Most people know that smoking can lead to health problems and shorten life expectancy. However, few understand the specific mechanisms of it. Inhaling gases, replacing air with smoke, and the absorption of harmful substances into the bloodstream contribute to the problem. The main danger lies in the long-term effect of smoking: blocking oxygen access to person`s tissues and poisoning the environment. However, smoking is not the sole culprit in the realm of self-destructive behaviors; the real leader is food.
Why do people smoke? It is similar to why we enjoy eating – seeking relief from suffering through pleasure.
The more destructive the choice of food, the more pleasure a person gets from it. Surprisingly, this paradox is natural. To make life interesting, pleasure is a powerful motivator. However, everything must also end to make way for the next generation, theoretically more intelligent and experienced. Biological life has a built-in program for self-destruction. And fear of death is the best incentive for life.
By sacrificing ourselves, we gain a appreciation for the difference between life and death. A sick person is half alive, as their body consists of numerous dead cells. Despite managing the dissolution and removal of these dying cells, replacing them with sick and tired counterparts, they are considered to be alive.
Ironically, the people have both the desire for life and the desire for diseases – everything that brings pleasure. It is the perfect trap.
At the top of the pleasure hierarchy is food, the fundamental desire of any living being. Food can lead to many diseases. Unknowingly, most people not fully understanding how seemingly harmless items like buns or bananas can be harmful, similar to cigarettes. Surprisingly, a banana can be more dangerous than cigarettes, even a few packs. It all depends on other factors. For example, an insulin-dependent person with diabetes who ate a banana without injecting insulin risks his life. In contrast, smoking several cigarettes within an hour may have a less negative effect.
However, this does not mean that you can smoke and it will not affect your health in any way. Smoking causes diseases of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, negatively affects erection, condition of skin, hair and gastrointestinal tract. It is better to get rid of the habit of smoking cigarettes. If you can’t do it yourself, see a doctor or take Champix or Zyban. These drugs should be used along with counseling and a support group to help you quit smoking.
Illness is a mean to redirect the self-satisfied ego’s attention towards the nature of person`s material existence and prolong it. But individuals can choose to ignore the inner voice advising a change in lifestyle. Or they can either listen to the body’s messages, consult a doctor, and work together to find a solution. If your goal is a healthy life, you must systematically and consistently support your body.