Posts Tagged cancer

Diseases Caused by Smoking – How They Will Affect Your Health

Diseases caused by smoking are many. Studies have been conducted to establish why smoking causes diseases. These studies were able to prove that the ingredients in cigarettes and tobacco products are the culprits. The ingredients can cause cancer and diseases. Some of these ingredients are nicotine, acrolein, tar, nitrosamine, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, radioactive carcinogens, and many more. Below are some diseases caused by smoking.

People who smoke develop lung cancer. And people who don’t smoke can also develop lung cancer. In the United States, 87% of lung cancer cases have been attributed to smoking. People who smoked at some point in their lives have a 1 in 10 chance of developing lung cancer. And it increases to 1 in 6 if they continue smoking. Secondhand smoke increases lung cancer risk by 20 to 30%.

Tar lungs and smoker’s cough are two diseases caused by smoking. Both are attributed to tar in cigarettes and tobacco products. Tar accumulates in the lungs. When accumulation becomes too much for the lungs to remove, tar lungs develops. On the other hand, smoker’s cough develops because coughing is another way for the lungs to remove the tar deposits.

Other diseases caused by smoking include heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, and atherosclerosis. These are caused by nicotine which leads to constriction of blood vessels. Smokers are 5 times more likely to suffer a heart attack. Secondhand smoking increases heart disease risk by 25 to 30%.

Long term exposure to cyanide and carbon monoxide, which are found in smoke, lead to diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema. Smokers who consume at least 20 cigarettes a day increase their tuberculosis risk by 2 to 4 times.

Infections are also diseases caused by smoking. Some of these are invasive pneumococcal disease, chronic bronchitis, common colds, and other pulmonary and respiratory infections. Other diseases caused by smoking are periodontitis, halitosis or bad breath, leukoplakia, asthma, allergies, chronic bronchitis, and many others.

A fetus exposed to secondhand smoke is likely to be born with low birth weight or small for gestational age. These two smoking diseases predispose the infant to other diseases like jaundice and breathing difficulty. Sudden infant death syndrome is also caused by secondhand smoke. 430 infant deaths in the United States every year has been attributed to this smoking disease. Other diseases caused by smoking in infants are impaired motor skills, cognitive deficits, attention deficit hyperactivity disease, developmental delays, and many others.

These are just some diseases caused by smoking. And all these could lead to death. 2.5 to 10 years is reduced from a smoker’s life expectancy. And each consumed cigarette is equal to losing 11 minutes of your life. Quit smoking now! Choose life!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

What is Papillomavirus

Papillomavirus are small cells that are associated with STD (Sexual Transmitted Disease), Cervical Cancer, and other diseases. They are just 55mm in diameter and at least 10% of young women in England are infected with some type of papillomavirus by the age of 16. There are over 100 types of Papillomavirus, ranging from the harmless ones that cause warts, to others that cause cancer.

About 40 types affect the genital area, and 4 are responsible for some common genital diseases. Types 16 and 18 fall under what is known as “high-risk” types and cause abnormal cells, which lead to cancer. These types, along with about 10 others, are easily transmitted from one person to another by sexual relations or genital contact.

Although using a condom is good protection from most sexual diseases, such as AIDS or HIV, they only offer partial protection from papillomavirus cells. 80% of all women will, at one point or another, become infected with at least one type by the age of 50.

The Papillomavirus infects the skin and mucous membranes, lining the cervix. The progression is slow from abnormal benign cells to cancer and sometimes will lie there undetected for many years, before becoming diagnosed.

A third of all women will die within 5 years of diagnosis, but the statistics are changing, as the medical world advances. Recently a vaccine against papillomavirus cells was released, called Gardasil, which so far, has shown highly encouraging results against some types of papillomavirus. Generally, though, once the abnormal cells have developed into cancer, the two options are surgery or radiation, to eliminate them.

In many cases, there are no symptoms to indicate the status and the only true way to discover if you are in infected is to have an annual Pap Smear by a gynaecologist. The “low risk” types are transmitted either environmentally or by touch, but the body builds up antibodies naturally against them.

Women are not the only ones affect by cancer-causing types of papillomavirus. Men could get penile cancer as well. It is a DNA based virus, which is why certain types advance to cancer. Normal cells grow, divide and die, whereas cancer ones just carry on dividing. This happens because the DNA is damaged, and since DNA is hereditary, the defect can be passed on to one’s children. Being a DNA-based virus, the high-risk papillomavirus attacks the DNA in the cells, causing them to become cancerous.

In order for cervical cancer to take form completely, a woman would need a history of infections with the types involved. The risks are generally quite low and for most the chances of getting a high-risk type of papillomavirus is small. However a simple test once a year will eliminate any doubt with your doctor.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Body Detox Naturally Remove Unwanted Toxins

Toxicity is one of the greatest concerns in the 20th century. This is because there are several factors contributing in the development of toxins in the human body such as stronger chemicals, water and air pollution, nuclear power, and radiation. Many people are ingesting new chemicals, using all kinds of drugs, eating more sugar as well as refined foods, and abusing themselves with various sedatives and stimulants.

These toxins lead to an increased incidence of acquiring diseases as well. Some of the most dangerous are cardiovascular illnesses and cancer. Others include obesity, allergies, arthritis, and other skin problems. Moreover, it also displays symptoms including fatigue, headaches, pains, gastrointestinal problems, coughs, and other problems associated with weak immune system.

These chronic and acute illnesses can be alleviated through cleansing or detoxification program. This process naturally eliminates the harmful toxins from the body. It can either be a short-term or a long-term procedure. Those people who are addicted to some substances are well benefited by this program. They can temporarily avoid addictive agents and later on withdraw from their abusive habits.

Take note that toxicity can occur on two major levels. It can either be internal or external. External toxicity is acquired from the environment through breathing, ingesting or physical contacts.  It also includes the chemical characteristics of foods which affects the health. Most food additives, drugs, and allergens create the body’s toxic elements. In fact, substances such as sodium, many nutrients, and even water have toxicity in particular circumstances.

On the other hand, internal toxins are internally produced by the body from its daily normal functions. Cellular, bodily, and biochemical activities are producing substances that should be eliminated. These free radicals known as biochemical toxins can cause inflammation or irritation of the tissues and cells which blocks the normal functioning of an organ, cells, or entire body level. All kinds of microbes, foreign bacteria, intestinal bacteria, parasites, and yeasts produce waste products that are metabolic. Emotions, thoughts, and stress also increase biochemical toxins.

Almost everybody needs to detoxify their bodies so that it can function well. Detox or cleansing is a trilogy portion of the nutritional action. Eating balance diets and avoiding excesses will need lesser intensive detoxification. Although the body has its elimination cycle carried out mostly at night and early morning, eating a congested diet with higher fats, refined foods, dairy products, and even intake of drugs can procure lots of body toxins. That is why body detox is needed because some individuals are having this kind of lifestyle.

Fasting is a detox therapy that is sometimes incorporated. It is considered as the oldest and complete natural treatment for humans. Detox processes can help clear dead cells, wastes, and revitalize the natural functions as well as the healing capacities of the body. Well, many people are claiming that cleansing programs have incredible and positive results on their body.

The proper way of eliminating these toxins is very important to the health of a person. Although the body can handle certain amount of toxins, it is always necessary to think of reduction or elimination in case of excess toxin production and food intake occurs. Of course, in the end you will be benefited with a well-working and stronger immune system to prevent diseases from attacking you. In this way, you will live a much better life.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts