| | 1. What in Cigarette is so Harmful? |
| | The smoke in cigarettes contains tar which is made up of 4000 harmful chemicals amongst which 60 are known to be carcinogenic. Some of these substances cause heart and lung diseases, and all such health conditions may cost your life. Some of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke include: |
| | * Cyanide |
| | * Benzene |
| | * Formaldehyde |
| | * Methanol (wood alcohol) |
| | * Acetylene (the fuel used in welding torches) |
| | * Ammonia |
| | The smoke also contains poisonous gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. The ingredient that produces the desired effect is nicotine, an addictive drug. Cigarette smoke contains small amounts of radioactive materials as well (the amount depends on the soil the tobacco plants were grown in and the fertilizers used), which are inhaled in the lungs and this serves as another key factor for getting affected with lung cancer. |
| | 2. Can Smoking Lead to Cancer? |
| | In the United States of America, 30% of all the cancer related deaths occur due to cigarette smoking. Smoking causes about 87% of lung cancer deaths. The risk of dying from lung cancer before age 85 is 22.1% for a male smoker and 11.9% for a female smoker as compared to 0.8 to 1.1% for a lifelong non-smoker. Smoking also causes cancers of the mouth, larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), esophagus (swallowing tube) and bladder. It also has been linked to the development of cancers of the pancreas, cervix, kidney and the stomach. Certain types of leukemia are also induced by smoking. Cigars, pipes, spit and other types of smokeless tobacco can cause cancer as well. |
| | 3. Why do we Enjoy Smoking and Why is it Difficult to Quit? |
| | Nicotine in cigarettes is responsible for the feel good factor that you experience after smoking. Nicotine works very much like other addicting drugs, by flooding the brain's reward circuits with dopamine (a chemical messenger). It provides instant but very short-lived stimulation to the nervous system, reducing tiredness and improving concentration. But this effect starts to wear off within a few minutes. This often leads the smoker to get another cigarette. |
| | Also, some people consider smoking as a status symbol. They just want to be a part of a social group and like to be identified as "cool guys"! In such cases, there is a feeling of psychological wellness in these people. This makes quitting more difficult. |
| | 4. Is it Equally Dangerous if You Smoke but do not Inhale? |
| | Wherever the smoke touches the inner cells of your body, there is danger. Even if the smokers don't inhale, they are actually breathing secondhand smoke and are still at risk for lung cancer. |
| | 5. Are Cigars Less Dangerous than Cigarettes? |
| | Pipe and cigar smokers, who often don't inhale, are at an increased risk for cancer of lip, mouth, tongue, and some other cancers too. Cigar smoking may be associated with a lower risk of getting affected with lung cancer, but it is 3 times more likely to cause lung cancer in smokers in comparison to the non-smokers. So in any way, cigar smoking is also bad for your health. |
| | 6. Are the Mild Cigarettes or the Light Ones Less Harmful than the Regular Cigarettes? |
| | No. The mild or the light cigarettes are also equally dangerous. People who have smoked regular cigarettes before switching over to the lighter brands tend to compensate for the increased air flow in the filter by inhaling more deeply and even to get a sufficient nicotine hit. |
| | 7. If I am a Social Smoker, am I at a Lower Risk? |
| | Social smokers refer to those individuals who smoke once in a while. This is often referred to as binge smoking. According to some researchers, binge smoking can be more dangerous than traditional smoking habits. Obviously, it is much more dangerous to smoke 15 cigarettes in 3 hours than to smoke the same number over the course of a day. In binge smoking, the amount of nicotine getting into the bloodstream is much higher. This can affect the lungs and the heart more. |
| | And if you are a social smoker who smokes only a couple of cigarettes a day or on the weekend, you are still putting your health at risk. There is no known safe level of consumption of cigarettes. Additionally, research has shown that social smokers are more likely to become regular smokers in the long term. |
| | 8. Will I Gain Weight if I Quit Smoking? |
| | Some studies suggest that metabolism can sometimes change when you quit smoking. But in general, this is not particularly significant. Actually, nicotine in cigarette curbs your appetite and dulls your taste buds. When you quit smoking, food tastes better and you may feel hungry more often. As a result, you eat more. Additionally, without cigarettes, you may need something to do with your hands and mouth at certain times of the day when you used to smoke, and you turn to food as a replacement. You need to realize that quitting cigarette is far more important than putting on weight! Doing exercises and taking healthy snacks can help you to manage your weight after quitting. |
| | 9. How Long after Quitting does the Tar tend to Stay Back in Your Body System? |
| | Research has shown that a smoker who smoked 10 cigarettes on an average for a period of 5 years on daily basis will take another 10 to 15 years to drive out tar, toxins and chemicals from the lungs with the help of the body's natural defenses. |
| | 10. How to Remove the Tar Faster? |
| | There are some steps that you can follow in the lung detoxification process to help remove the tar faster than the normal natural method. You need to incorporate the following foods in your diet: |
| | * Garlic, Onion and Ginger |
| | * Barley Grass, Spinach and Kelp |
| | * Alkaline foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables |
| | * Antioxidants such as green tea |
| | * Lots of water |
| | The above food items reduce the buildup of mucus, which is a problem in unhealthy lungs. These foods actively target lung cleansing. You need to avoid dairy products during the lung detoxification process. |
| | In the second place, you need to start off with an exercise regime. Exercise will help to increase the lung capacity once again. Cardio exercises can help to expand the lungs and force you to breathe in and out very deeply. This process aids in the removal of toxins in the form of air. Improving your breathing process, helps clear the tar. |
| | The last step is to include some vitamins which help to remove the tar easily. Vitamin A is a typical example. Studies conducted on mice have shown that cigarette smoke depleted the lungs of vitamin A and that the lungs' air sacks healed after being treated with vitamin A. |
| | Smoking may give you pleasure at some points, but you cannot deny the fact that this pleasure comes at the cost of your health! Further, when you smoke, there are people around you! You may be smoking when your children are around you! This is a case of passive smoking and you are putting your children's health at risk! Think about it! |