cigarettes – Hello Doctor

Is Vaping bad for you?

November 23rd, 2020 by The Hello Doctor Team

As a smoker, you may be tempted to turn to electronic cigarettes, vape pens or hookah and shisha pipes to help you stop cigarette smoking. But is this a better and ‘healthier’ alternative?

Vaping

Just like regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes contain nicotine. The addition of fruity flavourings can be deceiving as they have no smell, but the nicotine content in some vaping liquids can be even higher than in cigarettes. In addition, they can also contain several unknown chemicals. As of February 2020, there had been 60 deaths and 2,807 confirmed cases of lung injury due to vaping in the U.S. It is believed that vitamin E acetate, which is a chemical additive in vaping products, is what has caused these injuries. Although no such cases have yet been reported in South Africa, the dangers of vaping shouldn’t be overlooked.

The dangers of nicotine

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance – experts say, even more so than alcohol. It raises your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline. It can also affect the developing brain, making it particularly harmful to teens and young adults.

Because vaping devices don’t indicate how much nicotine is present, it can be higher than in cigarettes. Lack of regulation means manufacturers can put anything into vaping devices. Even some “nicotine-free” e-cigarettes have been found to contain nicotine. Nicotine is also known to cause chronic lung disease and asthma.

The dangers of vaping

Some substances found in e-cigarette vapour have been linked to an increased risk of cancer.
Vaping during pregnancy could harm a developing foetus.
Teens that vape are more likely to begin smoking cigarettes.
Explosions and burns have been reported with e-cigarettes while recharging the devices, due to defective batteries.
Accidental exposure to liquid from e-cigarettes has caused acute nicotine poisoning in children and adults
Highly addictive.

What you need to know

Vaping is not safe. Some e-cigarette labels don’t disclose that they contain nicotine, and some e-cigarettes marketed as containing 0% nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.

Disease-causing: Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain. The brain keeps developing until about age 25. Using nicotine in teenage years can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. Every time a new memory is created or a new skill is learned, stronger connections (synapses) are built between brain cells. Young people’s brains build synapses faster than adult brains. Nicotine changes the way these synapses are formed.

Highly addictive. Using nicotine in adolescence may also increase risk for future addiction to other drugs.

It’s not a tool to stop smoking cigarettes. In fact, chances are you’ll end up doing both.

Until we know more, think twice about vaping. It’s not the magic cure for quitting cigarette smoking. Seek professional help if you’re trying to quit smoking and use a proven method to improve your chances of success. If you’re not sure about what help is out there, chat to one of our doctors. They can point you in the right direction, to breathe easy again.

References:

How much you’ll save without sugar and cigarettes

March 30th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

We all have a guilty pleasure; whether it’s that ice-cold Coca-Cola to go with your meal or that long-awaited puff of a cigarette after a long, stressful day at work. As good as it is in the moment, your temporary high be costing you (and your health).

Sugar
The average South African takes in between 12 and 24 teaspoons of sugar each day. Four to eight teaspoons are from sugar-sweetened beverages. A single 330ml soft drink contains about eight teaspoons of sugar and sells for about R10. If you drink one a day, this adds up to R300 a month.

With the sugar tax around the corner, this number is set to rise. The tax involves an extra charge of 2.29 cents per gram of sugar in soft drinks, sugar-sweetened fruit drinks, sports and energy drinks, and sweetened iced teas.

Why pay more just for weight gain, bad health and a lighter purse? Can those soft drinks and enjoy these health perks:

A healthy heart. When you eat too much sugar, the excess forms triglycerides (bad fats in your blood). High triglycerides can increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. Kicking sugar to the curb will lower levels of triglycerides, and keep your heart beating.
Low cancer risk. Sugar feeds every cell in your body, including cancer cells. Nixing your sugar habit will lower your risk for cancer and conditions known to increase your risk for cancer, e.g. obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Clearer skin. Sugar is a known inflammatory which can trigger breakouts, and speed up ageing. As you begin to wean yourself off sugar, you will notice suppler and smoother skin.
Less anxiety. Sugary foods can affect your mood, causing anxiety, irritability, and mood swings. It has also been shown to interfere with your body’s ability to cope with stress. Once you ditch the sweet stuff, you’ll feel calmer, less agitated and stressed.
A sharper mind. A diet high in sugar can sap your brain power, and damage communication among your brain cells. Cutting it out will preserve your brain cells and improve your learning and memory.

Smoking
Smoking is an unattractive and expensive habit. A pack of cigarettes can cost you anywhere from R30 to R45. If you smoke one pack a day, smoking can cost you between R800 to R1 300 a month.

Need more motivation? Stub out for:

A glowing complexion.Smoking can leave your skin looking worn-out, and grey. Quitting for good slows down the skin-ageing process, leading to fewer wrinkles and a more youthful appearance.
Whiter, brighter teeth. Nicotine can stain your teeth. Without it, your teeth will have a much better chance of staying white, which will make you look younger and healthier. Your breath will also be fresher and you’ll be less likely to get gum disease or lose your teeth.
More energy. When you stop smoking, your blood circulation improves. This increases the amount of oxygen in your body, and boosts your energy levels. You’ll find that physical activity like walking and running will be much easier.
Less stress. Smoking does not relieve stress. Studies show that smokers are more stressed than non-smokers. When you give up your smokes, your heart and anxiety levels will no longer be artificially raised by nicotine. You’ll also be a lot less worried about your health.
Improved smell and taste. Smoking can dull your senses of smell and taste. Quitting may enhance the smells and tastes of food. You’ll appreciate different flavours and enjoy eating so much more.

One last thing – it’s time to cut the caffeine
Love your cuppa Joe first thing in the morning? Your bank account doesn’t. Takeaway coffee costs about R25. If you indulge in a cup every day, your daily caffeine fix ends up costing you a whopping R750 a month.

Toss out on coffee to save yourself a buck. It can also help you sleep more soundly and feel more refreshed the next day. No more caffeine also means less caffeine withdrawal headaches, anxiety and high blood pressure.

References:

Is second-hand smoking a big deal?

November 5th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

So, you’re heading out for the evening and one of your friends lights up a cigarette in your car. It’s not just your clean clothes and hair that start to smell, it’s your health going up in smoke too! You don’t have to put up with passive smoking… it’s a serious hazard to your health! We’re here to help you stay smoke free! Continue reading “Is second-hand smoking a big deal?”

What happens to your body when you smoke a cigarette?

May 27th, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

May is Anti-Tobacco Month, and because we’re all about preventative health, it’s a topic that we’re serious about. To help drive awareness about the dangers of smoking, we wanted to share our latest #infographic with you: What happens to your body when you smoke a cigarette.

What does smoking actually do to your body?

December 11th, 2013 by The Hello Doctor Team

Smoking is gross. We all know it, and we’ve all seen the long term damage it does to our lungs, that is, blackened tarred smoker’s lungs.

Have you ever wondered what actually happens when you inhale a cigarette? No? Well, a single drag exposes the body to over 4,000 chemical compounds and 600 additives, effectively making it one of the most powerful stimulants known to man. It takes just 10 seconds for nicotine to reach the brain, and over 90% of what’s inhaled is absorbed by the lungs, which pass into the lung as miniscule droplets of suspended tar particles.
Continue reading “What does smoking actually do to your body?”