Giving up smoking and bad habits can improve senior’s health

October 13th, 2009 First lady stresses small steps to improve healthWASHINGTON — First lady Michelle Obama is stressing small changes in diet and exercise habits as a good way to improve health and fitness. In other words, don't try to try change everything at once.

July 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Smokers can immediately improve their cardiovascular health by kicking the butt, according to a study. Researchers at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, NY, say that smoking cessation provides immediate benefits to patients.

June 23rd, 2009 Obama admits occasional cigaretteWASHINGTON — One day after signing legislation giving the government unprecedented power to regulate tobacco, President Barack Obama is admitting that he's sometimes "fallen off the wagon" in his own effort to stop smoking. Obama told reporters Tuesday that he's "95 percent cured." But he added that "there are times where I mess up." He said he's not a "daily" or "constant" smoker, and that he doesn't smoke in front of his kids.

June 22nd, 2009 Obama lauds anti-smoking billWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has signed the strongest anti-smoking measure ever, calling it an extraordinary accomplishment that will help keep children from getting hooked on cigarettes. Standing in the Rose Garden with a number of lawmakers and other guests, Obama declared: "It is a law that will save American lives." The legislation gives the Food and Drug Administration unprecedented authority to regulate tobacco and cigarette marketing.

June 13th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Even as US President Barack Obama congratulated Congress for passing tough new tobacco regulations, the White House admitted on June 12 that the commander-in-chief himself was still struggling to do away with his smoking 'addiction'. When White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was asked if the president still smoked, he replied that Obama has "a struggle with nicotine addiction" every day.

May 9th, 2009 LONDON - A 30-year study on the health and lifestyle habits of 54,000 Norwegians has found that non-smokers had healthier hearts and also lived longer than smokers. The researchers concluded that smoking is 'strongly' linked to death and cardiovascular disease.

May 7th, 2009 MEXICO CITY - The outbreak of influenza A(H1N1), which has killed 42 people and sickened 1,070 in Mexico, was not yet completely under control in the country despite a fall in the number of confirmed cases, President Felipe Calderon has said. Measures taken by health authorities have helped check the disease, the president said during a visit to the eastern state of Michoacan Wednesday.

April 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Changing bad habits such as smoking, even at an older age, could positively impact a senior's health later in life, a new study has found. The research linking bad habits such as smoking and the direct impact on a senior's health, was conducted on over 2,000 seniors who were current smokers, past smokers and had never smoked.

April 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Hollywood actress Christina Applegate, who was recently cured of breast cancer after a year-long battle, left her fans shocked when she was caught smoking. She had quit the habit before undergoing a double mascetomy in a bid to get rid of cancer.

March 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Health problems like smoking or weight gain may sometimes persist because they preserve stability in a vital close relationship, according to a new study. Michael J. Rohrbaugh and Varda Shoham, of the University of Arizona, say that close relationships can perpetuate individual health problems because one person's behaviour can set the stage for what another does.

February 2nd, 2009 LONDON - Oscar winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow has expressed her yearning to smoke again. The 'Iron Man' actress has also decided to take up smoking in old age, reports thesun.co.uk.

January 9th, 2009 TAIPEI - Taiwan will take a giant step in its anti-smoking campaign Sunday by banning smoking indoors across the island, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday. Under the new rule, all offices and indoor facilities like department stores, restaurants, cafes, airports and railway station will ban smoking.

January 6th, 2009 MOHALI - A Chandigarh-based voluntary organisation Wednesday filed a complaint against Bollywood actors Salman Khan and Ajay Devgun for allegedly smoking at a public place. According to the complaint, the Bollywood stars violated the tobacco control law by smoking inside the bogie of a train, while shooting for a movie at the Kurali railway station, in Mohali district, some 35 km from Chandigarh.

January 5th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - A Chandigarh-based non-government organisation (NGO) Tuesday filed a complaint against Bollywood actor Ajay Devgun for allegedly smoking at a public place. 'We have submitted a written complaint at the offices of senior superintendent of police and director of health services, Chandigarh.

January 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Just seeing someone smoke aborts the smoker's resolve to kick the habit, according to new research. Brain scans taken during normal smoking activity and 24 hours after quitting show there is a marked increase in a particular kind of brain activity when quitters see photographs of people smoking.