Tobacco kills over six million people every year worldwide, according to World Health Organization (WHO). 600,000 of those six million people are non-smokers poisoned by second-hand smoke. For 26 years, WHO has been celebrating World No Tobacco Day on May 31^st. This day serves the purpose of bringing attention to the many negative effects that tobacco use can have on the body. WHO is encouraging people all over the world to abstain from all tobacco consumption for this 24 hour period. The theme of 2013’s World No Tobacco Day is “ban tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.” World Tobacco Day awareness includes public marches and demonstrations, ad campaigns, and educational programs.

Any form of tobacco can be harmful to the body. Cigarettes and cigars, hand-rolling tobacco, pipes, chewing tobacco and snuff are all common types of tobacco used every day, worldwide. The most well- known and most critical effects of smoking are lung cancer and heart disease.

According to the CDC, smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 2-4 times, the chance of stroke by 2-4 times, men increase their risk of developing lung cancer by 23 times, women increase their chance of lung cancer by 13 times, and the risk of dying from chronic bronchitis and emphysema increases by 12-13 times.

Quitting smoking or other tobacco use can help save your life. Seeking counseling, drug treatment such as nicotine patches or gum, and slowly reducing the amount of smoking can all assist with ridding someone’s life of tobacco products, making them and those closest to them healthier.

Dogs and cats can be more than ‘man’s best friend’ or just someone to keep you company when you’re alone. For over 25 years, studies have shown that people who are pet owners have overall increased health.

Physical Health
Pediatrician James Gern, MD of the University of Wisconsin- Madison found that kids who grow up in a home with pets develop a stronger immune system, especially when it comes to fighting off allergies and asthma.

According to Animal Planet, researchers at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) say that pet owners have decreased blood pressure and cholesterol. Both of which minimize the risk of a fatal heart attack. Simply petting a cat lowers blood pressure and in 4,500 people, owning a cat lowers heart attack risk by over 40 percent, according to care2.com.

Pets require exercise as well. Walking or running with pets can keep the owner and the pet active and make weight a lot more manageable.

Mental Health
Owning pets can be very positive for the elderly and people with serious illnesses. WebMD states that Alzheimer’s patients who own pets have fewer outbursts and less anxiety. Having a pet, cats or dogs in particular, require attention, care, and love. Most of all, a pet-owner relationship results in companionship. Pets can also be a sense of stability for people with emotional issues.

Another care2.com study showed that 55 percent of people surveyed felt relaxed after spending time with their pet and 44 percent were less worried about specific problems including job security and finances. One in six women said “they confided their deepest thoughts in only their dog,” and 25 percent of women said their dog was their best friend.

Having a pet reduces stress and anxiety and therefore protecting against cardiovascular disease. There have been reports of doctors prescribing “pet prescriptions” to patients suffering from serious illnesses like cancer. Sick people are motivated by pets to take better care of themselves knowing they have a responsibility to another being.

In addition to generally owning a pet, adopting an animal can benefit both the owner and the pet. Saving an animal by adoption will make the owner feel good by helping make a difference for the pet and the pet will benefit the owner by improving their mental and physical health.

The twenty-nine (29) members of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine Fellowship graduates were awarded a Master’s Degree in Medical Sciences with a Concentration in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine from the University of South Florida School of Biomedical Sciences College of Medicine this month.
Participants of this particular Master’s program go through a rigorous course of study to complete the degree. Requirements include:

• 32 total credit hours
• 11 courses
  -Modules I-VIII with the A4M before applying to USF
  -Courses 1-8 with three case histories submitted
  -Course 9 and Course 10 independent studies
  -An ethics course as course 11
• 50 hours of A4M web casts
• Two online exams

  The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine would like to congratulate the graduates listing below for completing this program and earning their Master’s degrees in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine.

Arwa Al Shaer PhD, MD, FAARFM
Thomas Barnard MD, FAARFM
Elbridge Bills MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Elizabeth Boyle DO, FAARFM, ABAARM
Carrie Lynn Carda MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Melissa Dean MD, FAARFM
Kelly Engelman NP, FAARFM, ABAAHP
Craige Golding MD, FAARFM
Manjit Gosal MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Sabina Grochowski MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Bruce Hoffman MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Apostolos Lekkos DO, FAARFM, ABAARM
Janelle Love MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Diona Marina MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Laurence McClish MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Ajith Nair MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Lakshmi Prasad MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Jeanette Queen NP, FAARFM, ABAAHP, MS
Nancy Raymond RD, MS, FAARFM
Sana Remillard NP, FAARFM, ABAAHP
Michael Schoeleber MD, FAARFM
Teresa Sievers MD, FAARM, ABAARM
Roger Simpson MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
Pamela Smith MD, ABAARM
Peggy Watson MD FAARFM
Daniel Watts MD, FAARFM
John Whitcomb MD, FAARFM, ABAARM
TseHwa Yao MPAS, MS, FAARFM, ABAAHP
Aveewan Yun DO, FAARFM
Mark Houston MD, FAARM
Oleg Georgiev MD, FAARFM, ABAARM

The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) offers exclusive membership to all medical professionals where they gain access to over two-decades of established medical expertise.  We are also dedicated to educating physician and scientists and are proud to be in our 21st year of providing first-class continuing education conferences on anti-aging issues, regenerative and functional medicine.  To further demonstrate our commitment to the future of medicine, the shared responsibility for patient outcomes and transforming health education through innovation, we offer Board Certifications and Fellowship Training Programs in various disciplines ranging from anti-aging, regenerative and functional medicine to such disciplines as aesthetic medicine, skin cancer and stem cell therapy, in order to lead the industry by establishing best practice standards in these areas.