Quit smoking and what you need to know

Posted by Doctor Tran Thi Diem Trang - Respiratory Internal Medicine Doctor - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 700 million people, almost half of the world's children, are living in air polluted by tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4000 chemicals. In which there are more than 200 types that are harmful to health, including narcotics and toxic substances. Every year, tobacco and waterpipe tobacco kill millions of people around the world. Smoking is a preventable cause of illness and death. With the effects on smoking cessation is extremely necessary.

Smoking 1 cigarette means you have lost 5.5 minutes of your life. The average life expectancy of smokers is 5 to 8 years shorter than that of non-smokers. Smoking increases mortality from 30 to 80%, mainly from cancers (lung cancer), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular diseases .... The degree of increase in risk depends At the age of starting smoking (the earlier smoking, the higher the risk), the average number of cigarettes smoked in packs/year is calculated by multiplying the average number of packs smoked per day by the number of years smoked (the number of cigarettes smoked per day). The higher the number of packs per year smoked, the higher the risk) and the longer the smoking period, the greater the risk.
Infants and young children who regularly breathe secondhand smoke will get the following diseases:
Increase the rate of lower respiratory tract infections (such as bronchitis, pneumonia) and otitis media Increase the symptoms of diabetes Chronic respiratory disease (such as asthma) Decreases lung growth and increases the risk of sudden infant death. Children who smoke passively increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood and decrease the nerve center that directs behavior, while women who do not smoke but breathe secondhand smoke during pregnancy have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. can cause changes in fetal development, miscarriage, premature birth or low birth weight babies.

Some other symptoms can also be experienced such as dry mouth, sore throat, headache, digestive disorders, fatigue, watery eyes, mouth ulcers and weight gain.
The most notable point here is weight gain. Not everyone gains weight after quitting smoking. On average, quitting smoking can gain about 2 kg. The reason may be that quitters are less active, and more commonly, quitters are more likely to take food in lieu of smoking. Fortunately, this weight gain can be avoided.
Eat 3 to 6 small meals a day, not 1 big meal Avoid fatty foods Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables Stay in working style, exercise more (eg walk briskly ...)

If you continue to gain weight, don't worry. It may take time for your body to get used to being without nicotine. If you eat in moderation, avoid overeating, exercise regularly, you will lose weight. And remember that the benefits of quitting far outweigh the harms of gaining a few kilos.
Above are the things you need to know when quitting smoking that you can apply to see the change and positive improvements in health.
If you are a heavy smoker and cannot quit at home, you can ask the doctors at Vinmec International General Hospital to be examined and consulted on how to quit smoking effectively and scientifically. learn.