Helpful tips on quiting smoking.
Reasons to quit Smoking
Curious as to why you should quit smoking today? The following ten reasons provide a clear and in depth explanation as to why putting out that cigarette will be one of the best choices you will ever make.
1. Cosmetically, smoking can lead to a complete body makeover. As your skin begins to sag and wrinkle, you will look up to twenty years older, losing many signs of youthfulness and health. The tar in cigarettes causes build up on teeth leading to yellow and brown stains causing bad breath and an early onset of gum disease. Last but certainly not least, smokers have an increased risk of a black hairy tongue.
2. At around $5 a pack, Cigarettes can quickly become a financial burden. Smoking just 2 packs daily will cost you around $10 a day, $70 a week, $280 a month, and $3,360 a year.
3. Smoking numbs your ability to smell and taste. Among the most common and concentrated forms of pollution humans come in contact with, smokers have issues identifying harmful odors, and tasting foods to their full potential.
4. Female smokers have a far greater chance of osteoporosis than non-smokers. Specifically in post-menopausal women, the loss of bone mineral density due to smoking can be devastating.
5. Smoking can destroy a woman’s reproductive health, limiting the chance of a successful pregnancy and even decreasing the age of menopause. The chemicals contained in cigarettes upset the hormonal balance and can lead to a decreased number of healthy eggs. Tobacco has also been shown to lower sperm count in males.
6. The children of mothers who smoke have a greater risk of SIDS, asthma, ear infections, and upper respiratory infections. Even if the mother was not a frequent smoker while pregnant, the child will still more than likely be born suffering from nicotine withdrawal causing the infant to be more excitable and stressed. Plus, children of smokers are more likely to become smokers themselves.
7. Smoking puts unnecessary strain on the heart causing reduced circulation, cornonary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and abdominal aortic aneurysms. In the United States, coronary heart disease is the number one cause of death.
8. Smoking causes half of all strokes. The Nicotine contained in cigarettes can do serious harm on your bloodstream. By reducing the flow of oxygen to your bodies tissues, blood vessels thin and therefore receive more strain, leading to strokes. As your body begins to lose its ability to properly circulate blood, blood pressure has a tendency to increase. Smoking can even lead to blood clots and high cholesterol.
9. The carcinogens contained in cigarettes have been proven to cause a higher risk of cancer. Smoking causes 90% of lung cancer deaths in men and 80% in women Besides lung cancer, smoking also has been shown to cause cancers of the esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix. The chance of contracting one of these cancers can be drastically reduced by quitting completely.
10. Every 1 in 5 deaths in the United States is linked to tobacco. With the various diseases and illnesses linked to smoking, the total life expectancy of a smoker is reduced by a minimum of ten years. Half of the people who will die from smoking related issues die between the ages of 30 and 45, reducing their maximum life expectancy by up to 35 years.
Do yourself a favor and kick the habit. You will look younger, feel better and live longer. Being a non-smoker is something you will never regret.