How Cigarettes Are Slowly Killing You: The Hidden Dangers

One of the foremost causes of preventable death worldwide is defined as cigarette smoking. Although most people associate smoking with lung cancer, the fact is that cigarettes injure almost every organ in the body. Any single puff contains more than 7,000 injurious chemicals, of which nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide are the most notorious, and all are working against your health day by day. Smoking silently and progressively declares havoc on health, allowing one to ignore some of its devastating effects until it is too late. 

The first area in which cigarettes wreak havoc is the respiratory system. Tar accumulates in the lungs, impairing their capacity to absorb oxygen so that breathing gradually becomes more and more difficult. This becomes the cause of chronic ailments such as bronchitis, emphysema, and ultimately lung cancer. Whether lung cancer develops or not, the effects of reduced lung capacity can totally interfere with one's day-to-day activities, tiring smokers and leaving them short of breath with a chronic cough. With each passing moment, every cigarette smoked brings the lungs nearer to irreversible damage.

Smoking puts a lot of strain on the heart and blood vessels. Nicotine speeds up heart rate and increases blood pressure, whereas carbon monoxide limits the oxygen content of the blood. Both quickly add fat deposits in arteries, which manifest as heart attacks, strokes and hypoperfusion. Studies indicate that smokers are twice more prone to develop cardiovascular diseases than nonsmokers. It is just a temporary high brought about by nicotine, while it actually mounts a long-term attack on the cardiovascular system.

Besides lungs and hearts, smoking has deleterious effects on general health. Bad breath, stained teeth, gum diseases, and mouth and throat cancers are some oral health diseases it causes. Skin has to age faster and look older because collagen is destroyed, making smokers appear older than they are. The immune system is also compromised, leaving the body susceptible to infections and with slow recovery from diseases. Every organ within the body suffers from exposure to the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes from the brain down to the kidneys.

Cigarettes are more than just a nasty habit; they kill slowly and quietly. Research has shown that, on an average, the lives of long-term smokers are shortened by 10 years in comparison to those who do not smoke. Nevertheless, quitting smoking significantly reduces many of the risks associated with smoking, regardless of age. By kicking nicotine addiction, you protect the lungs, heart, and general wellness, which, in turn, adds years of life to you. The sooner you quit smoking, the sooner your body begins recovery.