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What Smoking Does to Your Body
What Smoking Does to Your Body
A smoker's body becomes dependent on the nicotine in cigarettes, cigars, or pipe tobacco. Nicotine is a chemical that can have physical and mood-altering effects. Because these effects are pleasant in the short-term, this helps people become addicted. This addiction is also reinforced by the often severe withdrawal symptoms associated with ceasing the ingestion of nicotine.
However, even though withdrawal may be difficult, the use of tobacco and nicotine can cause numerous health problems. Although lung cancer may be one of the best known ailments associated with smoking, it also affects your heart, blood vessels, appearance, and senses, as well as fertility and childbirth.
Smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancers. Smoking can also cause emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Someone who quits smoking, on the other hand, will lower their risk of lung cancer, although it will still be higher than that of a non-smoker. In addition, secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals—of which, more than 50 are known to cause cancer in people or animals.
Smoking is also a major cause of cancer in the esophagus, larynx, throat, and mouth. Smoking can also contribute to cancer in the bladder, pancreas, liver, kidney, cervix, stomach, colon and rectum. Finally, smoking may also be partially responsible for some leukemia.
The heart and circulatory system can also be under attack by smoking, since smoking can result in an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The reason for this connection is unknown, but researchers believe the nicotine may cause adrenal glands to produce heart-stressing hormones that make blood pressure and heart rate rise. Additionally, the carbon monoxide in the smoke takes oxygen away from the heart and other organs. Smokers may also be at a greater risk of heart attack or stroke, since smoking causes blood vessels to constrict.
Smoke ravages a person’s appearance and makes him or her look years past their age. Skin is greatly affected by smoking. The skin becomes starved of oxygen, which makes it look dry, irritated, and prematurely wrinkled—particularly around the mouth and eyes. It can also cause stained teeth, fingers, and fingernails. Smokers may have bad breath, gum disease, and bad-smelling clothes and hair.
Smoking negatively impacts the fertility in both men and women. Female smokers may experience increases risks of infertility and miscarriage, while male smokers risk infertility and impotence because of damaged blood vessels in the penis. Smoking can also affect sperm quality and density, as smokers may produce less sperm and sperm with more abnormalities. If women smokers do conceive, it usually takes longer and they are more likely candidates for a miscarriage.
Even after successful conception, smoking parents will still have difficulties. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy risk low birth weight, premature delivery, and impaired lung function in their babies. Babies with mothers who smoke are also more likely to be stillborn, die shortly after birth, or die from cot death. Within the first year of life, babies with smoker parents are more likely to contract pneumonia and bronchitis. They have a higher risk of suffering from frequent, severe asthma attacks, and are more likely to become regular smokers as they grow up.
Smokers' senses of taste and smell are deadened. Food is not as appetizing and you become unaware of perfume or scented candles. In addition, smokers do not generally notice the smell given off by her own clothes and hair, which can be very unappealing at best, and even nauseating for a non-smoker.
Smoking affects more than just your lungs. It affects your entire body. By quitting smoking, you can reverse many of the effects. Even if the risks of smoking cannot be completely erased, by quitting you can reduce them as much as possible and return your body to a happy, healthy state.
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