words Al Woods
You already know – we don’t have to tell you: smoking is terrible for your health and those around you. You know it affects your lungs and breathing and puts you at a higher risk for cancer.
But did you know that smoking affects so many other aspects of your health?
There’s a lot of debate over whether traditional smoking is any different than a vape pen, but we’re here tell you that traditional cigarettes are still the worst.
In this guide, we’ll go over some reasons why cigarettes are worth getting rid of, and some alternatives you can try.
What’s the Big Deal?
You might wave your hand at the idea of lung issues and cancer, as those can seem like far away, distant problems. However, there are effects of smoking that can impact you much sooner:
Smoking Can Make You Blind
Smoking can eventually cause you to go blind by two ways:
- It can greatly increase your risk of macular degeneration (leading cause of blindness over the age of 65)
- It can also contribute to becoming a type 2 diabetic (which can lead to diabetic retinopathy, also a cause of blindness)
Problems in The Bedroom?
This may be a more pertinent side effect for young males, but smoking can affect your ability to perform in the bedroom.
That’s right: smoking causes narrowing of all of the blood vessels in your body, including the ones that go… down there. This change can happen rather quickly, but it can also be remedied by quitting.
Do You Like Walking Around Pain-Free?
Smoking causes an inflammatory cascade all throughout your body.
Having chronic inflammation in your body can lead to autoimmune disorders such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, which causes very painful (and unsightly) swelling in the joints of your hands and feet. This can make it difficult to write, hold things like your phone, and make delicate fine movements like playing musical instruments.
Speaking of joints, smoking also reduces your bone density at a faster rate, making you more prone to things like hip fractures and breaks in your older age.
Say Goodbye to That Youthful Glow
We know that smoking can stain your teeth and gums a nasty yellow, but did you know it can affect your skin as well?
Some studies have shown a correlation between acne breakouts in adulthood and smoking. This isn’t your typical teenage acne, it’s caused by large blackheads and blocked-up pores, making your skin appear shiny and bumpy.
Smoking also reduces that youthful, healthy glow.
Vape Pens – What’s All the Hype?
Smoking is as much of a habit as it is an addiction to a routine. We are
creatures of habit, after all. If you regularly take a drag when you’re in the car or after a meal, you’ve created a habit! And those are very difficult to break.
It’s incredibly difficult to quit a regular habit cold turkey, so a good alternative might be to keep the motion/habit, but replace the item with something less harmful, like a vape pen.
While vape pens still have nicotine, it won’t have all the other toxins that tar your lungs, so you can ween off the habit slowly.
Weaning Off Nicotine
Vape pens aren’t the only way (other than cigarettes) to wean off of nicotine. You can also try the nicotine patch or nicotine gum.
All of these are designed to ween you off of the nicotine slowly, so as to minimize the uncomfortable side effects of withdrawals. The benefit of a vape pen is that it allows you to keep the motion of holding something up to your lips.
Takeaways
While you probably already knew that smoking was bad for you, you might not have known how much traditional cigarettes actually affect your health.
Hopefully this article will help you rethink your habit, and encourage you to switch to alternatives—for your own good.
