A Healthier Non-Smoking You!!
Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to improve your health and quality of life. Non-smokers have a much lower risk of getting dozens of smoking-related diseases like lung cancer, heart disease, and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis).
Here are some other good things that happen to your body once you stop smoking 1:
Within 8 hours carbon monoxide level drops in your body & oxygen level in your blood increases to normal
Within 48 hours your chances of having a heart attack start to go down & your sense of smell and taste begin to improve
Within 72 hours your bronchial tubes relax and make breathing easier & your lung capacity increases
Within 2 weeks to 3 months your blood circulation improves & your lung functioning increases up to 30%
Within 6 months your coughing, stuffy nose, tiredness and shortness of breath improve
Within 1 year your risk of smoking-related heart attack is cut in half
Within 10 years your risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half
Within 15 years your risk of dying from a heart attack is the same as a person who never smoked
There are many other good reasons to quit smoking:
You’ll set a good example for your children
Your smoking will no longer affect the health of people around you
You’ll have more money to save or to spend on other things – a pack of cigarettes a day adds up to more than $3000 a year!
You’ll have more energy to do the things you love
You’ll pay lower life insurance premiums
Cigarettes will no longer control your life
What are your reasons to quit smoking? Write them down and share them with friends and family or post them on the fridge.
References
1. Health Canada, Tobacco Control Program. On the Road to Quitting – Guide to Becoming a Non-Smoker.
