While there are certainly advantages to being a smoker, there are also some significant health risks associated with the habit. If you’re looking to shed some pounds, you may wonder if taking up smoking would be a good idea. According to the American Cancer Society, the short-term effects of nicotine consumption include:
- A loss of appetite
- A reduction in calorie consumption
- A drop in blood pressure
- An increase in heart rate
- A rise in stress level
- A higher risk of coronary heart disease
The organization also cited research that associated long-term nicotine use with increased odds of developing:
- Osteoporosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Heart disease
- Emphysema
- Cancer
If you’re interested in trying nicotine for weight loss tips, you might want to consider the following. Keep reading to learn more.
How Does Nicotine Help You Lose Weight?
You may be familiar with the concept of intermittent fasting, which involves eating only when you need to and sometimes going without food for days at a time. When you consume fewer calories but still meet your body’s nutritional needs, you’re bound to lose weight. This is because your body is better at conserving resources when exposed to periods of nutritional deprivation rather than feasting, which would cause you to gain weight in the long term. There is also the distinct possibility that your body may start generating more free radicals as a result of nutritional deficiencies, which could lead to cell damage and premature aging. As you may have guessed, tobacco consumption is linked to all of these issues.
When you smoke, your body is subjected to a number of toxins. While there are many beneficial compounds in tobacco, the biggest detractor is undoubtedly nicotine. If you’re a regular consumer of cigarettes, you’ll start to see some serious side effects from the habit, the most significant of which is an increase in weight. It would be best for your health if you avoided tobacco completely. If you’re already a smoker, you might consider trying alternatives such as e-cigarettes or vaping, as these are much healthier than traditional cigarettes. These products contain no tobacco and very little in the way of harmful additives. In fact, some studies have suggested that e-cigarettes could help users quit smoking completely!
Are There Any Health Benefits To Smoking?
Apart from helping you lose weight, there are a number of other health benefits that you can derive from smoking. Let’s take a quick look at some of the more significant ones. First, there’s the issue of cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 1.7 million new cases of cancer in the United States alone in 2018. One of the primary reasons attributed to this alarming statistic is that people are becoming fewer and fewer likely to get tested for cancer. If you want to lower your risk of developing cancer, it’s imperative that you get yourself tested at least once a month (and more if you’re at risk). This is because early detection is the key to successful treatment. Second, there’s the issue of heart disease. The American Heart Association reports that there are more than 450 million heart disease diagnoses around the world. According to the association, nearly 1 in 3 people are affected by this chronic condition. One of the primary causes of heart disease is simple bad luck. You may be prone to this illness if you have a family history of heart disease, but there’s also the issue of diet. If you want to avoid heart disease, it’s crucial to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while avoiding dairy products and processed foods. These are all important factors in maintaining good heart health.
Are There Any Disadvantages To Smoking?
As you’ve probably guessed, there are also some significant disadvantages to smoking. Chief among these is the fact that smoking is injurious to both your health and the environment. A regular cigarette smoker is likely to suffer from numerous health problems, the most significant of which is cancer. It also creates loads of pollution as a result of both burned and unburned tobacco causing air quality in cities to deteriorate. Finally, there’s the fact that it’s often difficult for people to give up. If you’re interested in trying nicotine for weight loss, you might find it difficult to quit the addiction completely. This is because nicotine is highly addictive and it’s often difficult to satisfy your nicotine cravings without first getting yourself into trouble. The good news is that you can use various methods of nicotine replacement therapy to make quitting easier for you. For example, you can try using a nicotine patch, a gum, or a lozenge.
Should You Try Nicotine For Weight Loss?
People are often tempted to try smoking for weight loss, but are they better off doing so? The answer is a definite no. If you want to shed some pounds, it’s advisable to avoid all forms of tobacco and seek alternatives. These alternatives include trying nut butters, which are high in healthy fats but low in carbohydrates. Another alternative is to try using an herbal extract such as green tea or ginseng to boost your body’s metabolism. You should also ask your doctor about trying a prescription drug like Fenfluramine or Tamoxifen, which are both anti-cancer agents. If you’re really determined to lose weight, it’s best to work with a nutritionist who can advise you on the proper diet and exercise regime for you to achieve your goal weight. On that note, don’t expect to lose a lot of weight in your first try. It usually takes professional help to realize true weight loss success.
At the end of the day, you have to weigh the pros and the cons of smoking for weight loss. On the plus side, you get to enjoy the benefits of a healthier lifestyle without all of the disadvantages. On the other hand, you have to consider the fact that you’re likely to put yourself in harm’s way. If you’re truly committed to losing weight, it’s best to avoid all forms of tobacco and look into alternatives. By doing so, you may find that you have fewer obstacles to achieving your goal weight.