The risks of developing cardiovascular disease can be reduced by adopting a new lifestyle, which involves shifting from certain habits to others.
We know that there are factors that increase these risks. Some of them, such as age and gender, cannot be modified.
Others can be modulated, for instance, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. The treatment aims to achieve the target values established by clinical research.
Finally, modifying certain lifestyle habits has shown undeniable benefits in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The following article bears on quitting smoking.
You may wish to read the topics below from the same series:
Giving Up Smoking
Increasing the risk of death by around three times, smoking is at the root of the process that causes heart and lung diseases and is linked to a significant number of cancers.
Giving up smoking is strongly recommended and is part of our effort toward improving our lifestyle habits.
Willpower
Addiction to smoking has 2 levels: it is physical as well as psychological. Nicotine is a powerful enemy, it is responsible for making people feel the overwhelming urge to smoke.
Yet, it is not the nicotine that causes coronary arteryThe two coronary arteries, the right and the left, form the blood network that supplies the heart with oxygen and nutrients. They are located directly on the surface of the heart and branch into smaller vessels that disease, but rather the thousands of substances produced by tobacco combustion. In short, nicotine makes people smoke, but it is the smoke that kills them.
This explains why the number one weapon in quitting smoking is willpower, that strong desire to overcome this deadly addiction. Without this will to win, all therapies will be pointless and will fail.
Two main types of therapy are available to support your efforts: nicotine replacement therapy and medication.
Replacement Therapy
Available in the form of chewing gum, transdermal nicotine patches, inhalers, vaporizers, and lozenges, replacement therapy delivers a dose of nicotine to the body, helping it to gradually wean itself off this dangerous addiction.
1-Electronic cigarette :
The vape pen or electronic cigarette was added to those a few years ago. Some people see a health risk in inhaling oil-based matters, and rightly so. The lungs are not made for this type of aggressive agent either.
What is aimed at here is not replacing a bad habit with another one. It is more about creating a passageway to eliminate the worst one, ideally both.
2-Medicinal Therapy:
Medications such as Champix and Zyban activate the areas of the brain stimulated by nicotine, gradually eliminating the craving for cigarettes. These products are not without side effects, some of which are quite serious. It is essential to discuss the matter with a healthcare professional.
Giving up smoking can only be beneficial, and tangible results will be felt quickly afterward.
3-Other Help Methods:
So-called alternative methods include acupuncture and the “behaviorist approach”, i.e., you are forced to smoke at device-set times, according to a predetermined schedule.
Discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist to help you decide which technique is best suited to your needs.
Available Resources
Several smoking cessation programs can be found online. There are online resources, telephone helplines, and support groups available to help smokers overcome their addiction and adopt a healthier lifestyle.
In Summary
While smoking may seem like a trivial habit, the health consequences are serious and well-documented.
Nicotine makes you smoke. The smoke kills!
Quitting smoking is a challenging but incredibly beneficial step for your health. The resources and treatments available today offer real chances of success, even for those who have tried to quit unsuccessfully in the past.
Related articles
Latest articles
