| Dangers of Smoking | | | | impaired performance on tasks that require |
| In the past, I've told you about the impact toxins can | | | | concentration. |
| have on your health. But nowhere do you find a more | | | | Most symptoms last an average of one month, but |
| concentrated source of environmental pollutants and | | | | hunger (due to the lack of increased blood glucose) |
| chemical toxins than in a single cigarette. | | | | and food cravings can last for six months or more. But, |
| As a former nicotine junkie, I know this isn't what | | | | while these symptoms may last for months after you |
| smokers want to hear. But, whether you currently light | | | | quit, the benefits of quitting can begin in as little as 20 |
| up, have quit the habit, or have never smoked at all, | | | | minutes after your last cigarette.o In 20 minutes, your |
| this is information you need to know. | | | | blood pressure and pulse rate decrease, and the body |
| The sad truth is that, every eight seconds, someone in | | | | temperature of your hands and feet increase.o At 8 |
| the world dies from tobacco use. That translates to | | | | hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood |
| approximately 5 million deaths annually. In fact, half of | | | | decreases to normal. With the decrease in carbon |
| all long-term smokers will die a tobacco-related death. | | | | monoxide, your blood oxygen level increases to |
| As Clint Eastwood once said, "Do you feel lucky? Well, | | | | normal.o At 24 hours, your risk of having a heart |
| do ya?" | | | | attack decreases.o At 48 hours, nerve endings start to |
| Then there's secondhand smoke, which affects | | | | re-grow, and the ability to smell and taste is |
| anyone living with a smoker - or those working in or | | | | enhanced.o Between 2 weeks and 3 months, your |
| visiting a smoke-filled environment. Secondhand smoke | | | | circulation improves, walking becomes easier, and you |
| contains more than 50 cancer-causing chemical | | | | don't cough or wheeze as often. Phlegm production |
| compounds, 11 of which are known to be Group 1 | | | | decreases. Within several months, you have significant |
| carcinogens. And what about that cigarette smoldering | | | | improvement in lung function.o In 1 to 9 months, |
| in an ashtray? It turns out that the smoke from a | | | | coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of |
| smoldering cigarette can contain higher concentrations | | | | breath decrease as you continue to see significant |
| of the toxins found in cigarette smoke than exhaled | | | | improvement in lung function. Cilia - tiny hair-like |
| smoke does. | | | | structures that move mucus out of the lungs - regain |
| Make Me an Addict | | | | normal function.o In 1 year, risk of coronary heart |
| If you think cigarettes are simply tobacco leaves rolled | | | | disease and heart attack is reduced to half that of a |
| in paper, you're about 597 ingredients off. Some | | | | smoker.o Between 5 and 15 years after quitting, your |
| ingredients are added for flavor, but research shows | | | | risk of having a stroke returns to that of a |
| that the key purpose of using additives is to improve | | | | non-smoker.o In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer |
| tobacco's potency. And that means more people who | | | | drops. Additionally, your risk of cancer of the mouth, |
| try smoking become addicted. And the additives they | | | | throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas |
| are using are shocking. | | | | decrease. Your risk of developing an ulcer also |
| I remember hearing something about "the list" of | | | | decreases.o In 15 years, your risk of coronary heart |
| tobacco additives back in the 1990s, when tobacco | | | | disease and heart attack is similar to that of people |
| companies first started being taken to task. But seeing | | | | who have never smoked. The risk of death returns to |
| the list again now that I'm a former smoker is quite a | | | | nearly the level of a non-smoker. |
| shock. When burnt, a cigarette spews more than | | | | One Last Thing ... |
| 4,000 chemicals, including over 40 known carcinogenic | | | | If you're a smoker, and you've decided to quit, good for |
| compounds and 400 other toxins. These include | | | | you! You're doing yourself and everyone you know a |
| nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, as well as | | | | huge favor. Of course, there are numerous products |
| formaldehyde, ammonia, cyanide, arsenic, and DDT. To | | | | on the market that can help you quit. But I'd like to |
| think I used to put these toxins in by body, one pack at | | | | mention some unconventional ways that just might |
| a time. | | | | work for you. |
| Chemical Soup | | | | The most effective is acupuncture. Those tiny needles |
| Once upon a time, cigarettes really were just tobacco | | | | carry potent help if you're trying to quit. Studies show |
| and paper. But, allowing the full "flavor" of the tar to | | | | that acupuncture boosts feel-good neurochemicals like |
| come through resulted in a bitter taste. The solution | | | | endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. This not only |
