Effects of smoking

Any form of tobacco use can be described as a behavioral process that causes psychological and physiological addiction among users. Nicotine is a raw material drug in tobacco, which has strong addiction and will lead to smokers’ continuous use of tobacco. The adverse effects of smoking on health are obvious. Although the global smoking rate has decreased in recent years, the number of global smokers is still as high as 1.1 billion by 2015. In the United States, more than 400000 people die prematurely from smoking every year, accounting for almost one fifth of all deaths in the United States. About 40% of smokers will die prematurely because of smoking unless they can quit smoking.

Smoking has a variety of effects on the human body. The chemical toxins in the smoke will be transferred from the lungs to the blood, and then transported to almost every part of the human body, leading to the development of chronic diseases and cancer. The impact of smoking on health is not only reflected in smokers, but also in people who smoke second-hand smoke.

The hazards of smoking to human body mainly include:

1. Cancer:

Smoking is the most preventable cause of cancer-related death. A causal relationship has been established between smoking and lung cancer. There is also a causal relationship between smoking and head and neck, liver, bladder, cervical cancer, esophagus, colon and rectal cancer.

2. Cardiovascular diseases:

Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke are the main causes of coronary heart disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm and peripheral arterial disease. Smoking and second-hand smoke are also the main causes of death caused by cardiovascular disease. In the United States, 194000 people die of cardiovascular diseases related to smoking every year. Smoking is also related to the development of chronic lung diseases.

3. Reproductive diseases:

Mother smoking can cause several reproductive abnormalities. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke combines with hemoglobin to make the fetus lack oxygen, which eventually leads to low birth weight. Other toxins in tobacco smoke, including nicotine, cadmium, lead, mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, have been found to lead to sudden infant death syndrome, premature birth and decreased fertility of women. Recent evidence suggests a causal relationship between maternal smoking and cleft lip and palate and ectopic pregnancy. The causal relationship between smoking and male erectile dysfunction has also been confirmed.

4. Respiratory diseases:

Smoking is one of the main causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some of these mechanisms involve the loss of lung cilia, mucinous gland hyperplasia, and overall inflammation leading to pulmonary dysfunction and injury. Smoking also exacerbates asthma in adults and increases the risk of tuberculosis and death from tuberculosis.

5. Other diseases:

Smoking impairs immune function and increases the risk of lung infection and rheumatoid arthritis. It also affects the gastrointestinal tract and increases the risk of peptic ulcer. Smoking in postmenopausal women also increases the risk of hip fractures and low bone mineral density. In addition, smokers with diabetes have a higher risk of complications.

Water sports help recover

Research shows that for chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma, water exercise is conducive to reduce the impact of complications on exercise, so as to reduce dyspnea and fatigue and improve the level of comprehensive treatment. For example, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can benefit from hydrostatic pressure in water, which is conducive to exhalation, reduce residual volume and reduce air retention. Water pressure can also increase cardiac output and improve gas exchange in pulmonary capillaries. The researchers conducted high-intensity water physical exercise for 45 minutes three times a week for 12 weeks in patients with moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Compared with the control group without intervention, the exercise ability and health-related quality of life were improved. In addition, the buoyancy of water in water can support body weight, increase exercise intensity in combination with resistance and turbulence, and the effect of warm water on blood flow to muscles, which can enable our patients to exercise with higher intensity.