Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
My patients often tell me that looking after one's health is complex.
With symptoms, risks, diagnoses and treatments to think about, it is
often difficult to keep track of the information that directly affects
your well-being. Fortunately, not all health advice needs to be
complicated. Often, one change in lifestyle can have big benefits to the
way you feel and to your quality of life. By far, the most important
and simple advice for improving your health today is quit smoking.
According to the American Cancer
Society, approximately 45 million Americans smoke. That translates to
24% of men and 18% of women. It stands to reason that virtually every
smoker in this country is aware that smoking is bad for health. Warnings
are printed on cigarette cartons and campaigns to help people quit are
up and running. My concern as a physician, however, is that smokers are
not always aware of the specific negative effects of smoking. Let's take
a look at these ill effects, which research has proven many times over.
Smoking and Cancer
Overall, tobacco use is responsible for 1 in 5
deaths in the United States. One of the chief causes of smoking-related
deaths is lung cancer. This form of cancer is the leading cause of
cancer death for both men and women. Lung cancer death is linked to
smoking a majority of the time-90% of lung cancer deaths in men and 80%
in women are the result of smoking.
Lung cancer is highly preventable, but if people
continue smoking the outlook is not good. In the past year, 215,000 new
cases of lung cancer were diagnosed and 162,000 deaths due to the
disease were reported (In most cases, people who died were diagnosed in
previous years).
Cigarette smoke is a carcinogen, or a
cancer-causing agent. Putting this toxic substance into the body is a
major cause of not only lung, but throat, bladder, mouth, larynx (voice
box) and esophageal cancers. It is linked to cancer of the pancreas,
cervix, kidneys and stomach, as well as some types of leukemia. Overall,
smoking accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths.
Smoking and Heart Disease
Cigarette smokers are 2 to 4 times more likely to
develop coronary heart disease than non-smokers. Heart disease is the
leading cause of death in the United States. If everyone quit smoking
today, I think this sobering statistic could change. Smoking reduces
circulation by narrowing blood vessels and arteries, leading to
peripheral vascular disease. Smoking also doubles a person's risk for
stroke.
Reproductive and Other Effects
Most people know that pregnant women should not
smoke. It is linked to risk for premature delivery and infant death.
Many women, however, are not aware that smoking may also impact the
ability to conceive. Evidence shows that women who smoke have more
difficulty getting pregnant. They also may shorten their reproductive
years, as smoking can lead to early menopause. If a smoker does become
pregnant, her baby is at greater risk for stillbirth and low birth
weight.
The problems with smoking for women do not end with
pregnancy. One great concern for women as they age is osteoporosis and
low bone density. Postmenopausal women who smoke have a greater risk for
hip fracture than those who never smoked.
Healthy Answers To Help You Quit Smoking!
It is not easy to quit smoking. Most people know
they should quit and have often tried many times to do so. Here is my
best advice: keep trying! There are many methods, from nicotine gum to
group meetings that offer support to would-be quitters. Talk to your
doctor about quitting and research these methods on your own. I hope
that learning about the negative effects of smoking will drive you to
action today.
There are plenty of changes you can make right now
get started on your journey to becoming cigarette-free. The American
Heart Association has put together an excellent list of tips that I
share with my own patients:
- Keep busy doing things that make it hard to smoke, like working in the yard, washing dishes and being more active.
- Fight the urge by going to places where smoking isn't allowed and staying around people who don't smoke.
- Avoid situations that tempt you to smoke, like drinking coffee or alcohol.
- Find a substitute to reach for instead of a cigarette. Try a hard candy.
- Don't give up if you smoke a cigarette. Just resolve not to do it again.
- Remind yourself that you're likely to feel better if you stop smoking.
- Tell family members and friends that you need to quit smoking
and need their support. If your husband, wife, son or daughter smokes,
ask them to quit with you.
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