DREADFUL EFFECTS OF SMOKING

LIFE IS TOO PRECIOUS TO LIVE THAN TO SMOKE

Previously , people could buy cigarettes and smoke pretty much anywhere — even in hospitals! Ads for cigarettes were all over the place. Today we’re more aware about how bad smoking is for our health. Smoking is restricted or banned in almost all public places and cigarette companies are no longer allowed to advertise on TV, radio, and in many magazines. But still its seen as a fashion of time. Starting from just a fashion and enjoyment , friends company person within no time become addicted to it.

Almost everyone knows that smoking causes cancer, emphysema, and heart disease; that it can shorten your life by 10 years or more; and that the habit can cost a smoker thousands of rupees a year. So how come people are still lighting up? The answer, in a word, is addiction.

Do we really love our loved ones ?

No father or mother is there who smoke the fumes on his or her child’s face . WHY NOT ?

Answer is simple : In their heart somewhere, everyone knows its side effects.

Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. Some of these harmful effects are immediate.

EFFECTS OF SMOKING AND WAYS TO QUIT.

BRAIN

Becomes addicted. Nicotine from cigarettes is as addictive as heroin. Nicotine addiction is hard to beat because it changes your brain. The brain develops extra nicotine receptors to accommodate the large doses of nicotine from tobacco. When the brain stops getting the nicotine it’s used to, the result is nicotine withdrawal. You may feel anxious, irritable, and have strong cravings for nicotine.

HEAD AND FACE

Ears

Hearing loss. Smoking reduces the oxygen supply to the cochlea, a snail-shaped organ in the inner ear. This may result in permanent damage to the cochlea and mild to moderate hearing loss.

Eyes

Blindness and night vision. Smoking causes physical changes in the eyes that can threaten your eyesight. Nicotine from cigarettes restricts the production of a chemical necessary for you to be able to see at night. Also, smoking increases your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration (both can lead to blindness).

Mouth

Cavities. Smoking takes a toll on your mouth. Smokers have more oral health problems than non-smokers, like mouth sores, ulcers and gum disease. You are more likely to have cavities and lose your teeth at a younger age. You are also more likely to get cancers of the mouth and throat.

Face

Smoker’s face. Smoking can cause your skin to be dry and lose elasticity, leading to wrinkles and stretch marks. Your skin tone may become dull and grayish. By your early 30s, wrinkles can begin to appear around your mouth and eyes, adding years to your face.

HEART

Smoking raises your blood pressure and puts stress on your heart. Over time, stress on the heart can weaken it, making it less able to pump blood to other parts of your body. Carbon monoxide from inhaled cigarette smoke also contributes to a lack of oxygen, making the heart work even harder. This increases the risk of heart disease, including heart attacks.

Sticky blood

Smoking makes your blood thick and sticky. The stickier the blood, the harder your heart must work to move it around your body. Sticky blood is also more likely to form blood clots that block blood flow to your heart, brain, and legs. Over time, thick, sticky blood damages the delicate lining of your blood vessels. This damage can increase your risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Fatty deposits

Smoking increases the amount of cholesterol and unhealthy fats circulating in the bloods, leading to unhealthy fatty deposits. Over time, cholesterol, fats, and other debris build up on the walls of your arteries. This buildup narrows the arteries and blocks normal blood flow to the heart, brain, and legs. Blocked blood flow to the heart or brain can cause a heart attack or stroke. Blockage in the blood vessels of your legs could result in the amputation of your toes or feet.

LUNGS

Scarred Lung

Smoking causes inflammation in the small airways and tissues of your lungs. This can make your chest feel tight or cause you to wheeze or feel short of breath. Continued inflammation builds up scar tissue, which leads to physical changes to your lungs and airways that can make breathing hard. Years of lung irritation can give you a chronic cough with mucus.

Emphysema

Smoking destroys the tiny air sacs, or alveoli, in the lungs that allow oxygen exchange. When you smoke, you are damaging some of those air sacs. Alveoli don’t grow back, so when you destroy them, you have permanently destroyed part of your lungs. When enough alveoli are destroyed, the disease emphysema develops. Emphysema causes severe shortness of breath and can lead to death.

Cilia

Respiratory Infections. Your airways are lined with tiny brush like hairs, called cilia. The cilia sweep out mucus and dirt so your lungs stay clear. Smoking temporarily paralyzes and even kills cilia. This makes you more at risk for infection. Smokers get more colds and respiratory infections than non-smokers.

