Smoking is one of the leading causes of death all across the world – you’re definitely not reading this for the first time. But do you ever ask yourself why you cannot quit smoking? You know that it does some of the major damages in your body, but you still can’t let it go. Here, we will remind and give you statistics about how badly it affects our body. We will also help you fight and suggest better options.
Harmful effects of smoking
The following points take you through some of the major damages that smoking does to you. Find out the reasons why you should quit smoking:
1. Leading cause of cancer
Cancer is one of the most common diseases that are fatal enough to kill you if not treated on time. There are millions of people who lead a healthy life, yet become prey to this deadly disease.
Smoking is the leading cause of cancer and around 85% of chain smokers are diagnosed with lung cancer. If you smoke regularly, it increases the risk of different types of cancer including throat, mouth, stomach, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, colon, bladder, and cervix cancer.
2. Causes heart disease
Smoking is bad for your heart as you are 2-3 times more prone to facing a heart disease compared to non-smokers. Regular smoking can trigger the chances of having a stroke and directly links with aortic aneurysms and angina.
3. Lung diseases
We all know that the first impact of smoking happens to our lungs and you’re most likely to have a lung disease due to smoking. Conditions like chronic bronchitis and emphysema can happen if you don’t quit smoking now. These are two critical conditions that can block your lungs. Regular smokers definitely know what it is to feel breathless and might also have asthma issues.
4. Complication during pregnancy
Smoking is worse for women if they plan to bring a newborn to this world. Women who smoke can have complications in their pregnancy. They are at high risk of facing ectopic pregnancies, premature birth, and miscarriage, compared to women who don’t smoke. The newborn tends to have low birth weight and high possibility of sudden death, birth defect, and more. (thurmondeye.com) In overall, smoking can leave permanent damage in a newborn and disrupt healthy development.
5. Osteoporosis
One of the common causes of smoking is bone thinning disease or osteoporosis. People who smoke regularly tend to have early symptoms of this problem and it leads to fractures and physical disability. Although osteoporosis is common in aging women, people who smoke tend to face it too and also earlier than they should.
6. Quit smoking for dental disorders
Most people quit smoking when they realize the damage it does to their oral health. From a minor problem like bad breath to decaying of teeth, smoking is the root cause of many oral problems.
Smoking discolors our teeth, fills them with cavities, and builds plaque quicker than the sugary food does. Smoking spread the level of tartar in your teeth and its effect is irreversible. It also leads to mouth or pharynx cancer and gives you more reasons to stop smoking.
7. Digestive issues
Smoking affects our digestive system as nicotine increases the possibility of duodenum and stomach ulcer. Smoking also triggers heartburn and these reasons relate to the disruption of our digestive system.
8. Impotence
One of the best ways to remind yourself about the quit smoking tips is to consider that smoking brings impotency. Impotency in men is a condition when they have erectile dysfunction and they cannot fulfill their sexual desires. It is more likely to happen to people who smoke against people who don’t. Smoking constricts blood vessels in the penis and reduces blood flow. This hinders proper erection and makes a man impotent.
9. Infections
This might surprise you, but smoking can increase the possibility of infections. The act weakens your immune system and you get more prone to cold, flu, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and so on.
10. Insomnia
You should quit smoking as it takes away the best form of rest from your life. Apparently, smoking and sleeping don’t go well together. Several studies showed that smoking directly leaves a negative impact on sleep. It also makes you snore and become prone to sleep apnea.
Best ways to quit smoking
The best way to quit smoking products is by letting them go completely. However, people who are addicted will not be able to take a drastic step. Find out how you can quit smoking:
1. Consider types of smoking
Although we don’t recommend you to explore alternatives to smoking, there are ways that don’t cause you as much harm as cigarettes do. Vaping is one such method also known as electronic cigarettes. It gives you a similar feeling but isn’t as harmful as cigarettes.
2. Use quit smoking app
There are smartphone apps that can help you monitor your health and keep you away from smoking. You need to consistently use the app to keep a tab on your health condition. These apps tell you how much damage you saved yourself from by not smoking, and that keeps you motivated.
3. Follow a timeline
Make a quit smoking timeline so that it helps you accomplish your goal. Start by setting a goal of one week and then slowly take it ahead to a month. When you track a timeline, it helps you stay motivated to not break and start all over again.
4. Remember the cost
An average smoker spends around $7 in cigarettes per day and that amounts to $2, 555 in a year. Saving this much of money in your bank account can help you buy luxuries in life or take a long vacation. You should save the daily amount of cash you used to spend on smoking so that you sees the money plant grow in front of you! It further keeps you away from this deadly habit.
Final thoughts
In life, we are never alone as there are always people who look up to us or who we look up to. You must think about your family every time you want to smoke again. Their responsibility will remind you why you should be more health conscious and find ways to add life to your days and not kill them!
