Can Your Lungs Recover From Smoking?

Author
by DR. MARY D. DALEY 

Stopping smoking is one of the best decisions you can ever make for your health. Your lungs are resilient organs and will begin to heal shortly after they are no longer exposed to toxic cigarette smoke. Within a couple weeks, your lungs will be able to clear sputum better, and your ability to breath will improve soon afterward. Later, your risk of developing lung cancer will start to fall. Although severely damaged lungs may not fully recover, smoking cessation is the best way to limit further deterioration.

Sputum Clearance

Specialized lung cells secrete sputum, the sticky substance coughed up when you have a respiratory infection. Although sputum is often considered with disdain, it plays an important role in maintaining healthy lungs. A thin layer of sputum lines the air passages of the lungs, where it traps many harmful substances and germs. Cells underneath the sputum have small hairlike cilia that sweep sputum out of the lungs and toward the throat -- a process called mucociliary clearance.

Smoking paralyzes and eventually destroys some of the cilia, weakening this natural protective mechanism and increasing the likelihood of a lung infection. In a study published in the July 2011 issue of "Respirology," mucociliary clearance returned to normal by 15 days after stopping smoking, as the cilia regained their normal function. This improvement may explain why some people cough up more sputum than usual in the first few days after they stop smoking.

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Sputum Production

Smoking irritates the lungs, triggering an increase in mucus-producing cells and increased sputum production. Excessive sputum explains why smokers often have a wet-sounding smoker’s cough. The extra sputum may also partially block the air passages, leading to difficulty breathing. Research evaluating the effects of smoking cessation on sputum production is very limited, but an article published in the "European Respiratory Journal" in March 2004 indicated that ex-smokers have fewer mucus-producing cells than current smokers. This suggests that smoking cessation reduces the number of these cells and thus the amount of sputum produced. Furthermore, coughing and excessive sputum typically decrease within 1 to 2 months after stopping smoking, according to the same article.

Breathing Ability

Reduced airflow in and out of your lungs is another consequence of smoking. This is detected by pulmonary function tests, including FEV1 -- the amount of air exhaled in the first second after taking in a maximally big breath. Smokers typically have an abnormally low FEV1, an indicator of airflow obstruction. This occurs because of airway narrowing secondary to sputum accumulation or swelling caused by inflammation. If emphysema develops, lung tissue destruction causes collapse of the air passages and further decreases airflow. Shortness of breath and wheezing are symptoms of a low FEV1.

Stopping smoking may improve FEV1 in as little as 1 week, according to a study in the October 2006 issue of the "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine." Wheezing and shortness of breath often begin to improve within 1 to 2 months, according to the March 2004 "European Respiratory Journal" article. After a year of not smoking, the FEV1 begins to fall but declines at the same rate as for nonsmokers, as reported in a study published in "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine" in February 2000. This decline reflects the normal, age-related decrease in FEV1, which is much slower than the rate of FEV1 decline in smokers.

Lung Cancer Risk

The National Cancer Institute reports that cigarette smoke contains at least 69 cancer-causing substances. Consequently, smokers have a much higher likelihood of lung cancer than nonsmokers, and the risk increases along with the amount of smoking -- number of smoking years and packs per day. Smoking cessation reduces the risk of lung cancer, but this occurs more slowly than improvements in other smoking-related lung effects.

A study published in the September 2015 issue of the "Journal of Medical Screening" noted that the risk of lung cancer 10 to 15 years after stopping smoking was approximately half the risk found in current smokers, but it was still about 15 times higher than in people who never smoked. Although the risk of lung cancer slowly declines as the number of years since stopping smoking increases, it will never reach that of those who never took up the habit. Nonetheless, the sooner you stop smoking, the lower your lifetime risk for lung cancer will be.

Next Steps

Now that you realize how stopping smoking will improve or even resolve many of the harmful effects on your lungs, you may be more convinced than ever to stop smoking. Talk with your doctor about ways to help you accomplish this. The National Cancer Institute and American Lung Association each have free smoking cessation telephone hotlines. There are several strategies to aid smoking cessation, ranging from nicotine-containing gum, sprays or patches to prescription medications. A March 2016 "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews" study that analyzed the pooled results of 53 previous studies concluded that a combination of behavioral therapy and medications was particularly likely to lead to success in stopping smoking.

Never Too Late

If your attempts to stop smoking don't succeed the first time, it is never too late to try again -- even if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema. The destroyed lung issue cannot be replaced, but you can avert further damage by quitting smoking. And even if you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, stopping smoking while it is still in the early stages can reduce the likelihood that the cancer will recur after successful treatment or that a completely new lung tumor will occur in the future, as discussed in an article in the May 2011 issue of the "International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease."

