Dangers of Smoking

Today’s health and beauty buzz is on the dangers of smoking.  We all know by now how dangerous smoking is for our health as well as for those exposed to second hand smoke.

Some people are social smokers and think that lighting up on a girl’s/boy’s night out is harmless.  Here’s the bad news… The average cigarette is gone in 10 puffs. In about 5 minutes, 4,000 chemicals infiltrate your organs! 200 of them are poisonous and 60 are carcinogens.

The smoke passes through your mouth and over your teeth.

Ammonia and formaldehyde (toxic gasses)  put your immune system on alert by causing inflammation.

The smoke travels down the windpipe and into the lungs. The nicotine passes into the bloodstream through the capillaries in the lungs.

The nicotine reaches your adrenal glands and stimulates adrenaline that raises your blood pressure and heart rate.

You are now at a greater risk for having a stroke!

Carbon monoxide (car exhaust fumes) builds up in the blood so your body is limited in the transportation of oxygen to vital organs.

Nicotine travels via your blood to your brain where your brain releases dopamine. (feel good hormone)

As dopamine levels drop to normal, the body wants another high causing you to light up again.

Your body will be absorbing toxic substances for the next 6 to 8 hours.

Smoking is held responsible for the following diseases:-

• Cancer of the bladder, kidneys, larynx (voice box), mouth, pharynx (throat), esophagus, pancreas, lungs, cervix and stomach.
• Increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Emphysema.
• Infertility.
• SIDS.
• Preterm delivery and stillbirths.
• Post menopausal women have lower bone density and are at greater risk for hip fractures.

                     Other side effects include:-

• Stains on your teeth, higher gum disease rate and plaque.
• Sticky brown tar in your lungs.
• Terrible smelling breath, hair, clothing, car and home.
• Lines around the mouth and wrinkles.
• Reduced sense of smell and taste

Second hand smoke (SHS) - This is breathing in the smoke coming directly from the tobacco as well as the exhaled smoke from the smoker. There is very strong evidence that SHS causes serious health risks. Many non smokers die of lung cancer and heart disease linked to SHS.

Children of smokers suffer more from asthma, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis and other breathing problems.

The hubbly bubbly, Shisha, Narghile, Goza or Hookah originated in the Middle East and has been used there as well as in Asia for centuries.  Smoking the Hubbly Bubbly has been on the rise for some time now. The tobacco is heated by charcoal and the smoke passes through a water filled chamber which cools it before it is inhaled.  Many people feel that hookahs deliver less tar and nicotine because the smoke is filtered by water. Not true. Water pipe smoking carries the same health hazards as cigarette smoking.

In addition to lung cancer, there has been increased incidence of lower lip cancer, esophagus and stomach cancers associated with water pipe smoking. There is also the increased risk of spreading herpes, TB and hepatitis by the sharing of the pipe.

Contrary to popular belief, exposure to carbon monoxide and other carcinogenic substances is far greater than in cigarette smoking and Hookah is addictive.

Nicotine is thought to be as addictive as heroin according to some experts. Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body.

Tip of the day: - Give it up.
 I have watched my father in law suffer from chronic emphysema due to years of heavy smoking.  It is not only distressing for him to gasp for air with every breath, but also extremely upsetting for his family to witness. He is permanently attached to a breathing machine making it near impossible to enjoy any kind of quality of life.

He relocated to the USA at almost 70 years of age. He was an attorney in South Africa and upon arriving in the US, obtained his real estate license and also license to practice law. He worked as a legal consultant for his son in law in his successful commercial real estate business for many years until he took ill. I dedicate this blog to my father in law who passed away May 7th 2012.

Stay healthy, happy and safe.

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