How Does Smoking Affect Your Lungs

Ever Wondered what happens to your lungs every time you inhale a cigarette puff?

Or what happens when you smoke a cigarette puff for the very first time?

The moment you start smoking, you damage your lungs instantly. 

Many might argue that the damage does not start from the first cigarette. But, your first cigarette does some damage, and that is where the damage cycle starts. 

Everybody thinks that smoking causes Cancer. But do you know about the other diseases and problems caused by smoking other than Cancer?

Have you ever thought about what smoking does to your lungs and what are the effects of smoking in respiratory system?

It’s time to buckle up! Time to dive into the details of how smoking affects your lungs. It’s high time to understand the effects of smoking in respiratory system and everything about it. 

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s talk about it. 

How Does Smoking Affect Your Lungs?

To understand how does smoking affect your lungs, imagine your lungs like millions of tiny balls. The job of these balloons is to get oxygen from the air you breathe in and send it further to all your body parts. Sounds Pretty essential. 

Now, to understand the role of cigarettes, think of them as a group of needles that break open these balloons and create chaos, causing diseases. 

Let’s see a breakdown of how smoking affects your lungs – 

1. Chemicals in your Body – 

A cigarette contains a deadly mixture of 7,000 chemicals, which includes some of the fatal and poisonous chemicals like tar, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde. These disgusting chemicals build up on the delicate lining of your airways, which makes it difficult for your lungs to function properly. To understand it better, this chemical builds up as a layer of dirt on the balloons. Speaking of Tar, it’s a sticky substance that builds up in your lungs, hampering the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Another poisonous chemical, Carbon Monoxide, is a harmful gas that sticks to the hemoglobin in your blood instead of oxygen, therefore lowering the amount of oxygen that reaches your cells. 

2. Cilia Blockage – 

A lot of you might not know about it, but Smoking damages Cilia as well. Cilia are tiny hairs that are present in your airways and are responsible for keeping your lungs clean. They trap unwanted yet harmful particles like dust, mucus, etc., from entering your airways to keep your lungs clean. With every cigarette puff you inhale, you destroy these tiny hair, which makes your lungs more prone to infections and irritation. 

3. Inflammation and Swelling –

Smoking causes irritation in the airways in your lungs, which further leads to inflammation and swelling. This, in turn, makes breathing difficult and leads to chronic cough. To understand this better, think of those balloons getting pinched and squeezed – this is precisely what inflammation looks and feels like. 

4. Air sacs are damaged, too! – 

With the passage of your smoking duration, the air sacs in your lungs start getting damaged by smoking. Also known as Alveoli, they are accountable for transporting oxygen from the air you breathe to your bloodstream. As and when you smoke, the walls of Alveoli start getting weak and ultimately break down. This condition is known as emphysema, which makes it harder for you to breathe, as your lungs now have less surface area for the exchange of gases. 

It’s Time to Quit: How to Quit Smoking Naturally?

So, how do you break free from this cycle of lung torture? Here are some natural remedies to help you quit smoking for good and reclaim your lung health.

Now that you know about all the damage smoking causes to your lungs, it’s essential to break free from this smoking cycle. Here is how you can do it naturally: ditch chewing gums, Nicotine Replacement therapy, and all other traditional methods.

Let’s go – 

1. Time to become flavour CID Officer – 

Smoking makes your taste buds bland. Therefore, healthy and vitamin-rich food starts tasting dull and boring. To fight this, indulge yourself in flavourful food. Start by tasting and exploring fruits and vegetables of different colors and flavors. Once done, start experimenting with spices and herbs to add more flavor to your meals. When you rediscover your taste buds, it motivates you more to quit smoking.

2. Hydration is the Key – 

No matter whether you talk about better health, better skin or overall wellbeing, staying hydrated is the key to everything. Talking about quitting smoking, water helps with thin mucus, which further makes it easier to clear your airways. Additionally, it helps clear toxins out of your body, including those that come from cigarettes. That is why you should aim to drink eight glasses a day. To make it easier, always keep a water bottle close to you that will keep you hydrated throughout the day. 

3. Physical Exercise to your rescue – 

According to various studies, Exercise is known to be a natural mood booster and stress reliever. It helps lower cigarette cravings and improves lung function. Start your journey to Physical Exercise by taking a brisk walk in nature, joining a dance/aerobics class, or trying some jumping jacks in your living room. All that you need to do is get your blood pumping and make your lungs work harder. Even just a few minutes of activity can make a big difference.

4. Mindfulness over Chaos – 

Cravings and Withdrawal symptoms are the real tough things when it comes to quitting smoking. This is when meditation and deep breathing come in. They help you in managing your cravings and anxiety. Additionally, both of these practices can also help you in developing healthy coping strategies for your withdrawal symptoms. You can also use all the free apps available to practice meditation and deep breathing techniques. 

5. Reward Yourself – 

Quitting smoking is a rugged yet challenging journey but a significant one, too! Therefore, it’s important to keep celebrating and rewarding yourself even with the smallest of achievements. With every little win, you motivate yourself to do better and reach your final destination. 

Conclusion 

Smoking affects your respiratory system in a lot of ways, including the worst ones! The answer to all your how smoking affects lungs is listed above. Therefore, it’s essential to break free from your smoking habit as soon as possible. With the help of natural ways to quit smoking, you are bound to ditch the habit quickly in no time. 

Because ITS NOW OR NEVER