Reviewed by: Tina M. St. John, M.D.

For further information log on website :
http://www.livestrong.com/article/240258-can-your-lungs-recover-from-smoking/

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What a Day of Clean Eating Looks Like

Author
by VERONICA BOSGRAAF 

Raise your hand if you’ve been that person who has jumped from fad diet to fad diet and ended up feeling like a failure because you can’t sustain the diet deprivation.

I’ve definitely been there and always walked away thinking that something was wrong with me. I would beat myself up for not having the willpower I needed.

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Thankfully, I figured out, through the wisdom of my child, that nothing was wrong with me; rather, something was very wrong with my food. When my daughter decided at age 6 to become a vegetarian, it intrigued me. I decided to support her by cooking and eating more vegetarian foods. Since there weren’t a lot of vegetarian options in restaurants and prepackaged meals, I found myself cooking at home and creating plant-based recipes for my family.

Along the way, I realized that as I was eating more whole, real, plant-based foods, I started to lose cravings for unhealthy processed foods that usually had a hold on me, such as ice cream, cookies and chips. I found myself falling in love with foods that were delicious and good for me — mangos, blueberries, raspberries, avocados, cashews, walnuts, hummus and whole grains like quinoa, amaranth and couscous. I started to find ways to combine my favorite foods into delicious recipes and found a meditative pleasure and satisfaction in cooking with these ingredients.

When I started to choose foods I love that were also good for me, I never felt deprived, and my body felt full and satisfied. So much of eating is psychological, and so much of dieting is about deprivation. I’m convinced that’s why we fail. I don’t care how much willpower you have, eating unhealthy food with a long list of ingredients that are hard to pronounce will lead to failure every time, even if it is a “diet food.”

I shudder when people talk about not eating fruit because it has too much sugar or not eating grains because they aren’t Paleo. These are the very foods everyone should be eating. It’s only when we eat real food that our bodies are satisfied and turn off the hunger switch.

Here’s a sample menu of what we eat at home:

Breakfast: Toast with almond butter, banana, raspberries, honey and cinnamon. Coffee or green tea to drink. For the bread, I use a local organic bread with just four ingredients: wheat flour, sea salt, yeast and water.

Snack: A green smoothie with three frozen bananas, one cup of spinach, one cup of vanilla almond milk and a handful of raspberries and blueberries.

Lunch: Spinach, kale, avocado and pine nut salad. Drizzle olive oil and fresh lemon juice over ripped kale and spinach, then sprinkle with sea salt and fresh pepper and add a seeded and chopped avocado and a handful of pine nuts.

Snack: Chunky salsa or homemade hummus with organic blue corn chips.

Tea time: Ginger tea.

Dinner: Roasted cauliflower or Brussels sprouts with sweet red onion mixed with savory couscous or quinoa and served with stewed apples.

The beauty of this way of eating is that it’s so easy. I feel energetic and successful and my eating plan is sustainable. I’m in my 40s and I finally understand how to eat to maintain a healthy weight and not ever deprive myself. I am finally in the best shape of my life. My body has thanked me by how I feel and how I look — and so will yours.

-- Veronica

Veronica Bosgraaf is an entrepreneur and lifestyle expert who founded the Pure Bar in 2006 when her 6-year-old daughter declared herself a vegetarian. Veronica supported her daughter’s decision and began to research and cook for a vegetarian lifestyle. Today, Pure offers a range of vegan bars, clusters and fruit snacks that are certified organic, gluten-free and non-GMO, with antioxidant-rich fruits, heart- and brain-healthy nuts, grains, organic fiber and organic protein. Veronica’s cookbook, Pure Food: Eat Clean With Seasonal, Plant-Based Recipes, also features a variety of simple, healthy vegetarian and vegan recipes designed to inspire people to get back into the kitchen.

Connect with Veronica on her website and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

For further information log on website :
http://www.livestrong.com/article/1011657-day-clean-eating-looks-like/

Plant Based Diet With Whole Foods

Author
by JILL CORLEONE, RDN, LD 

You don't have to be a vegetarian to eat a plant-based diet. But if you're looking for a diet that's really going to boost your health, a plant-based diet is the way to go. Such a diet encourages you to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. While you can certainly eat potato chips and cake on a plant-based diet, if you're looking to reap the health benefits from the diet, you're better off eating more whole foods.

