Quit For Life: Benefits of being Smoke-Free

Quitting Takes Practice.

Make a list. List all the reasons why you want to quit and then keep the list close by for when you're thinking about lighting up.

Talk with someone. By telling others close to you that you are quitting smoking, you not only deepen your commitment, you also give them an opportunity to help you.

Set a quit date. Any less- stressful day in the next three weeks will do. Be sure to mark it on your calendar. You're much more likely to start on your quit day if it's written down.

Learn from the past. If you've tried to quit before and couldn't, use that experience to make your next attempt a success.

Motivate yourself with positive thoughts. Congratulations? You stopped smoking! Now battle any negative thoughts you have with constructive ideas, like "I'm looking forward to being free of these cigarettes, lighters and matches" and "I really don't need a cigarette to have a good time at a party."

2011 promises to be an exciting and eventful year for many of us. I've had a lot of conversations with close friends and acquaintances in the past few days, and the general consensus is that people are tired of being drained by negativity, and a gloomy future outlook. Remember to make the best of it, and it's up to you how you shape your future.

I wrote down a few tips that will help getting the best out of the new year. They don't come from a self help book, nor are they copied and pasted from an e-mail forward. On the contrary, they are from my own experiences, and they've helped me immensely.

1, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. Inside and Out. If you are not well, you won't perform well. Period.

2, SURROUND yourself with positive people. Attitude is contageous. Make a point of calling people who motivate you.

3, FOCUS. This is something I personally can't force, it happens when I truly want something. I love the feeling of being focused. Nothing can and will distract me until I get what I want. I may not have the "how", but trust me, I will figure it out. I don't even pay attention to obstacles or the fact that sometimes I have no idea how I'm going to get to the end. All that just falls into place if I have the will.

4, QUIT EXCUSES. Seriously. If you sense one hindering you, delete it from your mind.

5, HAVE FUN. This probably sounds like the biggest cliche, but life is short. I remember the first day I ever went to school. I could swear it happened yesterday. Holy mother next thing I know I'm 1/3 way through life already and I've spent entirely too much time worrying about unecessary stuff. I am definitely working on this one :)

Hope you had some fun reading this. As always, I am here to help with any of your health needs (or anything else I can help with for that matter).

What You'll Save by Quitting Smoking

A look at the dollars kept by kicking the habit.

By Francesca Levy for Forbes.com

Most smokers already know that they can help preserve their health, hygiene and personal relationships by kicking the habit, and that holds true across the country.

But in strictly financial terms, smokers in Delaware stand to save the most cash by quitting. That's because in Delaware, where a pack of cigarettes costs about $5.39, residents smoke more than in any other state—just over 185 packs per year. That comes out to $998.23 spent individually on smoking every year.

On the other hand, so few cigarettes are smoked in Utah that the average resident would save less by stopping smoking than a smoker in any other state. For the 33 average packs they smoke a year, Utahns spend $150.85 annually.

In Depth: How Much You'll Save by Quitting Smoking

Smokers in most states stand to save between $200 and $500. They include those in Florida ($276.04); Alaska ($441.72); Maine ($439.92); Mississippi ($321.46); and Illinois ($298.66).

Forbes.com found data on the price of cigarettes and frequency of smoking for the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and found that in most states, quitting smoking would save more than $300 per year just on the cost of cigarettes, and in some states, far more than that. Those savings don't include the myriad other costs nonsmokers are spared: steep dry-cleaning bills, big health care costs and higher life insurance premiums among them.

This is especially important today. With scores of Americans being forced to tighten their belts, smoking is a quick way to fatten the wallet. What's more, state cigarette taxes could be on the rise. If history offers any lessons, we may see an even steeper cost of smoking soon--and more of a reason to quit—since state governments often turn to these tax hikes when economic times are tough.

Behind the numbers

Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Forbes.com compiled the state taxes on a pack of cigarettes and the average price of a pack in each state. We then used the per-capita packs bought in 2007, as calculated by the CDC, to approximate how much the average smoker spends per year on cigarettes.

