Want to know what happens when you quit smoking? Here's the straight skinny from the American Lung Assn.:
When smokers quit, within 20 minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of changes.
At 20 minutes after quitting: blood pressure decreases; pulse rate drops; body temperature of hands and feet increases.
At 8 hours: carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal; oxygen level in blood increases to normal.
At 24 hours: chance of a heart attack decreases.
At 48 hours: nerve endings start regrowing; ability to smell and taste is enhanced.
The first year after quitting:
At 2 weeks to 3 months: circulation improves; walking becomes easier; lung function increases.
1 to 9 months: coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decrease.
1 year: excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker.
Long-term Benefits of Quitting
At 5 years: from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.
At 10 years: 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 decreases.
At 15 years: risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked; risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked
© 1999 American Lung Association
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Smoking is no longer an option. One is too many; one hundred is not enough.
Remember: The craving will pass, whether or not you smoke. Soooooo...why smoke?
Want to reduce it down even further?
Okay.
"You see before you life and death. Choose life."
--Still a Grateful Quitter--Putting the Longjohns Back On Cause the Temps & Windchill Values are Tanking Tonight--Mary Ann
"I'd rather be a quitter with an occasional urge to smoke than a smoker with the constant desire to quit." --From Junkie Thinkin'
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First I want to say, thanks for posting a picture; now I know what you look like after I've communicated with you for so long at WebMD. I'll try to figure out how to get a photo of me to show up in my profile.
ReplyDeleteI saved the info in your post when I first began my quit as a document I periodically read to help me keep my resolve. I *do* fervently wish that there were more increments, as in, when I reach 3 years next week, there's nothing on this list to say I've reduced my risk of disease any more than one or two years ago. I have to wait 2 more years to point to a new milestone on the list. If that makes any sense. I know, I know, you're not the Lung Assn. I'm just saying.
Mary the Cat Lady
Hi, Mary...thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteSo go to the source, m'dear...how about contacting the Amer. Lung Assn. with your quit story & a request for more increments. With databases being constantly updated perhaps they'd be up to the challenge, especially hearing how much those milestones mean to you. Couldn't hurt, might help.
I'm afraid my looks have already changed from when that photo was taken last Sept.: Got my hair permed on Friday so I'm now a 69-yr-old saltn'peppa "Annie." HA! Only I didn't have to wait til "Tomorrow" for the sun to come up...we lucked out today! :-)
Have a good one, Mary! And stop back any time you're in the neighborhood.
--Still a Grateful Quitter--Looking Forward to Mary the Cat Lady's Photo--Mary Ann