If you are a parent of teenagers or you have teenagers in your life, you will contribute to their current and future health by taking advantage of opportunities to reinforce messages about the dangers of smoking-- that includes cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless tobacco products.

Although children and teens get the message in school and through media that smoking is unhealthy, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that thousands of American teens start smoking every day, and many of them continue smoking as adults, which increases their risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease later in life. Also, CDC studies have show that teens who smoke are more likely to consume alcohol, use illegal drugs, and engage in risky sex behaviors than teens who don’t smoke.

Keep these points in mind when talking to teens about not smoking:

• Don’t judge. If the teen has tried a cigarette once or twice, don’t condemn his or her behavior, but emphasize the importance of not smoking, and ask about how it made them feel and listen to what they say about why they would or would not be tempted to smoke again. Remind them that they don’t have to smoke because their friends do.
• Don’t smoke. Be a role model. If you smoke, try to quit, or at least cut back, and let the teens in your life know that you are trying to quit for your health and theirs.
• Reinforce reasons not to smoke. Remind teens that smoking will have a negative impact on sports performance, and that smoking is bad for their skin and hair, not to mention the unappealing smell. If your teen does smoke, encourage and support him or her in efforts to quit. Check out keepkidsfromsmoking.com for more information about how to talk to children and teens about not smoking.

Stress is how you respond to the demands of your life, and life today often seems like it is filled with stress—work demands, family demands, finding time for yourself—how to do it all? If you can understand and recognize the sources of stress in your life, you can figure out the best ways to manage them to help keep your mind, body, and spirit intact.

For starters, remember that stresses can be external or internal.

External stress comes from many sources including:

• Family. Family life changes (marriage, moving) or a fight with your parent, child, or spouse.
• Work. A heavy workload or difficult boss can stress you out.
• Environment. If you live or work in an unpleasant or unsafe area.
• Social. A blind date or giving a speech can be stressful events for most people.
• Unpredictable events. Losing your job, facing a rent increase.

In addition, many people suffer from stress caused by internal factors, including feelings of fear, uncertainty, negativity, and unrealistic expectations.

Mild stress can motivate you to finish a project or fix a relationship, but a buildup of small, mild stresses can have an adverse effect on your health by causing physical symptoms (such as headaches and fatigue), mental symptoms (such as an inability to concentrate) and emotional symptoms (such as irritability and depression).

Take action to fight stress by using healthy relaxation techniques (meditation or yoga) or planning time for yourself to exercise, read, or take a vacation. Recognize and avoid unhealthy ways to deal with stress such as excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, or smoking.