7 Effects of smoking on our digestive system & bull; hello healthy

Smoking habits have caused about 6 million people worldwide die every year. More than 5 million people died as a result of the direct impact of smoking, while the rest died from exposure to cigarette smoke or secondhand smoke. Smoking causes many bad effects on the body, one of the organs that experiences an impact is the digestive system. What are the effects of smoking on the digestive system?

1. Often experience stomach acid disorders

Heartburn is a condition in which you feel a burning and burning sensation in the chest. This condition is caused by acid reflux into the esophagus - part of the throat.

In fact, between the esophagus and the stomach, there is a valve that functions to prevent stomach acid and food that has entered the stomach back upward, called the sphincter. However, in people who are used to smoking, the sphincter muscles become weak, causing stomach acid to rise again.

2. Causes stomach ulcers

Gastric ulcers are the effects of smoking which are characterized by the appearance of sores on the stomach and small intestine. These sores cause a person to experience severe pain. This condition will reduce or even disappear if you stop smoking.

Smoking habits can cause blood flow to the walls of the stomach and intestines to decrease. This results in inflammation and injury. In addition, experts say that smoking increases the number of bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori), namely bacteria that cause infection and inflammation of the small intestine and stomach.

3. Disorders of the liver

The liver is an organ that functions to filter blood and separate substances that are still needed by the body and which are toxins. However, when you smoke, the liver's ability to filter toxins from the blood decreases, because there are too many toxins in cigarettes and then accumulate a lot if you smoke frequently. Especially if this smoking habit is accompanied by the habit of consuming alcohol, it can be predicted that the problem with your liver will get worse. Liver disorders caused by smoking are cirrhosis and liver cancer.

4. Increases the risk of Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs in the intestines and is caused by a disturbance in the immune system. However, in several studies it is stated that smoking is a risk factor for Crohn's disease. So, if you are accustomed to smoking, then you have the opportunity to experience this disease.

Experts conclude that smoking can result in decreased blood flow to the intestines, impaired intestinal defense system, and a disturbance in the immune system as a whole so that Crohn's disease can occur in people who smoke.

5. The formation of gallstones

Several studies have shown that gallstones can be caused by smoking. Gallstones are formed from bile that hardens into stones. The size of the gallstones that are formed in each individual is different.

6. Increase your chances of developing inflammation of the pancreas

The pancreas is an organ that sits at the back of the stomach and is close to the duodenum. This organ plays a role in regulating blood sugar levels and the metabolism of several nutrients. In several studies, it is stated that smoking increases a person's chances of developing inflammation of the pancreas or pancreasitis.

7. Cancer of various organs in the digestive system

Cancer cells can grow and develop anywhere and smoking can increase the risk of cancer. In the digestive system, smoking can cause cancer to grow in the mouth, vocal cords, esophagus, liver, intestines, stomach, pancreas, and rectum.

Can the effects of smoking on the digestive system be lost and healed?

Of course some digestive system disorders will go away when you stop smoking. For example, the symptoms of stomach ulcers will subside some time after you stop smoking. What is clear, by stopping smoking, the symptoms and problems that arise in the digestive system will be reduced and vice versa, the more often you smoke, the worse the disturbances that arise.