Slow down, take a deep breath… It sure is nice to have lungs. Lungs
are of course vital, they provide your body with the O2 (oxygen) it requires
to keep you doing the things you love.
We spend a lot of time thinking about our stomachs, and all of the good
and bad we put into them, but ultimately we only have to fill our stomachs
a few times a day. Our lungs get cranky without a refill every few seconds,
11,000 liters a day according to one average!
It is officially Lung Cancer awareness month, and no greater threat exists to lungs than lung cancer. MedlinePlus reports that other lung diseases include influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis and cystic fibrosis, but lung cancer is the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer, but is still the leading cause of cancer death.
Though the leading cause of lung cancer, smoking isn’t the only cause, patients being treated for lung cancer shouldn’t be automatically stigmatized as smokers. Lung cancer can be caused by anything that damages a cell in such a way that it grows new cells incorrectly and out of control. Smoking greatly increases the chances, like standing near a swimming pool improves your chances of getting wet.
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), Quitting smoking is the
single most important step a smoker can take to reduce their risk for
lung cancer. If you are a smoker ,and want to quit, you have taken the
hardest step.
Even if you have tried already, every attempt to quit is a step toward
quitting. Check out the ever expanding resources, methods, and even medicines
that might help you towards a long life of good breathing. You might be
surprised how many people and companies want to help you quit smoking.