A pack of cigarettes in New York is more expensive than anywhere else in the country, at $8.66 (in New York City, cigarette taxes are higher, bringing the price up to $9.72). Yet in New York, only 34 packs are sold annually per capita, bringing tobacco spending to $296—still an attractive savings.

The cheapest pack of cigarettes can be found in tobacco-rich South Carolina, where a $.07 cigarette tax brings the price of a pack to only $3.33. But that doesn't mean individuals in the state spend less on smoking overall. In fact, because 91 packs a year are sold per person in South Carolina, residents spend $304 per year on smokes—more than highly taxed New Yorkers.

Taxes on cigarettes have a direct effect on
smoking rates, and New York's prohibitive cigarette costs are a big part of why New Yorkers buy fewer packs.

"Raising the cigarette tax is the simplest, fastest way to reduce smoking," says Eric Lindbloom, director for policy research at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "There's an immediate response. People cut back more, they quit more, they call quit lines and buy nicotine-replacement therapy more. Every indicator shows that as the price increases you end up with fewer people smoking."

Extra expenses

But the price of cigarettes themselves isn't the only cost of smoking. Delaware—which sells the most cigarettes per capita out of any state—also spends $284 million on smoking-related health costs per year, and smoking-caused productivity losses cost the state $304 million per year. It's even harder to calculate costs like carpet cleaning, lost home value and even missed job opportunities—some employers now won't hire smokers.

Even though most smokers know the proven health risks and long-term costs of smoking, it often takes a hike in the price of a pack to bring home the negative consequences of the habit.

Terry Pechacek, associate director for science at the CDC's Office for Smoking and Health, says that the immediacy of higher smoking costs often pushes people toward breaking the chains of addiction.

"It places a convenience cost," says Pechacek. "When you have changes in social norms, and then a price increase that you notice each time you buy a pack of cigarettes, it's a very persistent and inescapable cost that's been building on other factors. It's kind of that tipping point that brings all those other behavioral costs together."

What's more, there's a good chance smokers may be spending more on their habits.

"States pass their cigarette tax increases during budgetary crises because they need money and it's a good way to get it," says Lindbloom. "The wonderful advantage is not only do they get money, but they lower state costs and reduce smoking. It's also very popular, unlike other tax increases that make people scream."

But the CDC's Pechacek warns that while taxing smokers is effective for governments and cuts smoking rates, states must go further than taxation.

"Taxes have gone up dramatically over the last four to five years, but the level of service funding for tobacco control programs, quit lines and coverage for medication have gone up very little or not at all," he says.

He adds that, ironically, downturns are among the hardest times for many to quit.

"Smoking is one of the stress-reducing crutches," he says. "During these economic times of stress, we need to help lower-income smokers quit because they may smoke as much or more."

Why is it so hard to quit smoking?

From Healthwise

If you have ever been a smoker, you know how hard quitting can be. If you don't smoke, it can be hard to understand why people smoke and how tough it is to quit.

So why do people have such a hard time quitting?

Cigarettes contain nicotine, which is addictive. Nicotine changes the brain so you want more of it. If you stop smoking and stop getting nicotine, your body fights back by making you feel bad. This is known as nicotine withdrawal. For some people, nicotine is as hard to quit as heroin or cocaine.

But there's more to smoking than nicotine. People smoke for many reasons, and these reasons also make it hard for them to quit. Smoking may:

• Relieve stress and bad moods.
• Improve concentration.
• Control hunger and weight.
• Be an activity of a social group.
• Be part of a daily ritual.

These reasons seem very good to smokers. Without cigarettes, they may feel that something is missing in their lives. They may feel that they can't cope without smoking.

Imagine how hard it would be for you to give up a habit that you enjoy or that you think helps you in some way. What would you use as your replacement? How would you cope?

The combination of nicotine addiction and reasons to smoke make it very hard to quit.

Test Your Knowledge

1. It's hard to stop smoking because:

a. Nicotine is addictive.

