The Health Benefits of Not Smoking
Angela Rogers
January 17, 2008
The lungs supply a steady supply of oxygen to the body and are a vital part of the respiratory system. While we often do not need to do much to keep them in good working order, we can take steps that lower the efficiency of which they supply oxygen to the blood.
Pipes, cigarettes, and cigars are the common method by which we supply nicotine and other byproducts of tobacco into our bodies. Yet, while nicotine itself has small health benefits and calms frazzled nerves, the long term effect of smoking can be seen on the body. Conditions such as emphysema and lung cancer can develop after long term use.
Not only that, smoking cigarettes increases blood pressure which in turn increases your chance of a heart attack. Pipes and chewing tobacco can cause tooth decay and unpleasant diseases like oral cancer.
The best strategy to avoid not getting any of the complications related to the consumption of nicotine is of course, not to smoke. Because a nicotine habit is an addiction, quitting may not be as easy as it may seem. Stopping to smoke cold turkey may have the highest rate of success, but it does not work for everyone. Instead, once you make the healthy decision to kick the habit, find a program that works for you. Gums, patches, and drugs are all remedies that can be prescribed by a doctor to help you kick the habit, but the products only merely supply the nicotine in decreasing amounts. The idea behind them is that you wean yourself off nicotine gradually to avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. And the gums at least give the hand something to do.
The problem with all of these methods is that they are expensive, in many cases more than the cost of a cigarette habit, although it could be said that kicking the habit saves you money in the long run, but fortunately, many insurance plans cover the cost of prescriptions that your doctor may write to help you quit smoking.
The good news is that most of the damage to the lungs will repair itself overtime and the lungs will improve their performance once the toxins clear, but no benefits are grained if you do not stop lighting up. Just be sure to use the resources available to you and if necessary join a support group that you will help you stop smoking or alcohol or chewing tobacco.
Pipes, cigarettes, and cigars are the common method by which we supply nicotine and other byproducts of tobacco into our bodies. Yet, while nicotine itself has small health benefits and calms frazzled nerves, the long term effect of smoking can be seen on the body. Conditions such as emphysema and lung cancer can develop after long term use.
Not only that, smoking cigarettes increases blood pressure which in turn increases your chance of a heart attack. Pipes and chewing tobacco can cause tooth decay and unpleasant diseases like oral cancer.
The best strategy to avoid not getting any of the complications related to the consumption of nicotine is of course, not to smoke. Because a nicotine habit is an addiction, quitting may not be as easy as it may seem. Stopping to smoke cold turkey may have the highest rate of success, but it does not work for everyone. Instead, once you make the healthy decision to kick the habit, find a program that works for you. Gums, patches, and drugs are all remedies that can be prescribed by a doctor to help you kick the habit, but the products only merely supply the nicotine in decreasing amounts. The idea behind them is that you wean yourself off nicotine gradually to avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. And the gums at least give the hand something to do.
The problem with all of these methods is that they are expensive, in many cases more than the cost of a cigarette habit, although it could be said that kicking the habit saves you money in the long run, but fortunately, many insurance plans cover the cost of prescriptions that your doctor may write to help you quit smoking.
The good news is that most of the damage to the lungs will repair itself overtime and the lungs will improve their performance once the toxins clear, but no benefits are grained if you do not stop lighting up. Just be sure to use the resources available to you and if necessary join a support group that you will help you stop smoking or alcohol or chewing tobacco.
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