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Secondhand Smoke Myths, Busted

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BY MICHAEL ROIZEN, M.D., AND MEHMET OZ, M.D. King Features Syndicate

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 23, 2008

Planning to dodge the risks of secondhand smoke by sitting outside at a wine bar tonight? Surprise: If people are smoking on the patio or sidewalk, the air there is just as bad as it is in the smoking section indoors.

Huh? Yes, secondhand smoke is as bad outside as it is inside, unless you're sitting in such a wind tunnel that your napkin has to be tied down and you need a seat belt. Otherwise, a nearby outdoor smoker pollutes your lungs as much as an indoor one.

Next question: Which one of these is worse? Spending a few hours in a car, windows cracked, with a smoker or sitting through a couple of jazz sets in a smoky bar. Answer: The car. Even with the windows open a bit, it's worse than the smoke-filled bar.

So the next time anyone asks, don't think twice about saying, "No, please don't smoke while I'm around." Do not waffle, because nonsmokers who hang with smokers effectively turn into smokers themselves. They become as vulnerable to smoke-related damage like wrinkles and erectile dysfunction as fast as real smokers do.

Here's why they - and you - get the butt of the smoking deal:

• Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including arsenic, cyanide and DDT.

• Smokers puff through a filter, but you suck in the pure stuff, which contains twice as much tar and nicotine.

• Not only can secondhand smoke raise your risk of heart disease and lung, cervical and other cancers, but it also can lower kids' test scores and even predispose Fido, Mittens and the ferret to serious illnesses.

• Being exposed to cigarette smoke for four or more hours a day can make your real age as much as 6.9 years older.

Laugh, and you might keep your arteries healthy. Why? Cracking up relaxes blood vessels and increases blood flow - the exact opposite of what happens when you're tense.

When people with normal blood pressure watch a funny movie, their blood flow increases by about 20 percent. But when they watch an intense, violent film, they get stressed out, their blood vessels constrict and their blood flow decreases by about 35 percent.

Another reason to laugh all you can: Bum moods increase cortisol levels, the bad-boy stress hormone that increases fat accumulation in your belly and makes your kidneys retain salt and water, which boosts your blood pressure. So whether you're renting a comedy or catching a rerun of an old "I Love Lucy" show, pay zero attention to anyone who says, "Get serious."

If you've seen all the humor flicks you can handle for the moment, a funny friend is at least as good - and might even help keep you slim: One study has found that a good chortle increases the number of calories you burn. The researchers estimate that if you spend 10 to 15 minutes a day laughing, you can burn up to 40 extra calories.

Not a ton, but hey, every little waist-shrinking bit adds up.

The YOU Docs are authors of the best-selling "YOU: The Owner's Manual" and "YOU: On a Diet." To submit questions and find ways to grow younger and healthier, go to www.RealAge.com, the docs' online home.

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