This answer is correct

Both a and b are correct. Nicotine is addictive, and the withdrawal symptoms make it hard to stop using nicotine.

b. The reasons that people smoke are important to them.

This answer is correct

Both a and b are correct. The reasons that people have for smoking are important to them. Without cigarettes, people may feel that something is missing from their lives or that they may not be able to cope.

Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH Paul Lehnert	Last Updated: April 14, 2008
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine John Hughes, MD - Psychiatry

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions. © 1995-2008 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

Smoking: Does cause wrinkles?

Smoking can accelerate the aging process of your skin. Find out how.

From MayoClinic.com

It is true that smoking causes wrinkles!!

Melinda / Pennsylvania

Smoking can accelerate the normal aging process of your skin, contributing to wrinkles. These skin changes may occur after only 10 years of smoking and are irreversible.

How does smoking lead to wrinkles? Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. This impairs blood flow to your skin, depleting it of oxygen and important nutrients, such as vitamin A. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. As a result, skin begins to sag and wrinkle prematurely.

Smoking doesn't only cause wrinkles on your face. A 2007 study found that smoking is associated with increased wrinkling and skin damage on other parts of the body, including the inner arms.

In addition, repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes and the facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — may contribute to wrinkles.

Last Updated: October 25, 2007

©1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "Mayo Clinic Health Information," "Reliable information for a healthier life" and the triple-shield Mayo logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Reap the health benefits from 20 minutes to 15 years after.

Quit Smoking!

By Jean Weiss for MSN Health & Fitness

Chances are the young man that stepped out of your favorite coffee house for a smoke just now has tried to quit at some point. Who knows why his efforts didn't stick? It may have been that he, like most smokers who tried quitting in the last year, didn't get the support he needed. It may have been that he didn't use recommended methods. But what if he knew that if he put out his cigarette right now, in only 20 minutes he'd be enjoying better health?

One in five U.S. adults is a smoker. That's close to 43.4 million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of that group, 39.8 percent tried to quit in the past year, but only 10 to 20 percent of them are successful three months later, says Len Lichtenfeld, M.D., deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.

And yet the younger you are when you stop smoking, the lower your rate of premature death. "The one best thing smokers can do for their health is stop smoking," says Lichtenfeld. "You have to look at the effects of cigarette smoking over time. If you are young, and you stop smoking, you can reduce your risk of cancer in your life." But no matter what your age, the health perks of quitting smoking are immediate as well as long-term. Here's a timeline detailing the benefits:

The quit-smoking health benefits after 20 minutes to 3 months

In the time it takes you to read the morning paper, your health can improve significantly when you stop smoking. "The overall health impact on the heart when you quit is dramatic and fairly quick," says Lichtenfeld. It takes just 20 minutes for your heart rate and blood pressure to drop, and less than a day for the carbon monoxide poisoning in your body that comes from cigarettes to dissipate.

After three months, your circulation will improve and your lungs will be working more efficiently. "When you smoke, there is an immediate reaction to your heart rate and blood pressure," says Lichtenfeld. "Lung function gets better within two weeks to three months after you stop quitting, but the improvements to the heart can be immediate. Smoking puts toxins in your body that affect the way the heart works, the blood vessels work, the organs work. And when you remove that toxin, that allows the body to start healing right away."

• 20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure will drop.
• 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood falls to normal.
• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation and lung function improve.

The quit-smoking health benefits after 9 months to 1 year

In the same time it would take a pregnant woman to carry a baby to term, or for you to celebrate one birthday and then another, you'll notice an improvement in the overall health of your lungs. You'll also notice improvement in heart function, and perhaps also in your ability to enjoy food.

By nine months most people notice a decrease in coughing and easier breathing. Sometimes these changes can happen in as short a time as a couple of months. Lichtenfeld says the cold symptoms smokers seem to always have will frequently subside. This happens because the hair-like cilia in the lungs, which help remove mucus, regain function. Clearer lungs mean your risk of getting an infection is reduced.

