There has always been an uncanny bond that actor-brothers Ayushmann Khurrana and Aparshakti Khuraana have shared on social media and in interviews. Two evils of society, smoking and drinking, have apparently not found a place in their lives. Lately, they even revealed one massive reason that has kept them away from these harmful habits that most people acquire in life. Other than their story, it should also be taken into account the overall effects on the health of smoking and drinking, destroy one's body and wellness.
The Result Of Strict Parenting
According to the guest on the newest episode of Cyrus Says podcast, Aparshakti Khurana shared that the reason they are resting is that they had a strict father. “He was very strict," he remembered. When they entered college, he warned them, "If you want to go out and party, then don't come back home; crash at somebody else's place. But the day I get to know that you are drinking and smoking, you are done." Such explicit warnings made them scared and respectful enough to keep both brothers away from these vices.
Aparshakti also referred to the fact in the interview that their father, being an astrologer of some repute, would have been able to know that they were drinking or smoking. The fear of getting caught combined with the fear of their father's power was enough to keep them dry. As they grew up, with each passing college year, the appeal of such habits lost its appeal, and they have never felt the urge to indulge in them.
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How Do Smoking and Drinking Harm Your Health?
The banes of smoking and drinking on health are well known, and pervasive. Both bad habits are usually twinned, and the effects of the two combined can be excruciating.
Skin and Aging
Cigarette smoking causes degeneration of the skin. The cigarette minimises the action of collagen and elastin, causing wrinkles and premature ageing. Nicotine and other components in tobacco smoke cause oxidation of the cells of the skin and give the complexion a dull tone of uneven texture.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Regular smoking and drinking give an exposure to gastric ailments. Smoking irritates the stomach lining whereas alcohol results in increased production of stomach acid and therefore worsens those conditions. Apart from all of it, on a broader spectrum, there is a threat of cancer in the digestive tract increased up to oral, larynx, oesophagus, throat and pancreatic cancer.
Liver Health
The long-term effects play havoc with the liver, as it slowly replaces healthy tissue with scar tissue—a condition known as liver cirrhosis—which greatly affects its function. The liver is a vital organ for blood purification and the synthesis of bile to aid fat digestion. And long term drinking plays havoc with both functions.
Respiratory System
Smoking has a significant impact on the respiratory system, causing chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer. It also increases chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Passive smoking is equally a harming health issue for non-smokers. Their breathing becomes problematic and they also become more prone to heart diseases.
Cardiovascular Health
As per Dr Viswesvaran Balasubramanian, Consultant Interventional Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, the chemicals in tobacco smoke have a role in the development of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the fatty deposit buildup in the arteries and narrows them reducing the blood flow. It is responsible for causing heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease. Alcohol also raises blood pressure and leads to heart disease, predominantly when taken in excess amounts.
Central Nervous System
Nicotine and alcohol influence the operation of the central nervous system very basically. In very simple terms, cigarettes will stimulate the brain by releasing nicotine which gives a strong feeling of pleasure in the brain function. Later on, it causes dependency and subsequent addiction where stopping becomes almost difficult. Common symptoms of withdrawal from nicotine include anxiety, irritability, and depression. Alcohol changes the brain's neurotransmitters leading to impaired thinking; one experiences problems in thinking, unstable memories, and increased tendencies to experience depression and anxiety.
Reproductive Health
One can't afford to say that smoking and alcohol are detrimental to one's reproductive health. For the male, these vices decrease their sperm count and motility; they cause erectile dysfunction, and there is even hormonal imbalance. On the females' part, overindulgence in these vices causes menstrual irregularity, low fertility, and even pregnancy complications. Women who smoke or drink during pregnancy will most likely give birth to babies with birth defects and who are developmentally impaired.
Immune System
Excessive alcohol use can impair or damage the immune system, making it more potential for a person to develop infections and extending the time for infection to get resolved. Tobacco also damages the immune response raises the risk of respiratory infections and even weakens the effects of vaccines.
Risk to Cancer
The carcinogenic compounds contained in tobacco smoke and alcohol markedly increase one's risk for a variety of cancers. Smoking, for instance, causes lung cancer; smoking and drinking together cause cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, and breast. Both damage the DNA within cells, the trigger for uncontrollable, malignant cell growth.
Bottomline
The strict guidance of their father has kept Ayushmann and his brother Aparshakti Khurana away from indisciplined lifestyles like smoking and drinking. This has saved them from all these health hazards, and this applies to many other such cases also. Harmful effects of smoking and drinking reflect at almost every level from skin problems to the immune system and greatly increase the risk of chronic diseases and cancers.
Knowing all these risks, people will be prompted not to do such habits or quit them already to have a healthy and longer life. Either by discipline in self or guidance from others, this decision to keep sober helps accomplish far-reaching benefits in one's life.