(thanks to Devon Arbelo for posting this online – (https://vine.co/v/hjzA0whiMVu) Smokers lungs .vs healthy lungs #anatomy) 02/11/13)
I recently came across this clip which aims to show the difference between the lungs of a non smoker to that of a smoker. A shocking difference indeed! It’s one thing to read the statistics about these effects (see below), it’s another to see images of the deterioration in function, size and color.. Yuk! No wonder smokers are out of breath. I can’t verify the origin of these lungs, but it’s not hard to imagine from the ads we’ve all seen on TV that it’s feasible.
Health is one of the biggest reasons that smokers come in to see us at Make Changes. Both with concerns about their current health, and also their future health. Sometimes they have family members that have suffered terribly due to smoking with cancer or emphysema. They are worried they won’t see their children or grandchildren grow up, or even just want to have the energy to play with them now.
It’s great to hear stories of how, after people quit, they are able to go and play basketball or other sports with their kids and actually enjoy it again, where previously they made excuses because they were just too out of breath.
It’s also nice to hear how much the kids enjoy mum and dad having more energy, and also more time for them. They can stop nagging at mum and dad too, as they are so much better educated at school these days they know the risks and long term effects of smoking.
If you are still a smoker and are ready to get your lungs breathing better again, and to quit once and for all, contact us and we can help you to stop for good.
The leading cause of preventable death in Victoria is smoking.
Smoking-caused deaths in every area of the state outstrip other major avoidable deaths caused by alcohol, other drugs and road deaths, even when combined.
The Big Kill is a collection of data released by The Cancer Council Victoria in September 2008. The below picture from that study shows below the level of deaths caused by smoking in every local government area across the state. It's shocking to think that 11.9% of preventable deaths were from smoking in 2008.
Stats from The Victorian Cancer Council study in Sept 2008 called The Big Kill.
For more current statistics on smoking check out this Victorian Government Better Health Channel page. The Summary states ‘
- In 2004–05, 14,900 Australians died from smoking-related disease – that’s 40 preventable deaths every day.'
- According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, most deaths resulting from tobacco smoking occurred in people aged 65 years or more. However, around one in five deaths occurred in the 35–64 years age group.
According to the Cancer Council of Victoria: About 1 in 5 cancer deaths in Australia can be attributed to smoking. More than 10,000 Australians are diagnosed with a smoking-related cancer each year.
Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer caused by smoking, with more than 80% of lung cancer cases are caused by it.
Smoking also causes cancer of the larynx, oropharynx, bladder, mouth, lip, tongue, nose, nasal sinus, cervix, ureter, bone marrow (myeloid leukaemia), pancreas and stomach. There are associations between smoking and colo-rectal and liver cancers. (http://www.cancervic.org.au/preventing-cancer/quit-smoking)
