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Although cigars have long been lauded for their smooth and complex flavors, they can also pose a great health risk. We have all heard of the adverse health effect associated with smoking cigarettes, but are the risks of smoking cigars just as dangerous, or more so? According to the National Cancer Institute, regular cigar smoking can result in a major health threat. Scientific research has linked cigar smoking with cancers of the larynx, lungs, esophagus, and oral cavity. Newer research also indicates that cigar smoking may be strongly linked to the development of cancer in the pancreas.

The risk of developing lung disease and heart problems appears to increase dramatically in those individuals who smoke regularly and inhale while smoking. To get an idea of how inhalation of smoke relates to health risks, the National Cancer Institute tells us those who smoke five cigars a day and inhales moderately have about the same risk of developing lung cancer as those who smoke one pack of cigarettes (20-25) a day. In addition, someone who smokes three to four cigars a day will be eight times as likely to develop some kind of oral cancer as a non-smoker will. This is the reason that we have stressed that you avoid inhaling cigar smoke throughout the book. While there is still great uncertainty about how little smoking could be considered safe, the risk of dying from all causes is statistically insignificant when compared to non-smokers and greatly reduced compared to heavy cigar smokers. Therefore, aim to smoke no more than three cigars per week.

Many individuals wonder if cigars are as addictive as cigarettes. You may also wonder why, for instance, so many people become addicted to cigarettes, and not cigars? The truth is that any tobacco product can become addictive because it contains nicotine, which is a stimulant that produces a sense of euphoria. Witness the effects of smokeless tobacco products on individuals.

These products, such as chewing tobacco, can become very addictive, simply because they contain tobacco, which in turn contains nicotine.

If nicotine is so addictive, why don't more cigar smokers smoke more often? It appears that more people avoid becoming 'hooked' on cigars for several reasons. The most obvious reason is that the nicotine is inhaled much more superficially than in regular cigarette smoking, causing less nicotine to be absorbed by the body. In addition, cigars are not as readily accessible as cigarettes. They are viewed by most as a luxury item, saved for special occasions and used infrequently. However, when cigars are smoked on a regular basis, they can become addictive.

Remember: the health risks of any kind of smoking increase dramatically as frequency of use increases.

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Being fit always brings to mind the idea of bulging muscles, superman strength and a to-die-for athletic built. Fitness more importantly means the body’s resistance level and stamina for physical activities. Peak fitness means achieving the fullest and the optimum potential of your strength and stamina in your activities.

Contrary to what most people think that peak fitness is only for the young, any middle-aged individual can still achieve peak fitness given the conditions of his body. Achieving peak fitness does not only mean working on a good body built and having the energy and the muscles to do hard, manual, physical labor. It also means following good health habits designed not only to build and develop your muscles, but to sustain your body with the energy and the requirements needed to performance your tasks to your fullest potential.

Maintain a balanced quantity of calories in your body. Don’t stop eating calorie-rich food just because you’re trying to cut back on your calories and lose weight. Calories are used in the performance of simple, ordinary tasks. Load up on fiber. It is important for good digestion and bowel movement. Fiber-rich food like wheat bread, unpolished rice, vegetables and fruits give you a feeling of fullness, which reduces the tendency to overeat. Of course, don’t forget your greens. Maintaining a daily vegetable and fruit intake provides you with the necessary vitamins and minerals to beef up your stamina and resistance to disease, ultimately leading to your body’s peak fitness.

Avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Be mobile. Exercise and be active. Keeping your body used to physical activity and an active lifestyle develops the muscles and strengthens your body’s capacity to do certain tasks. Sedate individuals do not only gain more flab in their middle; they are also more prone to injuries and illness. Ten minutes of routine exercise everyday – from something as simple as taking the stairs to stretching and working on the treadmill can help your body maintain its peak fitness level. Of course, remember not to abuse your body. Have moments for lazing around and relaxing those muscles of yours. Too much and too little of anything is bad.

Give yourself enough sleep. Sleep is important as it allows your body to rejuvenate, the tissues to heal, the brain and other organs to slow down in their function. A good night’s sleep spells more energy the next day, a more enthusiastic, active you. Enough sleep allows you and your body to function optimally, to your fullest potential. It is the body’s means to recharge itself.

The easiest measure to check your peak fitness level is your body’s ability to respond to stress. More so, peak fitness is your body’s ability to respond to emergencies. A well-oiled machine should be able to function without the ‘clicks’ and the ‘thuds’. Our body should be able to do its work in much the same way.

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In today's busy world, work, household chores and social activities all put a strain on your time with your child. But as you well know, it's imperative that you spend quality time together. It helps strengthen the bond between parent and child, and lets your child know you can be trusted and counted on. Children who spend quality time with their parents often do better in school, and excel in extracurricular activities, hobbies or sports. And though it can be 'scheduled' to a degree, it's something that happens when you least expect it. Therefore, it's important that you do spend as much time as possible with your child in a relaxed atmosphere and do things together that you both enjoy.

