Hello everyone, I am Kawamitsu, Director of LFC.

While reading the newspaper this morning, an article jumped out at me. Yes, today, May 31, is "World No Smoking Day. In recent years, an increasing number of restaurants, pubs, and other places have become "no smoking" areas.

I used to smoke for about 3 years. Of course, I have quit smoking now, but I have experienced the harmful effects of smoking, and I became addicted and had a hard time quitting. It was my father who gave me the opportunity to stop smoking cigarettes. My father, who had smoked cigarettes for more than 40 years, suddenly stopped smoking, and I was convinced that I could do it too. In that sense, I am very grateful to my father.

There are several smokers among the patients I see on a daily basis. Of course, I do not tell them to "stop smoking. I know from my own experience that smoking is addictive and that they "know it but can't stop. However, I do give them advice on how they can reduce the harmful effects of smoking, even if only a little.

One of the options is to "detoxify". There are many different ways to do this, and we try to tailor our advice to the patient's lifestyle.

Okinawa used to be the longest-lived prefecture in Japan for both men and women, but now men have slipped to 36th place. The female population also ranks 7th. Under these circumstances, LFC will continue to make further efforts to help Okinawa regain its position as a prefecture of longevity.