Cigarettes

Cigarettes is bad for us. This is nothing new, we have known the dangers of smoking for decades. But how exactly does smoking harm us? Let's take a look at what happens when its components pass through our bodies and how we benefit physically. When we finally quit smoking.

With each breath or inhalation, more than 5,000 chemicals from cigarettes come into contact with the tissues of the body. First, tar, a black plastic material, begins to coat the teeth and gums, damaging the enamel and eventually causing tooth decay. Over time, cigarettes or let call it  smoke also damages the nerves in the nose, causing a loss of smell.

Also Read: What Marijuana does to the body

In the airways and lungs,  smoke from cigarettes increases the likelihood of infections as well as chronic diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema. It achieve this by damaging cilia which tiny, hair-like structures which job is to keep the airways open and clean. It then fills the alveoli, tiny air sacs that exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide between the lungs and the blood.A toxic gas called carbon monoxide passes through this membrane into the bloodstream, binding with hemoglobin and displacing the oxygen it normally carries around the body. This is one of the reasons why smoking can lead to lack of oxygen and shortness of breath.

After about 10 seconds, the bloodstream carries a stimulant called nicotine to the brain, which stimulates the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters, including endorphins, creating a feeling of euphoria that causes addiction to smoking. These vascular effects lead to thickening of blood vessel walls and increased platelet adhesion, increasing the likelihood of blood clots and causing heart attacks and strokes.

Most of the ingredients and chemicals found in cigarettes can trigger dangerous mutations in the body’s DNA that can make cancers form. Substances such as arsenic and nickel can interfere with DNA repair, thereby compromising the body's ability to fight many types of cancer. In fact, about one third of cancer deaths in the United States are caused by smoking. 

And it's not just lung cancer. it can cause cancer in many tissues and organs, as well as damage the eyes and weaken bones.It can make more difficult for women to get pregnant and in men it can cause erectile dysfunction.

But for those who quit smoking, there is a huge positive benefit in the form of near-instant and long-lasting physical benefits.

Heartbeat (Pulse) and blood pressure begin to return to normal. After 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels stabilize, increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. The day after stopping use, the risk of heart attack begins to decrease as blood pressure and heart rate return to normal. The nerve endings responsible for smell and taste begin to regenerate.

The lungs become healthier after about a month, with less coughing and shortness of breath. The delicate, hair-like cilia in the airways and lungs begin to heal after a few weeks and recover after 9 months, increasing resistance to infections. 

On the first anniversary of quitting smoking, the risk of heart disease is halved by improving blood vessel function.Five years later, the likelihood of a blood clot is dramatically reduced, and the risk of stroke continues to decline. After 10 years, the risk of developing fatal lung cancer is reduced by 50%, possibly because the body's ability to repair DNA is restored again. Fifteen years later, the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease is almost the same as that of nonsmokers.

There is no point in pretending that all this is easily achievable. Quitting smoking can lead to anxiety and depression as a result of nicotine withdrawal. Fortunately, these effects are usually temporary, and quitting is becoming easier and easier thanks to the expanding arsenal of tools. Nicotine replacement therapy with chewing gum, skin patches, lozenges and sprays can help smokers quit smoking. They work by stimulating nicotinic receptors in the brain and thus preventing withdrawal symptoms without the addition of other harmful chemicals. Avoid without adding other harmful chemicals.  Counseling and support groups, cognitive behavioral therapy, and moderate-intensity exercise also help the average person stop smoking.

This is good news, because quitting smoking will help you and your body get healthy again.