Smoking - The Benefits of Quitting

The best immediate benefit of quitting smoking is that your body will begin to heal itself within 12 hours. The worst part is that you will most likely feel worse for a while instead of feeling better. The healing process does start immediately but continues over time based on the level of damage being repaired. Carbon monoxide and nicotine in your system will dissipate rapidly, and your heart and lungs will start to repair the damage caused immediately. Withdrawal symptoms, though uncomfortable, are a part of the recovery process.

The majority of nicotine in your system will leave the body within 2-3 days. At this point, you may begin to feel short-tempered and edgy, cough a lot, as well as feel hungry and tired. Other symptoms of recovery include sleep disturbances, irregularity; dry and sore gums or tongue, and temporary weight gain caused by fluid retention. These symptoms are good signs that your body is clearing itself of nicotine.

Within two weeks to three months of quitting, your circulation improves and your lung function increases. Within 1-9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decrease and cilia regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

The body physically reacts to the lack of nicotine. Since you are trying to break a major lifestyle habit, the required behavioral changes have strong psychological effects.

The withdrawal symptoms you can expect to experience include:

• Restlessness
• Tiredness
• Irritability
• Depression
• Trouble concentrating
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Frustration, anger and edginess
• Increased appetite
• Sleep disturbances

Because the symptoms are very uncomfortable, the desire to smoke becomes a continual mental and physical nagging. The key is to focus on the benefits of quitting smoking instead of the consequential symptoms.

Some of the immediate benefits of quitting smoking are:

• Your food tastes better
• You no longer have bad breath
• Your sense of smell starts to become normal
• No more stains on your teeth
• Your fingernails lose the yellowing
• Your clothes and hair no longer smell
• Daily activities won't require heavy breathing
• You are working on preventing gum disease
• You are working on preventing premature wrinkling of the skin

Smoking is no longer acceptable by the social majority. Many pubic and private businesses do not allow smoking on the premises. In addition, an increasing number of local governments have imposed bans on smoking in public places. Many employers prefer not to hire smokers due to the frequency of illnesses causing missed work days as well as not wanting to deal with the smoker's need for smoke breaks. In light of this information, quitting smoking is a good career move.

Continuing to smoke increases the risk of many diseases and conditions. At the top of the list are the lung diseases associated with smoking. The smoker is at high risk for lung, mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix and pancreas cancers. Also, Progressive Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary (COPD) lung diseases such as Emphysema or Bronchitis cause disabilities and eventually death. Smokers are usually diagnosed with these conditions in the 60-80 year age range. Ten years after quitting, the lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's and the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas is decreased.

Women who smoke increase the risk for miscarriages and low birth weight babies. In addition, women over 35 should not take birth control pills if they smoke as it highly increases the risk for heart attack, stroke and blood clots.

Smokers also have an increased risk of macular degeneration, which is a common cause of blindness in the elderly. A non-smoker has a decreased risk of developing this problem.

Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks than nonsmokers. One year after quitting, the excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's. Fifteen years after quitting, the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker's.

Smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease and cerebrovascular disease that can cause strokes. Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking. This was based on a collection of data in the late 1990s.

Quitting smoking will bring a higher quality of life with fewer bouts of cold, flu, bronchitis and pneumonia. If you stop smoking before age 50, you cut the risk of dying within 15 years by half. Quitting smoking at any age, no matter how long you have smoked, will help you live longer.