Post by judyb on Mar 21, 2018 12:51:23 GMT -5
By Sagitelle March 1-99 (Sagitelle) on Wednesday, October 6, 1999 -
08:42 am:(RIP Sagitelle)
Why is smoking so harmful to my
health?
by Debora Orrick, M.A., LCDC
Long-term inhalation of tobacco smoke exposes every cell of your body to
powerful chemicals that can cause cancer and cell mutations,
and that ultimately cause tobacco-related illnesses. Tobacco
smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes contains over 4,000
chemical compounds and breathable, suspended particles.
Some of the chemicals present in tobacco smoke have been
proven to cause cancer and increase the risk of birth defects.
These include ammonia, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, carbon
monoxide, formaldehyde, lead, mercury, naphthalene, urethane,
and a variety of nitrosamines (potent human carcinogens).
Formaldehyde, ammonia, urethane, and naphthalene are
contained in household products with labels telling you to avoid
inhaling them.
There are also radioactive chemicals in tobacco smoke, like polonium-210.
So far, over 40 chemicals have been found in tobacco smoke that are known
human carcinogens. This means that these chemicals have been proven to cause
cancer not only in laboratory animals, but also in people. These
chemicals make smoking such high risk to the health of any
smoker.
The carbon monoxide found in tobacco smoke is the
same gas that you find in your car's exhaust system and a faulty
gas heater in your home. It is a colorless and odorless gas that
interferes with your body's ability to use the oxygen that you
inhale to fuel your cells. Normally, oxygen binds to your red
blood cells by attaching to a molecule called hemoglobin. When
you smoke, carbon monoxide attaches to your hemoglobin
instead of oxygen, and deactivates these red blood cells from
fueling your body. Eventually, the carbon monoxide falls off the
hemoglobin, but it can be replaced if you are still smoking a
tobacco product. Up to ten percent of your body's hemoglobin
can be deactivated when you smoke. This is how smoking can
affect your stamina and athletic ability. Increased levels of
carbon monoxide in your blood also means less oxygen to your
brain. Fortunately, the body is able to eliminate most of the
carbon monoxide quickly, and within a few days of quitting
smoking, most people feel more energetic and less shortness
of breath.
Tar is a dark substance that delivers nicotine to the
lungs, and it also contains the other chemicals discussed
above. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, most of the tar is
retained for a while in the mucous lining of the lungs and then
mostly distributed throughout the body. After years of smoking,
tar can collect in the lung and cause tobacco-related illnesses.
If you drink alcohol and smoke, more of the carcinogens in the
smoke are dissolved into the bloodstream because alcohol is a
very effective solvent.
Source: www.allhealth.com/kickbutt/week1/gen/0,4260,6564_128787,00.html
08:42 am:(RIP Sagitelle)
Why is smoking so harmful to my
health?
by Debora Orrick, M.A., LCDC
Long-term inhalation of tobacco smoke exposes every cell of your body to
powerful chemicals that can cause cancer and cell mutations,
and that ultimately cause tobacco-related illnesses. Tobacco
smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes contains over 4,000
chemical compounds and breathable, suspended particles.
Some of the chemicals present in tobacco smoke have been
proven to cause cancer and increase the risk of birth defects.
These include ammonia, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, carbon
monoxide, formaldehyde, lead, mercury, naphthalene, urethane,
and a variety of nitrosamines (potent human carcinogens).
Formaldehyde, ammonia, urethane, and naphthalene are
contained in household products with labels telling you to avoid
inhaling them.
There are also radioactive chemicals in tobacco smoke, like polonium-210.
So far, over 40 chemicals have been found in tobacco smoke that are known
human carcinogens. This means that these chemicals have been proven to cause
cancer not only in laboratory animals, but also in people. These
chemicals make smoking such high risk to the health of any
smoker.
The carbon monoxide found in tobacco smoke is the
same gas that you find in your car's exhaust system and a faulty
gas heater in your home. It is a colorless and odorless gas that
interferes with your body's ability to use the oxygen that you
inhale to fuel your cells. Normally, oxygen binds to your red
blood cells by attaching to a molecule called hemoglobin. When
you smoke, carbon monoxide attaches to your hemoglobin
instead of oxygen, and deactivates these red blood cells from
fueling your body. Eventually, the carbon monoxide falls off the
hemoglobin, but it can be replaced if you are still smoking a
tobacco product. Up to ten percent of your body's hemoglobin
can be deactivated when you smoke. This is how smoking can
affect your stamina and athletic ability. Increased levels of
carbon monoxide in your blood also means less oxygen to your
brain. Fortunately, the body is able to eliminate most of the
carbon monoxide quickly, and within a few days of quitting
smoking, most people feel more energetic and less shortness
of breath.
Tar is a dark substance that delivers nicotine to the
lungs, and it also contains the other chemicals discussed
above. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, most of the tar is
retained for a while in the mucous lining of the lungs and then
mostly distributed throughout the body. After years of smoking,
tar can collect in the lung and cause tobacco-related illnesses.
If you drink alcohol and smoke, more of the carcinogens in the
smoke are dissolved into the bloodstream because alcohol is a
very effective solvent.
Source: www.allhealth.com/kickbutt/week1/gen/0,4260,6564_128787,00.html