When Will I Start Noticing the Benefits of Quitting Cigarettes?
Question by Bettie: When will I start noticing the benefits of quitting cigarettes?
I quit smoking 3 weeks ago! I am training to leave for the Marine Corps, which is part of the reason I made the decision. I am wondering when will my lungs start to benefit. I had a difficult time with my run because my lungs were hurting so badly. How long does it take to notice the benefits of quitting, and will quitting help me run better?
Best answer:
Answer by Myke
In about another month or so, as long as you keep exercising your lungs without the smoke, you will start seeing improvements soon.
Answer by Apathy
Within 20 minutes of smoking that last cigarette, the body begins a series of changes that continues for years.
20 MINUTES
Blood pressure drops to normal.
Pulse rate drops to normal.
Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal.
8 HOURS
Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.
Oxygen level in blood increases to normal.
24 HOURS
Chance of heart attack decreases.
48 HOURS
Nerve endings start regrowing.
Ability to smell and taste is enhanced.
2 WEEKS TO 3 MONTHS
Circulation improves.
Walking becomes easier.
Lung function increases up to 30%.
1 TO 9 MONTHS
Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease.
Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection.
Body’s overall energy increases.
1 YEAR
Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker.
5 YEARS
Lung cancer death rate for average smoker (one pack a day) decreases by almost half.
Stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5-15 years after quitting.
Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus is half that of a smoker’s.
10 YEARS
Lung cancer death rate similar to that of nonsmokers.
Precancerous cells are replaced.
Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.
15 YEARS
Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker.
What Are Some Rewards of Quit Smoking!
Immediate Rewards
Within 12 hours after you have your last cigarette, your body will begin to heal itself. The levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine in your system will decline rapidly, and your heart and lungs will begin to repair the damage caused by cigarette smoke.
Within a few days you will probably begin to notice some remarkable changes in your body. Your sense of smell and taste may improve. You will breathe easier, and your smoker’s hack will begin to disappear, although you may notice that you will continue to cough for a while. And you will be free from the mess, smell, inconvenience, expense, and dependence of cigarette smoking.
Immediate Effects
As your body begins to repair itself, instead of feeling better right away, you may feel worse for a while. It’s important to understand that healing is a processp;it begins immediately, but it continues over time. These “withdrawal pangs” are really symptoms of the recovery process.
Immediately after quitting, many ex-smokers experience “symptoms of recovery” such as temporary weight gain caused by fluid retention, irregularity, and dry, sore gums or tongue. You may feel edgy, hungry, more tired, and more short-tempered than usual and have trouble sleeping and notice that you are coughing a lot. These symptoms are the result of your body clearing itself of nicotine, a powerful addictive chemical. Most nicotine is gone from the body in 2-3 days.
Long-range Benefits
It is important to understand that the long range after-effects of quitting are only temporary and signal the beginning of a healthier life. Now that you’ve quit, you’ve added a number of healthy productive days to each year of your life. Most important, you’ve greatly improved your chances for a longer life. You have significantly reduced your risk of death from heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and several kinds of cancerp;not just lung cancer. (Cigarette smoking is responsible every year for approximately 130,000 deaths from cancer, 170,000 deaths from heart disease, and 50,000 deaths from lung disease.)
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Stroke Recovery- Wes Varda – This is the story of my friend Wes Varda who survived a brain stem stroke at the age of 31. After surviving a brain stem stroke on December 11, 2008, he has spent the last ten months focusing on regaining his independence and rebuilding my life. The stroke affected his motor skills and left him unable to communicate or move. He was only able to blink his eyes to communicate but fully aware of his environment and condition. Wes was read his last rites and doctors told his family that if Ihe survived the first night that there was a high probability that he might spend the rest of his life on a ventilator and locked in. This is a medical term used to describe a condition that many brain stem stroke survivors are left with. With determination and hard work, Wes has learned to walk and talk all over again. Less than a year later, Wes is training for a half marathon on Thanksgiving Day to raise money for the hospital that helped him recover. He has been blessed with a positive stroke recovery and is an inspiration. This is his story. www.wesvarda.com
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