Smoking Reduces Resistance to the Bacteria that Cause Stomach Ulcers

This is one of those affirmations that isn’t quite so obvious, or as threatening, as some of the others. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori is believed to be present in the upper gastrointestinal tract of more than 50% of the world’s population, yet 80% of those so infected show no symptoms as a result.

While it is speculated that Helicobacter pylori may play an important role in the ecology of the stomach (as so many other bacteria certainly do) it has also been linked to gastric ulcers, chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach-lining), and stomach cancer. It is believed that the helical-shape of the bacterium has evolved in order to penetrate the mucous lining in the stomach.

Nasty – and smoking, apparently, makes it harder for the body to resist the penetrative activities of these potentially harmful bacteria. (Before I began writing this post, I was out on the balcony having a cigarette with my Father, and asked him if he’d ever had an ulcer. He said no. I’ve never had one either. It’s entirely possible that we are actually reducing our bodies’ resistance to Helicobacter pylori, but that our natural resistance is strong enough for it not to be a concern… One of the genetic inheritances that run in my Family is incredible hardiness…)

Helicobacter pylori in the lumen of a gastric foveola
Photo courtesy of euthman

Anyway, as promised, here’s the log of yesterday’s cigarette-consumption:

1^st cigarette of the day @ 11:15 AM (unfortunately, I’d only just gotten up at 11:00)
2^nd @ 12:20 PM
3^rd @ 1:30 PM – which I stopped wanting after two or three puffs, and threw away half-finished!
4^th @ 2:50 PM
5^th @ 3:50
6^th @ 5:40 PM
7^th @ 7:10 PM
8^th @ 8:55 PM
9^th @ 10:30 PM
10^th @ 10:50 PM – (by this time in the evening, I’ve had a few beers or more…)
11^th @ 12:15 AM
12^th and final cigarette @ 1:20, just shortly before finally getting to bed…

I’d like to add that the average-spacing between cigarettes of 71 minutes is not the result of any exertion of will-power, I smoked whenever I felt like it. This amount of cigarettes is not unlike the frequency at which I smoked when I was a 15-year-old high-school student, but it is a great deal different from the pack or so a day I’ve gotten used to smoking in recent years. 12 cigarettes in a day was actually pretty disappointing, but Walter’s Special Technique isn’t intended to have instantaneous results. This third time around applying the technique, I’d resolved to consistently stick with it for as long as it took, not only for the urge to smoke to disappear, but to keep it gone by continuing to use these cards even after the quit-date (something I didn’t do either time before…)

So far today, I’ve had one cigarette, and that was an hour ago. I’ll keep tracking them, and we’ll compare them again sometime on the weekend.

RETROACTIVE UPDATE: Smoking Log for the Day:

1^st cigarette of the day @ 11:20 AM (I wake up late these days - this was maybe 20 minutes or so after waking...)
2^nd @ 12:35 PM
3^rd @ 2:05 PM
4^th @ 3:05 PM
5^th @ 4:45 PM
6^th @ 6:15 PM
7^th @ 7:50 PM
8^th @ 8:35 PM
9^th @ 10:20 PM
10^th @ 11:45 PM
11^th @ 12:55 AM
12^th @ 1:35 AM

Average time-interval 77 minutes…