Quit Smoking Today And Improve Your Life

By Zak Hart

Many people would like to quit smoking but it is not a simple task. It takes determination, commitment, and will power to be able to achieve it. Perhaps the biggest motivation is health. Smoking causes around four million fatalities every year, with smoking related diseases such as lung cancer and heart disease shortening the life of nearly 10 per cent of adults worldwide according to figures from the World Health Organisation.

When we truly comprehend the health risks that are associated with smoking it can really give us the kick we need to break the habit. The positive side is that millions of smokers do manage to quit every year. It doesn't have to be a lifetime habit.

With every puff of a cigarette you inhale numerous deadly chemicals. All smokers are aware of nicotine; it is the substance that makes cigarettes and tobacco smoking addictive. But how does it work? The moment you take a drag on a cigarette, nicotine is absorbed in to your bloodstream and races towards the brain. Within a few seconds your brain will release a chemical known as dopamine. It is dopamine that gives you the pleasurable feeling. But when you don't have a cigarette your dopamine levels drop drastically giving you that craving that can cause irritation.

Another toxic substance that is found in all cigarettes is tar. Because tar contains carcinogenic compounds it can cause cancer in the smoker. Carbon monoxide is also present in cigarette smoke. It attaches itself to the red blood cells and lowers their ability to carry oxygen around the body. These are just a few of the toxic substances that you breathe in when you smoke.

As you probably aware there are countless risks associated with being a smoker. Studies have shown that men who smoke their whole lives live on average ten years less than non-smokers. There are a vast number of diseases that are caused by smoking. Apart from lung cancer there is cancer of the stomach, kidneys, bladder, pancreas, and throat, not to mention a form of leukemia.

It is also well known that smoking causes damage to the respiratory system. Pneumonia can be a result of smoking as can COPD. Both of these sicknesses cause an inflammation in the lungs. Heart disease is often the result of inhaling tobacco smoke. It occurs due to damage to the arteries. Other ailments and sicknesses that are increased by smoking include impotence, infertility, angina, and osteoporosis.

Quitting smoking can drastically improve you health and life expectancy. If you stop earlier enough, your body can make a complete recovery. Today there are many different treatments and methods open to smokers that want to stop.

Your first point of call should be your family doctor. They can offer you advice and medication that will lessen the withdrawal symptoms you are likely to experience. Possible treatments may include: nicotine replacement therapy (which comes in various forms), bupropion (a tablet), varenicline (also a tablet).

It is possible for any individual to give up smoking. Help exists from individuals and organisations that understand how you feel. - 32389

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