At his NeuroSpine Institute in Orlando, Florida, Robert L. Masson, M.D., is world-renowned for his treatment of degenerative, post-traumatic and athletic spinal injuries. But he’s just as passionate about living a healthy lifestyle. 

Dr. Masson says most people understand that tobacco is unhealthy for the lungs but few realize just how wide-ranging its effects are on the rest of the body.

He explains how tobacco causes smokers to heal slower and less completely from injuries and how it accelerates the aging process. 

Plus, if you are doing everything right — working out regularly and eating right — but still not seeing the results you expect, you might want to lay off the booze. Dr. Masson explains how drinking can cause us to gain the kind of weight we don’t want to gain weight or negatively impact strength training.