If there’s nothing wrong with you then being a “heath nut” will make you live a longer and healthier life no exceptions.

Really? No exceptions eh? And you somehow know this for a fact? Wow, that's something medical science has yet to determine as a fact without any exceptions so you must really have some exceptional information there.

I smoked for several years when I was younger and about 5 years after I quit I started feeling bad then I developed a cough and it didn’t go away. Eight weeks later I finally went to the doctor and got a chest x-ray, it was clear but let me tell you for a few weeks there I thought something I had done to myself was going to cause my death and that was the mother of all regrets.

Ok, so you were scared by a cough and somehow in your mind smoking became some demon. I've smoked for over 25 years and I ride bicycle, did a lot of hiking before the car wreck, and have a very good wind. I always pass my annual physicals with flying colors. Normal blood pressure, stress tests, and lung capacity tests. I eat what I like and have normal cholesteral and blood sugar levels. Except for some physical disabilities due to injuries I am healthy as the proverbial horse. And I enjoy my life.

Sorry, but I simply do not buy into the modern PC bullshit scare about how everything is bad for you. Anything is bad for you if you go overboard with it. Drinking water can kill you if you go to extremes with it.

The last 20 years of his life he couldn’t do a lot of the things he wanted to do as a direct result of cigarettes.

Really? So you know for a fact that he wouldn't have developed lung problems or others health issues if he had never smoked? That's amazing as thousands of nonsmoking people develop just such problems every year. And thousands of smokers live to a ripe old age without developing such problems. It's interesting how one can ascertain such things when not one single medical study has ever been published that proves that smoking actually causes any disease whatsoever. Not one single study. There have been several that "indicate an increased probability", but none that actually demonstrate a solid cause. You've somehow surpassed the best medical minds in the world.

Yeah, I'm being a bit harsh here, but you seem to have missed whole point of this article. Frankly, if you don't get it by now I'm not going to try and explain it to you. Go eat some yogurt and enjoy your safe little life.

Enjoy your non fat, low calorie, low sodium snack. I'm having pizza and beer followed by a good cigar. And I'll enjoy every second of it. Happy yogurt y'all.

Hey, that's what I plan on having tonight while watching the Dolphins beat the crap out of the Champion Steelers. (Wishful thinking)

stubbyfinger

I think you are over reacting. Everyone is different and cigarettes don't affect everyone the same way. If your grandfather had not smoked he may still have gotten lung cancer from second hand smoking. It can happen and you can't say it wouldn't have. You talk as if you can garantee everyone will live longer if we just eliminate cigarettes all together, but you forget about cars, factories, trucks, BBQs, etc, they all create smoke that can cut your life span even if they don't have all the toxics that cigarettes have. Life is short and at 90 I don't think most people will be dancing to Little Richard or Dr Dre without breaking a hip or a leg. I personally don't like the idea of living long enough to be a burden on my family, I don't want them to have to bathe me, clean my butt, make sure I eat my food, look for my love when I can't even remember who they are.

People need to learn to enjoy life and they also need to learn to let go of loved ones that are already gone. I admit of over doing it once in a while, but I just like to enjoy the fine things and the not so fine things in life. I only do food harm to myself, I don't drink alcohol (except in special occasions), I don't smoke (but have had a lot of second hand) and i don't do drugs, so I'm fine as far as I'm concern. Though I might be the first person known to die at the hands on Coca Cola, I am very addicted to the dam thing.

The only thing I know for sure is that after quitting the cigs nearly 8 1/2 years ago and trying to eat a little healthier and exercising and all that, that I feel better. And I do mean LOTS better. If I die tomorrow anyway despite it all is not the point to me -I want what time I DO have up right to the end to be spent breathing easy and feeling good.

Of course, hehehe, I do likes my cold beer...

The only thing I know for sure is that after quitting the cigs nearly 8 1/2 years ago and trying to eat a little healthier and exercising and all that, that I feel better. And I do mean LOTS better. If I die tomorrow anyway despite it all is not the point to me -I want what time I DO have up right to the end to be spent breathing easy and feeling good. Of course, hehehe, I do likes my cold beer...

There ya go. Now that's an honest bit of reason totally lacking in PC bullshit. You feel better. Nothing at all wrong with that, and more power to you. And of course you still enjoy your cold beer so you haven't gone crazy either.

To be honest this article (and all of my subsequent comments) was really just a bit of tongue in cheek prodding at the PC crowd who feel it's their solemn duty to go around telling other people what they should and shouldn't be doing with their lives. I wish they'd just mind their own damned business and let people live their lives as they see fit.

Really? No exceptions eh? And you somehow know this for a fact? Wow, that's something medical science has yet to determine as a fact without any exceptions so you must really have some exceptional information there.

There’s no disease fairy randomly giving people various ailments, if you get sick its cause is ether genetic or external. If there’s nothing wrong with you then there’s nothing wrong with you and you will die of old age.

Since you cannot know and medical science can’t as of yet tell you for certain there’s nothing wrong with you have to go on the assumption that baring external factors, some of witch we have no control over, we will die of old age. You see what I ‘m saying? If your genes are good the only way you can die from anything other than old age would be external factors, most of witch we do have control over.

