Smoking

A lot of women is aware that is smoking is bad for their health. Even if one of their family members already died from smoking, yet, they themselves still do smoke. Most smokers can recite the statistics of people dying from smoking.

They know that cancer is the leading cause of death of many people around the world, especially Philippines. Women smokers are 30% more likely to develop breast cancer than non-smokers. Women who smoke are more than twice as likely as other women to have a heart attack, and the risk of heart attack increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Pregnant smokers are at a higher risk of giving birth or stillborns, premature or underweight babies. Babies who have been exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher risk of dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Women smokers also have double the chances of developing cervical cancer compared to non-smokers.

What is behind our prediction to puff? Experts say a number of factors make it tough for women to kick the habit. In fact, we're one-third less likely to succeed at stopping than men. Why is this? More importantly, is it really possible to quit for life?

Many female smokers say they want to quit but are afraid they will gain weight if they do. One key reason girls start smoking in the first place is to avoid gaining weight! They are right to be concerned. Smokers tend to have poor diets that are high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables. Plus, nicotine speeds up your metabolism, so when you quit, your body slows down the rate at which it burns calories.

Smoking may also affect levels of serotonin, the feel-good hormone that regulates mood and appetite. This explains why smoking itself may act as a mild antidepressant. When you come off cigarettes, it is tempting to reach for sweets and carbs in an attempt to improve your mood. It all adds up to a possible weight gain of five to 15 pounds.

It