How does health improve immediately after smoking cessation?
Explains the pharmacist
Naturally occurring substances are the origin of any
medicine. The first medicines used by humans were herbs, both fresh and herbal
infusions, decoctions, compresses, as well as various minerals and animal
products. Only through experience and research did our ancestors gain knowledge
about the healing powers and effects of plants. For a long time, people have
been looking for ways to relax the body and mind, reduce pain and sadness.
Smoking has been known around the world for more than 7,000 years, and its
origins can be traced back to North and South America, the birthplace of
tobacco. In ancient times, tobacco was used more in rituals, smoking it on hot
stones and indirectly inhaling smoke. After the 16th century, tobacco became
widespread in Europe, but in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, doctors
noticed and proved that there was a strong link between patients' health
problems and smoking.
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills
half of its users and kills about eight million people each year, of which
about seven million are smokers and 1.2 million are passive smokers. 1.1
billion smokers live in underdeveloped countries. In the European Union,
smoking is the leading cause of premature death. Although extensive information
is available to the public on the harmful effects of smoking on the body,
research shows that the number of smokers is impressive. According to the data
of the Latvian population health self-assessment and prevention trends or the
Health Index 2018 organized by "Myas aptiekas" and
"Apotheka", 27% of the Latvian population smokes regularly, so every
third inhabitant is a smoker. In addition, the Health Index showed that around
50% of young people between the ages of 18 and 24 smoke regularly and 60%
regularly exceed the alcohol limit.
Tobacco plant
Tobacco plants are annual, biennial or perennial herbaceous
plants, in the tropics also semi-shrubs and bushes. The leaves are whole with
sticky glands, alternating, the flowers can be of different colors, in rolls.
About 60 species are known in America and Australia. Only two species are of
economic importance: Nicotiana tabacum and mahogany. Real tobacco is a
poisonous, up to three meter tall annual plant (contains nicotine, anabazine
and other alkaloids). After use, the right varieties of tobacco are divided
into cigar and cigarette tobacco.
Health effects of nicotine
First of all, it should be emphasized that the risks of
developing chronic diseases are equally high for smokers themselves and for
people who are forced to inhale cigarette smoke - passive smokers. A special
high-risk group is children whose parents smoke.
In recent years, electric cigarettes with a
nicotine-containing capsule have become very popular. However, they also contain
the addictive substance nicotine, go much deeper into the lungs and do nothing
to quit smoking and solve human problems.
Sometimes people mistakenly believe that smoking some
cigarettes during the week does not pose any risk. However, even after smoking
one cigarette, the blood vessels become narrower rapidly, blood pressure rises
and the amount of oxygen in the blood decreases. The greatest risk is the
development of addiction. Although he thinks he smokes very little, the first
health problems quickly occur - frequent cough, sore throat, bad breath, yellow
teeth, inflammation of the oral mucosa and other health problems.
Prolonged smoking can cause serious and chronic diseases and cause problems in almost all organ systems, such as:
• In the respiratory system - chronic bronchitis, 60%
increased risk of asthma, development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
and others;
• Cardiovascular disease - risk of high blood pressure, 45%
increased risk of heart attack, leg arteries and veins and chronic
inflammation;
• Cancer - there is a 40% increase in the risk of lung
cancer, an increased risk of cancer of the tongue, mouth, esophagus, larynx,
stomach, pancreas and other forms of cancer;
• Teeth and mouth - smokers have bad breath, yellow and
damaged teeth, inflammation of the oral mucosa;
• Skin - premature skin aging, wrinkles, slow wound healing.
Health improves immediately after quitting smoking
Quitting smoking could be one of the best human decisions
that improves health after just 30 minutes:
• Well-being improves after 20 minutes,
• After two hours, your heart rate and blood pressure return
to normal.
• After 12 hours, the amount of oxygen in the blood
increases as the harmful substances decrease,
• After 48 hours the taste and smell improve,
• After three days, nicotine is released from the body, so
there is a greater desire to smoke, there is nervousness, irritability,
increased appetite. It is necessary to find an occupation that improves mood
and helps to endure this period,
• After two to three weeks, there is a significant
improvement in blood and lung function, the symptoms of nicotine addiction
gradually disappear,
• lung function improves and breathing becomes easier within
one to nine months,
• After one year, the risk of heart disease has decreased by
50% compared to the smoking period,
• After five years, the risk of heart disease is equivalent
to that of a non-smoker,
• After 10 years, the risk of cancer - lung, pancreas,
mouth, throat, kidney cancer - is halved compared to smoking.
In the process of smoking cessation - motivation and use of
nicotine replacement therapy
In order for a person to successfully quit smoking, first of
all, he or she must be motivated to give up cigarettes and not return to the
old habit with strong enough willpower. Some patients will be able to make this
decision and give up cigarettes in one day, but some will find it harder to
overcome their urge to smoke and possibly fail to quit. Unfortunately, the most
effective motivator for quitting is serious health problems, such as heart
attack, circulatory problems, breathing problems. It is only when there are
already health problems that people wonder whether it is worth exposing their
health to such risks. You should not be ashamed to ask for the help of a
psychologist or psychotherapist, because the desire to smoke is closely related
to emotional well-being and over time, under the guidance of a specialist, can
learn to recognize unpleasant situations, change their attitude and actions.
There are several techniques that can help you quit smoking
- you need to divert attention from something else, to avoid a situation that
makes you want to smoke. Sometimes it is effective to replace the cigarette
with something else, such as chewing gum. In the process of quitting, you
should think about your eating habits so that you do not replace your cigarette
with excessive eating or sweets. It is also advisable to evaluate the pros and
cons of addiction, such as how much money a year is spent on tobacco products
and whether it is worth it! For many, quitting is helped by a regular hobby,
such as more active sports, which is not really compatible with smoking.
Medicines to help you quit smoking are available.
The most popular is nicotine replacement therapy (Nicorette,
Nicotinell, NiQuitin) - available in the form of an aerosol, chewing gum or
transdermal patches. Therapy is based on the replacement of cigarettes with
nicotine-containing medicines. Medications help prevent cravings for cigarettes
and discomfort caused by smoking cessation. The medicine contains nicotine in
smaller doses and does not contain the harmful chemicals contained in
cigarettes. The duration of treatment is usually 12 weeks. Proper use of the
dosage form and adherence to the instructions are essential.
The second drug available in Latvia for smoking cessation is
cytizine (Tabex). It works in the human body in a similar way to nicotine.
Cytizine is one of the oldest smoking cessation drugs (since 1967). This
alkaloid is obtained from the plant Cytisus laburnum. It is recommended to quit
smoking on the fifth day after starting the treatment, the treatment lasts on
average 25 days.
In any case, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice on
taking over-the-counter medicines.
Each patient is individual, and it is possible that a GP or
specialist may prescribe additional treatment for smoking cessation, such as
antidepressants, based on the patient's emotional and physical condition.
Cigarettes
Emotional and physical well-being can be gained by balancing
a lifestyle - eating healthy, moving, finding time for activities that provide
pleasant emotions, going to bed, using the Internet meaningfully, etc.
Addictive substances such as nicotine and alcohol cause
short-term well-being that disappears quickly. It is incomparably more valuable
to invest the time and money spent on smoking in your long-term well-being, for
example, to save for travel.
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