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Smoking is a dangerous habit that can cause major harm to your health. It can have vicious short and long-term effects, which may even prove fatal.
Here are some insights into the health risks from smoking with some helpful tips on how you can quit smoking.
Ill-effects of smoking on your health
It is a medically established fact that smoking poses a severe threat to health. Here are some significant ill effects of smoking
- Smoking is related to increased risks of cardiovascular diseases and can lead to damaging or thickening of your blood vessels, blockages in the heart and even cause stroke.
- Besides heart-related problems, smokers are susceptible to respiratory disorders. Smoking damages the airways and the air sacs present in the lungs. You may also develop lung diseases like emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic bronchitis.
- Smoking is a major underlying cause of cancer. As smoking significantly affects the lungs, it can lead to lung cancer. It can increase the risk of developing cancer in other parts of the body, such as bladder, liver, stomach, oesophagus and oropharynx.
- In pregnant women, smoking can adversely affect the foetus and result in premature delivery, ectopic pregnancy, and stillbirth. In men, smoking leads to abnormalities in sperm and infertility.
- Smoking makes you vulnerable to type 2 diabetes, with the risk being 30-40% higher for smokers than nonsmokers. (https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm )
Benefits of Quitting Smoking
You can repair the harm smoking does to your body by quitting it at the earliest. Giving up cigarettes has several benefits for your well-being.
Quitting smoking will clear your airways and prevent the damage to your lungs. You will eventually experience lesser episodes of coughing, shortness of breath, and mucus related issues. Difficulty in breathing and symptoms like asthma will be reduced.
Perhaps the most beneficial effect will be the lowered risk of developing chronic bronchitis, cancer, and cardiovascular issues.
Your body’s immunity will gradually improve and you can lead a healthier life.
How to Quit Smoking?
Mere awareness about the ill effects of smoking is not enough. The pertinent issue is how to stop smoking. There are no guaranteed or best ways to quit smoking. You need to plan your way through it. We give you some steps to quit smoking.
1. Decide your transition
ii. to gradually reduce the number of cigarettes.
2.Set a target
For a more focused approach, set a time period within which you have to quit smoking. A marker on your calendar will drive you firmly towards your goal. Giving up cigarettes requires a lot of discipline and a strict approach. However, a firm resolve will help you battle the urge for smoking.
Hence plan thoroughly for the future.
3. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
Giving up smoking can be daunting and an uphill task. You may likely suffer from withdrawal symptoms which can cause significant discomfort to you. Fatigue, headaches, dizziness, nausea, loss in appetite, constipation, weakness in the body, abdominal cramping, perspiration, and tingling of hands and feet are some symptoms that you may experience. You may also get an intense craving to smoke. If they get severe, you can turn towards NRT to help you quit smoking. It involves the use of nicotine medication in form of gums, sprays and lozenges. It decreases your withdrawal symptoms and helps you feel better. It is one of the most successful ways to quit smoking for good.
4. Physical and mental nourishment
Any physical activity can engage your mind and keep the intense cravings for cigarettes at bay. Rigorous exercise, workout and running will keep you from the urge to smoke. Meditation and yoga can also help you relax your mind and keep triggers like stress and anxiety under control. Being occupied can reduce our chances of turning towards a cigarette and help you in your journey to quit smoking.
Smoking presents an enormous risk to your health. As already seen, apart from cancer, it also leads to other ailments that may progress and prove fatal. Apart from the emotional duress it may cause you and your family, it can also lead to financial stress because of the expensive treatment and costly medicines.
As you embark on your journey to quit smoking, you need to ensure that you are well-prepared for any medical emergency that may happen. A Cancer insurance policy or a Critical Illness Rider with a term plan is amongst the best ways to prepare yourself for any eventuality. These plans provide monetary assistance in case you fall sick with a major illness. They not only ensure that you are well-prepared financially but also grant you peace of mind.
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