Cigarette Smoking
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Latest Edit: Hector 2014-05-13 (EDT)
According to the World Health Organization, smoking is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide. The addictive properties of the main ingredient in tobacco known as nicotine, is the cause of tolerance and dependence. [1]
Contents
Characteristics
Tobacco is processed from the leaves of the plant from the genus nicotiana. It is often used as a pesticide and used in some medicines in the form of nicotine tartrate. It is consumed in a number of different ways such as chewing, snuffing, or dipping. However, tobacco is most commonly known around the world for its use in smoking as a recreational drug.
Impact
Smoking has a tremendous impact, primarily negative, on health both in the short-term and long-term. Both first- and second-hand smoking can have a negative impact. Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke are at higher risk of dying from coronary heart disease or lung cancer. Second-hand smoke exposure also increases the risk of other cancers and respiratory diseases in non-smokers.[2]
- Cigarette smoke is also known to deplete body of nutrients such as Vitamin C and beta-carotene which are important to fight cancerous changes.[3]
Potential Benefits
There are very few potential benefits to smoking.
- Stress Reduction Smoking is often used as a means to reduce stress. But keep in mind, the withdrawal symptoms of smoking can cause stress and lead to dependence.[4]
Potential Risks
Smoking can influence one’s health in a number of ways:
- Osteoporosis. Studies have found decreased serum calcium and vitamin D levels in people who smoke.[5]
- Rheumatoid Arthritis. Smoking increases the risk of RA.[6], [7]
- Decreased Muscle Strength. Smoking has been found to reduce skeletal muscle strength in healthy adults.[8]
- Oral Melanin Pigmentation Smoking tobacco can cause oral melanin pigmentation, more so during the first year of smoking.[9]
- Decreased Height. The long-term influence of chronic smoking is associated with the acceleration of periodontal bone height reduction.[10]
- Cancer. Tobacco usage has been linked to various forms of cancer including lung cancer, kidney cancer, breast cancer, head and neck cancer, cancer of the larynx, bladder cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and stomach cancer.[11]
- Heart attacks or strokes. A number of ingredients in tobacco have been found to cause narrowing of blood vessels, leading to the likelihood of blockage and resulting in a heart attack or stroke.
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Tobacco is the most frequent cause of respiratory diseases and is responsible for 80-90% of deaths by COPD.[12]
- Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD). Tobacco has been known to accelerate atherosclerosis, causing vessels to narrow and blood flow to diminish, which can lead to peripheral vascular disease. Similarly, tobacco can increase the risk of Type II Diabetes, which in turn can also cause damage to blood vessels by accelerating atherosclerosis.[13]
- Hypertension Smoking increases the risk of hypertension by 2 to 3 times. It increases the risk of vascular damage by increasing sympathetic tone, platelet stickiness, free radical production, damage to endothelium, and surges in arterial pressure.[14]
- Optic Neuropathy. Tobacco is the leading cause of toxic optic neuropathy, a disease of visual impairment due to optic nerve damage. Deficiency of B Vitamins caused by tobacco smoking can also lead to nutritional optic neuropathy.[15]
- Cataracts Smoking has been found to lead to cataracts.[16]
- Nutrient Deficiencies. Smoking leads to the depletion of Vitamin A, B Vitamins, C, vitamin E and glutathione.[17]
- Pregnancy complications: Smoking during pregnancy can cause harm to both the mother and unborn child and lead to a number of diseases including decreased fetal growth, low birth weight, placental abruption, premature birth, miscarriage, still births, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).[18]
- Impotence Smoking causes arterial narrowing, leading to impotence and erectile dysfunction in men.
Quitting Smoking
A number of different naturopathic therapies are available to help quit smoking:
- Naturopathic Therapies
- Coenzyme Q10 can help protect the lungs and heart and increase oxygen to the brain. [19]
- Herbs such as Lobelia (Lobelia inflata), St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), and Ginseng (Panax ginseng).
- Acupuncture is commonly used to help people quit smoking as well as in between sessions to help reduce cravings by applying pressure on specific acupuncture points.
References
- ↑ Tobacco. (2012) Retrieved January 8th, 2012 from Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco]
- ↑ Effects of second-hand smoke exposure. (2011) Retreived January 8th, 2012 from Canada.com [1]
- ↑ Prokopczyk B, Cox JE, Hoffmann D, Waggoner SE (1997 Jun) Identification of tobacco-specific carcinogen in the cervical mucus of smokers and nonsmokers. J Natl Cancer Inst;Vol89(12):868-73. PMID: 9196253.
- ↑ "Smoking: psychological and social influences." (2011) Retrieved January 8, 2012 from "netdoctor": http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/smoking/psychologicalinfluences_000509.htm.
- ↑ Brot C, Jorgenson NR, Sorenson OH. (1999) "The influence of smoking on vitamin D status and calcium metabolism." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition", 53(12);920-926.
- ↑ Källberg H, Ding B, Padyukov L, Bengtsson C, Rönnelid J, Klareskog L, Alfredsson L; EIRA Study Group (Mar 2011) Smoking is a major preventable risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis: estimations of risks after various exposures to cigarette smoke. Ann Rheum Dis;70(3):508-11. PMID: 21149499.
- ↑ Bang SY, Lee KH, Cho SK, Lee HS, Lee KW, Bae SC (Feb 2010) Smoking increases rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility in individuals carrying the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, regardless of rheumatoid factor or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody status. Arthritis Rheum;62(2):369-77. PMID: 20112396.
- ↑ Kok MO, Hoekstra, Twisk JW (2011) The Longitudinal Relation between Smoking and Muscle Strength in Healthy Adults. European Addiction Research;18(2);70-75.
- ↑ Tony Axeix C, Anders H (1982) Epidemiologic study of excessive oral melanin pigmentation with special reference to the influence of tobacco habits. European Journal of Oral Sciences;90(6);434-442.
- ↑ Bergstrom J (2004) Influence of tobacco smoking on periodontal bone height. Long-term observations and a hypothesis. Journal of Clinical Periodontology;31(4);260-266.
- ↑ Tobacco smoking. (2012). Retrieved January 1, 2012 from Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia [2]
- ↑ El Fekih L, Berraies A, Hamzaoui A, Fennich S, Megdiche ML, Boussen H (2011) Impact of tobacco on bronchopulmonary affections: magnitude of the problem. La Tunisie Medicale;89(11)'814-9.
- ↑ Tobacco Free Initiative: Peripheral Vascular Disease. (2012) Retrieved January 7th, 2012 from World Health Organization [3]
- ↑ Sleight P (1993) Smoking and Hypertension. Clinical and Experimental Hypertension;15(6);1181-1192.
- ↑ Toxic and nutritional optic neuropathy. (2012) Retrieved January 8th, 2012 from Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia [4]
- ↑ Wu R, Wang JJ, Mitchell P, Lamoureux EL, Zheng Y, Rochtchina E, Tan AG, & Wong TY (2010) Smoking, socioeconomic factors, and age-related cataract: The Singapore Malay Eye study. Archives of opthalmology;128(8);1029-35.
- ↑ (2011) Smoking and second-hand smoke. Retrieved January 8th, 2012 from McVitamins[5]
- ↑ Smoking during pregnancy. (2011). Retrieved January 8th, 2012 from Canada.com: [6]
- ↑ http://www.homemademedicine.com/home-remedies-quit-smoking.html
