Your heart is the center of your being. It moves oxygen containing blood to the rest of your body. If something is wrong with your heart, your whole body is at risk. When people think of health problems from smoking, lung cancer and asthma are what come to mind. But 9 out of 10 bypass surgeries are because of smoking.

What’s in cigarettes that is so bad for your health? You would think that breathing in smoke would be a bad idea in general, but people have been smoking for thousands of years. When you inhale on a cigarette, you are breathing in around 4,000 chemicals. Most of those are known carcinogens and toxins, but are still used in most popular brands. Mercury, nickel and lead are a few of the chemicals.

Cigarettes are known for causing nicotine additions, but the nicotine should be the least of your concerns. Nicotine itself is a stimulant similar to coffee–it may be slightly additive, but there is very little nicotine in cigarettes. The ammonia in a regular cigarette actually increases nicotine’s addictive properties, along with lots of other chemicals. If you’re a smoker, you probably know the difficulties of trying to quit. But don’t give up yet, you have a way out.

Electronic cigarettes are the “new thing” when it comes to smoking and your health. They are less expensive in the long run and are free of those nasty chemicals. Instead of igniting chemicals and tar, they simple make a harmless vapor. The vapor contains nothing but water, nicotine and flavorings. No lead, nickel or mercury. Electronic cigarettes can look and feel like regular cigarettes; they can be white with an orange “filter” and a glowing ember. If you’re looking to quit, these are a great choice. Instead of quitting cold turkey, you can ease off the habit while breathing easier. Your heart will thank you.