Healthy Living

Why Should I Quit Smoking

Have you ever heard anyone say, “Quitting smoking was the easiest thing I ever did?” Of course not. Smoking is more than just “a bad habit”, it’s an addiction. The good news is, however, that thousands of people quit every year and so can you.

But what if you don’t want to quit? Maybe these facts will help you change your mind:

Smoking kills. In plain and simple terms, smoking will take an average of seven years off your life. In addition, one out of every five deaths in the United States is related to smoking.
Smoking damages your lungs. There is an old saying in the medical community that goes like this; “ If you can’t breathe, nothing else matters”. No truer words were ever spoken. Physicians and scientists have proven over and over that smoking causes bronchitis, chronic cough, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.
Smoking stresses your heart. Your heart and lungs work “hand-in-hand.” When one is damaged, the other suffers too. If you are a smoker, you are at an increased risk for heart disease. Smoking constricts blood vessels and also increases platelets, which causes blood to clot easier. Carbon monoxide robs the body of oxygen. If you already have heart disease, one of the best things you could ever do for yourself is quitting smoking right now.
Smoking makes everything worse. It’s bad enough that smoking can severely damage your heart and lungs, but we also know that the damage caused by smoking doesn’t stop there. Smoking can also contribute to high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, gum disease and loss of taste.
Smoking is expensive. At today’s prices, a pack a day smoking habit costs you about $1,200 a year.
Quitting smoking changes everything. That’s right. No matter how long you have smoked, when you quit your body begins to heal almost immediately. After 20 minutes your blood pressure begins to drop. After only 24 hours your chance of a heart attack decreases. After one year your excess risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker. After 15 years your risk of coronary disease is back to that of a non-smoker.