How to quit smoking

How nicotine and smoking damage your body (Giving up smoking)

You apparently must be aware about the relationship between smoking and lung cancer, but did you know smoking is also linked to heart disease, stroke and  other chronic disease? Smoking can increase your risk for cancer of bladder, throat, mouth, kidney, cervix and pancreas.
In this modern world people always try to look different and cool from others and end up smoking as a way to look cool. In a research it was found that about of every 100 highschool student (5.8%) reported in 2019 that they smoked cigarettes in past 30 days, and this calculation is only for cigarettes and did not include any other tobacco products like Hookah, E-cigarette, cigars, smokeless tobacco etc. And these figures are far greater when include consumption of all tobacco product.

Cigarette consumption per smoker:-

The extent of smoking is not only determine by the vogue of population who consume tobacco, but also by the intensity of consumption. This is measured as the average number of cigarettes consumed by smokers.
Across much of Asia, Eastern Europe, North America and Oceania, the average is around 20 to 25 cigarettes per day. Rates across latin America, Africa and Western Europe tend to be slightly lower.

What makes cigarettes so toxic and dangerous:-

There are more than 5,000 chemical components found in cigarette smoke and hundreds of them are harmful to human health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here are a few examples:

• 1,3-Butadiene is a chemical used to manufacture rubber. It is considered to be a carcinogenic chemical that can cause certain blood cancers .

• Arsenic is used to preserve wood. Some arsenic compounds have been linked to cancer of the lung, skin, liver, and bladder.

• Benzene is used to manufacture other chemicals. It can cause cancer, particularly leukemia, in humans.

• Cadmium is a metal used to make batteries. Cadmium and cadmium compounds can cause lung cancer and have been associated with kidney and prostate cancer.

• Chromium VI is used to make alloy metals, paint and dyes. Chromium VI compounds cause lung cancer and have been associated with cancer of the nose and nasal sinuses.

• Formaldehyde is used to make other chemicals and resins. It is also used as a preservative. Formaldehyde causes leukemia and cancer in respiratory tissues.

• Polonium-210 is a radioactive element that has been shown to cause cancer in animals.

• Tar is not one single chemical, instead it describes several chemicals that are in tobacco smoke. It leaves a sticky, brown residue on your lungs, teeth and fingernails.

How smoking effects your health:-

Smoking lead's to cancer:-

One of the most dangerous disease one can have is cancer. And smoking also includes the risk of dying from cancer and other diseases. And when one talk about cancer one must clear that it can occur in any part of body which includes-

• Bladder
• Blood (acute myeloid leukemia)
• Cerviz
• colon and rectus
• Esophagus
• Kidney and ureters
• Larynx
• Liver
• Oropharynx (including part of throat, tongue, soft palate and tonsils)
• Pancreas
• Stomach
• Trachea, bronchus and lungs.

Smoking lead's to respiratory disease:-

Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs (alveoli) found in your lungs. Risk of respiratory disease from smoking includes-
Lung cancer- this is an abnormal growth of cell. It can lead to masses, lumps and tumors to grow in the lungs. It may start first in the lining of bronchi or any other area of lungs. People who are second hand smokers also have chances to get lung cancer. There might be no symptoms at first but as the infection grow you may have symptoms like cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, and recurring lung infection.

Chronic bronchitis- this is type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) it occurs, when the lining of branchial tubes become irritated and coughing up mucus over week's or months.

Smoking lead's to cardiovascular disease:-

Smoking is one of the preventable death, yet people choose to smoke. And this smoking lead's to number of serious disease including atherosclerosis, a build-up of fatty substance in arteries. These fat and plaque block the flow of blood through the arteries and the supply of blood to heart becomes very difficult, due to narrowed arteries, which results in extra strain on the heart. The symptoms may be chest pain (angina pectoris).

Smoking can lead to death:-

Smoking or consumption of any tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year. From which more than 7 million people die due to direct consumption of tobacco while 1.2million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoking. Smoking causes more deaths each year than following causes combined-

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Illegal drugs
• Alcohol use
• Motor vehicle injuries
• Firearms related incident.

Other health risk due to smoking:-

As smoking is not only dangerous to people who consume tobacco but also who are second hand smoker. And this smoking results in harming every organ of human body and affect the persons all over health.
In a research it was found that 1 in 14 women still smoke during pregnancy. In America around 20% of women are smoker at the beginning of pregnancy. Which leads to -

• Preterm (early) delivery
• Still birth (death of the baby before birth)
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Low birth weight
• In men smoking can directly affect men's sperm which can reduce the fertility and also increase risk for birth effects and miscarriage.

Methods to quit smoking:-

If you are ready to start a new life you must quit all those habits that have bought you to this situation where you have to choose between your life and your addiction. I have mentioned few method that can helpful for you in order to quit smoking.

Where to start- if you really want to quit you must start it with the basis discipline in your life so you can stay calm and focus when you follow the following steps.

Set a date (put it in writing):-

people who really want to be successful or make a change often write their goals, and the reason why they want to achieve. In case of smoking you should write down all the reason why you want to quit smoking, it can be for anything or anyone like your family, your friend, or to save money or you will gain for playing sports and even gain in stamina. Keep the list on a place where you can can see it every day before sleeping and after waking up. Also keep a copy in the wallet so you can see when ever you make any expenses and even see when you try to buy one.

Use NRT's :-

NRT or nicotine replacement therapy is a medically approved way to take nicotine by other means rather than tobacco. There are many NRT 's available in every part of world. Few of them are-

• Skin patch or transdermal patch
• Nicotine chewing gum
• Nicotine lozenge
• Nicotine oral inhaler (prescription only)
• Nicotine nodal spray (prescription only)

If you have decided to choose NRT route you must discuss your dose with a health care professional. Because the goal is to end your addiction to nicotine although and not just quit tobacco.

Seek behavioural support:-

It will be tough after you have decided to quit smoking because of the emotional or physical attachment to smoking. To help with that you must start by taking counselling services, self help material, and support services can help you get through this time.
Behavioural support can range from written information and advice to group therapy or individual counseling by person, by phone , or online.
The nation cancer institute provide help to anyone who want to stop smoking through their support services.
Helpline number -  Quit today call - 1800-11-2356

Consider non - nicotine medication:-

If you want to quit nicotine consumption on first place one can also try non - nicotine medicine. Before using any drugs one must get concern from their healthcare personal. If you feel you would try one of these to help you to stop smoking as you will need a prescription.
Drugs include:-

• Bupropion
• Varenicline

One must also consider the risk involved as these may lead to behavioural change, depressed mood, aggression, hostility and suicidal thoughts or action.

Try alternative therapies:-

People find alternative therapies to quit smoking but there, is currently no strong evidence to prove that one of these might help to quit smoking and become smoke free. Some of these methods may actually causes the persons to smoke more . The method includes-

• Hypnosis
• Acupuncture
• Tobacco strips and sticks
• Electronic cigarette (E - cigarettes)
• Yoga, mindfulness, meditation
• Herb supplement
• Cold laser therapy

I hope now you know how and why smoking can be dangerous to health and the risk involved  in smoking. I have also listed 5 method that can be use to quit smoking or any consumption of tobacco. If you like my information subscribe to our blog via email and we will mail you everytime we post something new.

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