WHAT IS IN A CIGARETTE?
Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals. The 3 most harmful of these are:
- Tar
A mixture of chemicals (Formaldehyde, Arsenic and Cyanide to name a few) which are drawn into a smoker’s lung when they inhale cigarette smoke. Once inhaled, the smoke condenses and 70% of the tar is deposited in the lungs. Many substances in tar are known to cause cancer in animals and to damage the small hairs that help protect the lungs from infection.
- Nicotine
Nicotine is a powerful and fast acting drug, and once absorbed reaches the brain in about seven seconds. Most smokers are dependent on nicotine in cigarettes. Nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure. Other effects include an increase in hormone production, contraction of small blood vessels under the skin and a change in blood composition.
- Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an odourless, tasteless and poisonous gas, giving no warning of its presence. In large amounts it is rapidly fatal. It is formed when a cigarette is lit. It combines with haemoglobin in the blood more readily than oxygen.
Up to 15% of a smokers blood may be carrying CO instead of oxygen, making breathing difficult. This is why it is linked to coronary heart disease and other circulation problems.
HOW DOES CARBON MONOXIDE HARM YOUR BODY?
When tobacco is inhaled, CO passes through the lining of the blood, where it becomes attached to the haemoglobin (Hb – the red cells). These red blood cells normally carry oxygen. But their chemical attraction to CO is greater than oxygen so any CO in the blood pushes out oxygen, thus putting extra strain on the heart.
Smoking has been shown to kill 1 in 2 lifelong smokers. The most common diseases are Lung Cancer, Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema, Coronary Heart Disease and Strokes. Smokers can have between 2% and 20% of their normal blood oxygen taken up by CO. To compensate for the shortage of oxygen the body has to work harder with less fuel.
When you stop smoking the level of Carbon Monoxide in your blood falls almost immediately. It will be the same as a non smoker’s within a couple of days. Your blood will carry more oxygen; you’ll have more energy, better circulation and increased concentration.
WAYS TO QUIT SMOKING
There are many ways to quit smoking:
- Cold turkey
- Cutting down
- MyQuitBuddy an app
- Medications like Zyban or Champix
- Nicotine Replacement Therapy
But by far the easiest, drug free, stressless and painless method to quit is through Low Level Laser Therapy.
At Cold Laser Pain Relief we are accredited to use the Anne Penman Method of Smoking Cessation. Anne Penman started her first clinic in Glasgow and now has affiliates all over the globe. We are proudly her first Australian clinic.
We have had some remarkable successes, and even a few patients who were not quite ready to give up smoking have quit.
Treatment consists of:
- Laser Therapy
- Counselling
- Support
Our package consists of 3 sessions, however, most patients find themselves smoke free after the first session and we never see them again. That’s really easy!!!
If you want to talk to someone about how it all works, call Cold Laser Pain Relief on 08 8299 9111.
For the cost of about a dozen packets of cigarettes, you really don’t have anything to lose except the smoking addiction.