Looking For A Great Reason To Quit Smoking?

Are you looking for a reason to quit smoking?  Chances are, if you smoke you’ve heard that smoking is bad for you, but do you know exactly what cigarette smoking can do to your body and those around you?

A Look At Second Hand Smoke

Cigarette smoke contains harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, cadmium, and arsenic.  There are no levels of second hand smoke that are considered safe, and studies show that exposure to cigarette smoke causes premature death and disease in those who breathe second hand smoke.

Adolescents who are exposed to second hand smoke are more likely to begin smoking themselves.  It has been estimated that as many as 100,000 start smoking every day. Nearly half of those children will continue to smoke for at least 15 to 20 years.

A Look At The Smoker’s Body

The effects of cigarette smoking on the body are shocking.  A smoker has a significantly increased risk of heart disease, lung disease, cancers and other debilitating diseases.

Some common ailments experienced by smokers are: cough, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, asthma, colds, flu, plaque and hardening of the coronary arteries, high heart rate and blood pressure, stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, heart attack, peripheral vascular disease, osteoporosis, stomach ulcers, decreased sense of taste and smell, graves disease, thyroid disorders, macular degeneration, gingivitis, painful menstruation, early menopause, infertility, impotence and wrinkles.

Pregnancy And The Smoking Mother

Pregnant women are encouraged to quit smoking even before conception.  The toxins in cigarette smoke can contribute to infertility and ectopic pregnancies.  After becoming pregnant, the harmful effects of smoking are passed on to the fetus and may result in birth defects, lower birth weight and premature delivery of the infant. 

Smoking also increases the risk of complications during the pregnancy like placenta previa, premature rupture of membranes and abruptia placentae.  The infant will also be born with an addiction to nicotine which will lead to withdrawal symptoms after delivery and a very cranky infant.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in America and contributes to one third of the heart disease present in our population.  Finding a reason to stop smoking is not difficult but actually quitting is easier said than done.  Once you have established a reason to quit smoking, get some help.  You are not alone in your quest for a healthier lifestyle.

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