CHAPTER 8
Smoking & Your Lungs
The first line of defense against tobacco toxins is the respiratory system. It takes a beating from cigarette smoke. Smokers are more likely to have respiratory infections, as well as chronic respiratory ailments and cancer throughout the body. Your body tries to push toxins out by building up extra mucus in the lungs. Cilia are hairlike projections lining the respiratory system which usually push mucus and invading toxins out of the airways. But smokers' cilia are shortened and damaged as a result of smoking. That's why smokers hack and cough to expel the mucus clogging their lungs.
NEVER SMOKE... VIDEOS
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CHAPTER 1Quitting is Hard, But You Can Do It!Successful quitters have support, motivation, and a clear vision of life without cigarettes.VIEW VIDEO |
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CHAPTER 4Are Light Cigarettes Better for You?Don't kid yourself! Light cigarettes carry heavy risks.VIEW VIDEO |
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CHAPTER 8 (currently viewing)Smoking & Your LungsYour respiratory system takes a direct hit from smoke and its toxins.VIEW VIDEO |
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CHAPTER 14Why Quitting Is HardNicotine addiction and behavioral cues keep smokers smoking.VIEW VIDEO |
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CHAPTER 17Smoking is DeadlyWhen you quit smoking, you begin to take control of your health and life.VIEW VIDEO |
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theVisualMD Wishes to Thank our Scientific Collaborators:
- Jeremy Geffen, MD
- Neal Benowitz, MD
- Jodi Prochaska, PhD, MPH
Behavioral Psychologist University of California San Francisco - Barry Make, MD
Pulmonologist, National Jewish Health University of Colorado Denver - Candace Pert, PhD
Neuroscientist and author - Steven Schroeder, M.D., Director of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center
University of California San Francisco - Michael D. Stein, M.D., Chief Medical Director at The Visual MD.com
Professor of Medicine and Community Health Brown University
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