Tobacco is not good for us.
That's not news - we've been aware of the dangers of smoking for decades.
But how does tobacco actually harm us?
Let’s take a look at what happens when their ingredients enter our bodies, and how we benefit physically when we finally quit smoking. For each breath, the smoke combines more than 5,000 of its chemicals with body tissues.
From the beginning, tar, a dark, amber substance, begins to cover the teeth and gums,
damage to its tooth enamel, and eventually causes decay.
Over time, the smoke damages the nerve endings in the nose, causing the loss of smell.
Within the respiratory tract and lungs, smoke increases the risk of infection,
and chronic diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema.
It does so by damaging the cilia, thinning hairs as structures whose function is to keep the airways clean.
Then it fills the alveoli,
small air sacs allow for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
Between the lungs and the blood.
Toxic gases, called carbon monoxide, cross the membrane into the bloodstream,
binding hemoglobin and releasing the oxygen that normally circulates in the body.
This is one of the reasons why smoking can lead to shortness of breath and shortness of breath.
Within 10 seconds,
the bloodstream carries the stimulant called nicotine to the brain,
initiates the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters
Including endorphins that cause mood swings that make smoking extremely addictive.
Nicotine and other chemicals are derived from tobacco
simultaneously cause congestion of blood vessels
And damage their soft endothelial lining, blocking blood flow.
These vascular effects lead to the strengthening of the walls of blood vessels
and improve platelet aggregation, which increases the likelihood that clots may form
And it has caused a heart attack and stroke.
Many of the chemicals inside tobacco can cause harmful changes in the body's DNA that cause cancer to form.
Additionally, ingredients such as arsenic and nickel can disrupt the DNA repair process,
thus reducing the body's ability to fight many cancers.
In fact, nearly one third of all cancer deaths in the United States are due to smoking.
And it is not just lung cancer.
Smoking can cause cancer of many muscles and organs,
as well as eye and bone injuries.
It makes it harder for women to get pregnant.
And for men, it can also cause erectile dysfunction.
But for those who are quitting, there is a much better effect
With almost immediate and long-lasting physical benefits.
Just 20 minutes after the last cigarette,
their heart rate and blood pressure begin to return to normal.
After 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels stabilize, which increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
After one day,
the risk of heart attack begins to decrease as blood pressure and heart rate become normal.
Two days later,
the nerve endings responsible for smell and taste begin to recover.
The lungs improve after one month,
with a slight cough and shortness of breath.
Hairy cilia on the airways and lungs begin to recover within weeks,
and restored after 9 months, to improve infection resistance.
With one year of discontinuation, the risk of heart disease decreases by half as the performance of blood vessels improves. In five years, the risk of developing a stroke is significantly lower, and the risk of stroke continues to decrease.
After ten years, the risk of developing lung cancer decreases by 50%,
perhaps because the body's ability to repair DNA is restored.
Fifteen years in the middle, the chances of getting heart disease
Is it the same as a non-smoker?
There is no need to pretend that this is easy to accomplish.
Quitting can cause anxiety and depression, which are caused by nicotine withdrawal. But fortunately, such effects are usually temporary.
And quitting is easier, thanks to the proliferation of tool guns.
Nicotine replacement therapy using gums, skin spots, lozenges, and sprays
Can help relieve smokers.
They work by stimulating nicotine receptors in the brain
And thus prevent withdrawal symptoms, without the addition of other harmful chemicals.
Counseling and support groups, psychotherapy, and moderate physical activity also help smokers to break free.
This is good news, as quitting puts you and your body on the road to recovery.
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