People have their own preferences for food. They may be coffee, alcohol, chocolate, cigarette, and so on. Some people drink coffee by habit, or others drink alcohol to reduce their stress. However cigarette is quiet different from others because it is more harmful than others. It affects not only smokers themselves, but also people around them. Even smoking often causes a big fire. A luxuriant forest or historical monument can be spoiled by a cigarette at a moment. To protect our health and environment, the laws and punishments related with smoking should be more strengthen than now.
10% of people die by smoking worldwide. It means that cigarette takes lives from 5 million people every year. WHO designated every May 31st as World No Tobacco Day to pursuit “smoke free society”. To prevent smoking, our government tries in several ways. There is a law to prevent smoking in certain facilities and buildings. Another law regulates to selling liquors or cigarettes to teenagers. Seoul Metropolitan Government reported recently that smoking will be ban at bus stop in Seoul. However Korea’s situation is still serious. According to the OECD Health Data (2007), the ratio of Korean male smoker is 46.6% which is 2nd grade following Turkey.
It is well known that smoking causes a lot of disease such as lung cancer, larynx cancer, heart disease, bronchitis. Besides, indirect smoking is also dangerous to health. However, smoking causes social problem as well as individual health problem. National Emergency Management Agency reported that 14.8% of fire accidents were occurred due to cigarette in Korea last year. In spite of restrictions, teenagers are able to buy cigarettes easily. The ratio of male smoker is 4.6%, which is significantly lower than man, yet woman smokers are increasing. Even young woman’s smoking may give bad influence for an embryo.
Though there are laws and regulations on smoking, many smokers still enjoy their fancies inside buildings or while on walking. In the morning, on busy street, a brave smoker ruins a lot of people’s physical health and mental health. One careless smoker destroys beautiful mountain to a bare one and make historical monuments bunt to ashes. Fines and penalties have to be severe and heavy to prevent smoking against law. Education for teenagers to prohibit smoking should be intensified from middle school.
Smokers say that smoking is an individual right. If that so, why do many country make laws against smoking worldwide? The answer is that it is not only an individual problem, but also a social one. A preference of smoking is important to everyone, but it is more important to respect other’s right to breathe clean air and stay healthy. The stronger laws and regulations are needed to reduce law breaking smokers. Also, education for teenagers will prevent them from smoking in the future.
Jun 29, 2008
About smoking
Jun 22, 2008
About Meniere’s syndrome
All the people have several experiences that are important to their life. That could be a happy event or sometimes a sad one. In my life, I also have a lot of events like marriage, giving birth, and having job. One of the recently shocking events happened 2 years ago. I never forget the morning of the 12 August 2006. The Meniere’s disease attacked me suddenly.
When I get up that morning, I felt the whole room was spinning very fast just like I’m in the rollercoaster. Then I fall down. After I went to the hospital, I realized that it was a typical symptom of the Meniere’s syndrome which I never heard before. The Meniere’s syndrome became my inveterate disease from that time. For a few months, I couldn’t do anything because of severe dizzying. That was really hard time for me. I couldn’t walk away, couldn’t read anything, couldn’t watch TV, and couldn’t listen to music. Finally, I had to leave my job for one year to cure my disease.
In 1861, the French physician Prosper Meniere described the illness which is an abnormality within the inner ear. The disease named for his name, the Meniere’s syndrome. Its symptoms are vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear, imbalance, vomiting and hearing loss.
The causes of the Meniere’s syndrome are not known exactly. Excessive stress, overwork, fatigue, emotional shock, certain foods, low blood pressure, and too much salt in the diet are known for the cause of it. Marilyn Monroe who was famous American actress was suffered from the Meniere’s syndrome, and Han Ji-Min, Korean young actress, was recently received attention after reporting that she has this disease.
I never expected that this incurable disease came to me. When I get tired, I always feel dizzy and exhausted. I have to be careful about my health all the time. I was really scared about my disease before, but I thank to have this disease nowadays. It changed my life a lot. I never attempt too much anything, and I always try to keep my temper in comfortable. Most of all, it made me to realize the importance of health.
Jun 15, 2008
Successful aging
As our nation becomes an aging society, the older are rapidly growing. Socialists predict that Korea will become a super aging society in 2030. It means that people over 65 are over 20% of total population. It is certain that our lives will be long than ever before. However, we are not well prepared in this situation in society or individually. To be successful aging, we have to prepare it from young. It could be an economical, physical, and mental preparation.
Financial independent is very important to older. In the past, parents used to rely on their declining years to their children. Also, sons and daughters took it granted to support their parents. But nowadays, it’s quiet different. Young generations would not support older. If we have no money to live independently and our children can’t afford to support us, the only place we should go will be a national nursing home. Sufficient money will let us to live independent and enjoyable life.
Physical health is essential to the winter of our life. Seniors are mostly suffering from various diseases. If we have arthritis, we can’t join to family’s trip. If we have high blood pressure or diabetes, we can hardly enjoy delicious foods. In case of having palsy or Alzheimer’s, it is not only ourselves pain but also family’s burden. To prevent suffering from disease, we have to keep our body in good safe and healthy.
As well as financial fundamentals and physical fitness, good mental health is necessary for happy life as an older. As a usual, older might be easily depressive and weak. They feel alienation from young people, and their activity become decline. But it depends on mind. If we have certain hobby to enjoy with others, we will never feel isolated. Volunteer activities will be also helpful to mental fitness. These will give us satisfaction and happiness.
Our senescent life will be long and come soon. Maybe it could be the most precious time in our life because we can lead our life according to our own purpose. We don’t have to take care of family or support them. We don’t have to work on unpleasant things. But to enjoy our senior life, we need some conditions as a basement. They are financial independent, physical fitness and mental health. These three points are essential to successful aging. Though we can’t avoid getting older, we can happily face it by preparing in advance to be stable old life.
Jun 8, 2008
Various destinations for tourists
Different nations for different tourists
As the increase of income, people go abroad for sightseeing more often than before. There are lots of nations in package program from the travel agency. People choose nations and tour package according to their taste. It would be very important to choose the nations considering the tour members. The destination would be different if there are children or seniors. It also could be specialized to a honeymoon couple.
To a family with young children, it is recommended for tour places which have amusement park, zoo, aquarium, theme park or beach. Hong Kong, Tokyo, USA have Disneyland which children have enthusiasm for. Singapore has huge bird park called Jurong Bird Park and an aquarium. Guam, Sipan, and other East Asian nations with resort and beach are suitable for families with kids to stay in comfortable. These nations are not too far to fly, and usually the program has a lot of spare time to relax to enjoy separately.
To seniors, they prefer historical place, religion place or hot spring resort. Japan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam and other Europe countries are frequently visited places. For a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, people travel Israel, Egypt, Italy, etc. Seniors also like to stay in spar resort. Japan has many famous places for spa. But most important thing to senior travelers is that the tour should be comfortable and not be tired.
To the honeymooners, their travel should be most impressive and separated from other tourists. Travel agencies offers special honeymoon program for newly weds. These days, they developed luxury pool villas in Asia. They located in a beautiful beach and each room has its own pool. A newly married couple can enjoy their honeymoon in separated resort swimming secret pool of their own.
According to increase of opportunities for travel, it becomes important to choose suitable place to the various travelers. Every country has its own characteristics for sightseeing. We have to make tour plans considering our tour members. It will be different if we have kids, seniors, or we are newly weds. If our choice is successful, our memories from tour will be really happy and precious.