Risks Caused by Smoking

Did you know risks caused by smoking are:

• A single cigarette can reduce the blood supply to your skin for over an hour.
• Smoking raises blood pressure, which can cause hypertension (high blood pressure) - a risk factor for heart attacks and stroke.
• Couples who smoke are more likely to have fertility problems than couples who are non-smokers.
• Smoking worsens asthma and counteracts asthma medication by worsening the inflammation of the airways that the medicine tries to ease.
• The blood vessels in the eye are sensitive and can be easily damaged by smoke, causing a bloodshot appearance and itchiness.
• Heavy smokers are twice as likely to get macular degeneration, resulting in the gradual loss of eyesight.
• Smokers run an increased risk of cataracts.
• Smokers take 25 per cent more sick days year than non-smokers.
• Smoking stains your teeth and gums.
• Smoking increases your risk of periodontal disease, which causes swollen gums, bad breath and teeth to fall out.
• Smoking causes an acid taste in the mouth and contributes to the development of ulcers.
• Smoking also affects your looks: smokers have paler skin and more wrinkles. This is because smoking reduces the blood supply to the skin and lowers levels of vitamin A.

How do cigarettes damage health?

Cigarettes contain more than 4000 chemical compounds and at least 400 toxic substances.

When you inhale, a cigarette burns at 700°C at the tip and around 60°C in the core. This heat breaks down the tobacco to produce various toxins.

As a cigarette burns, the residues are concentrated towards the butt.

The products that are most damaging are:

• tar, a carcinogen (substance that causes cancer)
• nicotine is addictive and increases cholesterol levels in your body
• carbon monoxide reduces oxygen in the body
• components of the gas and particulate phases cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

The damage caused by smoking is influenced by:

• the number of cigarettes smoked
• whether the cigarette has a filter
• how the tobacco has been prepared.

Headache Triggers and Smoking

Smoking and second-hand smoke (SHS- also called Passive smoking) from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes can contribute to headaches for both the smoker and the non-smoker. Nicotine, one of the components of tobacco, stimulates the blood vessels in the brain to constrict (narrow). Smoking also stimulates the nerves in the back of the throat, contributing to headache pain.

Usually, by removing the stimulus (nicotine), headaches will be relieved. Quitting smoking or reducing exposure to second-hand smoke is especially helpful for those with cluster headaches. In one study of people with cluster headaches, those who reduced their tobacco use by less than one-half pack of cigarettes per day found their headaches decreased by 50%.

Allergy to smoke as well as odor sensitivity can also cause migraine headaches in some people. By avoiding situations or places where smoking occurs, headaches may be avoided.

Smokers

Smokers Beware!!by Dr. Robert Osgoodby

By now, most people are well aware that smoking causes lung cancer. Cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and chewing tobacco kill more than 434,000 Americans each year accounting for one out of five premature deaths in this country. Lung cancer is just the first in a long list of tobacco related illnesses:

• Bladder Cancer - Smoking causes 40% of all cases of bladder cancer.
• Breast Cancer - Women who smoke are 75% more likely to develop breast cancer.
• Cervical Cancer - Up to one third of all cases of cervical cancer are directly attributable to smoking.
• Childhood Respiratory Ailments - Children exposed to parents tobacco smoke have six times as many respiratory infections as kids of nonsmoking parents.
• Diabetes - Smoking decreases the body's absorption of insulin.
• Emphysema - Smoking accounts for up to 85% of all deaths attributable to emphysema.
• Esophageal Cancer - Smoking accounts for 80% of all cases of esophageal cancer.
• Gastrointestinal Cancer - Smoking at least doubles the risk of cancer of the stomach and duodenum.
• Heart Disease - Smokers are up to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than nonsmokers.
• Infertility - Couples in which at least one member smokes are more than three times more likely to have trouble conceiving.
• Kidney Cancer - Smoking causes 40% of all cases of kidney cancer.
• Mouth Cancer - Tobacco causes the vast majority of all cancers of the mouth.
• Premature Aging - Constant exposure to tobacco smoke prematurely wrinkles the facial skin and yellows the teeth and fingernails.
• Stroke - Smoking doubles the risk of stroke among men and women.
• Throat Cancer - The vast majority of cases of pharyngeal cancer are directly related to smoking.
• While smoking has officially been recognized as a cause of lung cancer, scientists have also confirmed another tobacco danger, that breathing the air containing someone else's smoke (second hand smoke) poses many of the same risk as smoking yourself.
• Doctors and Scientists have been reporting on the dangers of tobacco and smoking for nearly four decades. Many serious illnesses are directly attributed to smoking.
• If you want to live a longer, healthier life quit smoking today!

Quit Smoking

5 ways to get started.

1. Plan ahead.

Choose a date to stop smoking, giving yourself enough time to create a plan and to elicit advice from other people who’ve quit. Then, write in a journal how often you smoke and under what circumstances — once you’re aware of your triggers, you can come up with strategies to overcome them.

2. Pick your method.

No single approach works for everyone, and you may need to try a few strategies at once to attack the problem from different angles. Make sure you address both your physical dependence on nicotine as well as your emotional triggers (stress, anger, boredom). Log on to smokefree.gov to research your options.

3. Create new routines.

Since smoking is a part of your day, you’ll need to form new habits. Chew gum instead of taking a drag after lunch, or play a computer game in place of your cigarette break. Avoid situations associated with lighting up — go to smoke-free restaurants, and if you puff away in your car, have it detailed to get rid of the smell.

4. Get support.

You are the only one who can make yourself stop smoking, but surrounding yourself with friends, family, and fellow quitters can help you get through tough days. Pick someone who really wants you to kick the habit and make him or her your go-to person when a craving hits. Or call 800-QUIT-NOW to talk to a quit coach in your area.

5. Think positive.

Know that each day you get through without smoking is an accomplishment. Keep yourself inspired to stick with it by reminding yourself that your reasons for quitting (more on that below) are bigger than your cravings — and that you’re capable and strong enough to make this a lasting life change.

3 questions for Ariane

Q: I already know the health risks of smoking. So why is it still so hard for me to quit?

A: Your personal reason for stopping has to be stronger than your desire to light up. Saying, “I want to be around for my 5-year-old for 50 more years” is more powerful than “Smoking is bad for me.” So look inside and find your motivation for quitting, then write down those reasons and carry them with you.

Q: What are common mistakes people make when quitting — and how can I avoid them?

A: Even smokers forget that smoking satisfies an emotional need — and that they must find another way to tend to that need. When people smoke, they’re taking time for themselves. So when a craving strikes, think, What do I want — a smoke or relaxation? Then, find another way to unwind — whether that’s listening to music or taking a walk.

Q: Which will help me succeed: managing single cravings or focusing on the big picture?

A: Keep telling yourself, I am a nonsmoker, and your mind will start believing you; that’s when the cravings subside. But also reward yourself for feats along the way — like not smoking for five days — by, say, getting a manicure. This tells your brain that good things come when you resist the urge to light up.