subject: Smoking and Health Problems quit smoking [print this page] Smoking and Health Problems quit smoking Smoking and Health Problems quit smoking
Smoke from cigarettes, cigars and pipes harms your body in many ways but essentially it affects the respiratory system. Everybody knows that smoking is injurious to health but very few people take serious concerns. It has been found that smoking is one of the major causes of cancers. Smoking is also responsible for millions of death caused by cardiovascular diseases.
Smoking is especially harmful to people who have asthma. Irritating substances gets settle in the moist lining of the airways when a person inhales tobacco smoke. These substances are responsible for causing an attack in a person who has asthma. Smoking also damages the tiny hair-like structures in the airways called cilia. Cilia help to sweep the dust and mucus out of the airways. As smoking damages cilia, they are unable to work and allow the dust and mucus to accumulate in the airways. Tobacco smoke also contains many cancer causing substances such as tar, which are known as carcinogens.
Second-hand smoke is the combination of smoke from a burning cigarette and the smoke exhaled by a smoker. It has been found that passive smoking is more harmful to the one who does not smoke but are in the vicinity of smokers. These people are at a higher risk of developing heart diseases than the smokers. This is because the smoke that burns off the end of cigarette contains more harmful substances like tar, nicotine and carbon dioxide than the smoke inhaled by the smoker.
Children are at a higher risk of developing respiratory diseases as a result of passive smoking. It is because of the reason that their lungs are smaller and are in developing state. Studies have revealed that passive smoking is especially harmful to children who have asthma. It can also affect the sleeping patterns in children making them cough more at night. Passive smoking can also affect children's performance in sports and other physical activities.
Parents who smoke can bring number of health problems in unborn child. Mothers who smoke carries the addictive substance called nicotine directly to the baby through her bloodstream. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of developing lung problems and asthma in children. Smoking during pregnancy is also associated with problems such as premature births, low-birth weight newborns and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
How to quit smoking?
Though quitting smoking is difficult but it can be easily achieved with a strong determination and discipline. Some of the things that you can do to quit smoking are:
Stay away or hide your matches, lighter and ashtrays.
If you feel to smoke, take a deep breath and hold it for five to ten seconds.
Don't let anyone to some in your home.
Try chewing gum or eat some fruits whenever you feel to smoke.
Cultivate good habits like reading books, going for a walk to stay away from smoking.
Join a support group or talk to your health care provider.
