Smoking: Let's find out exactly what cigarettes do to your body.

You may be someone who lights up a cigarette once a day, or when you get together with friends. For some, it's a habit, for others, it's fun. But do you really know what happens when this cigarette smoke enters your body? Let's talk about it today, very simply.

What is a cigarette? What is in it?

Simply put, smoking is the act of lighting a cigarette, which is made of dried tobacco, wrapped in a leaf, and then inhaling the smoke from it. When you light one end of the cigarette, you inhale the smoke from the other end. This smoke travels through your airways to your lungs, where it is absorbed into your bloodstream and travels to your brain and all your other organs.

Although we are mostly talking about tobacco cigarettes, some people also use cigars, pipes, marijuana (`marijuana/weed/pot`), or herbal cigarettes.

A typical cigarette in the store contains:

• Tobacco : These are the dried, seasoned leaves and stems of the tobacco (`Nicotiana tabacum`) plant.
• The paper over there: This is the paper that the tobacco is wrapped in.
• The filter (on the cigarette): When you inhale, some of the larger particles from the burning tobacco are trapped in this filter. But many of the harmful substances pass through it and enter the body.

Why do people get used to smoking cigarettes?

Many people start smoking cigarettes because they feel a little happy and relaxed. But once you start, it is very difficult to stop, even knowing the harm it does to your body. The main reason is the chemical called nicotine in cigarettes. This nicotine affects the brain, and when you don't get it, you feel uncomfortable and restless.

When nicotine enters the brain, it releases chemicals that make you feel happy and good.Freeing. After smoking a cigarette, you may feel:

• A sense of ease and calm.
• A little 'kick', like life came to my body.
• It seems easy to focus on work.

Additionally, smoking is a part of social interaction for some, a part of their daily routine, like drinking coffee in the morning. Some people find that a cigarette helps them have fun, calm down before going out in front of a crowd, or stay focused at work. Others like the taste of it, or the feeling of holding a cigarette in their hand.

What happens to your body when you light a cigarette?

The moment you light a cigarette, it starts to damage your body. Just think, the thousands of chemicals released when tobacco burns have already begun their destructive journey before you even take a single breath. Let's see how that journey plays out.

When you light a cigarette and put it to your mouth...

When you light a cigarette, the heat releases nicotine, and tar, a tobacco residue. When you put the cigarette in your mouth, this tar stains your nails. The smoke dries out your skin, makes it swollen, and deepens your wrinkles. If the smoke gets into your nose, it damages the nerve endings. Over time, this can reduce your sense of smell.

When you inhale cigarette smoke...

When you inhale from a cigarette, the smoke passes through a filter. This stops large pieces of tobacco from getting in. However, tar, nicotine, and a thousand other toxic chemicals get through the filter. This tar stains your teeth, stains your gums, and stains your tongue. It damages your tooth enamel, increasing your risk of tooth decay and gum disease . It can also reduce the taste of your favorite foods.

As the smoke travels down your airways...

This tar gets stuck in your throat and vocal cords and travels to your lungs. This can cause you to cough. As it travels down your airways, things like tar and hydrogen cyanide (a very toxic gas) cause the tiny hair-like structures in your airways (called cilia) to become inactive. Like the bristles of a broom, these cilia are responsible for catching germs and other harmful substances and sweeping them out of your lungs. When these are damaged, you are more likely to get respiratory infections .

When smoke fills the lungs and enters the blood...

When smoke enters the lungs, it damages the tiny air sacs (alveoli) there. This can lead to conditions like emphysema , a type of chronic lung disease called COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). From your air sacs (alveoli), carbon monoxide from the smoke enters your bloodstream. This is very dangerous because this carbon monoxide replaces the oxygen in your red blood cells and enters your bloodstream instead. This deprives your cells and tissues of oxygen. This lack of oxygen can make you feel short of breath. The cells in your body signal that they are not getting enough oxygen, but this causes more swelling and mucus to build up, making it even harder to breathe.

As it travels through your bloodstream, nicotine damages the lining of your blood vessels. This causes them to thicken and narrow. Blood cells start to stick to them, increasing your risk of serious conditions like blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes . In men, this reduced blood flow can even cause erectile dysfunction .

When chemicals travel through the blood to other parts of the body...

Once in the bloodstream, the chemicals in cigarette smoke travel throughout your body. This can damage these parts of your body:

• Bones: Nicotine reduces the absorption of calcium and the production of bone-building cells. This makes your bones thinner and more fragile.
• Eyes: The chemicals in cigarettes and the lack of oxygen damage your eyes. This can lead to macular degeneration, cataracts, and even vision loss .
• Immune system : Smoking causes inflammation in the body and weakens the immune system. This makes you more susceptible to illness and autoimmune diseases .
• Hormones: Nicotine can cause changes in hormones, which can affect your fertility (ability to have children).
• DNA: Things like arsenic, nickel, and radioactive polonium can damage your DNA, and they can also block the mechanisms your body uses to repair it. DNA damage can lead to cancer and fertility problems by damaging sperm .

When nicotine gets to your brain...

