Life is the most precious gift we have, and this is a gift we only get once. One of the most reliable indicators of our quality of life is our health, which is why it is so important to stay away from smoking. It is hard to imagine another habit or activity that has as much negative impact on our health as smoking because smoking is a leading contributor to a wide range of serious health risks.
Smoking is the leading cause of a wide range of cancers including the lung cancer. In fact, smoking is the cause of nearly 9 out of 10 or approximately 90 percent of the lung cancer cases. Cancer involves out-of-control division of abnormal cells. The cigarette smoke weakens the body’s immune system and makes it harder for the body to kill cancer cells. As a result, there is little to stop cancer cells from growing. The cigarette smoke may also damage the cell DNA, increasing the possibility of a cancer tumor. It is important to note smoking causes lung cancer not only among smokers but also nonsmokers. 7,300 nonsmokers die from the lung cancer in the U.S. as a result of secondhand exposure to the cigarette smoke. It is clear the best defense against the lung cancer is abstaining from smoking .
Smoking also leads to face and head related health issues. Smoking may reduce one’s vision due to higher risk of cataracts and macular degeneration that could even result in blindness. Similarly, smoking may reduce one’s night vision because nicotine restricts the production of chemical in the eye which aids with night vision. Smoking may also lead to hearing loss by restricting oxygen supply to the cochlea. The effects of smoking may also be visible on one’s face because smoking leads to loss of skin elasticity, resulting in a dull and drier skin . Smoking also harms our dental health. It increases the risk of gum diseases, and results in yellow teeth and bad breath .
The cardiovascular risks of smoking are widely known. Smoking is a leading cause of heart diseases and stroke. The smoking damages the arteries and also helps raise the bad cholesterol in the blood. The bad cholesterol leads to build up of fatty material called atheroma which results in narrower arteries which, in turn, increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. The smoking also damages the heart in other ways. For example, carbon monoxide reduces the oxygen content of the blood and makes the heart work harder to supply oxygen to different parts of the body. The nicotine also raises the blood pressure and makes the heart work harder . Thus, it is not surprising smoking has emerged as one of the leading contributors to the cardiovascular health risks in America.
It is not hard to understand why the smokers tend to avoid intense physical activities. The smoking also negatively affects the muscles and the bones in the body. The muscles get tired more easily because the smoking reduces the oxygen content in the blood which also means lower oxygen supply to the muscles. In addition, smoking also gradually decreases the bone density in the body over time. As a result, the risk of hip fractures increases in both men and women in old age . Smoking doesn’t only result in reduced physical activity in the present but also increases the possibility of lower levels of physical activity in the future.
One of the unfortunate facts about smoking is that it doesn’t only affect the smoker but also the non-smokers indirectly. One of the groups at high risk of negative health effects from the smoking is children. The health risks to children due to exposure to cigarette chemicals start in the mother’s womb. Smoking increases the risk of pregnancy complications, miscarriage, and premature delivery. The children born to mothers, who smoke, are also more likely to be underweight as well as diagnosed with birth defects and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) . Similarly, smoking by mothers also increases the risk of harmful cigarette chemicals passing on to infants through breastfeeding. Moreover, exposure to secondhand smoke also increases the prospects of lung or airways infection among children because children have weaker immune systems than the adults .
Smoking also weakens the body’s immune system. The chemicals in the cigarette reduce our body’s ability to fight off infections. The weakened immune system doesn’t only lower our defenses against temporary health risks but also more serious health risks such as the cancer. In addition to weakened immune system, the body’s healing properties are also weakened, resulting in longer healing periods . It is apparent smoking is not only a threat to the weak immune systems in the children but also the more developed immune systems in adults.
Leaving smoking is arguably the best thing we can do to achieve a good state of health and possibly prolong our lives because smoking is a leading contributor to a wide range of health risks. Smoking increases the risk of cancer due to damage to DNA as well as uncontrollable growth of cells. Smoking may harm the vision and hearing capabilities. Smoking also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases by lowering the oxygen content of the blood and narrowing the arteries. The smokers are also more likely to avoid intense physical activities because smoking reduces muscle energy and bone density. Last but not least, smoking doesn’t only affect the smoker but also the nonsmokers such as the children.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking and Cancer.
- Pietrangelo, Ann. The Effects of Smoking on the Body.
- Quit Victoria. Health Risks of Smoking.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 18 Ways Smoking Affects Your Health.
- WebMD. Smoking – what will happen to my body?
