Top 3 Resons you Should Quit Smoking Permanently

Top 3 Resons you Should Quit Smoking Permanently 

Smoking kills more people than obesity, substance abuse, infectious diseases, firearms and traffic accidents.

There are about 600 ingredients in cigarettes that when burned create more than 7,000 chemicals. Some of the most harmful chemicals released in cigarette smoke are nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, arsenic, ammonia, lead, benzene, butane, cadmium, hexamine, toluene and lots more.

These chemicals are harmful to the smoker as well as those exposed to secondhand smoke.

This habit is very difficult to break. Even when cutting down on cigarettes, you begin to go into a withdrawal phase and experience a variety of symptoms like headaches, fatigue, irritability and nicotine cravings.

But there are many reasons to quit, not the least of which are improving your health and saving your hard-earned money.

Increases Risk of Lung Cancer

Cigarette smoking is the primary risk factor for lung cancer. In the U.S., smoking is responsible for about 90 percent of lung cancers.

According to a 2009 report published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, there is a strong relationship between tobacco smoking and risk of lung cancer.

Non-smokers also are at a risk of developing lung cancer, but smokers are almost three times more likely to suffer from it. Women who smoke are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer than men.

At any age, quitting or avoiding secondhand smoke can significantly lower your risk of lung cancer.

May Bring on Type-2 Diabetes

Active smoking is associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to a 2007 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It may cause insulin resistance, a precursor for diabetes.

It also deteriorates glucose metabolism, which may lead to the onset of Type 2 diabetes. In addition, it increases the risk of diabetes through a body mass index independent mechanism.

Another study, published in 2012 in the journal Diabetes Care, found that exposure to passive smoke and active smoking are positively and independently associated with the risk of Type 2 diabetes in women.

In addition, women who smoke during pregnancy are at increased risk of gestational diabetes and the baby is at a high risk of developing diabetes later in life.

As diabetes can lead to more health complications, it is better to quit smoking to reduce your chances of developing this disease.

Causes Low Fertility

One of the reasons behind the increasing infertility rate among men and women is smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.

According to a 2010 study published in the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, smoking damages men’s sperm and the numbers of germ and somatic cells in developing embryos.

In women, it decreases fertility by lowering the amount of estrogen that their bodies produce. In fact, women who smoke excessively are less likely to conceive as compared to non-smokers.

Female smokers are also more likely to have a miscarriage or give birth to babies with health problems. Plus, smoking can lead to ovulation problems, damage your reproductive organs, damage your eggs and contribute to premature menopause.

Stop smoking to increase your chances of becoming a parent.