The Hidden Dangers of Smoking

Annually, more than 400,000 individuals die prematurely in the United States from cigarette use; this represents almost one of every five deaths in the United States.

Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health.

But many people don’t realize just how dangerous smoking really is.

Not only does smoking increase your risk of a multitude of diseases, but it also has many other adverse effects on your body.

Keep reading to learn more about the hidden dangers of smoking.

Smoking and your eyes

One of the most surprising places that smoking can take its toll is on your eyes. Cigarette smoke contains several harmful toxins, including free radicals, which can cause damage to the proteins in your eyes. This damage can lead to cataracts, a condition in which the lens of your eye becomes cloudy and yellowed. In fact, smokers are four times more likely to develop cataracts than non-smokers.

Smoking and your immune system

Smoking doesn’t just damage your eyes; it also weakens your immune system. Antibodies are essential for our immune system and help us fight infection. However, smokers have been found to have lower levels of antibodies than non-smokers. Also, smokers are more likely to suffer from immune cell dysfunction, which means their immune cells cannot function properly.

Smoking also lowers levels of antioxidants and vitamin C in the body. Antioxidants help protect our cells from damage, while vitamin C is essential for a healthy immune system. So by smoking, you are putting yourself at greater risk for developing infections and illnesses.

Smoking and Your Skin

In addition to causing problems for your eyes and immune system, smoking can also make you look older than you really are. That’s because smoking decreases blood flow to the skin, which leads to sagging under the eyes, poor skin tone, crows’ feet, and other visible signs of aging. In fact, smokers tend to look an average of 10 years older than they really are.

Smoking and Your Reproductive Health

Smoking doesn’t just affect your appearance; it can also have a negative impact on your reproductive health. Smoking has been linked with fertility problems in both men and women. For women, smoking can damage the eggs and lead to miscarriages. For men, smoking can cause low sperm count and erectile dysfunction. If you do get pregnant while smoking, there is an increased risk that your baby will be born prematurely or with health problems such as respiratory distress syndrome or heart defects.

As you can see, many hidden dangers of smoking go beyond lung cancer and heart disease. So if you’re still smoking, now is the time to quit!

Here are some excellent resources to help you break the habit.

Not only will you be improving your health, but you’ll likely save yourself a lot of money– not just on the cost of cigarettes, but on medical bills down the road.

Resources

• Health Effects of Smoking and the Benefits of Quitting
• Tobacco smoking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions
• Clinical Effects of Cigarette Smoking: Epidemiologic Impact and Review of Pharmacotherapy Options

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