Smoking is associated with nearly one in five deaths in America each year, according to the Surgeon General. The decision to quit can save your life, and your body begins to benefit from quitting even faster than you might think.
People who have smoked regularly for more than two weeks will see drops in heart rate and blood pressure 20 minutes after smoking their last cigarette. If that final smoke happens in the morning, carbon monoxide levels in the blood that can cause arteries to harden drop to normal levels by bedtime.
Quitting is difficult, but consider the long-term health benefits:
Less Than One Year
• Two weeks to three months: Your circulatory and pulmonary function increases, which means your risk for suffering a heart attack drops.
• Less than nine months: Your lung function begins to normalize, you’ll experience fewer annoying coughing spells, and you won’t be short of breath as quickly.
• At one year: Your risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) — the leading cause of death among men and women in America — is half what it would be if you had continued smoking.
One Year and Beyond
• Five years: You’ve halved your risk for bladder, esophageal, mouth and throat cancers. Your risk for cervical cancer and stroke — the fourth leading cause of American death — can be equal to that of nonsmokers.
• Ten years: Compared to smokers, your risk of dying from lung cancer is half. You also have decreased risk for larynx and pancreatic cancer.
• Fifteen years: Your risk of CHD is equal to that of a nonsmoker.
The sooner you decide to quit, the better, but it’s never too late.
How to Quit
Stopping a habit in its tracks is unquestionably one of the hardest things you can attempt — but it can be done. Stamp out smoking effectively with these tips.
• Make a plan. Make a list of reasons why you’re quitting. Remind yourself of these every day, even when you don’t feel the urge to smoke.
• Get rid of it. Cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters and anything else that will remind you of smoking should go. Every time you look at an ashtray, you’ll think of smoking, so there’s no need to have one on your coffee table.
• Know the benefits. Reinforce your decision with the knowledge of why it’s the right choice. Reference your list of why you’re quitting. If health concerns aren’t enough to maintain your resolve, consider this: If you smoke one pack per day, you spend thousands of dollars every year on cigarettes. What else could you do with that money?
It’s hard to quit smoking. That is why Tennova Healthcare – Clarksville offers a free smoking cessation informational seminar on the third Wednesday of the month from 5 to 6 p.m. Classes are held in the Liberty Rooms of the Medical Center located at 651 Dunlop Lane. To register call 1-855-TENNOVA or visit Tennova.com.
This publication in no way seeks to diagnose or treat illness or to serve as a substitute for professional medical care.