thoracoscopy or peritoneoscopy.

Diagnosing mesothelioma is very difficult, and cases of mesothelioma misdiagnosed are unfortunately not uncommon. It is important to share your case history of work experience (especially in shipyards and at construction sites) and asbestos exposure potential with your physicians if you feel mesothelioma is a risk. Asbestos fibres can also be carried into the home on clothing, inadvertently exposing the deadly fibres, and the risk of mesothelioma, to family members.

A mesothelioma diagnosis is serious, but treatments are available. The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on the size of the cancer, where the cancer is, how far the cancer has spread, how the cancer cells look under the microscope, how the cancer responds to treatment, and the patient's age. As with most types of cancer, early diagnosis is an excellent first step in fighting the disease.

http://www.mesotheliomacenter.org/

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Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart, the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.

The mesothelium that covers the internal organs is called the visceral mesothelium, while the layer that covers the body wall is called parietal mesothelium.

Mesothelium tissue also surrounds the male internal reproductive organs and covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of this mesothelium, in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide uncontrollably and without order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the thoracic cavity (pleura) or the abdominal cavity (peritoneum).

Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States, comprising around 3 percent of all cancer diagnoses. This cancer occurs more frequently in men than in women, about four times more frequent. All forms of mesothelioma, except for benign mesothelioma, are invariably fatal. The prognosis for mesothelioma is almost always poor and most studies report a median survival of less than one year, but the prognosis really depends on how early it is diagnosed and aggressively it is treated.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma.

Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).

The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss.

The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung.

Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

http://www.asbestos.com/

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Pregnancy Smoking Facts

Smoking More than half a pack a day may cause infertility or irregular menstrual cycles in women.

Menopause often occurs earlier in women who smoke than in women who do not.

Pregnant women pass any chemicals they take in (from food, tobacco, alcohol and so on) to their unborn children through the placenta.

Women who smoke during pregnancy can slow down the baby's growth by reducing the amount of oxygen and increasing the amount of carbon monoxide that the baby receives during a critical time when its brain and nervous system are developing.

Babies born of mothers who smoke frequently during pregnancy are on the average 7 ounces lighter than other babies.

Smoking while pregnant increases the chances of spontaneous abortions (miscarriages) stillbirths and premature labor.

Women who smoke have higher risks of giving birth to babies with birth defects or abnormalities.

In 2002, 11.4 percent of mothers smoked during pregnancy.

Mothers who smoke can pass nicotine to their children through breast milk.

Infants born to mothers who smoke are more likely to develop colds, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases such as asthma. The odds of developing asthma are twice as high among children whose mothers smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day.

http://www.smoking-facts.net/

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Teen Smoking Facts

Each day 3,000 children smoke their first cigarette.

At least 3 million adolescents are smokers.

Tobacco use primarily begins in early adolescence, typically by age 16.

Almost all first use occurs before high school graduation.

20 percent of American teens smoke.

Roughly 6 million teens in the US today smoke despite the knowledge that it is addictive and leads to disease.

Of every 100,000 15 year old smokers, tobacco will prematurely kill at least 20,000 before the age of 70.

Of the 3,000 teens who started smoking today, nearly 1,000 will eventually die as a result from smoking.

Adolescent girls who smoke and take oral birth control pills greatly increase their chances of having blood clots and strokes.According to the Surgeon's General, Teenagers who smoke were:

Three times more likely to use alcohol.

Eight times are likely to smoke marijuana.

And 22 times more likely to use Cocaine.

Although only 5 percent of high school smokers said that they would definitely be smoking five years later, close to 75 percent were still smoking 7 to 9 years later.

A person who starts smoking at age 13 will have a more difficult time quitting, has more health-related problems and probably will die earlier than a person who begins to smoke at age 21.

Kids who smoke experience changes in the lungs and reduced lung growth, and they risk not achieving normal lung function as an adult.

Kids who smoke have significant health problems, including cough and phlegm production, decreased physical fitness and unfavorable lipid profile.

If your child's best friends smoke, then your youngster is 13 times more likely to smoke than if his or her friends did not smoke.

More than 90 percent of adult smokers started when they were teens.

Adolescents who have two parents who smoke are more than twice as likely as youth without smoking parents to become smokers.

A 2001 Survey found that 69.4 percent of teenage smokers reported never being asked for proof of age when buying cigarettes in a store. The same survey found that 62.4 percent were allowed to buy cigarettes even when the retailer was aware they were under eighteen.

http://www.smoking-facts.net/

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IMMEDIATELY AFTER QUITTING...

Develop a clean, fresh, nonsmoking environment around yourself - at work and at home. Buy yourself flowers - you may be surprised how much you can enjoy their scent now.

The first few days after you quit, spend as much free time as possible in places where smoking isn't allowed, such as libraries, museums, theaters, department stores, and churches. This is the most important time to stay focused. You don't want to be around smokers if possible.

Drink large quantities of water and fruit juice (but avoid sodas that contain caffeine).

Try to avoid alcohol, coffee, and other beverages that you associate with cigarette smoking.

Strike up a conversation instead of a match for a cigarette.

If you miss the sensation of having a cigarette in your hand, play with something else, a pencil, a paper clip, a marble.

If you do miss having something in your mouth, Try picking up a bag of lolli pop's at the store.

Try toothpicks or a fake cigarette. You could be amazed how much of your addiction is based on the habit form of hand-to-mouth.

Avoid temptation

Instead of smoking after meals, get up from the table and brush your teeth or go for a walk.
If you always smoke while driving, get rid of the cigarette lighter and ashtray, bring some juice to sip on, listen to a particularly interesting radio program or your favorite music, or take public transportation for a while, if you can.

For the first 1-3 weeks, avoid situations you strongly associate with the pleasurable aspects of smoking, such as watching your favorite TV program, sitting in your favorite chair, or having a cocktail before dinner.

Until you're confident of your ability to stay off cigarettes, limit your socializing to healthful, outdoor activities or situations where smoking isn't allowed.

If you must be in a situation where you'll be tempted to smoke (such as a cocktail or dinner party), try to associate with the nonsmokers there. Your not going to want to be socializing with a group of people that are going to go outside for a cigarette break.

Try to analyze cigarette ads to understand how they attempt to "sell" you on individual brands.

* http://www.quit4good.com/

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BEFORE COMPLETELY QUITTING... THE DAY YOU QUIT...

Practice going without cigarettes.

Don't think of NEVER smoking again. Think of quitting in terms of 1 day at a time.

Tell yourself you won't smoke today, and then don't.

Clean your clothes to rid them of the cigarette smell, which can linger a long time.

Throw away all your cigarettes and matches. Hide your lighters and ashtrays.

Visit the dentist and have your teeth cleaned to get rid of tobacco stains. Notice how nice they look, and resolve to keep them that way.

Make a list of things you'd like to buy for yourself or someone else. Estimate the cost in terms of packs of cigarettes, and put the money aside to buy these presents.

Keep very busy on the big day. Go to the movies, exercise, take long walks, go bike riding, Just keep busy.

Remind your family and friends that this is your quit date, and ask them to help you over the rough spots of the first couple of days and weeks.

Buy yourself a gift or do something special to celebrate.

* http://www.quit4good.com/

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DIFFERENT WAYS TO QUIT SMOKING

Switch brands. Switch to a brand that is not as enjoyable as your regular brand.

Change to a brand that's low in tar and nicotine a couple of weeks before your target date. This will help change your smoking behavior. However, DO NOT smoke more cigarettes, inhale them more often or more deeply, or place your fingertips over the holes in the filters. All of these will increase your nicotine intake, and the idea is to get your body used to functioning without nicotine. (If you smoke regular, go from regular to lights, then from lights to ultra lights.)

Cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke.

Smoke only half of each cigarette.

Each day, postpone lighting your first cigarette 1 hour.

Decide you'll smoke only during odd or even hours of the day.

Decide beforehand how many cigarettes you'll smoke during the day. For each additional cigarette, give a dollar to your favorite charity.

Change your eating habits to help you cut down. For example, drink milk, which many people consider incompatible with smoking. End meals or snacks with something that won't lead to a cigarette.

Reach for a glass of juice or some fruit instead of a cigarette for a "pick-me-up." ( The healthier you feel , the stronger you are.)

Remember: Cutting down can help you quit, but it's not a substitute for quitting. If you're down to about seven cigarettes a day, it's time to set your target date and get ready to stick to it.

Don't Smoke "Automatically" !

Smoke only those cigarettes you really want. Catch yourself before you light up a cigarette out of pure habit!

