| We all are aware in the recent news that the swine | | | | vasoconstriction that causes increased blood pressure |
| flu is supposedly spreading and has the ability to be a | | | | however this is temporary. |
| pandemic. So what is the best way to protect | | | | This shouldn't come as a shock as recent studies |
| yourself? Well if your a smoker it would be to stop | | | | have found smokers take off 25% more sick days |
| smoking. Cigarette smoke has hundreds of | | | | from work annually than non-smokers. Another study |
| immunosuppresant chemicals that make you | | | | showed smokers take off 34 days annually, former |
| vulnerable to any kind of sickness regardless if it is the | | | | smokers 25 days and non smokers 20 days. |
| swine flu or a common cold. The more cigarettes you | | | | Now smoking may not directly cause you to get the |
| smoke the harder the suppression is on your immune | | | | swine flu by any manner. It is simply showing that |
| system because it has to work overtime to remove | | | | smokers have a reduced risk of fighting off infection |
| these free radical chemicals from your body. | | | | and should be held highly during outbreaks of deadly flu |
| Smoking also has a direct effect on the blood vessels | | | | strains such as the swine flu. So among other |
| of the body which aid in the transportation of blood | | | | precautions such as washing your hands, covering |
| cells and immune cells. This can cause the impaired | | | | your coughs, taking vitamins also consider quitting |
| ability to heal and fight infection. Smoking has been | | | | smoking. |
| shown to have an immediate change on | | | | |