Any primary care practitioner will tell you that quitting smoking is one of the best steps you can take to improve your health. Smoking contributes to 480,000 fatalities every year, making it the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. Understanding the effects smoking has on your body can help motivate you to break your habit. This guide discusses five areas of physical and mental wellness that are impacted by cigarettes. 

Cardiovascular Stress

Smoking damages the blood vessels, causing them to thicken and become narrow. This forces your heart to work harder and makes your blood pressure rise, increasing your risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

Lung Damage

Regular smoke inhalation leads to an array of lung diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is responsible for nine out of 10 deaths due to lung cancer, and eight out of 10 deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Reproductive Harm

Tobacco use makes it harder for women to get pregnant. Smoking while pregnant is linked to serious issues, including ectopic pregnancy, premature birth, stillbirth, and miscarriage. Male smokers may have trouble achieving erections since smoking impedes circulation and blood flow. According to primary care experts, smoking can also decrease sperm production and quality.

Skin Damage

Your skin is your body’s first line of defense against the outside world, but it is also impacted by what you put in your body. The results of smoking include collagen loss, changes in elasticity, and a lack of oxygen and nutrients. Prolonged tobacco use also results in visible consequences, like sallow skin tone.

Mental Health Difficulties

The idea of a soothing cigarette is a myth. Smoking has been directly linked to anxiety, particularly when people report using cigarettes as a way of coping with stress. Researchers at King’s College London determined that quitting reduces feelings of anxiety among stress-motivated smokers.

Quitting smoking is difficult, but working with an experienced, compassionate professional provides support and guidance to help you succeed. When you need a primary care health clinic in the Spring, TX, area, Access Health Clinic is ready to help. These medical professionals provide an array of services, from flu shots to sports physicals. Visit their website or call (281) 251-8700 for more information.