Don't empty your ashtrays. This will remind you of how many cigarettes you've smoked each day, and the sight and smell of stale butts will be very unpleasant.

Make yourself aware of each cigarette by using the opposite hand or putting cigarettes in an unfamiliar location or a different pocket to break the automatic reach.

If you light up many times during the day without even thinking about it, try to look in a mirror each time you put a match to your cigarette - you may decide you don't need it.

Make smoking inconvenient

Stop buying cigarettes by the carton. Wait until one pack is empty before you buy another.

Stop carrying cigarettes with you at home and at work. Make them difficult to get to.

If you usually smoke indoors , go outside!

Make smoking unpleasant

Smoke only under circumstances that aren't especially pleasurable for you. If you like to smoke with others, smoke alone. Turn your chair toward an empty corner and focus only on the cigarette you are smoking and its many negative effects. Collect all you cigarette butts in one large glass container as a visual reminder of the filth smoking represents.

* http://www.quit4good.com/

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Beauty Recipes for Your Skin

Honey Lemon Sugar Scrub
Homemade scrub recipe for a honey and lemon sugar scrub that gently exfoliates your skin.
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup sweet almond oil
4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons honey
4 drops lemon essential oil
To make the sugar scrub, combine the sugar and sweet almond oil in a large bowl and stir well to combine. Add the lemon juice and stir again. Finally, add the honey and lemon essential oil and stir again to mix.

Homemade Bath Salt Recipes
Homemade bath salt recipes to soothe your skin and relax your aching muscles and joints.
Dead Sea Salts & Coconut Oil
3 cups Dead Sea salt
15-24 drops of your favorite essential oil
1 tbsp coconut oil (as a moisturizer)
Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
To use add 1/2 cup of the salts to running bath water and mix well so the salts dissolve completely before you enter the tub.

Basic Recipe for Homemade Bath Salts
Homemade Bath Salts are very easy to make.
Start with Dead Sea Salts, Kosher Salts or Epsom Salts (you can find these at any grocery store) - or a mix of any of them.
Then, add any of the following - slowly to not dissolve the salts - (all of the following ingredients are optional, so choose your favorites for the perfect bath salt recipe)
Baking Soda
Your Favorite Essential Oils

Dried Milk

Liquid Glycerin Soap

Dried Flowers

Dried Mint Leaves

Oatmeal
Combine your favorite ingredients and place into an attractive container. Keep your bath salts or give them as a gift to someone you love.

Almond Rose Body Lotion
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
Rose petals
3 tbsp vodka
water
1 tbsp beeswax – grated
4 drops vitamin E oil
Start by filling a clean Mason jar ¾ of the way with rose petals. Add the vodka then fill the jar up with water. Stir well and set it aside for 1 to 2 weeks. Strain and keep in an airtight jar.
Combine the almond oil and beeswax in a double boiler, or put them in a glass bowl and microwave in 30 sec. intervals. Stir gently until the beeswax is melted.
Take the mixture of the heat and slowly add ¼ cup of the rosewater, stirring constantly. Let the mixture cool completely, then add the vitamin E oil.
Store the lotion in a clean container with a tight fitting lid.

Lotion Recipe for Dry Skin
Ingredients
3/4 cup of almond oil
1/3 cup of coconut oil or cocoa butter
1 teaspoon lanolin
1/2 oz grated beeswax
2/3 cup rosewater
1/3 cup aloe vera gel
1 to 2 drops rose oil
1 vitamin E capsule
Directions
Melt almond oil, coconut oil, lanolin and beeswax over low heat. Mix well and let cool.
Mix rosewater, aloe vera gel and rose oil. Add the contents of the vitamin E capsule. Whip this mixture into the beeswax mixture until well blended. Store in a jar with a tight lid.

http://www.mybeautyrecipes.com/

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Beauty Recipes for Your Face

You don't have to be like this picture to protect your face...

You can make your own beauty recipes for your face...

Grape Cleanser Recipe
Grape juice makes an excellent cleanser for any skin type. Simply split one or two large grapes, remove pips and rub the flesh over face and neck. Rinse off with cool water.

Banana Wrinkle Fighter Recipe
Banana is wonderful as an anti-wrinkle treatment. Mash 1/4 banana until very creamy. Spread all over face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water followed by a dash of cold. Gently pat dry.

