By smoking, you are putting yourself at several health risks. Cigarettes contain several different toxins and chemicals that move throughout your body, leading to different types of problems. These vary from mild problems to severe health risks that may even lead to death. Following, are six of several health risks that are probable in relation to smoking.

1. Leukemia. This is a type of bone marrow disease that happens with an increase in white blood cells. Usually, this happens because the white blood cells are unable to be controlled. Leukemia is further exposed to be able to form in your body when you smoke. This is because of the chemical used in cigarettes known as benzene. This is a leukemogen that adds to the white blood cells being uncontrolled.

2. Weakened immune system. If you smoke, you are more likely to become sick more often, and can produce fatal diseases easier. Colds, the flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc. are some of the different symptoms that you will be more exposed to. The cigarettes chemicals move into the immune system and replace the toxins that are used to fight off diseases with the chemicals in the cigarettes. At first, this will cause you to become sick more often, but after a long period of smoking, it may lead to chronic illnesses that can weaken your system or cause death.

3. Osteoporosis. This is a symptom where your bones become weak, especially in the hip area. This begins because the smoke causes damage to nerve endings and tissue. This causes a lower level of blood to move into the bones, eventually not allowing the right nutrients to move into the bone areas. If you have an injury with a bone and smoke, it will take a longer time for it to heal as well. Eventually, this leads to lower bone density, which causes osteoporosis later on in your life.

4. Premature aging and wrinkles. The smoke and the tar that are in cigarettes take away the nutrients and oxygen that are needed for your skin to remain healthy. This includes weakening the collagen and fibers that are needed for healthy skin. These fibers are what give your skin strength and flexibility. It then replaces this with the radicals and chemicals that are in cigarette smoke. Smoke also causes the blood vessels in your skin to slow down. This takes away essential nutrients that the skin needs in order to remain healthy, such as vitamin A.

5. Asthma. Asthma is a lung disease that occurs because the lungs are unable to receive a sufficient amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This happens because the air flow to the lungs is blocked off. This then causes swelling of the air tubes, making it more difficult for air to move through. Asthma is often related to the symptoms of shortness of breath, a tight chest, coughing and wheezing. In smoking, asthma is often one of the results. This begins because the toxins and chemicals from smoking narrow the airways to your lungs and through the blood stream. Because of the toxins in the cigarette smoke, your lungs will respond by trying to create larger air sacs. This begins severe problems with breathing because the oxygen and carbon dioxide are blocked off from the normal air flow.

6. Altered Brain Chemistry. This includes things such as addiction and withdrawal symptoms, anxiety and other imbalances in your brain. This mainly occurs because of the nicotine contained in cigarettes. This nicotine is used as an addictive advice. It allows a smoker to believe that cigarettes allow them to feel good, relax, and calm their nerves. The nicotine moves into the brain and affects the natural system of chemicals that are used to calm painful situations. These chemicals are then consistently in need of being triggered by the nicotine. When this constant feeling of relaxation and feeling good is not noticeable, it causes a smoker to have withdrawal symptoms and addicting habits.

Smoking can cause several different types of symptoms, all leading to poor health. The toxins and chemicals that are used in smoking cause your body to move into a state of being constantly unhealthy, eventually leading to more severe problems. By smoking, you are affecting every part of your body's health.