Depending on how long you smoked before quitting, you may not be able to reverse some of the damage you've done to your lungs, but you can improve their overall health in other ways. "Once chronic emphysema happens—a disease in the lung where the air sacks in the lung scar and break down in a heavy smoker over time—it is not reversible," says Lichtenfeld. "But what can happen in some people is that the inflammation, the bronchitis, the coughing and the sputum, can stop."

After one year, your heart rate and blood pressure will have decreased, lowering your overall risk of heart disease. If heart damage has already occurred, you won't be able to reverse it, but you will be able to improve your overall health. "The mechanisms in the body that can cause a heart attack due to smoking are certainly much less at one year after quitting," says Lichtenfeld. "A heart attack is a dynamic process that happens when many factors combine. If you don't smoke, [do] eat a healthy diet [and] keep your blood pressure under control, you may significantly lower the risk of having a heart attack."

At this point, the senses of taste and smell may also improve, says Lichtenfeld. "People don't expect it, but when you talk to former smokers, one of the things they notice and appreciate is that they can actually taste their food again." Lichtenfeld cautions that some people who stop smoking gain weight because they aren't relying on cigarettes to curb their appetite. He suggests having an eating plan in place when you quit. "I'd rather people realize that and deal with the appetite issue, [rather] than deal with the bad effects of smoking," he says.

• 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath are reduced.
• 1 year after quitting: Your risk of coronary heart disease is reduced to half of what it was when you smoked.

The quit-smoking health benefits after 5 to 15 years

If you've managed to stay clean of cigarettes for the same amount of time it takes to raise a child until he or she enters kindergarten, then you've decreased your risk of heart disease and stroke almost to the same level as if you'd never smoked. You've also significantly decreased your risk of lung cancer.

Smokers are at increased risk for 15 types of cancer, including that of the lung, esophagus, stomach, bladder, kidney, pancreas and cervix, says Lichtenfeld. After 5 to 15 years, your risk of getting many of these cancers decreases significantly. "When you take away those chemicals that cause cancer, the risk of getting cancer is [lessened]," says Lichtenfeld. Your risk of lung cancer can be reduced, but never completely eliminated, if you've smoked. "Lung cancer is a serious issue," he says. "People who are heavy smokers over a long time, when they stop, the risk of lung cancer does not go away." However, your chance of getting a stroke does improve dramatically. "The risk of stroke decreases 5 to 15 years after people stop smoking," he says.

So if you’re thinking of quitting, or feeling vulnerable to starting again, take a breather, fix some breakfast, call a friend for a chat. In the time it took you to do either, you've already improved your health. A study by the British Medical Journal reported that individuals lose 11 minutes of their life for every cigarette smoked. So, sit back, do the math, and appreciate the number of 11-minute segments you've gained by quitting, whether 20 minutes ago, one year ago, five or 15 years ago.

• 5 years after quitting: Your risk of stroke is the same as if you had never smoked.
• 10 years after quitting: Your chances of dying from lung cancer are now half of what it would have been had you continued to smoke. Your risk of getting cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas has also decreased.
• 15 years after quitting: Your risk of coronary heart disease is the same as if you'd never smoked.

New Ways to Quit Smoking

Can high-tech tools help cool addiction’s flame?

By Bryce Edmonds

Here’s a sobering thought: In any given year, only approximately 3 percent of smokers trying to quit will succeed.

In the United States, there are approximately 45 million adult and 5 million youth smokers—and every year, some 60 percent of them are actively trying to quit. That’s 30 million people who are trying to snuff out the butts, and a paltry 1.5 million who make it to nonsmoker status.

In other words, once the smoking habit grabs you, the odds are overwhelmingly bad that you will be able to quit. According to the University of Minnesota, tobacco is as addictive as heroin (as a mood- and behavior-altering agent), 1,000 times more potent than alcohol, 10 to 100 times more potent than barbiturates and five to 10 times more potent than cocaine or morphine.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that smokers can quit. It’s not impossible, just difficult.

