Has anyone every asked there doctor what an acceptable amount of cigar herfing in a week was. Is there such a thing? I have heard conflicting stories about if you don't inhale ist better then Cigs but I have no clue. Next time I go for my checkup I will aks the doctor, if for no other reason to have an answer for all the "are you still smoking cigars" I receive sheesh!! LOL I constantly get "the lecture" fom everyone around here at my house, place of business, friends, fellow countrymen lend me your ears. ohhh wrong line LOL

Of the doctors I've talked to, there is no "exceptable" amount considered safe. Just Imagine your Dr. saying it was ok. Then later down the road you get cancer. :>(

They arent going to set themselves up for that.

Mag

My doctor asked if I knew all the risks. I said yes. he said to keep on smoking cigars. Since smoking cigars I have lost 22 lbs and lowered my blood pressure from 140/104 to 128/88 by replacing the snacks with cigars, and walking an hour with my cigar each day. He likes the trade-off.

There are risks to smoking, obesity, sun exposure, deck wood cyanide, even crossing the street. Have your doctor check for cancer once a year, and have your dentist check with each exam. Makes for early detection. If it worries you, don't smoke. If the doctor says not to smoke then it is time for a change.. of doctors.

BTW. My wife was worried about my smoking cigars and cancer. Now she smokes cigars and loves it. She has accepted the risk, too.

My .02
Dan

CCC,
I put my wife through Nursing School years back and she could tell you, and tell you, and tell you, and tell you as she does me. If your Doctor is a cigar smoker himself you should get a good unbias answer. If not, I would not ask as you will probably get the modern day version of "Reefer Madness".
I have done tobacco most every way possible (except intravenous injection and anal insertion) and I would say cigars rank low to medium compared to other ways in reqard to health risks.
But, if you are really worried, send your smokes my way and get the praise of family and friends.

BUD

I think anything is OK to do as long as it is done in moderation. Here is a good link on the topic written by a doctor that smokes cigars. I've met Marc before. Nice guy.

http://www.cigargroup.com/faq/health/ 

Good job on the weight loss Dan!

Great link pusk,
My favorite part was:
In 1998 U.S. District Court Judge William Osteen overturned the 1993 Environmental Protection Agency^

Dan thats nice that you have lost the weight.

But, in my opinion, if you didnt eat the snacks, went for the same walk, you would have still lost the weight. It takes a little self control, or moderation like puskarich said.

I've never heard a doctor say that using tobacco was an accepted method of curing anything, including losing wieght. Sounds kinda crazy to me.

I accept the risks. I do think its less risky than cigarettes, unless of course you inhale cigar smoke.

Mag

I am 44 years old and I have smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes a day for about 25 years.

I have smoked cigars for the last six weeks.

I also exercise regularly and am not a single pound overweight. My blood pressure is normal and my resting heart rate is in the low 60s. I also rode my bicycle 25 miles on Sunday in 75 minutes - a very good time for me.

Obviously, smoking has not slowed me down. I believe that Tobacco use, in moderation, is not significantly dangerous.

Am I naive? Maybe. Time will tell.

I must admit though - after smoking a fantastic Avo XO last night, I wondered to myself:

Something that pleasurable has got to be bad for you in some way.

Well, it is - it makes us continually bid on cigars and spend our hard earned money on a fantastic vice.

Of all the Cigar farmers, rollers, Co. owners, etc. Hoe many of them have died at an early age due to cancer? Furthermore, how many of them have died in old age due to tobacco related cancer? I can Imagine, if you smoke cigarettes and inhale things that are not natural, this can't be a good thing.

Anybody have a friend in the medical research field? Tell them to spread the word that, if they were to study the deaths of those that have been in the cigar business for the past 100 years, they would have a study I would be interested in reading. I'm amazed at these old cigar tobacco farmers that smoke into their 80's and 90's

Not saying it's good for you, but the above suggestion would be interesting to see hapen.

Magnafide. If you really read my post, I didn't say that the cigar smoke made me lose weight. It was a substitue "crutch" (if you will) that overcame my willpower problem. I clearly state it was the diet and exercise that did it, but the cigars that made it happen.

I also stated that the doc reminded me of the health risks, but would rather I smoked cigars than have high blood pressure.

So you may think it "sounds crazy", but cigars fit my personality, changed my lifestyle and helped me meet all the good people of this board.. including yourself.