| was to add filters and flavorings to improve the taste. | | | | dampens the desire to smoke, it also brings about a |
| But the cigarette manufacturers didn't stop there. They | | | | sense of calm. But, be aware that you need to |
| found that a chemical similar to rocket fuel helps keep | | | | undergo repeated acupuncture sessions for this to |
| the tip of the cigarette burning at an extremely hot | | | | truly help you quit for good. |
| temperature, which effectively vaporizes the nicotine. | | | | If needles aren't for you, St. John's wort can also help |
| Adding ammonia to cigarettes allows this nicotine | | | | you quit. This herbal antidepressant was recently found |
| vapor to be absorbed through the lungs more quickly. | | | | to lessen cravings in smokers. St. John's wort works |
| This, in turn, means your brain can get a higher dose of | | | | by increasing levels of dopamine in the brain. Low |
| nicotine with each inhalation. Now that's efficiency. | | | | levels of this neurotransmitter may increase cravings |
| Here's a list of the most toxic ingredients used to | | | | and even depression. According to one clinical trial by |
| make cigarettes tastier, more stimulating, and more | | | | researchers at the University of London, taking 300 |
| addictive: | | | | mg. of St. John's wort once or twice daily one week |
| Ammonia: Household cleaner. | | | | before and for three months after a target quit date |
| Arsenic: Used in rat poisons. | | | | was effective for helping smokers quit. |
| Benzene: Used in making dyes, synthetic rubber. | | | | Research Brief ... |
| Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid. | | | | As we age, brain cells shrink, the supply of blood to |
| Carbon monoxide: Poisonous gas. | | | | brain tissue dips, and chemical messengers called |
| Cadmium: Used in batteries. | | | | neurotransmitters decrease - resulting in sharp declines |
| Cyanide: Lethal poison. | | | | in cognition. But there's an easy way to avoid this |
| DDT: A banned insecticide. | | | | age-related brain drain: Get moving! |
| Ethyl Furoate: Causes liver damage in animals. | | | | A new review of studies in the British Journal of |
| Lead: Poisonous in high doses. | | | | Sports Medicine shows that regular exercise can |
| Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens. | | | | reverse this cognitive decline, boosting the volume of |
| Methoprene: Insecticide. | | | | brain tissue, increasing neurotransmitters, and |
| Maltitol: Sweetener for diabetics. | | | | replenishing the brain's blood supply. Some of the |
| Napthalene: Ingredient in mothballs. | | | | studies found that just six months of aerobic activity |
| Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2,000 | | | | reversed aging's impact on the brain and improved an |
| people in Bhopal in 1984. | | | | older brain's ability to grow and develop. |
| Polonium: Cancer-causing radioactive element. | | | | Of course, you don't need to join a gym or exercise |
| Quitting Time | | | | class to realize these benefits. Simply walking for 30 |
| Most smokers have a defense built up, making it easy | | | | minutes on most days will do the trick. Start slowly and |
| to ignore the facts. Some smokers want to quit - they | | | | work your way up to a brisk pace to boost your brain |
| really do - but they're afraid they won't be able to, or | | | | power. |
| they can't imagine life without cigarettes. Quitting is | | | | References: |
| hard, maybe the hardest thing you'll ever do. | | | | Barnes J, Barber N, Wheatley D, et al. "A pilot |
| Why is it so hard to quit? Nicotine. Nicotine is an | | | | randomised, open, uncontrolled, clinical study of two |
| organic compound found in the leaves of several | | | | dosages of St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) |
| species of plants, predominantly tobacco. Nicotine by | | | | herb extract (LI-160) as an aid to motivational |
| itself isn't carcinogenic. However, it does interfere with | | | | behavioural support in smoking cessation." Planta |
| the body's ability to destroy potentially cancerous cells. | | | | Medica. 2006;72:378-382. |
| Nicotine also activates acetylcholine receptors, which | | | | Cabioglu MT, Ergene N, Tan U. "Smoking cessation |
| leads to an increased flow of adrenaline (epinephrine), | | | | after acupuncture treatment." International Journal of |
| which increases the heart rate, blood pressure, | | | | Neuroscience. 2007;117:571-578. |
| respiration, and glucose levels in the blood. | | | | Erickson KI and Kramer AF. "Aerobic exercise effects |
| When smokers try to cut back or quit smoking, they | | | | on cognitive and neural plasticity in older adults." British |
| experience nicotine withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms | | | | Journal of Sports Medicine. 2009;43:22-24. |
| appear within a few hours and peak 24 to 48 hours | | | | "Quit Smoking - Smoking Cessation Support - |
| after quitting. Withdrawal symptoms include tobacco | | | | Benefits." American Lung Association. |
| craving, a desire for sweets, increased coughing, and | | | | |