From the blood, nicotine goes straight to your brain. There, it activates certain receptors in the brain, releasing 'feel-good' signals like dopamine, adrenaline, endorphins, and serotonin. This is what gives you that 'kick' and 'buzz' that you get when you smoke a cigarette. It's as if nicotine has hit the buttons in your brain and is making you feel relaxed, happy, or alive. It only takes a few seconds for you to take that first puff of the cigarette, and all of this happens.

When you experience withdrawal symptoms...

Your liver processes nicotine, and within a few hours of smoking a cigarette, it is excreted in your urine. Then the body loses that 'kick' and you crave another cigarette. If you don't smoke it, you start to experience withdrawal symptoms . These include restlessness, anxiety, irritability, and insomnia . Gradually, your body becomes accustomed to nicotine (a 'tolerance'), and you need more nicotine to feel that high. This is called nicotine dependence .

If you are pregnant, how smoke affects the fetus...

Smoking during pregnancy can narrow the blood vessels in the placenta and umbilical cord, limiting the amount of blood that can reach the fetus. This blood can contain carbon monoxide, nicotine, and other harmful chemicals. This can deprive the baby of oxygen and damage the baby's DNA. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have miscarriages . Babies born to smokers can also have low birth weight, heart and lung problems, and developmental delays .

What are the health problems caused by smoking?

When most people think of smoking, they only think of lung cancer. But in reality, smoking can cause and worsen many different diseases in almost every part of your body. Here are a few of them:

• Cancer: Below is a complete list of the types of cancer that can be caused by smoking.
• Lung diseases: These include diseases such as `COPD` (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), `tuberculosis`, `asthma`, and `pulmonary fibrosis`.
• Heart disease and blood vessel diseases:These can cause heart attacks, strokes, or heart failure.
• Eye diseases: cataracts, macular degeneration, vision loss, and even blindness.
• Conditions that occur at birth: Low birth weight and birth defects in babies born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy.
• Miscarriage.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune diseases.
• Sexual dysfunction (erectile dysfunction).
• Fertility problems (difficulty having children).
• Premature aging (wrinkles, premature aging).

The most important thing is that even if you don't smoke, you can still inhale the smoke when someone smokes near you (this is called `secondhand smoke`). This can also be very harmful to your health.

Smoking and cancer

Smoking can cause or increase the risk of developing a number of different types of cancer. There is also evidence that people who smoke while undergoing cancer treatment may have less effective treatment and may be more likely to have their cancer return. Smoking can cause the following types of cancer:

• Leukemia (`Acute myeloid leukemia`)
• Bladder cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Laryngeal cancer and other throat cancers
• Liver cancer
• Lung cancer
• Oral cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Stomach cancer

Do lungs recover after quitting smoking?

Yes! If you stop smoking, your lungs and airways will begin to heal to some extent.Within a few weeks of quitting smoking, inflammation and mucus production in the body will decrease. Within a few months, those cilia we talked about earlier will start to grow back. In fact, many of your body's systems will start to heal after you quit smoking.

How long this takes depends on how long you have been smoking and how much damage it has done to your lungs. Some problems, such as infertility, will start to improve quickly. But some damage may never be completely reversed – conditions such as COPD and pulmonary fibrosis cannot be reversed. However, if you quit smoking for a few years, your risk of developing cancer and other diseases will be greatly reduced, perhaps to the same level as a non-smoker.

How can I quit smoking?

There are many ways to help you quit smoking. You may need to try several different methods together until you find one that works for you. Or you may need to switch to another method when one method doesn't work. Here are some of them:

• Cold turkey: This means stopping smoking completely without any medication or nicotine replacement. This method can be successful for some people, but it can be a difficult process because of your body's relationship with nicotine.
• Nicotine replacement therapy: This includes nicotine-containing gum, lozenges, patches, nasal sprays, or inhalers.
• Medications: Your doctor may prescribe medications like bupropion or varenicline to help reduce withdrawal symptoms and cigarette cravings.
• Lifestyle changes: Things like getting more exercise, changing your daily routine, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you feel better and break habits associated with smoking.

If I am a smoker, how can I take care of myself?

It's no secret that if you smoke, the best thing you can do for yourself is to quit. But while you're in the process of quitting, you can help your body heal by exercising, eating nutritious foods, and drinking plenty of water. Whether you're a current smoker or have quit, talk to your doctor about getting a lung cancer screening at the right time. It can help detect cancer early and save your life.

The most important things you need to remember (Take-Home Message)

People have smoked for social and cultural reasons since ancient times. The reasons for smoking today are no different: a cigarette can be a part of your daily routine – or it can be a way to take a break from that habit.

But now we know how harmful smoking is to your health, and to the health of those around you. Because nicotine is so hardwired into your brain, it's true that it's not easy to quit smoking just because you know it's dangerous. Understanding this connection and why it's so hard to quit can help. And don't forget to be kind to yourself as you go along. Going from being a smoker to a quitter is a process, a decision you make every day.

In addition to the ways to quit smoking, it can also help to keep in mind how much better you will feel in the long run. You will be able to get back to doing things you used to enjoy, enjoy the taste and smell of food again, protect the health of your loved ones, and save money. Ask for help from friends, family, and your doctor – tell them about the change you are making and ask how they can help.

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