It is widely known that smoking cigarettes can seriously damage your health
. If you smoke and have been smoking for a long time you really need to think hard about your health in the future. To help you kick the habit read the following health benefits that you can receive when you stop smoking.
1) The immediate benefit when you stop smoking is a lowering of your blood pressure which puts less strain on your heart.
2) In just a few hours of stubbing out that last cigarette the amount of nicotine and other unhealthy chemicals in your blood stream will be cut by about half and the amount of blood oxygen will return to more normal levels.
3) During the first week your lungs will begin the process of removing the build up of mucus and phlegm that has lined your lungs. This will improve your breathing which will also increase your energy levels. Smoking represses your appetite and taste buds therefore, in the week after you quit the food you eat will begin to taste better and your appetite will return.
4) Smoking continuously prevents the blood from circulating around the body effectively. After 3 to 4 weeks of giving up smoking your blood circulation will improve.
5) Over the next 3 to 6 months your lungs will continue to remove the built up mucus and phlegm. The lungs will begin to open up more. You will find as you do more exercise that the wheezy cough and breathing will gradually lessen.
6) If you manage to stay off the cigarettes for a number of years the long term benefits will kick in. These include lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke, blood poisoning, and kidney failure.
7) Up to 10 years and over the risk of you getting lung cancer can reduce by as much as half.
8) If you have quit smoking for up to 15 years or more your risk of getting a heart attack is basically the same as someone who has never smoked tobacco in their lives.
As you can see, the moments you stop smoking the health benefits begin to take an effect. The longer you commit to stop smoking the more benefits you will experience. Initially you will begin to feel better physically as your breathing and circulation improves. As you continue to quit smoking the long term benefits begin to kick. Your risk of getting terminal and debilitating diseases reduces considerably.