Beneficial Physiological Effects of Quitting Smoking

If you want to try to stop smoking, there are many methods available to help you succeed. None of them will work, however, unless you have the will to succeed. I have watched two friends try to stop smoking--one was successful; the other was not. The difference between the two, it seems to me, was that the one who succeeded had a strong will to do so. You must see the cessation of smoking as an improvement to your life, something purely positive and purely good for you. The addictive power of nicotine is so strong that you may struggle with the concept that getting away from smoking is purely good. You may be tempted to fall back to smoking as a way to relieve the stress in your life.

You can combat the power of nicotine addiction by dwelling on the good things that start happening inside your body the minute you stop smoking permanently. The list is an impressive one, and if you keep it in mind during the very difficult days just after you decide to stop smoking, it can help you stick to your mission.

According to everydayhealth.com, the following are some of the beneficial health effects you can expect to experience when you quit smoking:

1. Blood pressure and pulse rate begin to drop very soon after your last cigarette.

2. Carbon monoxide and oxygen levels in your blood return to normal.

3. If you quit before the age of 51, you reduce your chances of dying within the next 15 years by 50% relative to those who still smoke.

4. Your sense of smell and taste improves.

5. Your risk of heart attack declines.

6. Blood circulation and lung function improve.

7. You cough less, and the amount of phlegm you produce goes down.

8. Ten years after you quit, your risk of lung cancer declines by 50% relative to those who keep smoking.

9. Your risk of mouth, throat, esophageal, pancreatic, kidney and bladder cancer declines.

10. Fifteen years after you quit, your risk of coronary heart disease is about the same as it is for people who never smoked.

The National Health Service in England adds these benefits to the list of good things that happen regarding your health when you quit smoking:

11. The skin of your face does not age quite so quickly, and facial wrinkles appear later than they would if you continued to smoke.

12. Tobacco stains on your teeth now have a chance to fade away.

13. People who quit smoking feel less stressed because they no longer have to deal with the nicotine withdrawal symptoms that crop up if the time between cigarettes gets too long.

14. When you quit smoking, your immune system gets stronger.

15. When you quit smoking, you are no longer exposing your spouse, children and friends to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Children exposed to second-hand smoke are at increased risk of pneumonia, croup and bronchitis.

You have much to gain by quitting smoking, but like all things in life that are worthwhile, becoming a non-smoker wil require effort and determination on your part.