Correlation between Alopecia areata & smoking?

This post is adapted from Alopecia World forum

and this is what I replied to the discussion:

"There is no scientific paper suggest that there is a significant correlation between smoking & alopecia areata yet, I am not aware of any test/ survey being done on the matter also.

1. It is widely accepted both by alopecia patients and scientists/ dermatologists that alopecia areata can be triggered by stress. Stress also comes in various form, physical/ physiological, psychological, pathological or any combinations of the mentioned..etc. Eventhough there is no scientific evidence on the connection between smoking & alopecia, I believe that smoking can be a predisposing factor to alopecia areata. (As per any foreign event/ particles in the body could induce an auto-immunity state). In short, smoking is a form of physical stress of the body indirectly and to the lungs directly.

2. Smoking as a mean to relax the mind and mental/emotional state, statement is valid & factual. One thing for sure, it is not relaxing to the lung and also the heart. While you're relaxing your mind and resting your brain at one time, at the same time you're also comprising the well being of the other vital organs of the body. Why don't you find other means to relax your mind without comprising the health of the other parts of your body. Just as much as you love your mental status/mind/brain, you must love your lungs and heart as well (in addition to the liver and kidney which made up the 5 vital organs of the body).

3. a little more fact about the lung, the lung surface are generally and mostly covered with thin pneumocytes type I (Lung cell type 1) which is responsible for gas exchange (Oxygen-Carbon dioxide exchange), oxygenated blood subsequently distributed by the heart to the entire body. Pneumocytes type II, on the other hand produce surfactant that provide integrity to the lung (thus preventing it from collapsing-atelectasis). Pneumocytes type I eventhough are plenty, their biological component is that it is higly susceptible to toxic insults/ infiltration and they do not regenerate/ or replicate, meaning these cells responsible for gas exchange does not regenerate after the cells die. The lack of cells for gas exchange, will result in lacking of oxygenation, and the tissues send signals to the body to increase breathing rate and heart rate, in order to restore the constant and adequate oxygenation to all body tissues. Well, it is true, some have smoke heavily for decades and yet still healthy, we must praise God that He had created reserve "lung tissues"- functional reserve to sustain our living, our lung's functional reserve is at least 50%-75%, meaning we can still live healthily with one side of the lung removed. So what, some may say, like my own grandfather, who smoked for over 70 years and he is now 97 years old.

I believe, those who smoke and still live long, could live even much longer if they didnt smoke.In conclusion (everyone at this time will say, Praise the Lord...lol). It doesnt matter much if smoking worsens alopecia areata or not, because it matters more that smoking actually add burden to the lung directly and the heart indirectly. Well, the lung and the heart are definitely more important than my hair.

Hair is just another ascessory tissues (play some role) to the skin, while the lung and the heart are major vital organs that sustain the quality of life and eventually life itself! Only if the heart and the lungs are visible on the outside of our body, the society then will pay a lot more attention to them!I dont mean to give you a lecture, I presume your occasional cigar would be more like a weekly habit rather than a daily habit.

I agree that smoking does add to the fact that can provide some form of calmness to the mind and relieve anxiety and ease emotional stress. My motto "I love my lung and my heart just as much as I love being calm to my mind", so I'll find another way to relax. If you're not thinking of quitting smoking, my next advice would be "Moderation is the key".

Take care and God bless."

Joshua

Air France Flight 447 Tragedy - a mouthpiece for opportunist?

Air France Flight 447 scheduled on 1st June 2009 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean hours after taking off from Rio De Janeiro enroute for Paris.

A tragic accident that took many beautiful lives and changed thousands of lives forever. While the family and friends of the victims still mourning over the loss of their loved ones. A wound that would take years or even decades to heal yet will still live a scar in one's broken heart, people around the globe watched the news with sympathy to begin with. Soon enough, their sympathy fades as soon as the media coverage fades away.

This tragic accident (less than a month old) which took so many wonderful lives has already been used as a shameful mouthpiece/ argument material for some ignorant quarters of the society. While there are many examples, I would only pick two most ridiculous, ignorant of how this tragedy has been used to sastify one's hunger to be right or correct (= one that thinks they know the best)

1. I have come across a comment from a religious person of the Christian faith, who with pre-conceived judgement said that probably none of the 228 person on Flight 447 from Rio to Paris on June 1st 2009 have prayed sincerely to God for a safe journey.

This is an outrage statement! This comment was made without a sense of human sympathy/ sensitivity for the victims and their friends and family! In addition, it is an insult to the Christian faith and God. God and the Bible has in NO where warrants or validate that people with the Christian faith would not endure hardship, sickness, pain and eventually death itself in life! I am deeply disgusted with such statement.

2. An atheist quoted the tragic event as an incident to prove the inexistence of God.

Rubbish! It's like seeing a bird on the ground for that moment and proclaimed that the bird cannot the fly the next minute. Without sense of sadness and sympathy for the victims especially for those with faith in God, the person who made the statement rob the already broken hearts of many to be used for his personal belief/ argument. (I'm not going into the debate of the Existence of God)

The two outrages statments made above must be condemned by all right-thinking people. Let us continue to set our prayers, thoughts and comforts to the family and friends of the victims of flight 447. On a personal note, both who made the statements are actually playing god themselves. The former acted if he is Deputy God, speaking on behalf of God while the later acted if he is Guardian of God by declaring God does not exist.

let us all set our heart and thoughts in a good spirit with love and kindess towards all.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by this tragic accident.

Joshua

Global economy slump, who are the victims?

With everyday headline coverage of the global economy crisis in the media. Who is the most unfortunate in victims of all?

Definitely not the shareholders or executive officers or board of directors of Chrysler or General Motors of the US Giant auto vehicle industries. The most affected would be the middle classes and more so for the general workers working in various plants which faces the threat of unemployment and ultimately the lost of the mean to provide to the family.

While the economists, bosses, executive officers, shareholders worry about their stock exchange, and restructuring of their bussiness and companies, they have forgotten the most fundamental business or corporate ethics of looking after the welfare of the employees, who some have worked many years and loyally. For most, people working in blue collar jobs are not only often underappreciated but they are first ones to be kicked out in the face of crisis in the corporate/ business world.

Some bosses touched by the torn of human conscience have even agree to reject a pay rise in their salary. What about the hundreds of thousands or even millions dollars of expenses paid by the company/ business for family vacations, food, leisures, or some even private jets?

It is most shocking to see some top executive officers besides being paid more than millions a year, are claiming other mostly non-essential benefits from the company often more than their basic salaries!

I am not saying whether the executive officers should be paid or given those expenses or not but how about those working as blue collar jobs?

Far more unfortunate are those who are already living under poor conditions of less than a dollar a day and without the excess of clean water and basic sanitation!

They continue to go hungry, thirsty, sick, cold as usual or perhaps more during the global economy crisis when charitable organisations are among the hardest hit in the current economy downturns.

While many groups fight for social equality in various causes around the globe, one of the most injustice situation remains by large in silence. The poorest among the poor especially in Africa, parts of Asia and Latin America has to plead for help instead of fighting for fair and equal treatment they should be receiving.

In short, with the current global economy slump, who are the victims?

The answer would be those who are already victims of social and economy injustice before beginning of the the current economy crisis.

Joshua