Pregnancy is hard enough with those weird cravings, bouts of nausea, stretching/burning abdominal skin, weight gain and months of uncomfortable sleeping. Without my twice-weekly water aerobics class during both pregnancies, I don't know how my body would have survived. After doing the silly, but effective Rocking Horse, Jumping Frog and a ton of basic water walking, I could move more freely, my legs didn't ache, I slept like the sleeping baby growing inside me. Except for my youngest ... she kicked nightly harder than Mr. Tae Bo, Billy Blanks.

Turns out exercise during pregnancy can also help a woman quit smoking. Two new studies reveal 25 percent of pregnant women who regularly exercised quit the habit before birth. A much healthier alternative than nicotine patches which could be a risk during pregnancy. Walking at a moderate pace was the main activity.

So if you're pregnant and desperately trying to snuff out the smokes, walk regularly. Don't forget about the pool either, it's absolute heaven.

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For smokers who have had trouble quitting on their own, the prescription medication Chantix might have seemed like a lifeline. A pill to help them quit smoking. But sometimes artificial help comes at a cost.

The FDA had previously released warnings that people taking Chantix may experience suicidal thoughts. More recent reports are showing that in addition, many users are experiencing extreme sleepiness and possibly even seizures. In fact, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices linked the medication to more than two dozen traffic accidents.

In response to the concerns, the Federal Aviation Administration banned use of the medication for pilots and air traffic controllers.

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A couple months ago, my best friend turned 36. Since I'll be following suit in a few short months, I didn't mind telling her that 36 sounds a whole heck of a lot more like 40 than 35 did. Somehow, at 35, I could still fool myself that I was in my young 30s. But fooling time is over. I'm rounding 40 in a few short years and it's time to face the facts.

Luckily, age is all a matter of perspective. (I remember dreading 28 for some reason, too. It just sounded OLD at the time!) So when I hit 40, I want to be fit and fabulous like the Sex and the City girls. (Without wearing weird hats at premieres ... and drinking too many cosmos ... and wearing ridiculously high heels .. and having fly-by-night relationships with men. OK, maybe I don't want to be like them after all.)

Revolution Health has a list of healthful ways to look your best when the big four-oh hits. Check out the gallery for some of their ideas.

50%. As many as 50% of cancer deaths could be avoided by making healthy lifestyle choices. 50%! That's huge. A recent American Cancer Society report states that, as we already knew, a healthy lifestyle can reduce cancer risk. But adding to that, the report states that 50% of deaths could be avoided. Good nutrition, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, keeping alcohol to a minimum, and getting the appropriate medical screenings (check with your doctor for specific recommendations) are all important in preserving your good health.

More than 170,000 cancer deaths in the US are related to smoking; quitting may be the most important step you take to reduce your risk of cancer. Obesity is another prominent factor in cancer risk; it's the root of more than 180,000 US cancer deaths each year.

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It's a generally accepted fact that women should quit smoking and drinking while pregnant. But it's helpful for dads-to-be to quit as well. Not necessarily because of second-hand smoke (though that's a danger as well), but mainly because when one partner continues the unhealthy habits it makes it all the harder for the other to quit. If dad continues to smoke and/or drink it's harder for mom to quit and she's more likely to pick the habits back up after childbirth.

Researchers studied hundreds of expectant moms' and dads' substance abuse over a three-year period (including pregnancy). Their findings include:

• 77% of female cigarette smokers and 50% of marijuana smokers used those substances to some degree during pregnancy; only 38% and 24% respectively reported cigarette or marijuana smoking.
  
• Overall rates of smoking and drinking declined during pregnancy, but picked back up within six months after childbirth.

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Quite a few years ago I wrote an article regarding the concept that 3 servings of low-fat dairy a day could help you lose weight. Then it was uncovered that the sponsor of the original study had ties to the dairy industry. Hmmm... makes you pause and think about how unbiased the study was, doesn't it? It's unfortunately the case with a lot of studies. Research is time consuming and expensive, so financial backing is necessary. Often, the finances come from an organization with a vested interest in the result. Any researcher worth his or her salt will perform an unbiased and accurate study regardless of the sponsor, however. And, if the sponsor wants accurate results, they should demand nothing less. Sometimes, however, the sponsorship of a study makes people question the results.

Such is the case with a 2006 study that determined lung scans might help save smokers from cancer. Big tobacco indirectly financed the study by making sizable donations (to the tune of 3.6 million) to a foundation that was listed as a sponsor of the study. Researchers properly revealed the study sponsors, but the indirect connection to big tobacco wasn't revealed. At this point, there is no indication that the study's findings are in any way tainted.

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Although I've written on smoking bans extensively in the last few months, countries and municipalities are finally getting the picture worldwide. That is, the general public does not like exposure to tobacco smoke (mostly from cigarettes) and smoking in public places needs to be discontinued.

To those that argue second-hand smoke poses no threat, I'd like to challenge that 'assumption' -- are there verifiable facts from credible sources that back up such a claim? If so, I'd love to investigate them.

It kind of pains me in the worst way when I see patients and employees (such as nurses, of all people) in and around hospitals and medical establishments smoking. And, smoking where other patients have to wade through the toxic mess that is cigarette smoke just to get into a place of healing. Sounds like an oxymoron. Stress can be beat in other ways (it's the common excuse I hear from smokers) -- like fitness and meditation. Hospitals should be one place where smoking should be tossed out the window. Agreed?

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There are many drugs these days geared toward helping smokers ditch the habit. Pills, patches and other methods are generating large profits for drugmakers while helping some (not all) quit smoking once and for all. Could this kind of magic be used to help heavy drinkers stop that activity as well?

A new study says that the drug varenicline may be able to help both smokers and drinkers quit as it targets a specific "pleasure" center in the brain that has a strong role to play in addiction.

Could this drug be used, with later refinement, for treating addictions outside of smoking and drinking? Perhaps addictions like gambling and prescription painkillers? Who knows -- but just treating addictions connected to smoking and drinking is a great start if it indeed works.

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The UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recently gave a thumbs-up to Champix (varenicline), a twice-daily drug used to help smokers kick the habit. During a 12-week trial almost half of the smokers tested were able to quit with the help of Champix. The prescription drug minimizes cravings and reduces withdrawal symptoms.

In Europe alone, over 1.2 million people die each year from smoking-related illness. The World Health Organization predicts smoking/health costs will skyrocket to approximately $500 billion by 2010. My guess is most smokers are fully aware of the health risks their habit creates and the economic drain it places on society, but an addiction is and addiction is an addition. There's no two ways about it -- smoking is a hard habit to break.

Champix has been on the market for a while, but the new approval comes at an appropriate time -- just one month before a UK-wide ban on smoking in public places goes into effect.

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