The most well known risks associated with smoking are well documented, but there are other benefits to be had from quitting, which are less well known.
The Well Known Hazards
Most people know about the dangers of smoking and lung cancer. However, it’s common for people to forget about the other cancers that are closely linked with smoking. Smoking increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat and stomach, not to mention the kidney and pancreas.
Other well known smoking related hazards include the other lung diseases associated with smoking. These include bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia. Like cancers, these can be fatal, in the long term. They come under the heading of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the risks are highest for smokers.
Of course, the risks to pregnant women are also well known, thankfully. The risk of underweight and premature babies, through smoking is best understood, but did you know that nicotine can be passed through breast milk, to newborns and that smoking cause increased risk of thrombosis and heart attacks for women taking oral contraceptives?
Other Major Hazards
There are significant conditions which may develop through clogging or narrowing of the body’s blood vessels. This is what leads to the high incidences of strokes and erectile dysfunction among smokers.
There are higher risks of blindness, through macular degeneration, as well as skin aging and damage to teeth and the gums. Fingernails can become brittle through smoking, which is in addition to the discoloration smokers will be familiar with.
All in all the average smoker will have their life expectancy reduced, by 13 years for men and over 14 years for women. Enough to make you quit? There are significant health benefits if you quit today.
Immediate Health Benefits To Quitting
· Some Of the health benefits to quitting smoking today could be felt pretty quickly. 20 minutes after smoking your last cigarettes you will lower your blood pressure and heart rate.
· After 2 hours you will have a drop in your carbon monoxide levels, in your blood, returning them to normal.
· And it will only take two to 12 weeks for your circulation and lung functions to improve significantly after giving up smoking.
Longer Term Quitting Benefits
· Coughing and shortness of breath will start to reduce after a month. Within nine months, your lungs will have completed a major cleansing from within.
· After a year you halve the risk of ordinary heart disease compared to a smoker.
· Within 5 years your chances of having a stroke reduce dramatically.
· After 10 years your risk of lung cancer halves, compared to a smoker.
So, Are You Ready To Quit?
While these sobering facts are easy for a smoker to brush off, in pursuit of their addiction, a desire to quit has probably brought you here today.
If you are ready to quit, check out Quit Smoking Today for a painless way to quit, using the power of hypnosis and NLP to make you want to quit, for good.