PT Health Life – Smoking harms most organs in the body. Therefore, the benefit of quitting smoking is that it can significantly reduce the risk of smoking-related diseases.
1. How does smoking affect health?
Smokers have a life expectancy at least 10 years lower than non-smokers. Specifically, the number of years “changed” by cigarette smoke is about 12 years in men and 11 years in women.
Cigarette smoke contains about 7,000 chemicals, including 69 carcinogens. 2 of these toxins are:
Carbon monoxide (CO gas): When absorbed into the blood, CO gas in cigarette smoke will bind very tightly to hemoglobin in red blood cells, reducing the red blood cell’s ability to transport oxygen, reducing the oxygen concentration in the blood, making the blood thicker. and increases the burden on the heart. CO contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques while also reducing the absorption of essential nutrients and affecting growth and body regulation, linked to heart disease, stroke and other health problems. other circulation.
Tar: Tar is a collection of many chemicals and additives, created from the residue of cigarette smoke. This is one of the most dangerous byproducts of cigarette smoke, containing many carcinogens. When cigarette smoke is inhaled into the lungs, the tar settles and sticks to the air spaces of the lungs. The consequence of this condition is cancer and lung diseases.
The following are the effects of smoking on different organs of the body.
Brain: Smoking increases the chance of stroke by 2-4 times. Stroke can cause brain damage and death.
Heart: Chemicals in cigarette smoke increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Smoking causes atherosclerosis, making the blood vessels narrower, reducing blood flow and increasing the risk of blood clots. Cigarette smoke also damages blood vessels, making them thicker and harder. This makes it difficult for blood to circulate, while also increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Smoking is linked to coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke, reduced blood flow to the skin and legs… Smoking just 5 cigarettes or less a day can develop early signs of the disease. Heart.
Bones: Smoking reduces bone density, making bones weaker and more likely to break. Smoking can also slow bone healing after a fracture. This is a direct effect of smoking and other risk factors common in smokers such as lower body weight.
Immune system: According to a 2017 study, smoking reduces immune function and causes inflammation in the body. This can lead to autoimmune diseases, including: Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, systemic lupus erythematosus. Smoking is also linked to type 2 diabetes.
Lungs: The lungs are the most clearly affected organs if you smoke. But this effect is often silent for many years without causing any symptoms until the disease is quite severe. That causes many people with lung disease caused by smoking to be diagnosed late, making treatment difficult. Smoking can affect the airways and lung alveoli. There are three common lung diseases related to smoking: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Other lung diseases caused by smoking include pneumonia, asthma, and tuberculosis.
Mouth: Smoking can affect oral health and can cause bad breath, yellow teeth, dry mouth, and reduced sense of smell and taste. Smoking irritates gum tissues increasing the risk of gum disease.
Reproduction: Smoking can also affect the reproductive system and fertility. Women who smoke have a harder time getting pregnant. In men, smoking can cause impotence because blood vessels are affected. Cigarette smoke also affects sperm quality and reduces sperm count. Active or passive smoking during pregnancy increases several risks to the fetus, including: premature birth, miscarriage, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome or childhood illnesses new-born.
Skin: Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the skin. This speeds up the aging process and makes the skin dull, discolored, and uneven. Smoking can cause facial wrinkles, especially around the lips; sagging eyelids; dry, rough skin; Yellow fingers and fingernails. Smoking reduces the rate at which skin wounds heal, increases the risk of skin infections, and worsens skin diseases, such as psoriasis.
Cancer risk: Smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer such as cancer of the mouth, larynx, nasopharynx, esophagus, kidney, cervix, liver, bladder, pancreas, stomach, colon , myeloid leukemia…
Cigarette smoking, including cigars, pipe tobacco, menthol cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other forms of tobacco, causes cancer and other health problems.
2. What if you quit?
Despite the scary warnings above, fortunately quitting smoking will significantly reduce your risk of disease and death. The risk decreases the longer you quit smoking.
Some studies find that quitting smoking before age 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by about 90%. The following numbers demonstrate the health benefits of quitting smoking.
Cardiovascular risk: After 1 year of quitting smoking, the risk of heart attack drops sharply.
Stroke: Within 2-5 years, the risk of stroke is reduced to half that of a non-smoker.
Cancer: The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder is halved within 5 years of quitting smoking and 10 years for lung cancer.
Immediately after quitting smoking, the quality of life will improve significantly thanks to the following health improvements: Breathing becomes easier; Daily cough and wheezing decrease then disappear; The sense of smell becomes better; Exercise and activities become easier; Circulation to the hands and feet is improved.
