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Health Effects of Smoking
Today due to curiosity, excitement or adventure youngsters start to smoke and later get addicted to smoking. Research says about 80% of the lung cancer is due to cigarette smoking. Smoking is inhaling the smoke from burning tobacco. There are thousands of known chemicals which includes nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, ammonia, sulphur – dioxide and even small quantities of arsenic.
Carbon monoxide and nicotine damage the cardiovascular system and tar damages the gaseous exchange system. Nicotine is the chemical that causes addiction and is a stimulant which makes the heart beat faster and the narrowing of blood vessels results in raised blood pressure and coronary heart diseases.
Presence of carbon monoxide reduces oxygen supply. Lung cancer, cancer of the mouth and larynx is more common in smokers than non-smokers. Smoking also causes cancer of the stomach, pancreas and bladder and lowers sperm count in men. Smoking can cause lung diseases by damaging the airways and alveoli and results in emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
These two diseases along with asthma are often referred as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). When a person smokes, nearly 85% of the smoke released is inhaled by the smoker himself and others in the vicinity, called passive smokers, are also affected. Guidance or counselling should be done in such users to withdraw this habit.
Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs (alveoli) found in your lungs. Lung diseases caused by smoking include COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Cigarette smoking causes most cases of lung cancer.
Lung Cancer. More people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) COPD is an obstructive lung disease that makes it hard to breathe.
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Asthma
- Reproductive Effects in Women
- Premature, Low Birth-Weight Babies
- Diabetes
Immediate Effects of Smoking
- Initial stimulation, then reduction in activity of brain and nervous system
- Increased alertness and concentration
- Feelings of mild euphoria
- Feelings of relaxation
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate
- Decreased blood flow to fingers and toes
- Decreased skin temperature
- Bad breath
Nicotine that is inhaled in cigarette smoke is absorbed by the lungs into the bloodstream and quickly goes to the heart and brain. Many smokers report that they enjoy the ritual of smoking. They also say that smoking gives them a pleasurable feeling. Smoking relieves their nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
The bottom line. So, smoking probably doesn’t make you poop, at least not directly. There’s a whole host of other factors that might be responsible for this sensation of urgency to visit the toilet after smoking. But smoking does have a major impact on your gut health.
One of the ingredients in tobacco is a mood-altering drug called nicotine. Nicotine reaches your brain in mere seconds and makes you feel more energized for a while. But as that effect wears off, you feel tired and crave more. Nicotine is extremely habit-forming, which is why people find smoking so difficult to quit.