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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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- What should I do if I don't have time for exercise?
It is easy to fit physical activity into your everyday routine. You don't necessarily have to set apart time from your day. If you don't have time for the gym, try the following things for 30 minutes every day:
- walk, bike, or jog to see friends
- take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework, or watch TV
- Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator
- What are some healthy snacks?
Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups:
- a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers
- an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter
- raisins
- some dry cereal.
If you have to have something sweet, you can try:
- fig bars, vanilla wafers
- ginger snaps
- angel food cake
- hard candy
- puddings made with low-fat (1 percent) skim milk
- nonfat frozen yogurt with a fruit topping, or fruit popsicles.
For an unsweet treat try:
- pretzels or popcorn without butter or oil for an unsweetened treat.
No matter what you choose, be sure and watch your portion sizes.
- Can quitting smoking really help a lifelong smoker?
Yes. It is never too late to quit. The sooner smokers quit, the more they can reduce their chances of getting cancer and other diseases. Within 20 minutes of smoking the last cigarette, the body begins to restore itself.
- After 20 minutes: Your blood pressure drops to a level close to that before the last cigarette. The temperature of your hands and feet increases to normal.
- After 8 hours: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
- After 24 hours: Your chance of a heart attack decreases
- Within 3 months: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases up to 30%.
- In 1 to 9 months: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection
- After 1 year: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
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