Smoking is bad for the human body. There are billboards, commercials, and even warnings on the package. Yet thousands are addicted to the drugs in cigarettes and continue to smoke. Smoking is harmful to the body in many ways, but probably causes the most damage to the lungs and the circulatory system.
One of the most destructive ingredients in cigarettes is tar. Why is tar such a problem? Inside the lung are a cleaning mechanism called cilia. Their job is to sweep and get get dirt and pollutants out of the lungs. Tar is a sticky substance and when taken in the lungs they stick to the cilia so the sweeping can no longer take place. Not only that, now the dirt and pollutants actually build on the in cilia and in the lungs.
Often people refer to a smokers hack. Since the cilia are not working the only way for them to try and dislodge the dirt trapped in their lungs is that dry hacking cough. It is not very effective, but they must do something to try and dislodge the irritants.
Another interesting ingredient in cigarettes is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide slows down the ability of the circulatory system. The blood does not transfer as quickly and impairs the efficiency. It contributes to the hardening of arteries, atherosclerosis. This eventually can lead to heart attacks, strokes and chronic fatigue.
Smoking increases the level of a protein called fibrinogen. This protein causes the blood to blot and increases the production of platelets. The result is often clogging in the arteries.
An aneurysm is when the blood vessel balloons or protrudes out because of weakening walls. This typically leads to a rupture of the vessel or a blood clot. Smokers are up to 16 times more likely to suffer from an aneurysm.
What happens to the heart with just one drag on a cigarette? Within one minute the heart rate increasing. If the person continues to smoke with in the next ten minutes the increase goes up as much 30%. That is 30% harder the heart is working.
Low-density lipoprotein is what is known as the “bad” cholesterol. Smoking increases the bad cholesterol, while decreasing the good cholesterol high-density lipoporteins. It has just the opposite effect that one might be looking for if they want a healthy and happy heart.
Each day the average person breathes about 36,000 times with out even thinking about it. If the lungs are damaged by smoke, it takes more breathes and it is more difficult.
All the news is not bad. If one stops smoking before cancer hits the body begins to repair the damage. So to breathe easy and bring some healthy oxygen back into the circulation system stay away from smoking.
