LONDON: Turns out, a single smoke can harm your body in ways incomprehensible to people.
While we all are aware that smoking kills, the health risks just one single cigarette poses to your body has been brought to light by a new study.
The researchers analysed 141 cigarette-smoking related studies and crunched the number of cigarettes people smoke and their subsequent health risks.
It was discovered that the people who lit just one fag a day are 74 percent more likely to develop coronary heart disease than the people who do not smoke at all.
Incidentally, people who smoke 20 cigarettes a day came out with double the chances of heart-related diseases than the non-smokers.
It was also found that people who smoked just one cigarette a day were 30 percent more likely to have a stroke than non-smokers.
The researchers reported that the chemicals in cigarette damage the function and structure of blood vessels, increasing the build-up of wavy plaque or the risk of arteriosclerosis.
According to the National Institute of Health, the plaque can narrow down your arteries, hardening them. It can result in limited blood flow leading to heart attack and stroke.
According to the Daily Star, there can be many ways to give up smoking. Finding a motivation, getting support, avoiding triggers, exercising, setting a date, eating healthy, reducing caffeine intake, and using a quitting aid like nicotine gums are some.
The study is published in journal BMJ.