Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Quitting Is Best

BARBARA HOLT, Ph.D.

CLARK COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT

FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

Many Arkansans smoke or chew tobacco.

The American Cancer Society says 25.4 percent of Arkansas students smoke. Nationally, about 24 percent of adults smoke cigarettes and about three percent chew tobacco.

It is no secret that tobacco use contributes to heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, stroke and pneumonia.

Quitting tobacco use if the best recommendation for health concerns. However, if you are not going to quit, there are some nutrition suggestions that may benefit you that are offered by Easter Tucker, family and consumer sciences specialist with the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas.

Numerous national surveys show that adults frequently eat foods that contain too little vitamin B-6 and vitamin E, too few calories and too much fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Women frequently eat too little folic acid, calcium and zinc.

The nutritional needs of men and women who smoke or chew are basically the same as non-smokers. However, there is conclusive evidence that tobacco users need more antioxidant nutrients than non-users. Beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E are the antioxidant nutrients.

Approximately nine percent of the adult population in this country consumes the recommended five servings daily of fruits and vegetables. Only about one out of four adults eat three or more servings daily of vegetables.

Dark green and deep yellow vegetables contain b-carotene. Studies show that plasm levels of carotenes, including b-carotene, are reported to be lower in cigarette smokers than non- smokers.

The protective factor seems to be the b-carotene itself rather than another component of vegetables and fruits. Women who ate foods containing 15 to 20 milligrams daily of b-carotene in a study had lower risks of heart attacks and strokes than those who consumed less than six milligrams daily.

About one in four adults eats fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C daily. Cigarette smokers have lower vitamin C levels than non-smokers. The incidence of cancer, heart disease and cataracts is lower in populations that have high intakes of fruits or leafy green vegetables.

However, the data are inconclusive as to whether vitamin C or other components of these fruits and vegetables are the protective factor. The last edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances recommended that regular cigarette smokers consume at least 100 milligrams of vitamin C daily.

Vitamin E is the body's most effective antioxidant. Smokers have been found to have lower levels of plasma vitamin E than non-smokers. Research is not conclusive at to the effects of vitamin E on the incidence of chronic diseases.

The best health recommendation for tobacco users is to quit using tobacco products. However, if you continue to use them you may benefit from the consumption of additional b- carotene, vitamin C and probably vitamin E in your diet.

For more information on nutrition, contact the Clark County Extension office at 246- 2281.