Smoking tobacco is a practice that dates back thousands of years. The practice became more widely popular in the late 1500s but it wasn't until the 1920s, when the habit of cigarette smoking became more popular among all classes, that the dangers linked to smoking became known to scientists. The negative health effects of tobacco use are numerous and affect not only smokers but people subjected to secondhand smoke as well.
Health Effects
The World Health Organization estimates that smoking caused over 100 million deaths in the 20th century. Besides being a risk factor cancer, heart attack, stroke, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, erectile dysfunction and hypertension, smoking is also linked to low birth weight, miscarriage, and sudden infant death syndrome. Add to these health effects the unpleasant aroma that permeates a smoker's body and clothes (and house, if he or she smokes inside), discolored teeth and fingers, and a lighter pocketbook.
Exercise
All health care experts agree that engaging in exercise is better than being sedentary. According to the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, or 75 minutes of more of intense exercise, is enough to decrease your chance of heart attack and stroke. Smokers who exercise are slightly healthier than those who don't exercise but still not as healthy as nonsmoking nonexercisers.
Benefits of Exercise
MayoClinic.com lists seven benefits of regular physical activity: mood improvement, disease prevention, weight management, increased energy, improved sleep, improved sex life and increased fun. In addition, people who exercise also have higher self-esteem. Exercise may help a person quit smoking, since the concentration required for weight lifting and cardio exercise may provide distraction from nicotine cravings.
Ways To Quit Smoking
Many options are available for people who wish to quit smoking --- medicines, the patch, gum, spray and inhaler nicotine replacements. Hypnosis and laser treatments can also help smoking cessation. The first thing to do is make a plan to quit and seek support from friends and family.
