How Smoking Kills From The Inside Out

April 1, 2018

When individuals smoke, their brain releases feel-good chemicals into their system. With this in mind, it is no wonder why quitting smoking can be incredibly difficult! However, quitting smoking is extremely important. The act of smoking is hazardous for an individual's health, as well as for the health of those around them. It is not isolated to one part of the body either! It is everywhere!

The good news is that there are countless ways to quit smoking! Many individuals try hypnosis for smoking, and others try using an anti-smoking patch to help them along. Support groups for quitting smoking are also out there! Individuals want anything that will help them quit, including a quit smoking kit. The best way to stop smoking, though, is what works for each person.

Effects On The Respiratory System

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Everyone can prevent lung disease! All they need to do is avoid unhealthy habits, including smoking. Smokers are at an increased risk of developing many lung issues. This includes lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Once these lung diseases develop, they are highly likely to stick around. The damage they cause is permanent. However, as mentioned, preventing them from occurring is simple!

Individuals need to engage in healthy habits. This means not smoking, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding pollution in the air when possible! Discomfort in the lungs when quitting smoking is quite common. However, individuals who are attempting to quit smoking should still talk to a doctor. They can help individuals develop the best plan to stop smoking.

Continue reading to learn about the effects of smoking on the cardiovascular system next.

Effects On The Cardiovascular System

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Smoking causes extensive damage to the cardiovascular system. This includes the heart and blood vessels! Nicotine, which is found in cigarettes, restricts blood vessels. The result of this is a restriction in the flow of blood throughout the body. In time, this causes damage to the blood vessels and can trigger peripheral artery disease. Smoking also increases an individual's blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. This means that they are going to be at a higher risk of a stroke and heart disease. It will also make heart disease worse! However, quitting smoking can dramatically decrease all of these risks almost immediately. The longer an individual goes without smoking, the healthier their heart is going to be.

Uncover the effects that smoking has on the digestive system next.

Effects On The Digestive System

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Everyone knows that smoking increases an individual's risk of lung cancer. Many, however, forget that it also increases the risk of mouth, throat, and esophageal cancers! In addition to this, individuals who smoke also experience higher rates of pancreatic cancer than others. Another severe effect that smoking has on the digestive system is through blood sugar. Smoking increases insulin resistance, which, over time, increases an individual's blood sugar. If individuals leave their blood sugar unchecked for too long, they are likely to experience type 2 diabetes.

Individuals with type 2 diabetes need to constantly monitor their blood sugar and keep their weight under control. They will also need to be much more careful with their diet and getting physical exercise. Smokers who also have diabetes are three times more likely to die due to cardiovascular disease than diabetes patients who do not smoke. This makes quitting smoking more crucial than ever!

Get the details on smoking's effects on the central nervous system next

Effects On The Central Nervous System

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Cigarettes contain, on average, at least six hundred ingredients. These ingredients are also found in hookahs and cigars! When individuals smoke cigarettes, these ingredients are burned. When this happens, the ingredients release over seven thousand chemicals. Out of these seven thousand chemicals, research shows that a minimum of sixty-nine cause cancer!

Nicotine is one of the most dangerous and habit-forming ingredients found in cigarettes. It is what makes it so difficult for an individual to quit smoking! When quitting smoking, individuals experience withdrawal from nicotine. This withdrawal causes migraines, anxiety, increased irritability, depression, and insomnia. Individuals who are quitting smoking will likely deal with reduced cognitive function as well. The brain is trained to crave nicotine when individuals smoke and will protest when they do not meet this need. However, even though quitting is hard, individuals will be much healthier in the long run! Contacting a doctor to help develop an effective plan to quit is a great start!

Reveal the effects of smoking on the hair, skin, and nails next!

Effects On The Skin, Hair, And Nails

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The most significant way to understand the effects of smoking, for many individuals, is through visual signs. Nothing is more visible than the impact of smoking on an individual's hair, skin, and nails! Smoking damages the health of the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer. It also results in premature wrinkles and sagging skin. This is because smoking restricts blood vessels near the surface of the skin! It will also cause skin discoloration, such as a yellow tinge on the fingers. Smoking can also increase hair loss and premature gray hair!

Individuals who smoke are also more likely to experience fungal infections in their fingernails and toenails. The nails will also be yellow! This is not pleasant to look at by any means, so quitting smoking is essential for those who want to boost the health and appearance of their hair, skin, and nails for good.

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FitnessOpedia Staff