I confess, I don’t turn my head when faced with an attractive man. I totally believe in the saying, “Look but don’t touch.” But I have to admit, I’ve never said, “Look at that hottie, the one smoking the cigarette!!!”
There is nothing HOT about someone puffing away, in your face. Quite frankly, I find it to be a disgusting habit. And I do recognize it to be an addiction but I believe quitting should be top priority if you desire to live a healthy lifestyle.
Most people associate smoking tobacco with breathing problems and lung cancer. While this is a major issue, I would like to point out the negative affect smoking has on your heart. Smoking damages the function of your heart and the structure and function of your blood vessels. It causes reduced circulation by narrowing the arteries and puts smokers at risk of developing peripheral vascular disease (PVD). This is the cause of nearly one in every five deaths in the US every year. In fact, smoking is the number 1 cause of preventable disease and death. Let that sink in for a moment…
If you are a smoker, you are making a choice and you could be choosing to give yourself a heart attack or cancer. You are choosing to make yourself sick and putting your family in a very selfish position because these are the people who will have to care for you.
There is no safe amount of smoking. Any amount of smoking, even light or occasional, damages the heart and blood vessels. A person’s risk of heart attack greatly increases with the number of cigarettes he or she smokes.
Tobacco use harms nearly every organ in your body.
Quitting and avoiding second hand smoke can help reverse heart and blood vessel damage and reduce heart disease risk right away.
Reasons for Quitting
- You will have more energy and breathe easier
- Decreased risk of getting infections
- The people around you, especially children, will be healthier
- You will have more money
- Decreased chance of developing diabetes
- Increased sex drive
- Female smokers have a greater chance of early menopause
- Sleep easier
- Fewer wrinkles
- Fresher breath
So what now?
If you want to quit or know someone who needs more information about quitting there are so many resources out there.
Call 1-800-Quit now (1-800-784-8669) to be connected to the quit line in your state.
And if you’re still not convinced, check this video out.
Have a great Tuesday everyone!!
Heart Healthy Beats 
August 20, 2013 at 11:53 am
Amen.