Ok, so you were scared by a cough and somehow in your mind smoking became some demon. I've smoked for over 25 years and I ride bicycle, did a lot of hiking before the car wreck, and have a very good wind. I always pass my annual physicals with flying colors. Normal blood pressure, stress tests, and lung capacity tests. I eat what I like and have normal cholesteral and blood sugar levels. Except for some physical disabilities due to injuries I am healthy as the proverbial horse. And I enjoy my life.

Somehow? How delusional do you have to be to not make that connection? Everyone’s constitution is different Mason you may smoke another 10 years before you notice any health effects but they will come and your brain will come up with more BS to tell yourself. Just like an alcoholics brain comes up with excuses to drink. It may not kill you but smoking damages your health. Its one of the most documented medical findings in the history of medical findings.

My grandfather didn’t die of lung cancer. He died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His lungs were so damaged and full of tar that he suffocated to death. You don’t get that from second hand smoke. Doctors were amazed he lived as long as he did. Most people could only take 40 years of 5 packs a day.

I don’t care what you do Mason and if I new you ad saw you smoking I wouldn’t say a word; it’s your life. But you wrote the article and I’m just giving you my opinion. I’m not a heath nut. I haven’t taken care of myself and I’m feeling the effects. Twenty years of moderate drinking has damaged my liver to the point that the Doc said quite or die and yes I know for sure without alcohol my liver would be fine. I didn’t think I drank that much 4 or 5 a day and rarely ever got drunk but everyone’s different.

I haven’t missed the point at all and I can tell you from experience you don’t need cigarettes and after a while you wont miss them.

To be honest this article (and all of my subsequent comments) was really just a bit of tongue in cheek prodding at the PC crowd who feel it's their solemn duty to go around telling other people what they should and shouldn't be doing with their lives. I wish they'd just mind their own damned business and let people live their lives as they see fit.

I understand this point and agree. I don't mind seeing an ad that says eating this or eating that is good for you for your bones, blood, muscles, etc. I don't like when people condemn me for what I eat. I know people who can not eat anything to heavy for breakfast that they quickly get sick, or people that would never take a look at Whopper or a bowl of chilli. Me, I have an iron stomach, I can throw anything at it and not get sick. I admit of not being very healthy, I get tired fairly easily and can be quite lazy from time to time, but I don't give up when I'm tired till the job is done, I do what I can ATM to care for my health and my lazyness is usually more on the weekends and after I have worked my butt off doing something.

I do drink a lot of water and I do eat health often, but I just can't resist a Whopper with cheese, fries and a Coke; a 2 piece white meat crispy with wedges and coleslaw, a large meat lovers pizza, a glazed donut or 2, a large chilli with crackers, a freshly popped bag of popcorn with extra butter and maybe some melted marshmellows over it. Maybe I should stop, I can imagine all the mouths watering at this moment on JU.

I can tell you from experience you don’t need cigarettes and after a while you wont miss them.

That's true. You don't need them. But even after 8 1/2 years I can't say I don't miss them. Well, completely anyway- I can and have gone days and days without even thinking about them and can even (now get this!) drink COFFEE and BEER and be just perfectly fine.
But then sometimes...Yeah, I do miss them.

Also remember...Dana Reeves died of lung cancer, and yet was a nonsmoker. Can't see her life as having been shorter if she'd have lit up!

So you are trying to tell me you don't do drugs, but do you realize that even aspren is a drug.

So you are trying to tell me you don't do drugs, but do you realize that even aspren is a drug.

when the "end" gets just a little closer, I am going to twist one up, and get myself a great bottle of cabernet and a six pack of spaten munich hopefully it will be close to Octoberfest time.

But you wrote the article and I’m just giving you my opinion.

Your opinion is quite welcomed, Stubby. Just relax a bit and re-read the article and my comments in a little different light (see reply #19). It wasn't meant to be so damn serious.

I'll admit I was intentionally goading you a bit. You should bear in mind that the vast majority of my articles and comments are rarely serious. Life's too short to take it seriously.

Reply #21 I understand this point and agree. I don't mind seeing an ad that says eating this or eating that is good for you for your bones, blood, muscles, etc. I don't like when people condemn me for what I eat.

Screw them, it's none of their business.

Reply #22 I can tell you from experience you don’t need cigarettes and after a while you wont miss them. That's true. You don't need them. But even after 8 1/2 years I can't say I don't miss them. Well, completely anyway- I can and have gone days and days without even thinking about them and can even (now get this!) drink COFFEE and BEER and be just perfectly fine. But then sometimes...Yeah, I do miss them.

I've heard that from others who had been smoke free for many years. Screw it, I enjoy my cigars.

Reply #23 Also remember...Dana Reeves died of lung cancer, and yet was a nonsmoker. Can't see her life as having been shorter if she'd have lit up!

That's where the BS second hand smoke claims come in.

My aunt Florence never smoked and refused to be around anyone who did as she hated the smell. She died of lung cancer.