SMOKING (EFFECT; PACK YEAR AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE)

Hello everyone.
I have not been feeling well for days, still recovering but better than I was yesterday.
So today I'll be discussing smoking and its effects. Let's dive into it.
Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and the health harzards are enormous.
According to the Center for Disease and Control, "for every person who dies because of smoking, at least 30 people live with a serious smoking-related illness".
There are active smokers, and there are passive smokers. While active smokers inhale mainstream smoke (MS), passive smokers inhale secondhand smoke. Both are at risk of developing smoking-related illnesses.

Components of cigarette and their effects on the body:

1. Nicotine - This is very addictive. It causes the cravings for cigarette smoking. Previous nicotine use increases nicotine receptors in the brain. These receptors will make you want to continue smoking. It can cause an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, flow of blood to the heart, and narrowing of the arteries.

2. Carbon monoxide- This is a poisonous gas. It takes the place of oxygen in the blood, thereby preventing the cells and tissues from getting the required amount of oxygen. It contributes to smoking-induced cardiovascular disease.

3. Tar - This is the sticky substance that stains smokers' teeth and fingers yellow-brown. It contains cancer causing particles called carcinogens. Tar- damages the lungs by narrowing the small tubes (bronchioles) that are responsible for oxygen absorption. It also damages the ciliary bodies of the lung that protect the lungs from infection.

4. Others include; toxic chemicals such as benzene, arsenic and formaldehyde which are all harmful to the body.

Effects of Tobacco smoking on the body
Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body.
Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, eye diseases, and disorders in the immune system, including chronic bronchitis.
If the risks of these diseases aren't enough to convince you to quit, consider tobacco's toll on male sexuality and reproductive function. smoking impairs sperm function. It increases the risk of erectile dysfunction; saveral studies report that smokers are about twice as likely to have erectile dysfunction as non smokers. It increases the risk of dying from prostate cancer and doubles the risk of bladder cancer.

The pack-years and it's significance
Pack-years is a measure of how much a person has smoked over a period of time. It is simply "the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by the number of years the person has smoked.

Mathematically expressed as:

1pack-year
=1 pack/day multiplied by 1 year

For eg : an average of 10 sticks of cigarettes per day for 10 years will give 5 pack-years.

A pack-year is a clinical quantification of cigarette smoking used to measure a person's exposure to tobacco. This is used to assess the individuals risk of developing lung cancer or other lung diseases related to tobacco use

Classification
0 Pack Years- Never Smokers

1-20 Pack Years- Light Smokers

20-40 Pack Years- Moderate Smokers

More than 40 Pack Years- Heavy Smokers.

*All classifications are not safe except Never Smokers.

Recommended steps to quitting

Truthfully, quitting is hard.
Here are some tips that can help.

1. Make a list of reasons to quit and another list of people that have kicked the habit. The first list will remind you why quitting is important, and the second will show you that friends who are no stronger or smarter than you have succeeded. Always refer to your list.

2. Pick quitting date especially on a special day, such as your birthday, World Cancer Day etc. As your quit day approaches, toss your ashtrays, clean you house, car, and clothes, and clean your teeth. Once you are away from it, you'll see that smoking stinks.

3. Encourage smokers among your circle of friends to join you in quitting. Your resolve and success can help your friends.

4. Anticipate withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, irritability, hunger, headache, anxiety, and drowsiness or insomnia. This discomfort peaks one to two weeks and gradually diminishes. Plan enjoyable diversions to keep your mind busy. Some may use nicotine gums or implants to quench the cravings.

5. If you feel tense, try meditation, deep breathing or yoga.

6. Begin an exercise program to relieve tension and promote good sleep

7. Eat healthy diet

8. Stay away from secondhand smoke

9. Reward yourself by putting your tobacco money inside a kitty and then spend it on something very important to you.

10. Think positively. Even if you slip, try again, and again. Most people who had stopped, tried several times before they could.

CONCLUSION; one remarkable thing about quitting smoking is that it helps, even if you have smoked for years. Within days, your blood vessels will regain much of the normal function and the risk of heart diseases will start to reduce. There will be improvement in penile blood flow.
Symptoms of chronic bronchitis will ease up, and lung function improves a within a year, and the risk of lung cancer begins to drop substantially within five to 9 years of quitting.