Dan

Cigar smoking certainly caused George Burns to die prematurely.

Heck, he may have live to be 110 if he had not smoked.

I haven't seen any studies done on the cigar industry workers, I have however seen a couple done on cigar smoking in general. For the most part the ones I've seen suggest that cigar smoking is less dangerous than cigarette smoking while done in moderation (usually no more than 1 per day, sometimes 2 depending on the study). There have also been studies done indicating that cigar smoking in moderation can actually increase lifespan. Key factor in that seemed to be that cigar smoking was usually done in a peaceful environment and for relaxation, and thus helped to reduce stress. Also if I recall properly, nicotine can help lower blood pressure by acting as a depressant. Mouth and Throat cancer are possibilities among cigar smokers who do not inhale, however, throat cancer is a reduced risk over cigarette smoking and inhaling. Also cigars tend to contain less additives than cigarettes, and be less chemically addictive.

I'm by no means a doctor, but these are just some things I've read/learned over the past couple of years. I'm sure there are studies that contradict some of this info, because you can always find studies on either side of issues, especially ones like this.

My 2 cents would be that cigar smoking probably puts you at an increased risk over non-smokers, but less than cigarette smokers. But in moderation is very unlikely to cause any severe health problems. And we're all aware of the risks involved, and old enough to make the decision to smoke or not to smoke. Just my thoughts on the issue.

JustDanD

I dont mean to offend. I guess I was speaking in the wrong way. If that works for you, thats great!

I shoulda said that a doctor wont suggest to "start" smoking cigars to help cure anything or lose wieght.

In your case since you already smoke em, then you have a good thing going that works for you.

As far as cigars helping blood pressure, I'm happy for you that its down. I told my doctor that I smoke stogies. I have slightly high BP also, but when I told him, he never said that it helped, in fact he thought I should quit. I take 2 medicines that keep my BP in check, with no side affects.

Like I said, I assume the risk., but I work out all the time, watch my diet, and take vitamins.

Tobacco products of all kinds affect you. I read that smokers should take a multi-vitamin every day to help your body out. I'm not any kinda expert, just telling you what I've been told and read.

Mag

jmvfrva

I'm the same age as you. I'm not overwieght like you. In fact Im probably at 10% body fat or lower. I've been a gym rat for as long as I can remember.

Blood pressure has a lot to do with genetics. Thats why your doc will ask you if anyone else in your family has it. You are lucky, I'm not. At least mine was detected and is under control.

BP problems arent always felt. I never knew I had it. I was in for something else when it was first noticed. It runs in my family. But my family also has a history of very long lifespans, men(late 80's), women(early 90's.

Mag

I like cigars dipped in Ranch! 😉

old military phrase

"smoke if ya gottem"

cigarettes are made with tobacco and inhanced nicotine, crap to keep them light, and are designed to hook you so you will continue to smoke them and eventually die of cancer.

i'm sure cigarette manufacturers, like ford, who decided it was cheaper to pay off the law suit's from rear end collission of their pinto, then to modify all of them with a metal plate that would protect the occupants of their death trap, have studies as to death rate vs sales to get the maximum amount of money from you before you die.

less nicotine, you live longer, nut you spend less because you are not hooked as much. too much nicotine and you might die sooner and shorten their financial interest in you.

does anyone remember the free 5 packs given to service men and college students on campus. (hay guy, you wan't a free hit?)

one of the benefits of cigar smoking is the time you sit and relax and let all the stress of the day dissipate in a lovely cloud of smoke. sit outside with a bubble pipe wand and blow smoke bubbles. focus on the cigar and feel all the tension going up in smoke. these are the moments money can't buy.






and i'll bet you never thought about the bubble pipe.

I have a few friends who are doctors and who smoke cigars. They have said that one cigar a week is OK. The problem is...who can just smoke one a week? lol But I try.
Greg

I asked My Doc about it She said go for it. I also have had my B/P drop way down almost to the point where she is thinking of reducing my B/P meds. I use to run about 178/85 all the time with meds now since I started back on the Gars it has dropped to a great 160/70 2 weeks ago..And I have lost 25 lbs in 6 weeks. She said with the shape I'm in and for all these postive's to be happening just keep doing what I'm doing..I told her I was enjoying 4-5 cigars a day. So guess since all is going so good I went to 6-8 a day to see what will happen.hahahahah.... TinMan