What Effects Does Smoking Have on Cholesterol?
Smoking and cholesterol are closely related. When you smoke, your lungs absorb some of the toxins released from cigarettes, which lowers your body’s good cholesterol (HDL) and raises your bad cholesterol (LDL), leading to complications. Another side effect of smoking is that it makes your blood thicker and stickier, making it more likely to clot. This eventually narrows your arteries and causes blockages. Clogged blood vessels due to plaque buildup cause an increase in bad cholesterol and can put you at risk for heart disease.
In addition, cigarettes contain a toxin called Acrolein that negatively affects your cholesterol levels. It impairs the cholesterol-transporting function of HDL, which then acts as a receptor for free cholesterol in our bodies. Without the effectiveness of HDL, oxidized LDL increases a person’s risk of heart attack or other cardiovascular problems.
Can quitting smoking reverse heart damage?
Any positive change you make to maintain your health will have an effective result. If you decide to quit smoking and are lucky enough to succeed, there is a good chance that you can reverse the heart damage caused by your previous smoking habits. You can achieve quick and effective results in achieving your health goals after quitting smoking. After 1 year of quitting smoking, your risk of heart disease will be reduced by 50% and within 5-10 years of maintaining the habit of not smoking, your body will be like that of a person who has never smoked.
Here are 5 ways to quit smoking:
1. Consider nicotine replacement therapy
These are great ways to curb cravings, studies show that nicotine gum, lozenges and patches improve your ability to cope with withdrawal symptoms.
2. Eat a healthy diet
A healthy diet includes all the food groups including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, lean meats and nuts in amounts prescribed by your qualified dietitian. Pay special attention to Omega-3 fatty acids – nutrients that will increase HDL in our bodies; Vitamin C, Calcium, Vitamin B12, Iron and Vitamin D as smoking makes it harder for the body to absorb these nutrients.
3. Exercise
Aerobic exercise reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings, with effective results after 50 minutes of exercise. Exercises can range from high intensity to low intensity and can include swimming, boxing, jogging, brisk walking, pranayama, etc.
4. Stabilize your weight
Smoking combined with obesity can aggravate cardiovascular conditions. Exercise, lifestyle changes, and a healthy diet are the most effective combinations when it comes to weight loss.
5. Limit alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol can increase triglycerides, a type of lipid found in the blood. This can increase the risk of heart attack when combined with high LDL.
Conclusion
Smoking may give you temporary satisfaction, but its long-term consequences are terrible. Smoking causes many health problems such as lung disease, asthma, heart attacks, various cancers, etc. If you continue to smoke while your cholesterol levels are high, there is a high chance that your arteries will become clogged and you may suffer from heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases.
Although quitting smoking is not an easy task, you can resort to medications, a healthy diet, and support groups that can help you quit smoking and maintain your cholesterol levels, as well as prevent other health disasters caused by smoking.