Improving the Odds

According to the American Cancer Society, the most important factor in successfully quitting is resolve. If a smoker is highly motivated to quit, and knows about the challenges ahead and is prepared to deal with them, success rates are much higher than normal. Even then it often takes numerous serious attempts at quitting over several years.

But there are ways to help move the odds in the quitter’s favor. When combining raw will power with aids such as nicotine replacement therapies (patch, inhaler, lozenge, gum and nasal spray), pharmaceutical agents (bupropion and varenicline) and good old-fashioned social support (a friend or family member) quit rates rise dramatically—doubling, tripling or more.

Genetics may contribute one day to further improving the odds of quitting. A study published in the Sept. 15 issue of Biological Psychiatry found that genes strongly affect quit rates in those using the antidepressant bupropion. People with a certain gene responsible for metabolizing both the drug and nicotine were more than two times as likely to quit using bupropion compared with placebo. Interestingly, those without the gene were just as likely to quit using either bupropion or placebo. Quit rates were almost equal, at approximately 32 percent, for all but the first placebo group.

Online Support

Numerous Web sites have popped up aimed at helping smokers quit, such as Smokefree.gov, created by the Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute.

Jacqueline Stoddard, a behavioral research scientist and a consultant with the TCRB, points out that online tools are only effective when combined with a concrete plan and timeline for quitting.

"You are going to see a broad range of results for [studies on Internet tools], with relatively high quit rates among the smokers who are ready to quit right away and ready to use a vast array of resources to assist them, and very low quit rates among those smokers who haven't yet set a quit date or begun preparations for that day,” she says.

Low and High-Tech Products

New smoking-cessation products have also come on the market, from the very low-tech, like the Cigarette Counter, to flashy high-tech, like the Ruyan E-Cigarette.

As the name implies, the Cigarette Counter is a small device that helps you count how many cigarettes you’ve smoked. It clips to the top of your cigarettes, which requires you purchase a hard pack. You keep track of how many cigarettes you’ve smoked via simple add and subtract buttons, which, the company claims, helps smokers break through the unconscious habit of grabbing a smoke.

From China comes the Ruyan E-Cigarette, an electronic nicotine inhaler designed to mimic the smoking experience, complete with exhaled vapor. Nicotine vaporizing cartridges are snapped into the device, and are available in four different nicotine doses, from 0 mg to 16 mg. Ruyan also sells e-pipes and e-cigars.

Do these products work, or are they gimmicks?

Thomas Glynn, American Cancer Society director of cancer science and trends, says people are very curious about high-tech devices, but he’s concerned that there is no data yet to back up their use.

“I don’t see anything in [these newer approaches] that I’d say is a magic bullet,” he says. “Unfortunately, one real challenge we have in helping people to stop is getting them to accept that quitting is hard work.”

There’s also a risk, Glynn says, that people will try high-tech methods and, if they don’t work, “might throw their hands up and say, ‘I can’t stop.’ And we’ll lose an opportunity for someone who can quit.”

Glen Morgan, a clinical psychologist and program director at the Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute, concurs.

“If I’m not familiar with a product or heard of studies supporting its use, I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody any more than, say, chewing peach pits if you have cancer,” he says.

But Morgan adds that the “John Wayne approach” to quitting—using will power alone—doesn’t work. “If you stop and think about anything you’ve ever accomplished, will power just wasn’t enough,” he says. “You need to have a plan and practice and try and be prepared and know that it’s not going to be an easy course and you’re going to slip.”

Know Thyself

For any method to help, you will need to get a grasp on what makes you reach for a cigarette, says Glynn.

“Connecting with how your particular habit works requires self-analysis,” he says.

Once you understand your smoking triggers, you can begin to use the available tools wisely.

One of the best measures of addiction is how soon you have a cigarette in the morning. “Is it as soon as your feet hit the floor?” Glynn asks. Thirty minutes is a good rule of thumb for a basic line in the sand. After that, “you might not be as dependent,” he says.

Take the Nicotine Addiction Test on Smokefree.gov.

