TalkZone Talk Channel

January 25, 2026

Light Smoking and Heart Disease & Better Questions To Ask Your Kids

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Episode Segments

Even One Cigarette a Day: The Shocking Truth About Light Smoking and Heart Disease

When it comes to cigarettes, there\'s no safe number to smoke. Michael J. Blaha, MD, MPH, Preventive Cardiologist, Director of Clinical Research at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease at Johns Hopkins Hospital, discusses his research that found that even two to five cigarettes daily increase a person’s cardiovascular disease risk by over fifty percent. He emphasizes that complete cessation is the only path to meaningful cardiovascular health improvement, and even then, it takes 30 to 40 years after quitting to return to a never-smoker\'s health level.

Better Questions for Kids: Moving Beyond \"How Was School?\"

Amy Morin, PhD, is licensed psychotherapist, clinical social worker, instructor at Northeastern University, author of \"13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don\'t Do.\" When she asks parents about their go-to question after school, most admit it\'s \"How was school today?\"—and most concede, it rarely works. She suggests the use of specific, targeted questions. She adds that that connecting with children requires genuine presence and emotional openness rather than forced activities. She recommends that parents devote ten minutes daily of genuine, device-free attention to show their children they\'re valued unconditionally.

Breaking Records: Why Disabled Workers Are Reaching Historic Employment Levels

Disabled Americans now represent nearly five percent of the US workforce, a record high. John O’Neill, PhD, Director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at the Kessler Foundation, says the pandemic shift toward remote work policies created natural accommodations that many disabled workers had been requesting for years. He says while employment rates for those with hearing and visual impairments have improved significantly, individuals with other disabilities remain underemployed.

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