Facial Exfoliater Recipe
2 heaped tsp fine oatmeal1 tsp. baking soda. Combine ingredients, and add enough water to make a paste. Apply to skin and rub gently. Rinse and gently pat dry.

Honey Mask Recipe
The best facial mask is honey. Place a cloth in warm water and apply to your face to open the pores. Smear on honey, and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, then use cold water to close the pores. Use once a week.

Avocado Facial Recipe
Avocado is a naturally rich moisturizer. Mash the meat of the avocado into a creamy texture. Massage into the face and neck . Leave on for 15 minutes and gently rinse off.

Facial Mask Recipe
Squeeze half a lemon and mix the juice with one beaten egg white. Leave on your face overnight or, for a quick pick-me-up, just 15 minutes. Splash warm water on your face to rinse.It helps to removes blotches, because the lemon works as a bleaching agent.

Lighten Circles under Eyes Recipe
To lighten dark circles under your eyes, wrap a grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply to eyelids for 15-20 minutes. Wipe off residue and apply an eye cream.

Egg & Honey Mask Recipe
Mix together 1 tablespoon honey, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon almond oil and 1 tablespoon yogurt. Honey stimulates and smoothes, egg and almond oil penetrate and moisturize, and yogurt refines and tightens pores.

Egg, Avocado & Mud Facial Mask Recipe
Clay is available in powder form at any health food store. Mix 1 tablespoon dry clay with 1 egg yolk, 1/4 of a mashed avocado and enough witch hazel to create a smooth mixture. Mud dries excess sebum while the egg yolk and avocado replenish lost moisture. Witch hazel tones.

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Physical Activity in Your Daily Life

At Home
It's convenient, comfortable and safe to work out at home. It allows your children to see you being active, which sets a good example for them. You can combine exercise with other activities, such as watching TV. If you buy exercise equipment, it's a one-time expense and other family members can use it. It's easy to have short bouts of activity several times a day. Try these tips:
Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it.
Work in the garden or mow the grass. Using a riding mower doesn't count! Rake leaves, prune, dig and pick up trash.
Go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both! Start with 5-10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes.
Walk or bike to the corner store instead of driving.
When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk. Choose a hilly route. When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa. Better yet, spend a few minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle while watching TV. Throw away your video remote control. Instead of asking someone to bring you a drink, get up off the couch and get it yourself.
Stand up while talking on the telephone.
Walk the dog.
Park farther away at the shopping mall and walk the extra distance. Wear your walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall.
Stretch to reach items in high places and squat or bend to look at items at floor level.
Keep exercise equipment repaired and use it!


At the Office
Most of us have sedentary jobs. Work takes up a significant part of the day. What can you do to increase your physical activity during the work day? Why not...:
Brainstorm project ideas with a co-worker while taking a walk.
Stand while talking on the telephone.
Walk down the hall to speak with someone rather than using the telephone.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or get off a few floors early and take the stairs the rest of the way.
Walk while waiting for the plane at the airport.
Stay at hotels with fitness centers or swimming pools and use them while on business trips.
Take along a jump rope in your suitcase when you travel. Jump and do calisthenics in your hotel room.
Participate in or start a recreation league at your company.
Form a sports team to raise money for charity events.
Join a fitness center or Y near your job. Work out before or after work to avoid rush-hour traffic, or drop by for a noon workout.
Schedule exercise time on your business calendar and treat it as any other important appointment.
Get off the bus a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way to work or home.
Walk around your building for a break during the work day or during lunch.


At Play
Play and recreation are important for good health. Look for opportunities such as these to be active and have fun at the same time:
Plan family outings and vacations that include physical activity (hiking, backpacking, swimming, etc.)
See the sights in new cities by walking, jogging or bicycling.
Make a date with a friend to enjoy your favorite physical activities. Do them regularly.
Play your favorite music while exercising, something that motivates you.
Dance with someone or by yourself. Take dancing lessons. Hit the dance floor on fast numbers instead of slow ones.
Join a recreational club that emphasizes physical activity.
At the beach, sit and watch the waves instead of lying flat. Better yet, get up and walk, run or fly a kite.
When golfing, walk instead of using a cart.
Play singles tennis or racquetball instead of doubles.
At a picnic, join in on badminton instead of croquet.
At the lake, rent a rowboat instead of a canoe.

source: http://www.americanheart.org

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