Risks of Smoking

Awareness is the key to survival in many situations. People are on the lookout for the hidden dangers that are encountered in daily life. Few people would willingly drive a car without all of its safety features. Even fewer would attempt to eat an unknown substance just to see what it does. While nobody without a death wish would try to jump off of a bridge to see what’s at the bottom. Human beings are wired to constantly be on the lookout for things that could potentially harm them. Visually, physically, and scent are normally how people take notice of danger. If they see a fire, smell smoke from the fire, and feel the heat of the fire, nine times out of ten the individual will get to safety. But that’s because they are physically aware of the danger, and what the danger will pose to their body. Dangers that are invisible to the human senses like changes within the body; aren’t normally noticed until it’s far too late to stop the damage. People that smoke often don’t think that smoking is one of those invisible dangers. Not until they become another statistic.

Smoking, The Deadly Habit

Smoking is one of the deadly habits one can pick up. There are enough deadly risks of smoking that the government has forced cigarette companies to label each and every package as dangerous. Something that is labeled as a health hazard by its own producer speaks for itself about its dangers. Some of the more common risks of smoking start by infecting the lungs. The smoke that the smoker inhales goes directly into the lungs. The smoke, over a time, will start to cause a tar build up, thus making breathing impossible; and at this point also triggering the smoker’s cough. The risks of smoking have the same impact on men and women, but women can run an even bigger risk with cigarette smoking. A woman that smokes while pregnant is taking a huge chance of her baby being born with birth defects. Missing toes and fingers, premature births, asthma are just a few of the problems a baby can be born with if the mother smoked during the pregnancy. The risks of smoking vary from individual to individual; but one risk all cigarette smokers face is premature death. It is inevitable. Taking smoke into the lungs is deadly. This has proven itself many times over; by observing people that are rescued from burning buildings after falling unconscious due to smoke inhalation, it’s clear that smoke not only damages the lungs, but the brain as well because it cuts of oxygen. Cigarettes do the very same thing, but even more.

Smoking Affects Everyone, Not Just The Smoker

Smoking is deadly for the smoker, but smoking doesn’t just affect the smokers themselves. Secondhand smoke is also just as potentially fatal as smoking the cigarette. Smoke travels through the air, so it can and will invade the lungs of everyone it comes into contact with. Non smokers are just as much at risks for the very same dangers if they’re around smokers.

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The Dangerous and Deadly Consequences Smoking Can Have on You

Smokers are often reluctant to give up the nasty habit; some people can even smoke all their lives without having a second thought. They don’t believe that it is harmful to their health, and although we cannot understand why they might think this way, here are a few side effects you can list off in an attempt to win the debate.

The most obvious and putrid of these effects that are common amongst all smokers is their smell. It doesn’t matter how much perfume or deodorant a smoker sprays on themselves, it won’t cover the strong smell up that’s clinging all over their clothes.

A less obvious but even more severe side effect that happens to nearly every smoker is located within the mouth. The gums of any smoker are usually much darker than those who do not smoke.

This little difference is actually quite a big deal. It means their gums are not at all healthy, and are more susceptible to gingivitis and other problems in the mouth area. Teeth can also discolor, turning a hideous yellow tone.

The cigarette smoke works long and tirelessly on destroying your body. It begins by attacking the respiratory system and can cause asthma or lung cancer.

It can also cause heart attacks, as well as other dangerous heart problems that can have serious consequences. These are just obvious and well-known side effects that smoking can have on your body.

Less obvious effects include lifestyle diseases. Cancer is a terrible fight to have, but is often worsened by nicotine and other chemicals that are found, where else, but in that small little cigarette stick you “need.”

Smoking is a terrible habit for anyone to get into. With all the knowledge and information we have about how deadly smoking can be, it’s still shocking to see how many continue to smoke. You should take the right steps to avoid smoking, and if you ever start, ensure you stop before it’s too late.

