Fast Facts about Smoking
- Smoking isn’t a health condition but an unhealthy behavior or practice in which a person’s intake of harmful drugs and chemicals increases. It becomes an addiction.
- Smoking is the leading cause of death in America. It is the only disease preventable yet still leads millions to their deaths.
- Annually, 480,000 people die from smoking cigarettes in the United States. The estimated number means that every 1 in 5 deaths is caused by it.
- Research shows that 10 times more people have died from smoking prematurely than those who died in all the wars fought by Americans altogether.
- Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. 9 out of 10 cases of lung cancer are smoking-related with women being the more dominant demographic.
- But that is not all; smoking can cause cancer anywhere in the body and not just in the lungs.
Smoking can be defined as an unhealthy practice which often becomes an addiction. It is neither a heath condition nor a disease. It is a preventable behavior but is also the reason for the most premature death in the world. The term smoking refers to not just cigarettes but a number of different chemical consumptions such as smoking a pipe or being exposed to the smoke (passive smoking). There is no healthy or safe smoking and all of these have harmful effects on one’s organs. When the behavior is practiced for a long time, it increases one’s chances of developing many health conditions such as digestive disorders, ulcers, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Despite its prevalence, there are a number of factors that contribute to it. These factors may differ for everyone and are usually hard to understand. What causes one to smoke? Here are some good ones:
- Peer pressure
- Glamorous advertising
- Seeing others in the household doing it
- Thinking of it as an acceptable behavior
- Aggression
- Low self-esteem
- Lack of proper education
Symptoms
There are number of different signs and symptoms one experiences or depicts when they have become addicted to smoking. These include:
- Yellowing of teeth
- Bad breath
- Reoccurring lung infections
- Hands and feet getting cold
- Low oxygen
- Fatigue
- Low tolerance
- Loss of smell
- Lack of taste
- Hypertension
- Wrinkling of skin
- Premature ageing
- Smoker’s cough
- Shortness of breath
- Smoke smelling clothes
- Hoarse voice
- Nicotine-stained hands
Recommended Supplements
While eating a healthy diet and regular exercise helps to manage some of the problems caused by smoking, it is not enough to keep you fit and healthy. Supplements are essential for managing smoking and reducing its symptoms. But it should be kept in mind that supplements should not be used to replace the treatment for smoking related damage. It is not always true that natural products are safe for use. Many products can react with your body and produce an adverse reaction. Thus, it is better to be safe and consult your before starting to use any supplements for managing your condition.
The following supplements have proven to benefit people with smoking:
Cayenne
Cayenne pepper desensitizes the respiratory tract from tobacco. It also removes or soothes and chemical irritants that may have been inhaled with the smoke. It also possesses many antioxidant properties that help stabilize the lung membranes thus preventing any damage. Cayenne can be used in a number of different ways. It can be added into meals; pinches of it can be added to lukewarm water or swollen in the form of capsules containing its extract. Regular intake will reduce the need to smoke
Ginger
One of the most potent herb with many anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties, ginger helps treat multiple health conditions. When taken to stop the urge to smoke, it eases the withdrawal symptoms especially nausea.
Ginseng
Ginseng works on the frequency or cravings. It reduces them first, prolongs them and then completely gets rid of the urge. Its tonic is beneficial in reestablishing the cortisol levels in the blood and also treats a number of adrenal gland issues.
St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort also reduces the urges to smoke, many studies show how potent a remedy it is to help someone quit smoking. Taking its capsules twice daily can help one get rid of the unhealthy habit forever.
Valerian
The root of valerian is yet another effective herb to ease the withdrawal symptoms of smoking. These may include depression, stress, restlessness, anxiety or insomnia. Its incorporation also alleviates multiple symptoms one experiences when a frequent smoker.
The above natural supplements are known to help in controlling and managing smoking, but you should exercise proper caution and ask your doctor before adding any such supplements for in your diet. Herbs have lasting and strong effects on the body and can also interact with other drugs and medications, causing dangerous and adverse reactions. If you use any medication for your disease, talk to your doctor before you decide to start any supplements or herbal products to manage your health condition.