Excerpt from the Book

The cilia play the very important role of removing mucus, debris, toxins, and pathogens from the airways. Cilia are moved or “stroked” in an upward direction. Through complex chemical reactions, the amazing columnar cells produce this movement. The cilia perform in sync, choreographing a life-giving dance in our airways. Their elaborate stroking movement pushes the mucus, debris, and trapped pathogens in an upward direction — out of the airways and through the larynx (voice box). This process is the cleaning system of our lungs! Under disease-free conditions, this vital process occurs every minute of our lives. The cilia keep on stroking — a perpetual trance-like dance!

Research indicates that toxins from cigarette smoke gradually paralyze, damage, and destroy the cilia. We also mentioned in Chapter 2 that tar, formed by the toxins, “asphalts” the cilia. This is abuse, plain and simple, to our dancers! Eventually their numbers are reduced; our phenomenal dance troupe is injured and falling, and one by one, they die off! As a result, mucus collects or “pools” in the airways. As the cilia damage progresses, “mucous plugs” can clog the airways.

Now, how is the mucus and debris removed? Coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing, coughing …. (See how annoying it gets?) Coughing is not as efficient — and certainly not as entertaining — as dancing cilia!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 ANOTHER DEFINITION OF ABSURD
Chapter 2 CLEARING THE AIR
Chapter 3 ADDICTION, THEATRICS, AND YOUR NEW “LOOK” (OLDER THAN YOUR AGE)
Chapter 4 TISSUE AND ORGAN DAMAGE
Chapter 5 TISSUE AND ORGAN DAMAGE INFLAMMATION
Chapter 6 TISSUE AND ORGAN DAMAGE THE LUNGS
Chapter 7 TISSUE AND ORGAN DAMAGE CANCER
Chapter 8 TISSUE AND ORGAN DAMAGE THE HEART AND BLOOD VESSELS (CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM)
Chapter 9 THE FINANCIAL COST OF SMOKING
Chapter 10 CAN YOU QUIT?
Chapter 11 THE NUMBERS: DEATH AND DISEASE FROM SMOKING
GLOSSARY OF MEDICAL TERMS