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Smoking-Related Illnesses

There is no doubt that smoking causes other illnesses that ranges from the minor sickness to the most fatal illnesses such as lung cancer and cardiac arrest. But despite of this, smokers worldwide continue to grow worldwide and tobacco manufactures continue to get rich. Smoking related illnesses would not stop smokers from puffing in the deadly substance in cigarettes and tobacco manufacturers will not stop from producing these deadly substances. Are the following smoking related illnesses not fatal enough to make a smoker stop the habit?

The most predominant smoking related illness is heart disease. The harmful substances inhaled by smokers harden the arteries which speed up the blood clotting. Once the arteries are clogged cardiovascular diseases called thrombosis which can either be coronary or cerebral. Coronary thrombosis leads to heart attack due to the clogging of the veins supplying blood to the heart. Cerebral thrombosis is caused by the clogging of the veins connected to the brain which can cause collapse, stroke or paralysis.

The second most predominant smoking related illness is cancer which does not only affect the lungs but the throat and mouth as well. Lung cancer is the deadliest smoking related illness of all and will most likely affect smokers than non-smokers. Statistics show that 90% of smokers develop lung cancer and 1 out of ten moderate smokers and 1 out of five heavy smokers will die of lung cancer. A scary thought indeed which should be enough to discourage smokers from continuing the habit. But apparently not enough. Aside from lung cancer, other smoking related illness causing cancer can also be developed due to smoking. This includes cancer of the bladder, cancer of the kidneys and cancer of the pancreas.

Another smoking related illnesses which is getting rampant among smokers is the chronic pulmonary diseases which is due the blocking of airflow and causes difficulty in breathing. Two of the most common chronic pulmonary disease is emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema is a deadly smoking related illnesses which is due to the damage brought about by smoking to the air sacs. While bronchitis is a smoking related illnesses which is characterized by continuous coughing with mucus for several months. One thing to note about chronic pulmonary diseases is that they occur during the later ages of a smoker’s life.

Other smoking related diseases are not as rampant as cancer, heart or pulmonary disease but they are nonetheless fatal and enough reason to quit smoking. These smoking related illnesses are high blood pressure, fertility problems, asthma, and eye damages such as cataracts and lost of eyesight, dental problems, ulcers, and over all physical appearance.

Lastly, smokers are not the only people susceptible to smoking related illnesses. Second hand smoke or those people who are exposed to the smoke breathe out by smokers are can also develop smoking related illnesses which can be as fatal with that of the actual smokers. Babies and young children with smoking parents are the most affected by second hand smoke.

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Stop Smoking Now

There can be no argument about it; smoking is one of the worst vices a person can have. And a very alarming statistic study in the U.S. shows that not less than 80% of the population smokes at least a single cigarette everyday. People should be more aware of the damages that smoking can cause to their health as well as to the health of the people around them, especially their families. The health risks for second hand smokers might be even greater. The risks include tuberculosis, lung cancer, heart problems and many more. The list goes on and on. Smoking is a vice that’s caused by the addiction to nicotine. If people could only see how much they are sacrificing for a single stick of cigarette, then they would see no point of asking if they should indeed stop smoking.

You just have to basically quit smoking. This is the easy part; the hard part is continuing that smoke-free habit. It is an addiction after all. The good news is that your health will immediately improve after you’ve quit smoking. The bad news is that you may experience withdrawal symptoms due to the absence of nicotine in your body.

For all smokers out there, quitting smoking is definitely not an easy thing to do, but there are simple methods you can follow to ensure success. But before you start on these methods, you should be fully aware and informed about the negative effects of smoking. Be sure that you actually have the will power to stop smoking. Here’s a newsflash – there are no health benefits of smoking. You might as well consider smoking as a slow suicide.

The first among the methods is to believe in yourself and to follow that plan; believe that you can quit and start making plans as to how you can go about it. In reality, many smokers plan to quit everyday, but sometimes you just need a little more time sink into the facts of how deadly smoking can be. However, you can take these steps one day at a time by setting specific goals for yourself. You might even consider rewarding yourself a full-body massage for not smoking throughout the day, or whatever works for you.

Next, have yourself examined by your doctor. After years of smoking, you will soon find out, unfortunately, that smoking has already taken its toll on your body. This should serve as a wake up call to you. This should tell you the gravity of the situation. You may have developed a heart condition in the process or maybe even diabetes.

