In recent years, there has been growing interest in what is known as the “healthy hookah” — an attempt to improve the habits that come with hookah smoking by adopting methods and materials that reduce the harm to health. But it is important to understand how these changes affect your lifestyle and the way you smoke.

How a healthy hookah affects your lifestyle:

1. Fewer harmful substances

• The traditional hookah contains large amounts of nicotine, tar and harmful chemicals that affect the health of the respiratory system and the heart. Turning to a healthy hookah — which replaces tobacco with nicotine-free products, or uses heating technology instead of combustion — can help reduce these harmful substances, leading to less impact on general health.

2. Better mental wellbeing

• A healthy hookah can offer a sense of relaxation and the enjoyment of a session with friends, without the guilt that comes with the harm to health. Reducing harmful substances or using alternative products may help improve your peace of mind and sense of balance, without constant worry about the negative effects.

3. Weight and physical condition

• Some studies have suggested that traditional smoking can lead to a loss of appetite or to controlling weight in unhealthy ways. Switching to a healthy hookah, or relying less on chemicals, may improve eating habits and general health, helping you keep in better physical shape and maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

4. Stronger positive social habits

• The hookah is often tied to social gatherings, and is seen as a way to relax and spend time with friends. With the move towards the healthy hookah, people can enjoy these gatherings in a safer way that is less harmful to their health, strengthening social ties without the worry of smoking-related illnesses.

5. Less impact on the environment

• Using alternative materials and less harmful components in a healthy hookah reduces the environmental impact of disposing of harmful waste, such as the coal and ash left by traditional smoking. Better materials may help reduce the pollution that smoking causes.

Switching to a healthy hookah can have a positive effect on your lifestyle by reducing health risks, improving your mental and physical wellbeing, and strengthening social ties. Even so, it is always important to remember that a healthy hookah is not completely risk-free, and it should be used with care and in moderation to keep a healthy lifestyle.