History of Tobacco

1. Tobacco refer to a genus of broad leafed plants of the night shade family indigenous to north & South America, or to the dried & cured leaves of such plants
2. 21 species of tobacco exist
3. It has a history of about 8000 years
4. Europeans were introduced to tobacco in 1492
5. Portuguese traders introduced tobacco in India during 1600

Key Facts & Figures of Tobacco-World

1. 2nd major cause of death worldwide
2. 1out of 10 adults today die because of tobacco
3. 50 lacs (5 million) of people die every year worldwide because of tobacco

Key Facts & Figures of Tobacco-India

1. India is worlds 3rd largest producer of tobacco
2. 10 lacs (1 million) of people die every year
3. In India, 5 million children under the age of 15 are addicted to tobacco

Types and contents of tobacco

Smoked forms of tobacco:
Bidies, Cigarettes, Cheroots, Dhumti pipe, hooklis, Chillum, Hookah

Smokeless forms of tobacco:
Tobacco, areca nut and slaked lime preparations, Manipuri tobacco, Mawa, Khaini, chewing tobacco, snus, gutkha, masheri

Contents

1. Tobacco smoke contains 4000 chemicals
2. Out of these 43 chemicals are Cancerous
3. Nicotine is the only substance which produces addiction
4. Polonium 210, Nitrosamines, Cadmium, lead, tar, Carbon monoxide are also some of the other contents of tobacco

Effects of tobacco

1. Tobacco leads to many cancers at many sites like lungs, mouth, larynx, stomach, urinary bladder, gall bladder.
2. Carbon monoxide which contains in tobacco affects the electrical activity of the heart.
3. A pregnant woman exposed to ETS has increase chance of abortion, foetal death & delivery of low birth weight baby.
4. Babies born to smoking moms have low weight at birth. Some may die!

Tobacco cancers

1. 50% of all cancers in man & 25% of all cancers in woman are due to tobacco use.
2. 90% of lung cancer deaths are caused due to smoking
3. 1/3rd of all cancers in India are tobacco related.

Benefits of quitting Tobacco

1. 20 mins: - BP & pulse rate drops to normal.
2. 8 hrs : - Oxygen level increases to normal & carbon monoxide level drops in blood.
3. 24 hrs: - chance for heart attack goes down.
4. 48 hrs: - Ability to smell & taste improves.
5. 1 month to 9months: - Coughing, shortness of breath have decreased dramatically.
6. 1 year: - Risk of coronary heart disease is reducing in half.
7. 10 years:-Risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half.
8. 15 years: - Risk for coronary heart disease & stroke is the save as for life long non-smoker.

Alcohol Absorption

1. Takes place in the stomach
2. 20% directly into the bloodstream
3. 80% from small intestine into blood
4. The blood alcohol travels to all parts of the body

Absorption is influenced by

1. Number of drinks
2. Strength of alcoholic beverage
3. Other beverages mixed in
4. Water and juices slow absorption
5. Carbonated drinks increase BAC (blood alcohol concentration)
6. Food -fats, proteins
7. Emotional factors fear, jealousy, anger, stress
8. Blood chemistry

Effects of alcohol

1. Cirrhosis
2. Cancers
3. Cardiac diseases
4. Skin diseases
5. Gastritis
6. As well as a number of other irreversible neurological and psychological health conditions

Tips to help you quit from tobacco and alcohol

1. Don’t let alcohol, cigarettes, pan, gutkha & jarda be easily available.
2. When you feel like taking tobacco, think of your children & the effects on their future.
3. Maintain healthy balanced diet
4. Regular exercise
5. Counseling
6. Medicines
7. Raja yoga meditation helps you very much to quit tobacco & alcohol

Role of Rajyoga Meditation

1. Gives a clean environment
2. Increases tolerance power
3. Experience of bliss
4. Increase will power
5. Healthy & satvik diet
6. Experience of peaceful life
7. Experience of Stress free life
8. Not only quitting from tobacco, you can quit from all the diseases like heart attack, diabetes, etc…through raja yoga meditation.