If you're considering quitting smoking, there are many benefits you'll experience. Not only will your overall health improve, but you'll also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. These benefits are not to be underestimated. If you're still wondering if it's worth quitting, consider the reasons below. After quitting, your risk of developing cancer is half what it was before you quit smoking.
It's never too late to quit smoking - Photo by Yoann Boyer
Improves Overall Health
There are several benefits of quitting smoking, including improving your overall health. Quitting also lowers the risk of lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. As a bonus, you'll also experience fewer coughs and shortness of breath. Additionally, your risk of developing lung cancer and heart disease is reduced to half that of a nonsmoker.
In addition to the health benefits, quitting smoking also increases your life expectancy. This can add up to 10 years to your life. As mentioned above, smoking is one of the leading causes of heart disease and heart attacks. Quitting smoking helps reduce blood pressure, reduces heart rate, and thins the blood. As a bonus, it reduces the burden on society and healthcare systems.
Research shows that quitting smoking improves your immune system. Besides, reducing your risk of getting cancer also lowers the risk of preterm birth and small-for-gestational-age babies. This is because smoking has adverse effects on fetal growth. Besides, quitting smoking also reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
A new study suggests that quitting smoking can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The researchers presented the CONFIRM study findings at the ESC Congress in 2013. This study, involving 13,372 smokers from nine countries, examined the risk of major cardiovascular events. The results indicate that quitting smoking can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
The benefits of quitting smoking include a decreased risk of atrial fibrillation, heart attack, and peripheral arterial disease. Quitting smoking also improves the quality of life. In addition, quitting smoking reduces the risk of having a second heart attack. The study also shows that quitting smoking decreases the risk of blood clots and atherosclerosis.
Smoking is a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease, with approximately one out of four Americans contracting CVD. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of death from cardiovascular disease, and exposure to secondhand smoke is linked with an increased risk of CHD. Smokers who quit smoking will reduce their risk by 50% over one year. It is essential for cardiology societies to promote tobacco control advocacy efforts and train their members on the benefits of quitting smoking.
Reduce the Risk of Respiratory Diseases
Quitting smoking is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of lung disease. The harmful chemicals found in tobacco are known to damage the lungs and increase your risk of respiratory infections. Smoking also increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. It also damages the lining of the lungs and releases carcinogens and toxins into the lungs. Quitting smoking is not easy, but many strategies help you quit smoking.
During acute respiratory infections, quitting smoking can help prevent serious complications. The changes in the respiratory and cardiovascular systems that occur after quitting smoking can be seen within one to two days. This includes changes in blood pressure, heart rate, vasoconstriction, and oxygen levels.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking is responsible for about 90% of lung cancer and COPD deaths. Despite anti-smoking campaigns, many smokers persist. Chronic bronchitis, which affects the lungs and causes mucus to build up in the lungs, is another severe disease caused by smoking.
Reduce the Risk of Cancer
Smoking has been linked to various cancers, and it's possible to reduce your risk of lung cancer and other types of cancer by quitting. A recent study analyzed lung cancer among more than 8,900 smokers. It found that former heavy smokers reduced cancer risk by 39 percent compared with current smokers. The reduction continued as the number of years since quitting increased. Smokers are still at a high risk of lung cancer.
The good news is that lung cancer risk decreases with time. Smokers can expect their chance to be less than half that of nonsmokers in five years. The risk of lung cancer is still present, but it's significantly lower than before they quit. Moreover, the risk of heart disease and 12 other cancers also decreases. So, it's never too late to quit smoking.
The risk of cancer varies depending on the type and duration of smoking. The best way to reduce your risk is to quit smoking as soon as possible. Depending on your genetics, several factors affect the risk of lung cancer.
Reduce Stress
Smoking is a known stress inducer. It can increase stress levels and trigger symptoms of irritability and anxiety. The good news is that quitting smoking can help you manage your stress and even reduce it. To do so, you need to find healthier ways to manage your stress. Here are some tips to help you quit.
Research shows that smoking cessation is easier for people who do not experience high-stress levels. Those with high-stress levels are more likely to relapse. Smoking cessation programs should offer stress-coping strategies to help smokers reduce stress levels.
Regular exercise can relieve stress. Exercising will also improve your mood. A short walk can be a great stress reliever. You can also take up a hobby and dedicate time to it. Meditation and deep breathing can also help you reduce stress. The NHS offers breathing exercises to help you deal with stress. You can use these techniques to help you quit smoking and avoid the pitfalls of nicotine withdrawal. However, you should be aware that quitting smoking requires a commitment from you.
Beneficial for the Health of Pregnant Women
It is quitting smoking during pregnancy benefits both the mother and the baby. Smoking has been linked to congenital disabilities, preterm birth, and even deaths. It's also a risk factor for asthma in the infant. Smoking during pregnancy is also associated with increased Sudden Infant Death Syndrome risk. This is a sudden death of an infant without an apparent cause.
Although cigarettes are the most common tobacco product used during pregnancy, alternatives to smoking are becoming increasingly common. Clinicians should encourage pregnant women to stop smoking and offer encouragement and motivation to quit. Psychosocial and behavioral interventions such as counseling are also effective cessation aids and should be provided as an option for the patient.
Smoking during pregnancy is also linked to low birth weight, so it's best to quit smoking before you become pregnant. This way, you'll ensure a healthy baby's health from day one. Also, quitting smoking helps to boost the oxygen levels in the baby's lungs, which will help the child develop. It also reduces the risk of premature birth and low birth weight.
Protect Family Members and People Around
Quitting smoking can protect your family and others from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Even the slightest exposure can be harmful. Secondhand smoke contains a high concentration of carcinogens and other cancer-causing chemicals. According to the CDC, nearly 3,400 nonsmokers die of lung cancer yearly from secondhand smoke. The best way to protect your family is to quit smoking and create a smoke-free home and car.
Although many smokers know about the health risks of smoking, they are unaware of the emotional damage they do to those around them. Secondhand smoke is hazardous for young children, whose developing lungs and airways make them especially susceptible. Moreover, passive smoking can be especially dangerous in the family car.
Secondhand smoke is the number one cause of premature death in children. In addition, it can aggravate a child's pre-existing health problems. As a result, children who live in a home with a smoker should visit the doctor more often. By quitting smoking, parents can reduce their child's exposure to secondhand smoke and provide positive non-smoking role models.
Quitting Smoking Tips
If you're thinking of quitting smoking, there are many tips and tricks to help you achieve your goal. One of the most important is to avoid situations that trigger your cravings. It would be best if you avoided high-fat, sugary foods and alcohol. Instead, eat healthier foods and engage in physical activity. Cutting down on caffeine is also important. When craving cigarettes, try to distract yourself with something productive like chewing carrots or sugar-free gum.
If you're having trouble quitting, consider enrolling in a quit smoking program. This can be offered at many places, including health departments, community centers, and hospitals. Some quit-smoking programs will teach you how to stop smoking using self-hypnosis and other methods. There are also a variety of medications that can help you quit smoking, such as nicotine gum or patches. Other prescription medicines, such as bupropion, can help you avoid withdrawal symptoms.
While trying to quit, you should be aware that this change will take a while. Sometimes, you'll succeed for a time and then slip. Try to think of it as a small mistake. It's important to recognize when this happens so that you can work on the problem.
