Archive for: November 2007

Despite major efforts to educate the public on the clear and present dangers of smoking over the past 40 years, a new survey conducted by the American Legacy Foundation and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, the industry leader in smoking cessation, reveals that many smokers still harbor profound misperceptions about the effects of smoking and the treatments designed to help them quit.

While smokers are aware that smoking can lead to serious health problems such as lung cancer, many underestimate the risks of getting the disease from smoking. The survey found that two out of three smokers underestimate the chance of developing lung cancer compared to a non-smoker and four in 10 incorrectly believe that developing lung cancer depends more on genes than anything else. Furthermore, the survey found that up to a third of smokers mistakenly believe that activities such as exercise and taking vitamins can "undo" most of the effects of smoking.

There could be a simple and inexpensive solution to a $300-billion health care problem facing the country.

The Problem

Millions of people across the country are imperiling their health and even endangering their lives by simply forgetting to take their medicine. In fact, it’s estimated that only half the people with chronic health conditions take their medicine as directed. And independent studies indicate that failure to take the correct medication dosage accounts for 10-28 percent of all hospital stays and 22 percent of all nursing home admissions.

The best gift you can give yourself is to follow these simple entertaining tips for a less stressful holiday season.

A whopping 68 percent of Americans say the holidays-namely Christmas and Thanksgiving-are the most stressful time of the year. Why all the worry? It might be that Americans typically expect an average of 14 guests over the course of the winter holiday season. That’s a lot of mouths to feed.

Americans admit that a little help in the kitchen would go a long way toward encouraging holiday cheer. Sixty-one percent of Americans either strongly or somewhat agree that simplifying all holiday meals would help them spend more time with their family and reduce stress.