It is not easy to quit smoking, though many people want to. To achieve this goal takes a large degree of hard work, commitment, and determination. One of the greatest motivations is health. Figures from the World Health Organisation show that on an annual basis there are 4 million deaths associated with smoking, and smoking related diseases have caused a shorter lifespan in nearly ten per cent of the global population.
When we understand the reality of the health problems that come with smoking it can help us to take steps to kick the habit. The good news is that millions of people do mange to quit smoking every year. More than half the number of people that smoke are able to give up in the long run.
With every puff of a cigarette you inhale numerous deadly chemicals. All smokers are aware of nicotine; it is the substance that makes cigarettes and tobacco smoking addictive. But how does it work? The moment you take a drag on a cigarette, nicotine is absorbed in to your bloodstream and races towards the brain. Within a few seconds your brain will release a chemical known as dopamine. It is dopamine that gives you the pleasurable feeling. But when you don’t have a cigarette your dopamine levels drop drastically giving you that craving that can cause irritation.
Tar is another poison that is present in tobacco smoke. It can cause cancer as it contains carcinogenic chemicals. Another toxin that is present is carbon monoxide. This compound attaches itself to red blood cells which lower their capacity to carry oxygen around the body. There are many other toxic substances also present in cigarette smoke. These can cause thickening of the blood and clotting in the arteries.
As you probably aware there are countless risks associated with being a smoker. Studies have shown that men who smoke their whole lives live on average ten years less than non-smokers. There are a vast number of diseases that are caused by smoking. Apart from lung cancer there is cancer of the stomach, kidneys, bladder, pancreas, and throat, not to mention a form of leukemia.
Another proven ailment is pneumonia, this creates inflammation of the lungs as does COPD. Heart disease is also a common sickness that has a higher prevalence amongst smokers. It is due to damage caused to the arteries which in turn lessens the amount of oxygen. Other illnesses proven to be caused by smoking include angina, impotence, infertility, and osteoporosis, to name but a few.
Quitting smoking can drastically improve you health and life expectancy. If you stop earlier enough, your body can make a complete recovery. Today there are many different treatments and methods open to smokers that want to stop.
Your family doctor can give you expert advice on the most suitable methods. They can also offer you medication that can help you quit. Today there are tablets available such as varenicline and buropion, as well as nicotine replacement therapy.
It is possible for any individual to give up smoking. Help exists from individuals and organisations that understand how you feel.
Quit today. You’ll look younger than any natural skin care products or anti aging wrinkle cream can make you.
