Author: Dr. David Busby

Key takeaways Smoking impacts body organs, including hernia development Studies show smokers have higher hernia risks. Smoking hinders collagen formation, delaying recovery. Nutrient deficiency from smoking complicates post-surgery healing. Chronic coughing from smoking strains hernia repair. With the thousands of dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke, it’s no surprise that it can affect almost every part and system in the body. Aside from affecting your lungs, heart, and stomach, there’s also a problematic relationship between smoking and hernia developments in your body.Many chemicals in cigarette smoke can cause the poor metabolization of connective abdominal tissues – the ones protecting the organs…

Key takeaways Smoking impacts bone mass, increasing osteoporosis risk. Chemicals hinder nutrient absorption and hormonal balance. Quitting smoking is crucial for bone health. Exercise, calcium, vitamin D, balanced diet essential. Regular check-ups monitor bone health progress. When you lack bone mass, you are at a high risk of osteoporosis and having fractured bones after a single slip and fall. Mostly, people worry about this situation upon reaching retirement age and beyond – but if you’re a frequent smoker, you might want to double back a little bit.It’s no surprise that smoking and bone mass have a negative correlation. The chemicals…

Key takeaways Heartburn worsens for frequent smokers after eating. Smoking relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter muscle. This relaxation allows stomach acid to flow. Quitting smoking can alleviate heartburn symptoms Lifestyle changes can also reduce heartburn occurrences. For many people, heartburn can be a mild discomfort that bugs you during work or right after eating. However, if you’re a frequent smoker, your heartburn might feel much worse than the average person.Acid reflux is the primary cause of heartburns, and smoking has long been associated with stomach issues, including the regurgitation of acid back into your throat. If you’re already prone to…

Key takeaways Nicotine addiction and smoke chemicals harm the brain. Aldehydes and cadmium cause inflammation and long-term issues. Immediate effects include memory loss and headaches. Long-term smoking increases neurodegenerative disorder risks. Structural changes impact ‘grey matter’ and brain aging. Addiction is the widely-known effect of cigarette smoking to the brain. Nicotine, a relatively harmless yet highly addictive chemical, can cause dopamine levels to spike with every hit. While you can wean off nicotine safely through tools such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), the other chemicals in cigarette smoke can cause long-term issues to your mental wellbeing.In today’s post, we’ll look…

Key takeaways Smoking with a filter doesn’t make cigarettes healthier. Filters don’t protect from harmful cigarette smoke effects. Incomplete filtration leaves dangerous chemicals in the smoke. Compensatory puffing increases harmful chemical intake, defeating the purpose. Cigarette filters mislead, offering no health benefits at all. There’s a notion that smoking with a filter reduces the harm of cigarette smoke. However, this isn’t true – smoking with a filter doesn’t make any cigarette healthier.A cigarette filter does not keep your body safe from cigarette smoke.In this post, you’ll learn why smoking with a filter isn’t healthier, and why stopping smoking is always…

The ‘high’ you get from inhaling cigarette smoke is one of the main reasons many smokers find it enjoyable. The immediate hit of nicotine immediately boosts your dopamine levels, giving you a minor feeling of elation, but this quickly passes.What doesn’t go away quickly are the dangers of chemicals in cigarette smoke and the ensuing headaches you may feel afterwards. Some smokers have reported feeling major headaches and migraines throughout their day, oftentimes after finishing a ciggie.Why do smoking and headaches go hand in hand? Why do you sometimes feel dizzy and not your usual self after a stick? Let’s…

We live in a world of instant gratification, so it’s not surprising that we’re all looking for that “get-something-fast” approach to anything, like getting rich, learning a new skill, or in this case, stopping smoking.It’s easy for anyone to answer ‘yes’ to the question of “Can you quit smoking fast and easy?” and present a set of basic steps that’s easy to digest and seem easy to implement.But the keyword for quitting smoking is ‘consistency’ – quitting is a process, rather than something that occurs overnight.So, is it possible to quit smoking fast and easy, meaning to just dump your…

We’ve recently discussed smoking bans in Australia, namely the smokefree places in the country and regulations that govern it. But, do they actually work? Have they helped reduce the number of smokers in the country, or does it just give unscrupulous parties an opportunity to exploit?Let’s answer “do smoking bans work?” in today’s post.Setting the Stage for a Smoke-Free AustraliaIn Australia, you can’t just take out a ciggie and light up anywhere. Laws protect the public from unwanted and unnecessary exposure to cigarette smoke and have recently been expanded to also cover aerosols from nicotine vaping products (NVPs).In a nutshell, Australia’s…

With the many dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke, it doesn’t come as a surprise that smoking and tuberculosis (TB) are closely linked. TB affected 40 million people in the world last year, including women and children.While global efforts to reduce its spread worldwide have been made a global policy, active smokers and people exposed to secondhand smoke are at extremely high risk of contracting TB. In this post, we’ll explore how smoking and tuberculosis are related and how it weakens the immune system, paving the way for infection.Exploring the Link Between Tuberculosis and SmokingSmoking not only increases the risk of contracting…

It’s no surprise that your body can start feeling much more energised after you go through your quit journey. But, before anything, you may experience some challenging changes first – such as gaining weight and eating a lot more than usual.After you quit smoking, food will taste a lot better. The chicken parmi (or parma) you’ve just had might have tasted better because your taste buds have started to repair themselves. It’s also normal to eat more as you’re going through nicotine withdrawal.But, if you find yourself eating higher volumes, it’s important to make sure you’re eating the right food…