You also need to stay away from anything that can trigger you to smoke again. That includes not carrying that pack of cigarettes anymore. Ask for help if your body has become severely dependent on nicotine, and ask support from your friends and family. If they are smokers too, then make them understand that you have to go through this for yourself, and that your future is at stake.

Next, if you are really having a hard time, you could make use of smoking aids such as a Nicotine Replacement Therapy. There are other products that can help you. The most common are nicotine gums and nicotine patches. The bottom line is you need to stop smoking to live a healthy life.

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Why Quit Smoking? Save Your Health, Save Your Life!

A fundamental part of anyone’s quit smoking journey is to know exactly why it is they want to quit. Here’s some examples of vague reasons that a person may have which will definitely not help them to quit smoking.

  • It’s not good for me.
  • I’m bored with smoking.
  • I know I SHOULD give up but…
  • I want to quit but it helps me relax

Now, when I am helping people quit smoking and I hear these ‘reasons’ I know we are not on the right track. Following are some of the main health reasons why people want to quit. The more emotional the better. And be honest. Don’t try to downplay what the cigarettes are doing to your body or what your life has in store for you if you keep on smoking.

So, why should you stop smoking?

You’ve already said you want to, so why is that such a good idea?

The main reason for most people to quit is their health. They realise that smoking is causing massive damage to their bodies – destroying their lungs, lining their arteries with disgusting plaque putting you at great risk of heart attack or stroke, and causing ever increasing circulation issues.

This makes you increasingly more tired, lethargic, lacking energy and motivation as your body is under so much pressure and stress from all the poisons and carcinogens that are in your body from these cigarettes.

Generally speaking, even though you don’t want to admit it, you’ll be aware that smoking is adversely affecting your health.

You know, you get short of breath so much easier now, you might have mucus and phlegm in your throat in the mornings, you seem to get sick more and more often and it takes so much longer to get better now.

You might be aware that you’re feeling so much more tired than you used to be or your circulation is getting worse and you have cold feet or numb toes. I’m sure you’ve seen all the TV ads, posters, etc for how bad smoking is for you so I won’t put you through all that again! However I would like to make a couple of points that you might not have considered.

As part of my role as a Quit Smoking Specialist I see people who have damaged lungs all the time-people with COPD or emphysema. You know how you’re getting short of breath easier? It’s because your lungs are being damaged from the cigarettes.

The only difference between you and people with emphysema is that they have kept on damaging the lung to the point where that bit of lung is dead.

Here’s the thing-once you kill a piece of lung, it never grows back. So whether you have lots of little bits of damaged lung or more major chunks, once they are dead, they’re dead. There is no cure.

So you have caused permanent and irreversible damage and you will never get that lung capacity back, ever. Another point that the cigarette companies will never tell you about is that the carcinogens, the cancer causing chemicals, cancer causing agents in cigarettes are tiny, tiny molecules. Really, really small. Much smaller than the tar molecules which are trapped in your lungs.

So every drag you have of a cigarette these carcinogens are sucked into your lungs and virtually immediately absorbed into your bloodstream along with the oxygen.

So these carcinogens are present everywhere throughout your body.

Which is why you as a smoker are much more likely to get every single type of cancer – not just lung cancer. For women this means breast cancer, ovarian cancer. For men prostate cancer. Even skin cancer. It’s like a time bomb just waiting to happen.

This is also one of the reasons why your body is so stressed all the time. These carcinogens put your body into a constant state of alert and huge stress. Your body has it’s own intelligence to keep you healthy, keep you alive as long as possible and keep you youthful.

And your body knows these carcinogens are the single worst thing that could be happening to this body right now. So your body is working very hard every single second processing and getting rid of these carcinogens out of your body.

Which is a good thing, because if it didn’t, you would be dead very shortly as these carcinogens are so toxic for the human body. Food for thought next time you suck back on a cigarette, don’t you think? Quit smoking as soon as you can. Every day makes a difference. Save your health, save your life!!

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