By Dalal Akoury, MD 10 day drug detox Act Now Brain Health Cancer Cancer risks Cigarette smoking Drugs Excessive weight problems Global weight loss Good weight management Group weight loss Healthy Aging rapid addiction recovery rapid addiction recovery for busy executives March 10, 2017

Smoking health threats and weight gain: Even Second-hand smoking too

We have known for a long time that being overweight is not healthy in many ways. If other substances of abuse were to be added on top of the already life-threatening situation, life can be unbearable. Take for instance the cigarette smoking health threats, if an obese patient is also smoking, this can only be referred to us dangerous. We spoke to the experts at AWAREmed health and wellness resource center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD over this. And in her professional view, several research findings have established that up to 80% of smokers gaining some weight when they finally quit. The general average weight gain is about five kilograms in the first year after stopping smoking and about six to seven kilograms overall. However, individuals who quit can have very different experiences with weight variations, ranging from those who lose weight to a minority of people who gain over ten kilograms. Nonetheless, studies have shown that in the long run, the average body weight of ex-smokers is similar to people who have never smoked.

Smoking changes the distribution of fat in women to a less healthy male ‘apple’ pattern. Women who smoke tend to put on more fat around their waist compared to those who do not. Fat in this area is associated with risks such as stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and a generally increased death rate. When women quit smoking, any weight gain that occurs is in the normal and safer female pattern, with a preference to the hips rather than the waist. The best approach is to focus on strategies to keep healthy rather than on weight control. These may include:

Making realistic goals for healthy eating
Getting regular exercise and
Getting enough sleep

These strategies can also help reduce weight gain. However, it is possible that you may have some little increase in weight. If you’re affected by these two conditions, managing them at the same time will definitely be difficult. Nonetheless, something can still be done. With experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center within reach, timely solutions to both conditions are guaranteed. If this description suits your situation, you need to schedule an appointment with doctor Akoury now for professional guidance and treatment.

Finally, while appreciating that to quitting cigarettes and managing weight may not be easy, because both activities require effort and commitment. Doctor Akoury will evaluate each case individually and may recommend that the patient concentrate first on quitting smoking and address the issue of weight latter. This would be a good professional advice because ideally, weight gain is normally about one kilo per month during the first three months, with the process slowing down progressively provided you have a sensible diet.

Smoking health threats and weight gain: Causes of weight gain when quitting smoking

The two main causes of weight gain when quitting smoking are thought to be:

Eating more food – many smokers find their eating habits change when they quit cigarettes. Some people experience increased hunger as a withdrawal symptom though this eventually return to normal.

The effect of nicotine on the body –Although nicotine isn’t thought to cause cancer, it does speed up the body’s food processing system, the metabolism. After many years of smoking, smokers tend to weigh slightly less than non-smokers.