| Many workers in the field of construction and | | | | unfortunately, is the disease can take 40 years or |
| other industries were exposed to asbestos in | | | | more to manifest as lung cancer, Mesothelioma or |
| their jobs. While they fear the prospect of getting | | | | some other problem. That being said, simply |
| Mesothelioma, the cancer caused by asbestos, | | | | breathing in asbestos fibers does not mean you |
| the do themselves no favors by continuing to | | | | will get lung cancer. Current studies seem to |
| smoke. | | | | suggest there is about a 1 in 7 chance, although |
| The lungs are amazing body parts. They gases | | | | the figures change dramatically depending on how |
| that we need to live into the body and then | | | | much exposure you had. |
| remove waste gases created by the process. | | | | Smoking is bad for the lungs all by itself. Smoking |
| That being said, they are fairly delicate and more | | | | combined with asbestos exposure is pretty much |
| than a few of us have done serious damage to | | | | a double whammy on the lungs. The smoking |
| them. I should qualify this by saying that I was | | | | weakens and decays the lungs. This gives the |
| the proverbial chain smoker for seven years. I'm | | | | asbestos fibers more of a chance to borrow into |
| not one of those righteous former smokers, but | | | | the lung tissue and work their way into the chest |
| there is little doubt the practice does a number on | | | | cavity. The chances of being diagnosed with lung |
| your lungs. | | | | cancer is twice as great if you smoke and are |
| No cancer is a preferable health problem, but lung | | | | exposed to lung cancer as it is if you just are |
| cancer is really one you want to avoid. For millions | | | | exposed. |
| of workers over the years, the possibility of their | | | | The good news is stopping smoking can make a |
| being diagnosed with lung cancer went up | | | | huge difference. Those who stop put aside the |
| dramatically for no fault of their own. The | | | | coffin nails have their chance of being diagnosed |
| problem? Exposure to asbestos. The fibrous form | | | | with lung cancer drop a whopping 50 percent in |
| of various minerals was used heavily in everything | | | | only five years even when asbestos exposure |
| from construction to the rail road industry and | | | | occurs. If you have never been exposed to |
| even on the brakes of most cars. The material | | | | asbestos, the risk is reduced by 70 percent! In |
| was incredibly strong and very fire resistant, | | | | short, it is worth it if you want to live a long life. |
| which made it a wonder material of sorts until it | | | | Your longs are critical to your health. Don't |
| was determined to cause lung cancer among | | | | sabotage them by smoking after you've been |
| other health horrors. | | | | exposed to asbestos. After all, you only have one |
| The word asbestos is mostly reviled these days. | | | | set of lungs. When they are used up, so are you. |
| People simply know to avoid it. The problem, | | | | |