Why Should Smoking Be Abolished From Your Life: Cancer Spotlight
According to a survey by WHO, approximately 120 million Indians are smokers, which makes up about 12% of the world’s total population of smokers. Not only is that an alarming state, but it is also a significant concern for the overall health of the nation. There is no doubt smoking poses a threat to the one smoking. But, it is also a substantial threat to the people exposed to the smoke.
Despite these facts and the proper distribution of knowledge about the risks of smoking through government channels, many habitual smokers still light one up now and then.
Before their lives go up in smoke because of their habit, this blog is here to talk about why quitting smoking is a meaningful lifestyle change in the fight against cancer.
Smoking Causes and Aggravates Cancer Smoking is a risk factor for cancer as well as one of the primary causes of cancer. It is a leading reason behind various types of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, and liver cancer. Even colon cancer has a deep-set link to the habit of smoking. But how?
Cigarettes are made with a combination of chemicals that, when burnt together, create in cancer-causing elements, also known as carcinogens in the body. These carcinogens destroy the inner lining of the lungs and spread in the body through the bloodstream.
Smoking Effects on the Female Body
A research conducted in the previous decade revealed to the field of medicine that smoking actively increased the incidence of breast cancer in women by about 30% in comparison to women who do not smoke. Amongst this demographic, the women that were the most at risk were these:
● Women who began smoking before the age of 20
● Women who began smoking at least 5 years before their first pregnancy
● Women who have smoked for a period time
● Women who smoke more than cigarettes in a day
The Benefits of Quitting Smoking
There are numerous benefits of quitting smoking that can be broken down in time intervals that a person has gone without smoking.
● 20 Minutes: Heart rate and blood pressure go down.
● 12 Hours: Carbon Monoxide levels in the blood returns to normal.
● 2 Weeks to 3 Months: Blood circulation and lung function return to normal. The risk of heart attack is also reduced.
● 1 to 9 Months: Coughing problems are gone, and breathing becomes easier.
● 1 Year: Risk of coronary heart diseases is reduced by at least 50%.
● 2 to 5 Years: Cancer risk for mouth, throat, oesophagus, and bladder reduced by 50%, while the risk of stroke becomes similar to that of a non-smoker.
● 10 Years: Lung cancer risk reduced by 50%, while the kidney and pancreatic cancer risk also goes down significantly.
● 15 Years: The risk of coronary heart diseases is reduced to the level of a non-smoker.
How to Quit?
That is one of the most important questions that smokers ask every time they have the will to quit. The first thing that needs to be done is to get a plan in place. Then, as per this plan, the person can either quit on their own or get help from one of our renowned cancer doctors, like Dr Vinay Vyas at Medipulse Hospital, the leading institute for cancer treatment in Jodhpur. Smoking is a curse for the life of people who actually want to live but are carelessly smoking their life away. If you are a smoker or know someone who smokes, make sure to share this blog with them to enlighten them.