8 Health Hazards associated with smoking

These and many other are the reasons why people smoke in our world today. But the question I would like you to answer is,’ is there any reason justifiable to why one should smoke?’ Please drop your answer in the comment box.

The effects of smoking in people’s health are not what one can just over-look. We need to educate our family members, friends, colleagues and all people on the dangers of smoking. They may not really notice any health hazard caused by smoking but I believe this article will be an eye-opener for people who smoke.

Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux is a condition where stomach contents come back up into the esophagus resulting in either symptoms or complications. Nicotine content from tobacco can weaken the sphincter muscles (a ring of muscle in the lower esophagus). The function of this Sphincter muscle is to quicken the passage of food from the esophagus to the stomach. When this muscle becomes weak as a result of smoking, the stomach acid will flow up back to the esophagus, thereby causing acid reflux in the smoker’s life. This can be a long-term health challenge.

Getting old too quickly

Have you ever done a comparison between two different persons- one who smokes and one who do not smoke- have you noticed something from these two different persons? The one who do not smoke looks fresh and lively, while the one who smokes looks so pale and old. Yes that is what smoking can do. It can make one to age faster than expected. As a result of this, you will observe the skin developing numerous wrinkles. No one would like to get old too quickly or do you?

Atherosclerosis Development

Atherosclerosis is a disease in which the inside of an artery narrows due to the building up of plaque. One effect of smoking is that it can cause plaque to build up and settle inside the blood vessel. When these plaques build up in the blood vessel, it becomes hard and the flow of blood will reduce. When the p Passagse of blood becomes too narrowed, blood goes to the heart with little or no oxygen. People who suffer atherosclerosis are liable of suffering from heart diseases. This is one great danger caused by smoking.

Inflammation on Stomach Base

Inflammation is an important part of the body system that helps in healing wounds but it can also cause chronic health problems in man.  Smoking causes inflammation in the stomach lining and aids in the ulcer development in the life of the smoker.  Nicotine been a chief active constituent in tobacco forces the stomach to produce higher amount of acid, thereby increasing the risk of ulcer development. If you keep on smoking, it will take longer for you to recover from ulcer.

Low Calcium

Cigarette has a chemical that reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium. Calcium is an essential mineral needed for strong and healthy bones. If bones are not healthy and strong, then they can break at ease.

Darkens the Lungs

Cigarette smoking can build up tars in the lung and in no time makes them (lungs) blackar will deposit in the bronchioles one by one until the entire lung becomes black. Cilia, been a small hair-like structure on the outside of the eukaryotic cells which brushes away particles that enters into the lungs can be greatly harmed by smoking. When this hair-like structure called cilia is destroyed, it can no longer have the ability to remove tars that a smoker inhales from cigarette. And no wonder you will always see smokers coughing and coughing because the cilium finds it extremely difficult to remove those tars. This can lead to cancer and breathlessness in the smoker’s life.

Dental and Oral Problems

You must have noticed that the teeth of those people who smoke are not the way it was before they started to smoke. Before, their tooth was sparkling white but now it has turned to yellow and brown.  Cigarette smoking can cause toothache. Smoking can also cause damages to gum lines, thereby exposing more of the tooth to danger.

Danger to unborn babies

The chemicals been inhaled into the body of women can greatly affect the baby in their womb. Women who smoke during pregnancy deliver babies with health issues such as heart problems, high blood pressure etc. and most at times, these babies are born prematurely. Smoking can also lead to miscarriage in women. If you do not want to experience this, you need to avoid smoking now.