Take Control of Your Health: SMOKING kills your HEART

Last summer a new employee joined our organization. He was young, passionate, focused and one of the most delightful people in our office. One day, he suddenly fainted after having severe pain in his chest. We all were in a state of shock and immediately rushed him to the nearest hospital. After the diagnosis, doctor told us that his LDL cholesterol hovered around 185 mg/dL, and he is at a higher risk of having heart attack. I was dazed to see that at such a young age of 25 years, how a person can have high cholesterol levels and a risk of heart attack!

Later on, I got to know that he was also a regular smoker that put him at a higher risk of having high cholesterol levels and heart attack. Cigarette contains a harmful chemical known as “nicotine” that not only harms your lungs, but also gets absorbed in the bloodstream and is carried throughout your body. It damages the thin lining of blood vessels making them more prone to accumulation of fatty deposits such as LDL cholesterol. This results in buildup of fatty plaque that can harden and narrow the arteries. Further smoking can spark off these plaques to burst, which blocks the artery and finally results in heart attack.

Apart from raising your cholesterol levels, nicotine also stimulates the release of certain chemicals, which can raise your blood pressure. It also reduces the insulin production that further increases your risk of type 2 diabetes. Regular smoking may even cause impotency in men, as it causes blood vessel to constrict, which can result in erectile dysfunction.

Unfortunately, even after high level of awareness about the harmful effects of smoking, people continue to smoke. Not only my friend, but if we look around whether it’s our family, our friends, in office, or in public, it seems like someone or other is lighting up a cigarette.

There are several reasons due to which people start smoking at a young age. For some, it’s a fashion statement, while for others it creates a kind of “looks cool” perception. Besides, peer pressure can be one of the major reasons that can lead a child into this bad habit. Once the child starts experimenting with tobacco, it is very opportune for him or her to wave other peers into smoking as well.

Not only children and teens, but also adults are ambushed in this vicious circle of smoking. In many work places, people try to bond well with their bosses and thus smoke together. They believe that it increases acceptance by adopting such a habit in the office culture.

Stress is part of life and for many smokers cigarettes are their best friends when they are stressed out. A single puff of nicotine reaches the brain within about 10 seconds and elevates the mood. Hence, smokers become addicted to it and lighten up the cigarette to reduce their stress levels.

The health hazards that come along with smoking are definitely not worth it. Why not take a stand, and resolve to quit it. Although it’s a lot easier said than done, to quit smoking one requires lot of willpower and support. Here are the kick-starts, which can help you channelize your efforts: