Dr. Manfred Alkhas, managing director of Good Life Chiropractic in San Jose, California, has been practicing professionally for more than 20 years. Supplementing his professional pursuits, Dr. Manfred Alkhas maintains membership in the National Health Bureau, a private organization providing health and wellness programs to small, medium, and large businesses throughout the United States.
According to the National Health Bureau, smokers take an average of approximately 11 more days of sick leave than nonsmokers. The medical hazards of smoking have been well documented over the past several years, though an estimated 42 million Americans—nearly one in five adults—continue to smoke. It remains the single largest preventable cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 480,000 lives every year. To promote awareness of the true dangers of smoking, the third Thursday of November has been declared the Great American Smokeout.
According to research collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is estimated to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke by two to four times and increase the risk of lung cancer in men by 25 times (in women by 25.7 times). Smoking can also affect fertility in both men and women, and it has been linked to tooth loss and cataracts, among other health conditions. Fortunately, a person who quits smoking will greatly reduce his or her risk for heart attack after just one year, and the risk for stroke will be nearly that of a nonsmoker’s after two to five years.
Research shows that individuals who use two or more measures to quit tobacco (telephone hotlines, nicotine replacement, guides, etc.) are more likely to succeed. To find resources in your area, visit Cancer.org.
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