stop smoking aids

How Your Body Heals When You Quit Smoking

By Monalisa Hyden

As a smoker, you must be tired of hearing all those free of cost advices from your well- wishers, �Quit sweetheart! Smoking isn�t doing any good to you�. You must be wondering, �Haven�t all the years of smoking or chewing already caused enough damage for you to quit and derive any benefit now? Not at all!� Let me tell you that if you really go deep into the matter and check the benefits of quitting then I am sure you will at least try to stop smoking.

What happens inside our bodies when we quit smoking or any type of tobacco use? The human body is amazingly resilient. Within the first 20 minutes of quitting, the healing process begins. Quit smoking benefits will continue to improve your health and quality of life for years.

It takes courage to put down that last cigarette. When you quit smoking, the benefits begin within minutes of your last cigarette. At 20 minutes after quitting your blood pressure decreases, pulse rate drops, body temperature of hands and feet increases. Then within 8 hours of smoking the last cigarette carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal, oxygen level in blood increases to normal. Next 24 hours your chance of a heart attack decreases, and at 48 hours, nerve endings start re-growing, ability to smell and taste improves!

Between 2 weeks and 3 months after you have quit smoking, blood circulation improves, walking becomes easier and lung function increases.

Between 1 to 9 smoke free months, you may notice significant improvements in problems like coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath.

When you complete 1 year smoke free, excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker. Quitting tobacco is the absolute best thing you can do for your heart and for your health overall.

Imagine what happens when you remain smoke free from 5 to 15 years? Stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked. After 10 smoke free years, the risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers, risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases, risk of ulcer decreasesAnd finally after 15 years of quitting smoke the risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked and also the risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked.

Remember, you have many reasons for which you can quit smoking at any point of time. But developing the will to quit and decide a quit date is really crucial. It is rare indeed for a smoker to really ever be "ready" for their quit date. Smokers are addicts, and addicts are controlled by the substance they're addicted to. Don't wait for the stars to align and conditions to present themselves perfectly, because if you do, you'll never quit smoking. Quit smoking today!

The author, Monalisa Hyden, addresses psychological and health related issues. If you wish to help yourself and your loved ones in http://www.chantixhome.com for more information and advice.

posted by bigassbite @ 2:30 AM