There are so many health-related reasons to quit smoking, and now there is a new reason to add to that on-going list. This reason, however, has nothing to do with your heart or lungs; it has to do with your social standing.

A new study found that smoking might just be detrimental to popularity and social standing. Where smokers were once the center of the party, they have been moved to the periphery (think of all the smokers outside of bars). It seems that people start smoking in groups and also quit smoking in groups. If members of a social group quit smoking, there is a 36 percent chance that their friends will quit, too. A positive pack mentality (pun intended). If some members of the peer group continued to smoke, they tend to form their own social groups on the periphery of their former social network. However, once the smoker that was slow to quit stops smoking, they tend to move back to a more central position in their friendship groups. It pays to quit smoking, not only for your health, but for the health of your friendships.

Looking to quit? Check out: Tips to Quit Smoking. Since it is easier to quit in groups, why not make it a group activity and invite your friends to a smokeout.

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Often touted as the hot new superfood, açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is a delicious fruit harvested from palm trees in the Amazon. The boldly flavored berry tastes sort of like chocolate-covered cherries, and its health benefits are just as enticing. The pulp is packed with antioxidants — more than you get from blueberries, pomegranates, or red grapes — plus lots of fiber, amino acids, and heart-healthy fatty acids.

According to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, who calls açaí one of the top 10 superfoods, the antioxidants in this "energy fruit" help combat premature aging, while the "almost perfect essential amino acid complex" aids in muscle regeneration and the healthy fats help digestion. To find out how to get it in your diet, read more

Germs definitely freak me out because I hate getting sick, especially in the Spring and Summer. If you feel the same way, then you may want to disinfect these five things, or avoid touching them altogether:

• Your vacuum. Since you're sucking up germs, dirt, and other nasty things, vacuums aren't exactly clean. Actually, scientists found that 50 percent of vacuum brushes contained fecal bacteria and 13 percent had E. coli. All contained mold. Since the brush is so gross, to avoid contaminating clean surfaces, spray the brush with a disinfectant spray after you're done with it.
• Your weightlifting gloves. Staph infections bind strongly to the polyester, which is often used to make gloves. It's best to ditch the gloves altogether, since not only will you avoid bacteria, but you'll also strengthen your grip.
• Gym Equipment. If you belong to a gym, you might want to know that a 2006 study in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found rhinoviruses (what cause colds) on 63 percent of the gym equipment at the fitness centers they tested. To avoid the germs, try not to touch your face, nose, or eyes while working out, and as soon as you're finished, wash your hands and face thoroughly to prevent getting sick.

What else contains tons of germs? To find out read more

When it comes to cardio, mixing it up at the gym is fun way to challenge yourself, avoid burnout, and cross train in one session. Sometimes, I do a mini biathlon and run and bike, or run and swim, but I just go this great idea from Run DMZ – the gym triathlon. And it doesn't involve swimming, so no need for a change of clothes or venue.

The workout takes just over an hour and is sure to work your entire body and challenge your cardiovascular system. The challenge of this workout is about going as far as you can in 20 minutes on each machine, which really makes it feel like a race. If your gym is crowded, your workout might be a compromised by machine availability, but then again, taking a 20-minute break in the middle of a cardio session burns more fat. So waiting around for your next machine might have some perks.

To see the workout, just read more