STOMACH AND HARMONES

Belly

Bigger belly. Smokers have bigger bellies and less muscle than non-smokers. They are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, even if they don’t smoke every day. Smoking also makes it harder to control diabetes once you already have it. Diabetes is a serious disease that can lead to blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, and amputations.

Lower estrogen levels

Smoking lowers a female’s level of estrogen. Low estrogen levels can cause dry skin, thinning hair, and memory problems. Women who smoke have a harder time getting pregnant and having a healthy baby. Smoking can also lead to early menopause, which increases your risk of developing certain diseases (like heart disease).

BLOOD AND IMMUNE SYSTEM

High white blood cell count

When you smoke, the number of white blood cells (the cells that defend your body from infections) stays high. This is a sign that your body is under stress—constantly fighting against the inflammation and damage caused by tobacco. A high white blood cell count is like a signal from your body, letting you know you’ve been injured. White blood cell counts that stay elevated for a long time are linked with an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cancer.

Longer to heal

Nutrients, minerals, and oxygen are all supplied to the tissue through the blood stream. Nicotine causes blood vessels to tighten, which decreases levels of nutrients supplied to wounds. As a result, wounds take longer to heal. Slow wound healing increases the risk of infection after an injury or surgery and painful skin ulcers can develop, causing the tissue to slowly die.

Weakened immune system

Cigarette smoke contains high levels of tar and other chemicals, which can make your immune system less effective at fighting off infections. This means you’re more likely to get sick. Continued weakening of the immune system can make you more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. It also decreases your body’s ability to fight off cancer!

Muscles and Bones

Tired muscles

Muscle deterioration. When you smoke, less blood and oxygen flow to your muscles, making it harder to build muscle. The lack of oxygen also makes muscles tire more easily. Smokers have more muscle aches and pains than non-smokers.

More Broken Bones

Ingredients in cigarette smoke disrupt the natural cycle of bone health. Your body is less able to form healthy new bone tissue, and it breaks down existing bone tissue more rapidly. Over time, smoking leads to a thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density. This causes bones to become weak and brittle. Compared to non-smokers, smokers have a higher risk of bone fractures, and their broken bones take longer to heal.

NATURAL WAYS TO QUIT AND LEAD HEALTHY HAPPY LIFE

DEEP BREATHING : Those who really want to quit smoking should practice deep breathing in early morning fresh air.
Yoga : 15 -20 minute yoga daily will change ones life and helps him or her quit smoking as yoga purifies body and rejuvenate organs.
Coconut : One should intake coconut slices thrice a day .
Cardamom (Elaichi) : One should keep Cardamom (Elaichi) with him or herself and when there occurs urge of smoke keep it in mouth and chew slowly.
Water : 6-8 glasses of water daily.
Intake of Sprouts /Sandwich in Breakfast
Fruits : Apple, Grapes, Guava, Watermelon, blueberries, Fruit chat once a day .
Juices : Coconut water, Fresh fruit juice.
Refreshment : Green tea

Most important and more than all these is the persons self “WILL POWER TO QUIT”.

SOME IMPORTANT TIPS :

Do not carry cigarettes.
Quit smoking one day at a time. Do not concern yourself with next year ,next month ,next week or even tomorrow. Concentrate on not smoking from the time you wake up until you go to sleep.
Work on developing attitude that you are doing yourself a favour by not smoking. Do not dwell on the idea that you are depriving yourself of a cigarette. You are ridding yourself of full fledged smoking because you care enough about yourself and your loved ones .
BE PROUD that you are not smoking.
Many routine situations will trigger the urge for a cigarette. Situations which will trigger a response include : drinking coffee , alcohol , sitting in a bar , social events with smoking friends ,card games ,the end of meals. Try to maintain your new rejuvenating routine while quitting. If any event seems too tough , leave it and go back to it later.
Make a list of all the reasons you want to quit smoking. Keep this list with you ,preferably where you used to carry your cigarettes. When you find yourself reaching for a cigarette , take out you list and read it.
Drink fruit juices twice a day and coconut water once a day it will flush out nicotine out of our system.
Smoking is no solution to any problem it rather only complicate the original situation while creating other crisis , a relapse into nicotine addiction.
Save the money whatever it is you spend on cigarette in a money bank like kids do and buy yourself or your loved ones something you really want .
Be proud in telling people you quit smoking.
Help and guide others for a Healthy living path. Be a change with strong will power.