"A Commitment To Excellence"

“A Commitment to Excellence”

Hey this is Ed Barnowski #34; I am a sponsored Motocross Rider for “Project Filter”, Idaho’s Tobacco Prevention Program. Now is the time of the year that I am methodically preparing for the 2012 racing season that will officially kick off in March. The holidays were great; they gave me some much needed family time, a little relaxation and time to refocus on some priorities.

As I prepare for the 2012 Racing Season I have to think about all of the things that come along with it, the commitment, the incentive, the end result and what I am focusing on to achieve. Being a part of the Project Filter program has given me the opportunity to take a seat in the front row, in the fight for a tobacco free Idaho. It is a privilege to represent Project Filter and help to educate the public about the resources available to help individuals quit using tobacco.

Project Filter chooses sponsorships to target sporting events where the tobacco industry heavily promotes their messages and people would most likely use tobacco. Project Filter has assembled a Team of role models that are professional, inspirational and talented in their respected sports. The Project Filter Team reaches fans spread throughout Idaho; these are the same people that are marketed so heavily by the big tobacco companies. Each member of Project Filters Team brings a unique message about the importance of quitting or remaining tobacco free. This endeavor helps to change the belief that tobacco use is normal, “cool” or acceptable behavior at sporting events. Project Filters commitment is, “You Decide When. We’ll Show You How”! How cool is that!

A big part of this commitment to excellence is my commitment to the support of this program, for the education of the negative effects of tobacco and the commitment to excellence in health. In Idaho, smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined. More than 15,000 Idahoans die from smoking related diseases annually and at an average of four people per day. If you were to search, it is pretty hard to find a person that has not experienced a special someone, a family member or a friend that has not suffered through the negative effects of tobacco use.

Tobacco is the single greatest cause of preventable death globally. Tobacco use leads most commonly to diseases affecting the heart and lungs, with smoking being a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, cancers of the lungs and mouth and pancreatic cancer.
Tobacco is devastating to the performance of athletes. One of the main impacts of smoking on athletic performance is a decrease in lung function. For athletes this means a decrease in stamina and performance because muscles that get inadequate oxygen become fatigued more quickly. Smokers also tend to suffer from shortness of breath because their muscles and heart demand more oxygen than their lungs are able to supply. Another impact that smoking has on athletes is its affect on heart and circulatory health. Smoking causes the blood vessels to constrict and become blocked with plaque and can also increase blood pressure. Constricted blood vessels reduce blood flow to the muscles, further limiting the amount of oxygen the muscles receive. Loss of blood flow can significantly reduce muscular endurance, while the heart itself may also tire more quickly, as it works harder than it should to pump blood through clogged vessels.

Another disadvantage of smoking for athletes is that it can lead to greater chance of injury. Oxygen restriction to the muscles, heart and brain cause mental and physical sharpness to drop. This can cause athletes to make poor decisions and become dizzy or faint while engaged in physical activity. Smoking also reduces the strength of bones and inhibits the body’s ability to heal, skin, ligaments and tendons.

There are No advantages to using tobacco either as an athlete or as an individual. How could I compete at the top of my game in Motocross with a decrease in lung function or constricted and clogged blood vessels that are going to affect my stamina, performance and endurance? In Motocross I need my mind to be sharp and I ultimately need stamina and endurance to battle through the conditions that I encounter. I know I don’t want my heart to have to work harder by having to pump blood through clogged vessels. And if by chance I get hurt, which happens often in this demanding sport, I don’t want to have to sit on the bench for a longer period of time because my body won’t heal. Nor do I want to be more susceptible to injury because my bones have been weakened from the use of tobacco.

For me, it’s all about choices; it’s a choice of be committed to a healthier lifestyle, a choice of being committed to a cause and the choice to take a stand for something that I believe in and am in full support of. I invite you to Fight the Fight with me. If you are currently a tobacco user, just tell us when you’re ready to quit and we’ll show you how. Project Filter knows quitting isn’t easy. Studies show that nicotine replacement therapies (NRT’s) increase the success of quitting by 50 – 70 %. You can get help by contacting www.idaho.quitnet.com or by calling 1-800-Quit- Now (1-800-784-8669). A free Quit Coach will help you sign up for your free Nicotine Replacement Therapies in the form of patches, gum or lozenges. Remember, ending your tobacco addiction is one of the most important health decisions you can make. If you just want to help Fight the Fight you can join the Tobacco Free Idaho Alliance (TFIA) in support of tobacco free statewide prevention, reduction and cessation efforts.

I am excited for this 2012 season and my focus in this commitment is to be an active contributor to the reduction of tobacco use in our great state. I am focusing to educate the public in support of a healthier lifestyle for all. A Win in the reduction of tobacco use is equally as satisfying to a Win on the Motocross Track. Check out Project Filter at www.projectfilter.org , be a part of the Team and join me in this “Commitment to Excellence”.

Ed Barnowski

references; www.projectfilter.org; How Does Smoking Affect Athletes? By Gregory Hamel