Smoker? Former Smoker? You MUST Read This
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US.
Besides obvious risks—like lung cancer and COPD—smoking also increases your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, numerous types of cancer, osteoporosis, cataracts, and more.
To add insult to injury, it also happens to increase your risk of the painful autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis.
But if you’re a smoker—or a former smoker—there’s a simple way to you can reduce your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
And you can start today.
The longer it’s been since you’ve quit smoking, the more your smoking-related risks decline.
Within just one year, your cardiovascular risks plummet. In as little as two years, your stroke risk drops.
Within 5 years, your risk of numerous cancers drops by 50 percent.
And by 10 years, your risk of dying from lung cancer drops by 50 percent.
So it’s never too late to reap the benefits of quitting.
But whether you’re a current or former smoker, if you want some additional protection RIGHT NOW, you have to consider something else you’re putting in your mouth… your food.
Researchers looked at data on over 62,000 women in France who took part in a questionnaire-based study. They wanted to see if there was a connection between diet and the development of rheumatoid arthritis… one of the many conditions whose risk is increased by smoking.
The researchers found that smokers (and former smokers) who followed a Mediterranean-type diet dramatically reduced their risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
This popular diet is heavy on vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and fish, moderate on dairy and meat, and light on sugar and processed foods.
I like to think of it as common-sense eating, as opposed to a particular diet.
But whatever you call it, it’s one of best things you can do for your health.
Following this way of eating can prevent heart disease and strokes, reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and protect against type 2 diabetes.
In fact, several studies have shown that following a Mediterranean diet can help you live longer.
And a study like this shows that it can help you live BETTER, too.
After all, who wants to live a long life if it’s going to riddled with pain?
