Published at 02 July, 2024 11:19.
If you want to quit smoking but think it`s too late think again. Once you quit smoking the benefits begin within 20 minutes as your blood pressure begins to return to normal. Within one hour your circulation improves and within a day your carbon monoxide levels fall, and your lungs start to work better.
Cutting down is not the same as stopping completely. Think again. There are no safe levels of smoking and just one puff starts off the inflammatory process in the lungs. If you smoke 1-4 cigarettes per day you are three times more likely to die from a smoking related disease such as a heart attack and will have three to five times the risk of dying from lung cancer compared to a non-smoker. Cutting out all cigarettes will improve your health and wellbeing and your bank balance and give you the best chance of quitting for good. Don`t undermine your quit attempt by just having the odd one! Choosing not to smoke will help you feel in control and empowered in your quit attempt.
The lining of your lungs and the fine hairs in your lungs called cilia that help clear out mucus and other debris from the airways can be damaged by smoking. Damaged lungs from smoking can lead to lung problems including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and lung cancer. If you think that smoking only effects your lungs, think again. Smoking is a risk factor for at least 17 types of cancer including bladder, breast, and pancreatic cancer with its mixture of chemicals, at least 70 of which are known to be cancer causing. Inhaling cigarette smoke damages tissues and cells in the mouth and gums, the nose, the oesophagus, and stomach. It damages blood vessels, increases the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, blood clots and stroke. The toxins from cigarette smoke are carried through the blood stream and can affect other organs. Even your eye health is at risk from smoking.
If your partner smokes and you think that it does not affect you, think again. Second hand smoke is a risk factor for a non-smoker as they are exposed to the same chemicals as the smoker. The more you are exposed to second hand smoke the greater the risk of developing the same smoking related diseases. Children are particularly vulnerable to second hand smoke and developing health problems such as asthma. Even your pets are vulnerable to health problems if exposed to your smoke.
If you think that smoking helps you cope with stress, think again. Smokers experience feelings of irritability, anxiety, and depression when they have not had a cigarette in a while. This is caused by the dependence on nicotine in the cigarettes. These feelings are then removed when you smoke again, creating a false belief that the cigarette is relieving your anxiety and stress. The cigarette causes the mood disturbances in the first place. Quitting smoking has been proven to help with depression, reduces anxiety and promotes a better quality of life and improved mood, and therefore helps you deal with stress in a better way than reaching for the cigarette in the first place.
If you think that you will gain weight when stopping smoking, think again. It is very common to worry about gaining weight when stopping smoking as your food tastes better and your sense of smell improves. You need something to do with your hands and mouth so plan with some healthy snacks, feel full by keeping hydrated and have some sugar free sweets or mints to hand. Veggie sticks are also a great way to deal with hunger pangs. Keep your metabolism high by increasing your exercise if you are able, even if it is just fitting in that extra walk. This will take your mind off cravings too.
Now that you have busted your myths about stopping smoking, think again and start your quit attempt this July.
NHS Stop Smoking Service - Yorkshire Smokefree
