Smoking and the problems it can cause.
You know smoking can kill you…almost everyone is aware of that these days. But, it’s the way in which this addiction can SLOWLY kill you that is the worry…how it can reduce your ability to function normally both physically and mentally.
Lung disease, which includes lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease, are all linked to smoking. 400,000 deaths each year are caused directly by cigarette smoking (Article National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse). But there is much more to it than that smoking can cause digestive disturbances including:
Acid reflux: This is due to a weakening of the sphincter valve at the lower end of the oesophagus, which is the tube from the mouth to the stomach. When this is weakened it causes stomach acid to come back up through this pipe. Unfortunately this pipe, unlike the stomach, cannot withstand acid…so it burns and weakens the mucus membrane lining. This may cause cancer of the oesophagus or cancer in the oral cavity.
Peptic and duodenal (stomach) ulcers: While studies are not totally conclusive that smoking causes these ulcers, there appears to be a direct link. Although people don’t chew cigarettes, they put them in their mouth and cause movement of the jaw. You then get the production of enzymes in the mouth and the stomach as if something is being eaten. So the acid and other juices of the digestive system are working all the time, over stimulating the acidity of the stomach and with a weakened sphincter valve you can see how and why the acid comes back up.
Liver disease: This is again not conclusive, but the toxins from cigarettes go into the body and some system or organ has to deal with it. You may be aware at how linked our systems and organs of the body are…so it just makes sense. Look, we take in enough pollution that we can’t control, but you can control this.
Gallstones: They are caused by an over acidic system or the bodies inability to deal with the amount of acid being produced through the types of food being eaten. Smoking, as we have said above, can help to create an over acidic system.
Chron’s disease: It is said is linked to smoking. My opinion is that Chron’s diseases, sometimes misdiagnosed for other intestinal problems, is not caused by smoking, however, you are reading here and in other parts of this book how the digestive system“works and how degeneration of this system by smoking or not can affect the whole of our body and as a consequence our quality of life. Chron’s is a very debilitating disease
Below is a list of few of the chemicals contained in a cigarette!!
- Acetone
- Cyanide
- Aluminium
- DDT/Dieldrin
- Ammonia
- Ethenol
- Arsenic
- Formaldehyde
- Benzene
- Hydrogen cyanide
- Butane
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Methanol
- Carbon monoxide
- Nicotine
- Carbon dioxide Tar
- Chloroform Vinyl
- Chloride
Would anyone in their right mind put all those chemicals in the body? It’s certainly not a great list of health ingredients, is it? And, remember how I talk about the build up of heavy metals in your body? Here is aluminium again!
If you want to give up smoking, just do it. There are countless support programs and products to help you.
