Of all the external entities that are bad for your health, nothing beats the act of consuming the ashes of cancer-causing (carcinogenic) compounds into your body. Cigarette smoking is the cause of about half a million deaths in the US every year. While the deadly effects of cigarette smoking on the body are well known, the irony is that many people tend to ignore this as if it’s a fabricated or paranoid delusional fact.
If you are one of those who smoke cigarettes every day, you should seriously start thinking about quitting thise deadly habit. In this article, we will take a look at the some of the detrimental effects of smoking tobacco on your health that will make you think twice before reaching for a pack of cigarette.
The Adverse Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking
Cigarette smoke contains many carcinogenic fumes that when inhaled can increase the chances of deadly diseases. More than 80 percent of the cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is caused due to cigarette smoking. COPD is a painful and progressive disease of the lungs that can ultimately lead to death.
The toxic smoke of the cigarette can damage the lung cells. It can lead to uncontrolled cell growth in the lungs that will ultimately lead to the development of lung cancer.
Apart from lung cancer, about 30 percent of the following cancers are due to cigarette smoking:
- Mouth cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Uterine cancer
- Esophagus cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Stomach cancer
Cigarette smoking can also lead to many heart ailments. Studies have confirmed that smoking cigarettes can increase the risk of heart diseases. The chemicals inside the cigarettes can damage the blood cells and increase the risk of atherosclerosis, which is a buildup of plaque in the arteries that leads to heart attack and smoke.
Smoking can also adversely affect the development of the fetus during pregnancy, leading to increased risk of low birth weight and premature birth. What’s more, men who smoke a cigarette are at greater risk of developing fertility problems.
Why You Should Stop Cigarette Smoking Today
If you are smoking a cigarette right now, you should immediately throw it in the dustbin. Once you have got rid of the deadly cigarette, you should never ever pick another one again. While this may be hard for you at first, but the sacrifice that you make will be well worth it in the end as you can enjoy a quality life due to being in good health.
In case you are a habitual smoker, your chances of a heart attack will decrease significantly about 24 hours after quitting the bad habit. The nerve ending will begin to re-grow, and you will experience enhance the sense of taste and smell. Your blood circulation will improve about 3 months after quitting smoke and you will experience less wheezing and cough.
In about 10 years after quitting smoking your risk of developing kidney, bladder, pancreas and esophagus cancer decreases significantly. After 15 years of not smoking a cigarette, your risk of developing a stroke will be similar to a person who has never smoked before.
So, unless you are hell bent on your own destruction, you should seriously consider quitting smoking and above all, consult with your physician about how to quit this deadly habit.