Health Benefits to Quitting Smoking Part 2
Between 1 – 9 months of being smoke-free you will notice significant improvements in these areas: coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath.
Healing from nicotine addiction is a process and some improvements are dramatic and happen quickly and others will come more gradually. In some cases a sense of smell can take a huge jump in sensitivity up to 8 months after quitting smoking which can be a delightful surprise.
The changes do not stop with physical health improvements only but also can bolster your confidence as you accumulate smoke-free time. Very simply put, breaking the chains of slavery to nicotine addition is very empowering.
It takes a lot of work to fight and finally beat the addiction to nicotine but you will be rewarded with an incredible feeling of freedom and control and these are just the beginnings of the benefits headed your way.
Smoking cessation will change your life! Why, then, would you not wish to get off cigarettes as soon as possible?
At one year of being smoke-free your excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker after one year .Cigarette smoking is directly linked to 30% of all heart disease deaths in the US each year. It plays a part in coronary heart disease and causes damage by decreasing oxygen to the heart. Quitting tobacco is the absolute best thing you can do for your heart and for you health overall. Heart disease is the number 1 killer of both men and women which is a little known fact especially in the case of women.
Smoking affects who we are more than most of us realize. Quitting tobacco is similar to peeling back the layers of the onion to find the person you were meant to be before addiction stepped into and took over your life. It is time to take the reins of your life back.
Smoking relapse rates drop off sharply after two years. Only 7% of those who quit without support of some kind are still smoke-free at the end of their first year. This is why it is so important to have some support system in place to help you get past the 2 year milestone where statistics tell us we will be safe.
20 Quick Tips to Help you Quit Smoking
Believe in yourself. Believe that you can quit. Create you own plan for quitting with support. Write down why you want to quit. Ask your family and friends to support your decision to quite and to forgive you your mood swings in the early stages of nicotine withdrawal. Set a date and write it down. Realize this date will be the first day of the rest of your life. Talk to your doctor about quitting and ask for his support and guidance which will enhance your chances of quitting. Begin an exercise program which will help your body recover from years of damage from cigarettes. Start slowly even with a walk and consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Do some deep breathing each day. Breathe in through your nose very slowly, hold the breath for a few seconds, and exhale very slowly through your mouth. Visualize your way to becoming a non-smoker. Visualization works just ask the superstar athletes. Cut back on cigarettes gradually but be sure to set a date on which you WILL quit. Quit smoking “cold turkey”. For many this is the best way to quit. Find another smoker who is trying to quit too. They can be your “quit buddy”. Have your teeth cleaned. Enjoy the way your teeth look and feel and plan to keep them that way. Celebrate milestones in your journey to becoming a non-smoker and celebrate your new chance at a long, healthy life. Drink lots of water. It will help flush the nicotine and other chemicals out of your body. Learn what triggers your desire for a cigarette, such as stress, the end of a meal, entering a bar etc. Avoid these triggers understanding that these triggers are false and it is only your addiction trying to trick you into smoking again. Find something to hold in your hand or mouth to replace cigarettes. Gum, sugar-free candy or an artificial cigarette called E-Z Quit available at: www.quitsmoking.com/ezquit.htm (I suggest sugar-free as I once replaced smoking with rum and butter lifesavers and then became worried about losing every tooth in my head.) Write yourself an inspirational song or poem about quitting cigarettes or try to help others quit. Keep a picture of your family or someone very important to you and remind yourself you are quitting for yourself and them. Whenever you have a craving for a cigarette, hang in there, it will pass. You just have to understand that it is worth it to quit and for all the reasons why you should quit there are no reasons why you should keep smoking and expose yourself to so many serious health problems.
Remember you CAN do this.