The Cost of Smoking: Interactive Tool: How Much Does Smoking Cost You? The High Cost of Smoking

Bryce Edmonds is a Boulder, Colo.-based freelance writer who has written for Yoga Journal, Alternative Medicine, Vegetarian Times and more.

Teen smoking: 10 ways to help teens stay smoke-free

Teen smoking can become a lifelong habit. Help your teen resist that first puff. From MayoClinic.com Teen smoking might begin innocently enough, but it can become a lifelong habit. In fact, most adult smokers began smoking as teenagers. Your best bet? Help your teen resist taking that first puff. These 10 tips can help. Understand the attraction. Sometimes teen smoking is a form of rebellion or a way to fit in with a particular group of friends. Some teens light up in an attempt to lose weight or to feel better about themselves. Others smoke to feel cool or independent. To know what you're dealing with, ask your teen how he or she feels about smoking. Ask which of your teen's friends smoke. Applaud your teen's good choices, and talk about the consequences of bad choices. Say no to teen smoking. You may feel as if your teen doesn't hear a word you say, but say it anyway. Tell your teen that smoking isn't allowed. Your disapproval may have more impact than you think. In one study, teens who thought their parents would disapprove of them smoking were less than half as likely to smoke as those who thought their parents wouldn't care. Set a good example. Teen smoking is more common among teens whose parents smoke. If you don't smoke, keep it up. If you do smoke, quit — now. Ask your doctor about stop-smoking products and other ways to quit smoking. In the meantime, don't smoke in the house, in the car or in front of your teen, and don't leave cigarettes where your teen might find them. Explain how unhappy you are with your smoking and how difficult it is to quit. Appeal to your teen's vanity. Smoking isn't glamorous. Remind your teen that smoking is a dirty, smelly habit. Smoking gives you bad breath. Smoking makes your clothes and hair smell, and it turns your teeth yellow. Smoking can leave you with a chronic cough and less energy for sports and other activities you enjoy. Do the math. Smoking is expensive. Help your teen calculate the weekly, monthly or yearly cost of a pack-a-day smoking habit. You might compare the cost of smoking with electronic gadgets, clothes or other teen essentials. Expect peer pressure. Friends who smoke can be convincing — but you can give your teen the tools he or she needs to refuse cigarettes. Rehearse how to handle tough social situations. It might be as simple as, "No thanks, I don't smoke." The more your teen practices this basic refusal, the more likely he or she will say no at the moment of truth. Take addiction seriously. Most teens believe they can quit smoking anytime they want. But teens become just as addicted to nicotine as do adults, often quickly and at relatively low doses of nicotine. And once you're hooked, it's tough to quit. Consider this: Of adolescents who've smoked at least 100 cigarettes, the American Lung Association reports that most would like to quit but are unable to do so. Predict the future. Teens tend to assume that bad things only happen to other people. But the long-term consequences of smoking — such as cancer, heart attack and stroke — may be all too real when your teen becomes an adult. Use loved ones, friends or neighbors who've been ill as real-life examples. Think beyond cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes (kreteks) and candy-flavored cigarettes (bidis) are sometimes mistaken as less harmful or addictive than traditional cigarettes. Hookah smoking — smoking tobacco through a water pipe — is another alternative sometimes touted as safe. Don't let your teen be fooled. Like traditional cigarettes, these products are addictive and can cause cancer and other health problems. Many deliver higher concentrations of nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar than do traditional cigarettes. Get involved. Take an active stance against teen smoking. Participate in local and school-sponsored anti-smoking campaigns. Support bans on smoking in public places. If your teen has already started smoking, avoid threats and ultimatums. Instead, be supportive. Find out why your teen is smoking — and then discuss ways to help your teen stop smoking, such as hanging out with friends who don't smoke or getting involved in new activities. Stopping teen smoking in its tracks is the best thing your teen can do for a lifetime of good health. Last Updated: June 29, 2007 ©1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "Mayo Clinic Health Information," "Reliable information for a healthier life" and the triple-shield Mayo logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.