Load Up on Fruits and Veggies

Baked sweet potatoe fries. Photo Credit Audi Dela Cruz/iStock/Getty Images

As natural whole foods, fruits and vegetables should fill your plate at meal times when following a plant-based diet. Not only are they low in calories and fat, but fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients that help your body stay healthy and fight disease. Include an array of colorful fruits and vegetables throughout the week to vary your nutrient intake. Healthy choices include red tomatoes, purple blackberries, orange sweet potatoes, yellow nectarines, green broccoli and white onions.

Whole Grains for Health

A bowl of whole grain cereal. Photo Credit Ju-Lee/iStock/Getty Images

Whole grains make a good choice when trying to eat more whole foods on your diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends you make at least half your grain servings whole grain. They are a good source of fiber, magnesium and selenium, and eating more may reduce your risk of heart disease. Healthy whole grains include oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley and corn.

Plants Have Protein, Too

A bowl of mixed nuts. Photo Credit Ruth Jenkinson/Dorling Kindersley RF/Getty Images

Meat is not the only source of protein in your diet. Grains, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein. In addition to whole grains and vegetables, you should also include a variety of beans, nuts and seeds on your whole food plant-based diet. Beans make a nutritious addition to any grain or vegetable dish, while nuts and seeds add crunch to salads and make filling snacks. Try black beans, kidney beans, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, almonds, cashews or sesame seeds.

Heart-Healthy Oils

A bowl of fresh olive oil. Photo Credit jocker17/iStock/Getty Images

Oils are also an important part of your healthy plant-based diet. Plant oils, such as olive oil, contain high amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats do not raise cholesterol levels like the saturated fats found in animal fats, such as butter. Other healthy plant oil choices include safflower oil, soy oil and sunflower oil. Nuts and seeds also contain these healthy fats.

A Word About Meat

Grilled salmon on a plate. Photo Credit Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images

You can still eat meat when following a plant-based diet. But you should make healthier choices. That means eating more fatty fish, such as salmon, and poultry. Lower your consumption of red meat.

For further information log on website :
http://www.livestrong.com/article/248210-plant-based-diet-with-whole-foods/

If I'm Eating Clean, Can I Eat Potatoes?

Author
by KAY IRELAND

The term "eating clean" was coined by health and fitness guru Tosca Reno. While the idea of eating whole foods with less ingredients isn't new, Reno published her book, "The Eat-Clean Diet," in 2007, making the idea of eating clean more mainstream. Eating clean is a combination of choosing foods in their most natural form while eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Potatoes and sweet potatoes aren't only allowed while eating clean -- they are actually encouraged as a whole food that can be prepared in a variety of ways.

Eating Clean

The purpose of eating clean is to gain better health by consuming foods with less ingredients in their most natural form. This means a departure from processed foods from the grocery store shelves and choosing more fruits and vegetables from the produce department. Since potatoes are a single-ingredient, whole food, they are a natural and beneficial addition to a clean eating way of life. It's the preparation methods that will dictate whether potatoes can help or hinder your progress while learning to eat clean.

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Nutritional Information

Potatoes are a common food, seen most often as a side dish to meat entrees. When gussied up with cream cheese, milk and butter, potatoes are no longer a healthy option. When served alone, however, a regular-sized potato is about 110 calories, offers 3 g protein, 620 mg potassium and is naturally fat-free. Since potatoes are generally economical in price and readily available, they can help ease you into a cleaner eating lifestyle. Potatoes are especially appropriate if you're trying to entice your family to eat clean as well. They are familiar and appeal to a variety of age ranges.

Ingredients and Dishes

Serving a potato by itself is certainly healthy, but it also may be a bit bland. Unfortunately, the traditional toppings for potatoes, such as cheese, bacon or sour cream, are not considered "clean" foods. Instead, rely on vegetables, herbs and spices to add flavor to your potato. If you prefer meat to flavor potatoes, choose lean turkey or ham over fatty meats like bacon or ground beef. Potatoes also make the ideal foundation for a clean meal such as an egg and vegetable scramble or potato pancakes.

Sweet Potatoes

If you're ready to amp up your commitment to eating clean and its benefits, try swapping sweet potatoes for regular potatoes. While regular potatoes are fine while eating a clean diet, sweet potatoes offer a myriad of health benefits, including 130 calories, nearly 4 g fiber, 28 mg calcium and heaps vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are a star ingredient for many of the recipes found in "The Eat-Clean Diet," since they offer added flavor and benefits over a plain potato.

For further information log on website :
http://www.livestrong.com/article/443904-if-im-eating-clean-can-i-eat-potatoes/