By ANDY KRESS

Smoking in society is one thing that has been around for hundreds of years. People still continue to smoke despite all of the precautions that are on the label of the product, advertisements on TV and billboards, as well as many doctors’ recommendations.

Cigarettes and cigars are one of the easiest legal drugs to obtain, and they can be found just about everywhere.

Most of us are aware that smoking increases your risk of heart attacks, respiratory diseases and various types of lung, throat and mouth cancer. The evidence is quite clear with the more than 419,000 deaths from smoking each year in the United States, and over 3 million worldwide. Over 30% of all cancer patients that die each year (about 166,000) can be linked to death from their smoking habits. Don’t forget about the kiddies too. Smoking during pregnancy accounts for many health problems that young babies face, a direct consequence of their mothers’ smoking habits, that’s presuming of course that they even make it at all. Many of those babies die each year due to miscarriages, low birth weight, or prematurity.

But did you know that you can fight some of these deleterious effects of smoking through your diet? I am guessing probably not.

There is no diet that completely prevents all of the detrimental effects on your health, but there are ways to escape the Grim Reaper’s hold and at least limit the damage.

There is strong evidence in a number of studies that show smoking can affect your metabolism and nutritional status. Substantial lowered levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and beta-carotene have been found in the blood of smokers. Vitamin C is a vital antioxidant that slows tumor growth in the body. Having at least one daily serving of any citrus fruit or vegetables is a great way to ensure that our body is getting what it needs to fight off disease and prevent any nasty tumors from forming. Thinking of skipping out on eating those fruits and veggies and just take a vitamin C supplement instead? Think again. This can actually do more harm than good. Taking vitamin C supplements in large doses of 1000 mgs or more causes the nicotine that smokers so desperately crave to be excreted even faster through the urine, creating a more profound sensation for the body to want another cigarette or puff off of that cigar.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene may also have implications in helping to fight off cancerous cells. Increasing your consumption of the antioxidants vitamin A, beta-carotene and vitamin E can reverse some of the deficiency throughout smokers’ bodies. You can find an ample supply of beta-carotene in orange fruits and vegetables, as well as green leafy vegetables. Vitamin A can be found in liver, oily fish, eggs and fortified milk.

A daily serving of nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, leafy green vegetables or wheat germ are great sources for getting a dose of vitamin E.

Scientists are unsure why calcium levels can drop in smokers, but an easy way to prevent this is by eating low fat cheeses and tofu, or if eating these foods is not to your taste, you can drink your calcium with fortified orange juices and milk. Be sure to get at least 2-3 servings of calcium each day to keep your body at optimal health. Calcium is extremely important for women who smoke–even, more so if they have reached menopause.

Eating cruciferous vegetables is yet another way to help prevent some of the effects of cancer that smoking can cause. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables provide sulforaphane, which may help cut the risk of smoking-related cancers through your diet. Don’t be afraid to consume 3-4 servings of these vegetables a week for best results.

This article is not written to condone your smoking habit. I recommend stopping immediately, if at all possible. Many have tried and failed to quit, and for those folks, this column is written to help you be the best you can be. Remember, your best defense is to remove the addiction from your life.

Your health quite likely will depend on it.

Andy Kress, CFT, SET, is a nationally certified fitness trainer and nutritional counselor in South Florida. He can be reached at andyfitnesstrainer@gmail.com or 954-789-3930.