Smoking and illness

Smoking and illness

Signs and Symptoms

1. Shortness of breath.
2. Wheezing.
3. Poor sense of smell and taste.
4. Bad breath.
5. General fatigue.
6. Persistent of hacking cough.
7. Poor circulation (cold hands and feet are a sign).
8. Frequent bouts of respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis.
9. Premature wrinkling of skin.

What to do now

The best advice is to quit smoking. The benefits of quitting take effect right from the start. Within 30 minutes after your last puff, you blood pressure returns to normal. Within 12 to 48 hours, the excess carbon monoxide in your blood drops to normal. One year after that, your risk of heat disease will be half that of a smoker’s. Fifteen years after giving up cigarettes, your risk of heart disease will be the same as that of someone who has never smoked. You’ll also reduce your risk of getting many types of cancer.
Tips for making quitting easier:
1. If you are a heavy smoker, consult a doctor about using nicotine gum. These aids are meant to reduce the physical urge for a cigarette. Never smoke while using the gum or patches, though, or you’ll risk a dangerous nicotine overdose.
2. Exercise regularly. Daily walks or bike rides help your body overcome its need for nicotine as stimulant.
3. Recognize “triggers”- situations and places that make your want to smoke-and avoid them, if possible. Substitute other activities when you’re tempted to light up.
4. Consider meditation.
5. Drink lots of water and have low-calorie snacks available during the first weeks when you have an urge to put something in your mouth.
What come about when you quit:
Congratulations on deciding to quit smoking. But you’ll have to prepare yourself for at least one of these withdrawal symptoms: headache, nausea, drowsiness, loss of concentration, constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, and insomnia. You may also feel more irritable, anxious, or depressed than usual, or have a bigger appetite or an increased desire for sweets. These reactions occur because your body is scrambling to adjust to the sudden absence of nicotine. But don’t rush off to buy a pack of cigarettes. Withdrawal symptoms are only temporary, and once they pass, you’ll feel better than you’ve felt in years.

When to call a doctor

1. If you notice a persistent cough, wheezing, breathlessness, and chest pains.
2. If you are a tobacco user and become concerned about your health for any reason. Smokers are more susceptible than nonsmokers to many major illnesses.

Posted in: Health Tips