It’s essential that you take the plunge to give up smoking in order to ensure your heart’s health, and to live a healthier and more fulfilling life. We frequently hear about how smoking hurts the lungs. Why not, it’s true after all, lungs of smokers take in more than 7,000 chemicals—70 of which are known to cause cancer—from cigarettes. But in no way should we underestimate its effect on the heart and blood vessels. Smoking is the chief cause of heart disease, at the same time is one of the most preventable causes of heart disease. Your arteries become stiff when you smoke, which makes your heart work harder. Smoking also can set off an abnormal heart rhythm and raise blood pressure, which are leading causes of stroke. Smoking lowers HDL or "good" cholesterol (high levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol is a major cardiovascular disease risk factor), causes thickening and narrowing of blood vessels, makes blood sticky and more likely to clot, which can block blood flow to the...