How do Smoking and Drinking Harm Your Health?

Updated on 20 December 2022

Table of Content

Drinking and smoking often go together. People who choose to smoke and drink together do so as a way of life. Both habits might have a major negative impact on your body. These two habits are so intertwined that many people find it impossible to avoid them. It may even prove fatal if someone does it frequently. So, it is important to be aware of the health risks associated with drinking and smoking.

The Dire Effects of Smoking and Drinking on Health

The list of health effects of smoking and alcohol on health provided below can help you decide whether to give up these two harmful behaviours.

Wrinkles on The Skin: Additionally, smoking is bad for your skin. If you smoke frequently, your facial skin begins to wrinkle and age. Excessive drinking and smoking can be dangerous to your health. Smoking decreases collagen and elastin, which results in premature wrinkles.
Impact Digestive System: Regular drinkers and smokers may develop digestive issues. Smoking predisposes to gastritis, gastric ulcers and indigestion. This increases even more when coupled with alcohol. A higher risk of developing oral, larynx, oesophagus, throat, and pancreatic cancer is seen in those who consume alcohol and smoke regularly. If you smoke but do not inhale, you could develop mouth cancer. Furthermore, it may worsen insulin resistance, which raises your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Liver Cirrhosis: Drinking excessively might harm your liver. The liver is in charge of producing bile, which aids in the body's fat breakdown. Additionally, it cleans the blood. Continuous drinking can slowly harm your liver and result in chronic injury that leads to liver cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis is one of the diseases caused by smoking and drinking.
Affect Respiratory System: Smokers don’t know that they are risking the health of their respiratory system. Other than emphysema and lung cancer, you may suffer from chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma. In addition, smoking withdrawal can cause temporary coughing, wheezing, and respiratory discomfort. Smokers should also keep in mind that these respiratory problems affect their family members and close associates as well as themselves as they inhale this smoke, called passive smoking.
High Cholesterol: The fact that drinking alcohol might raise cholesterol may surprise some individuals. Drinking too much can cause artery plaque to build up and impede blood flow to the heart. In addition, it can damage more cells and hormones in the liver. Smoking can also weaken blood vessel walls and cause the body to produce less HDL (good) cholesterol. You might have high cholesterol levels, which increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other illnesses.
Damage Central Nervous System: You initially feel energized when nicotine from cigarettes enters your brain, but over time, it wears you out and makes you desire more. It is the main reason why individuals struggle to quit smoking. Anxiety, anger, and depression are negative symptoms of smoking withdrawal.
Reproductive System: It has been observed that both smoking and alcohol reduce sperm count in males. Men who drink excessively may experience erection problems. In men, blood should flow consistently through the penis. Smoking and drinking reduce blood flow, which raises the possibility of erectile dysfunction. Even in females, fertilization is low. Many infertility problems are directly or indirectly related to these two addictions. Furthermore, pregnant women who smoke or drink alcohol risk having an unhealthily developed baby with congenital defects.
Cardiovascular System: Smoking has a direct and severe impact on your heart and blood vessels. The chemicals in tobacco smoke promote the development of fatty deposits in the arteries, causing atherosclerosis. This condition restricts blood flow to vital organs, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Smoking is one of the leading contributors to cardiovascular diseases.
Weakened Immune System: Heavy drinking weakens the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections and impairing the ability to recover from illnesses.
Cancer Risk: Drinking and smoking significantly increase the risk of various cancers, including lung, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and breast cancer, as both habits contain carcinogens that damage cells and promote cancerous growth.

Why smoking and drinking is bad for your health?

Smoking and drinking are detrimental to health due to their severe adverse effects. Smoking tobacco exposes the body to harmful chemicals that damage the lungs, heart, and blood vessels, leading to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and cancers.
Additionally, alcohol consumption in excess can harm the liver, and brain, and increase the risk of addiction, accidents, and chronic conditions like liver disease and certain cancers.
Both habits weaken the immune system, impair cognitive function, and contribute to premature aging.
Adopting these habits significantly elevates the risk of life-threatening diseases and compromises overall well-being, making it imperative to avoid or minimize smoking and excessive alcohol consumption for better health.

Benefits of kicking the habit

Kicking the habits of drinking and smoking can bring about a myriad of life-transforming benefits, positively impacting both physical health and overall well-being. Here are the significant advantages of abandoning these harmful behaviors:

1. Improved Physical Health:

Respiratory System: Quitting smoking allows the respiratory system to heal, resulting in improved lung function and reduced risk of respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Cardiovascular Health: Both smoking and excessive drinking can strain the heart and blood vessels, leading to an increased risk of heart disease. By quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake, individuals significantly lower their chances of heart-related issues like heart attacks and strokes.
Cancer Risk Reduction: Smoking is a major contributor to various cancers, including lung, throat, and mouth cancers. Reducing alcohol intake also decreases the risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as liver and breast cancer.

2. Enhanced Mental Well-being:

Stress Reduction: While some may resort to smoking and drinking to cope with stress, these habits can exacerbate anxiety in the long run. Quitting smoking and moderating alcohol intake can lead to reduced stress levels and improved mental clarity.
Improved Emotional Balance: Letting go of these harmful habits can positively impact emotional stability and promote a more positive outlook on life.

3. Aesthetic Benefits:

Youthful Appearance: Smoking and excessive drinking can cause premature aging, leading to wrinkles and dull skin. By quitting both habits, individuals can achieve a more youthful and vibrant complexion.

4. Enhanced Longevity:

Increased Life Expectancy: By quitting smoking and moderating alcohol intake, individuals significantly reduce their risk of developing life-threatening diseases, increasing their chances of living a longer and healthier life.

The Synergistic Effect of Smoking and Drinking

The combination of smoking and drinking can amplify the harmful effects on health. For instance, smoking can weaken the immune system, making the body less effective at combating the toxic effects of alcohol. Moreover, smoking increases the risk of oral cancer, and when combined with heavy alcohol consumption, the risk becomes even more pronounced.

Summing Up!

Whether a heavy smoker or drinker or not, you can still suffer from lung and liver-related diseases. You can ask for help from a doctor who can help you reduce smoking and drinking. To get rid of these two negative habits, practice meditation and adopt a healthy lifestyle. If you have a health issue, you can visit www.carehospitals.com.