- Lung cancer
- Emphysema
- Heart disease
- Earlier menopause
- Death
Why should I quit smoking?
Tobacco is the number one cause of deaths every year (over 400,000). If
you don't quit now, you'll have to quit sometime in the near future to avoid
serious health complications. Sooner is certainly better than later, not
just for your health, but also for your wallet. Fighting nicotine cravings
may seem an insurmountable task, but just think about the health benefits your
body receives from breathing continuous fresh air. Even after just two
days of
no smoking, nerve endings start regenerating and your sense of taste is
enhanced, letting you enjoy food more. Do your reasons for smoking justify
endangering your body? According to the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, three-fourths of young adults who smoke or chew tobacco daily do
it because they can't quit.
By quitting, you reduce your risk of cancer, emphysema, and heart disease;
your blood pressure might be lowered; your immune system will become stronger;
your lung capacity will increase; and you'll have greater physical strength and
endurance. Everyone around you will see physical improvement as you enjoy
whiter teeth, clearer skin, fresher breath, and brighter eyes!
Double your chance of quitting!
Click here to find out how.
How can I help a friend quit?
First, it is important to understand that smoking is an issue of addiction and
not of will power. In order to quit successfully, smokers need friends and
family to support them. You may reduce the psychological stress of
quitting by pretending your friend is just "practicing" quitting, and reward
them frequently with candy and other favors. This approach will also help
prevent you from getting angry or annoyed if you catch your friend with a
cigarette, which is unfortunately probable. In fact, most people make at
least three attempts to quit before succeeding.
Offer to join your friend in an exercise program, which will increase
self-esteem and offset possible weight gain. Help your friend avoid
restaurants, bars, and other places that encourage smoking. These social
places don't just encourage smoking by the presence of other smokers, but by
reminders of the individual smoking at those sites. Remember that smokers
who are in the process of quitting often become irritable - do not take this
behavior personally. Supportive friends must remain calm and patient to
help the smoker overcome the stress and trauma of withdrawal.
Click here to find more resources on kicking the habit.
What withdrawal symptoms should I expect when quitting?
Physical withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, nausea, difficulty
sleeping, and respiratory pain and congestion. Emotionally, you may be
irritable and anxious, and suffer from mood swings and depression. Many
people smoke because they believe it will help them lose weight; nicotine
suppresses the appetite and causes the liver to release glycogen, which raises
the blood sugar level slightly. Without the stimulating effects of
nicotine, you are likely to feel hungry more often and have a slower metabolism.
Additionally, you will begin to enjoy food more as your sense of taste returns.
People trying to quit smoking often need a replacement for the oral pleasure of
smoking, so think of low calorie items that can keep your mouth busy, such as
gum, hard candy, or raw vegetable sticks.
Looking for more support?
Click here.
Cigars aren't as unhealthy as cigarettes, right?
NO! Because smoke from cigars and cigarettes contains the same harmful
toxins and carcinogens, the differences in health risks are related to the
differences in daily use and level of inhalation. Although cigars are
generally bigger than cigarettes, containing more tobacco, the majority of cigar
smokers only smoke occasionally and do not inhale. However, even those who
do not inhale have an increased risk for mouth cancer.
Someone who smokes the occasional cigar without inhaling may not suffer the
health risks associated with smoking a pack of cigarettes everyday, but
second-hand smoke from a cigar is more dangerous than that of a cigarette.
Because cigars have more tobacco, and burn longer than cigarettes, they give off
more environmental tobacco smoke. Additionally, cigar smoke contains
higher concentrations of the carcinogens found in cigarette smoke.
Is smokeless tobacco a safe alternative to cigarettes?
NO! Smokeless tobacco pollutes your body with numerous chemicals that cause
health problems from gum recession to oral cancer. Tobacco in any form
causes cancer and contains nicotine, a highly addictive chemical. People
who use smokeless tobacco are several times more likely to develop oral cancer
than those who do not use tobacco.
There are two types of spit tobacco: chewing tobacco and snuff. Chewing
tobacco comes in loose leaf, plugs, or twists, while snuff is generally powdered
tobacco, sold dry or moist. People who chew keep tobacco in their mouths
for several hours to get a continuous high from nicotine. Snuff is
"dipped," meaning a small amount is pinched from the can and placed between the
cheek and the gum. Nicotine is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream
through the lining of the mouth, resulting in a quick high.
Toxic chemicals in smokeless tobacco, including arsenic and formaldehyde,
contribute to cancer of the mouth, leukoplakia (white, leathery patch inside the
mouth where skin has been irritated by tobacco juice), heart disease, gum
disease, and tooth decay. Spit tobacco permanently discolors teeth, and as
the gums recede, teeth will fall out.
To learn more about the above
topics
click here!
Did
you know...