But you're asking yourself, "Where am I going to find the time? My schedule's crazy enough as it is!" Well, for something as important as your child, you need to start digging around in that crazy schedule and find the time. Prioritizing is the key.

Here are some helpful suggestions on how to make the most of your time and find quality time where you least expect it:

Look at your household chore list and decide which ones can be left undone or be done imperfectly in order to make more family time. You might also want to consider leaving certain things until after your child has gone to bed to make the most of your time together.

Make some of your everyday routines together count. Sing some favorite silly songs on the way to daycare, or use that drive to and from school as a great opportunity to discuss what's happening in your child's life.

If you have more than one child, realize that each of them needs your individual attention. You may really have to juggle things around to make this happen, but try to be flexible and creative when spending time with each of your kids. And no matter what, don't skip those individual times with each child.

When you do that, you show them they're lower down on the priority list than the dry cleaning or the grocery shopping.

Children thrive on stability and routines, so plan your quality times so that they can take place regularly. Maybe you can walk the dog together on weekend mornings, take a shopping excursion together, have a scheduled night each week for a sit-down dinner together, or make a trip to the park.

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Its no secret that Martial Arts has indeed come a long way over the years. Many years ago, Bruce Lee helped the Arts become even more famous, when he developed his style of Jeet Kune Do. He participated in several movies, showing the world his speed and finesse. Since then, movies have been a popular way to showcase Martial Arts skills.

Back in the early 1990s, the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) came along to take things one step further. Even though there have been other competitions similar to the UFC, none of them had the flair and the dedication as UFC did. When it first began, the UFC paired different styles and different weight classes.

The result were exciting fights with varying results. The first ever champion was a man from Brazil named Royce Gracie. Gracie was the first to introduce Brazilian Jui-Jitsu in this way, opening up the eyes of everyone who witness him fight. After the first UFC tournament, Brazilian Jui-Jitsu was instantly viewed as the best Martial art. Royce weighed under 200 pounds, and he was completely dominating people nearly 3 times his size.

Gracie would go on to win UFC 2 and 4 as well. He was the most dominating in the sport, and opened the eyes of everyone across the world. In UFC 3, he didn't lose, although he ran into a very tough fighter who nearly beat him. Gracie came back in UFC 5 for a superfight match up with Ken Shamrock, which would go the distance and end in a draw.

Other fighters have done exceptionally well in the UFC, although none of them had the impact as Royce

Grade. Fighters like Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Oleg Taktarov, Matt Hughes, and Matt Sylivia have also done very well. Matt Hughes is also regarded as one of the best, as he fights in the Welterweight class and is considered pound for pound to be the best fighter in the world.

In the world of MM A (Mixed Martial Arts), the UFC has made a big impact. In the beginning, there were no rules and no judges, just one on one fights until someone either tapped out, got knocked out, or the ref threw in the towel. Fighters also fought in a tournament style as well, which took 3 fights to win the championship.

Over the years, there were several changes. The UFC would start with judges after a few years, along with eliminating the tournaments. The fights would eventually go to one on one, which was great for the fans. Although the fights didn't have time limits in the beginning, they do now. The non title fights are three 5 minute rounds, while the title fights are five 5 minute rounds.

If a fight goes to the judges, the judges decide the winner. There are three judges, which normally change with each different UFC. Judges are there do determine the winner if there is no knockout or submission, while the ref is there to protect the fighters. The referee can stop a fight as well, if a fighter is unable to defend themselves.

With all the changes in the rules of the UFC, it's only a matter of time before the UFC gains a lot more popularity. It is more popular today than it ever has been, which tells you that Martial Arts have come a long way.

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Online dating can be a fun and certainly a rewarding experience for women of all ages. Maintaining your safety while dating online is simply a combination of using common sense and exercising good judgment. Online safety rules are the same as real world safety rules.

You would not give your name, address and phone numbers to a strange man that you met in a bar or on the street so you should never do that online also. Play it safe. Get to know this man who could turn out to be Prince Charming before you give out any information that could make it possible for him or others to trace you. Do not tell a stranger exactly where you work. Say that you are a legal secretary (if that is what you are) for a mid-sized law firm….not that you work for Brown, Smith and Jones Attorneys-at-law. It is safe to tell him what city you live in but you should wait to be any more specific than that until you have been chatting and exchanging emails for awhile.

Use only the tools provided by the dating service you belong to. Most offer chat and private email on their site. Do not give out your ISP email address. If you must give out an email address, make it a free one such as Hotmail or Yahoo. Your ISP address is traceable for anyone who wants to go to the trouble.

When the time comes for you to have your first face-to-face, make that first meeting in a public place and during day light hours. Take a friend with you or arrange for one to call you on your cell soon after the arranged meeting.

Remember…you ARE in control so do not let anyone pressure you into revealing more personal information than you are comfortable with revealing.