SMOKING: Killer more than a Thriller!

Smoking triggers the urge to smoke more leading to addiction. It is our own actions and psychologies that make us reach for another cigarette in our pocket. If you are angry and frustrated you tend to smoke more, as you feel relaxed. On the contrary some people smoke more when they are excited about something.  For most of the smokers it is mandatory to smoke before they get out of their beds and after they finish their meals. Every individual has his own conditions for smoking.  Once you fall into the trap it gets difficult to find a way out. It’s a maze wherein you curb your urge at one end but fail to do so at other and the fight to quit smoking starts all over again.

TOBACCO EPIDEMIC DEATH TOLL

100 million dead in the 20th century

Currently 5.4 million deaths every year

Unless urgent action is taken:

By 2030, there will be more than 8 million deaths every year

By 2030, more than 80% of tobacco deaths will be in developing countries

One billion estimated deaths during the 21st century

 Why Quit Smoking

Smoking is injurious to health. It shortens your life span. Each cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes. Now calculate how much time have you already let go off your hands and try to make the best of what is left. Protect your family from secondhand smoke and its ill effects.

 Cigarette contents

1. NICOTINE--We all know that cigarettes contain nicotine that enters the blood stream and reaches the brain in 10 seconds after it is inhaled.
2. CARCINOGENS- causes cancer that leads to multiple growth of cells in major organs of the body.
3. CARBON MONOXIDE- enters the blood stream and cause depletion of oxygen in red blood cells.

• Bad breath
• High blood pressure- nicotine and carbon monoxide mix in the blood stream and cause high blood pressure which causes cardiac arrest as oxygen supply to the body parts is cut off.
• Yellow teeth
• Yellow nails
• Retardation of growth.
• Various cancers are linked to smoking- lung cancer being the most common,           cancer of larynx, throat, mouth, kidney and pancreas.
• Wrinkles- Smoking causes wrinkles on face thus making you look older than your age.
• It destroys your taste buds.
• Polycythemia- increase in number of red blood cells that causes breathlessness, headaches, fatigue, enlarged liver.
• Reduces immunity
• Body gets prone to cold and cough
• Weight loss
• Peptic ulcers
• Gallstones
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Headache
• Respiratory problems leading to shortness of breath
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Tuberculosis
• Bodies as well as clothes smell bad.

• Female infertility- It causes malfunctioning of endocrine.
• Child might be born still/dead at delivery.
• It can lead to miscarriage
• Premature delivery

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• Medication is not require to quit smoking if you have faith in yourself and if you can follow simple rules when you feel the urge to pick up cigarette. Use your inner strength; listen to your inner voice. Feed “ I want to quit smoking” in your mind. Tell yourself “NOW OR NEVER”.
• Say it to yourself every time you walk in front of the mirror.
• Take a paper and evaluate yourself. Calculate how many times you wanted to avoid a cigarette but could not. This will also give you how strong is your will power.
• Throw away all the ashtrays in your home.
• Note down the situations when you are likely to feel the urge to smoke. Like if smoke while driving, while listening to loud music or after meals.
• Chew a gum or cinnamon till the urge finishes.
• Take a mint candy after meals.
• The most effective method to curb your urge is to take deep breath slowly and exhale with your eyes closed. Think about beautiful things in your life and feel the tension leaving your body through your fingertips and toes. This will bring lot of positive and healthy attitude towards life.          
• Throw away any empty cigarette pack left lying in secret corners.
• Take plenty of fluids so that nicotine present in your body is flushed out thus killing the curb to smoke.
• If you do not smoke in front of your parents, go , sit and chat with them till the urge to smoke goes away.
• Read your favorite novel.
• You might gain weight initially while you quit smoking. Watch you diet.

Article Written by: Chitra Atolia/ Shaz Qamar (Rapidmile)

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