Preksha Dhyana Human Body Part 2

Author(s): Jethalal S Zaveri
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 94

and liver. Remember that the liver plays a major role in detoxifying poisons that have entered the body. A large proportion of automobile accidents are caused because drivers' co-ordination, reflexes and judgement were impaired by a few drinks taken before driving.
Smoking
Every cigarette packet and advertisement must carry the statutory warning : "Cigarette smoking is jnjurious to your health.” Smoking causes a variety of diseases, promoting the development of emphysema and heart-disease and producing a chronic cough. The result of smoking, however, that had most captured the public imagination, some years ago, is the development of lung cancer. This is a growth, often malignant and often fatal, which is more than 20 times as prevalent in smokers than in non-smokers. As the malignant cells multiply, they crowed out normal healthy cells and destroy tissue. Emphysema is a pathological enlargement of the alveoli. Many bronchioles are obstructed, the walls of the alveoli are atrophied and thinned out, and the total surface of the respiratory membrane is drastically reduced. These conditions are irreversible. Eventually, hypoia? and hypercapnia (an elevated carbon dioxided tension in the blood) cause death.
Today smoking is considered a major cause not only of lung cancer but of cancer of the larynx, oral cavity (mouth) and esophagus and a contributing factor in development of malignancy in the bladder, pancreas and kidney.?
1. See chapter VI of this book. 2. Source : TIME magazine, March 8, 1982. Besides, it has published some excerpts from the Surgeon-General of U.S.A's report:
Last week's report form Surgeon-General, C. Everett Koop was the most serious indictment of smoking yet made. The conclusion: "Cigarette smoking is clearly indentified as the chief preventable cause of death in our society and the most important public health issue of our time.”
The report (also) warns non-smokers exposed to cigarette smoke. Smoke emitted into the air form a smouldering cigarette sometimes. includes carcinogens in higher concentrations than those inhaled by a smoker. Non-smokers should avoid being in smoke-filled rooms.
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