Do smokers have special needs for vitamins?
A study by the American Cancer Society showed that smokers who ate more fruit had a decrease in lung cancer risk. This is due to certain nutrients in fruits and vegetables including vitamin A, C, and E, selenium, iothiocyanates, indoles, calcium, and fiber. For the health-concerned smoker increasing fruits and vegetables in the diet can be a good way to offset some of the cancer risk caused by smoking. Good nutrition may also be a step in helping you quit smoking if you decide to begin the process. Vitamins will not remove your smoking risks 100%, rather they will reduce them. Vitamin A helps maintain the healthy functioning of the lining of the bronchi, trachea, and lungs, areas damaged by smoking. Adequate Vitamin A in your diet may provide a protective effect against this damage and lung cancer. A good way to add Vitamin A to your diet is to snack on carrots. Vitamin C is needed for proper immune system functioning. Smoking decreases Vitamin C and your body’s ability to fight off in
