Have you decided that you want to quit smoking? Cigarette smoking can be prevented, and with the right support, it won’t be as daunting as many believe it will be. Many people begin to see the benefits right away, and they continue to improve over time. It’s beneficial for your overall health to quit smoking as soon as possible. Quitting smoking is linked to the following health benefits:
Quit Smoking Timeline by Quit With Nerd
Immune System Boost
When you quit smoking, your immune system starts to become free from the harmful effects of nicotine. As your body becomes stronger, you will be less likely to suffer from a weakened immune system. The immune system gains a boost as circulation is improved and oxygen is increased. Smoking cessation results in an overall reduction of bodily illnesses because white blood cell counts begin to normalize throughout the body.
Improved Circulation
Once you stop smoking, your blood circulation begins to improve within weeks. This lessens your risk of heart issues, improves breathing and makes exercise easier to handle. You will also have more energy from the increased amount of oxygen within your body.
Better Oral Health
Smoking can leave you with stained teeth, oral infections, and bad breath. Within a short time after you quit smoking, there will be a significant difference in your oral health. Others will notice your brighter smile and a healthier mouth.
Increased Libido
Smoking can make an active sex life become dull and boring. It affects performance because it can cause sexual and erectile dysfunction. After making a positive change in your lifestyle, you will notice an improvement and healthier interest in sex.
Lowers Cancer Risks
Though it may take some time after you quit smoking, you’ll start to greatly reduce cancer risks. This is because once you quit, your body begins to repair existing DNA damage. The choice to quit smoking is a major health decision that can benefit your life in more ways than one.
Improved Vision
Smoking promotes eye damage by diminishing the flow of blood to the retina. When you stop smoking, you improve your chance of avoiding certain eye diseases like macular degeneration. Vision will begin to be preserved once the damage stops being done to your eyes.
Healthy Skin
Quitting smoking can improve the appearance of your skin. Smoking causes the skin to become dull and dry. As blood flow increases, your skin develops a healthier complexion from an increased flow of oxygen. Quitting can also prevent premature wrinkles from forming on the skin.
Decreased Risk of Heart Attacks
Smoking is a detrimental factor in the increase in heart attacks, and it also causes issues with heart disease. Most of these issues can be reversed by quitting the behavior that is causing them. Quitting smoking also helps you to maintain normal blood pressure and a lower heart rate.
Thinner Blood
After you quit, you’ll have thinner blood. This means your body will not be as likely to form life-threatening blood clots. Your heart will not have to work as hard because blood will be able to flow more freely throughout your body. Smoking causes blood to thicken and makes it harder to carry the oxygen the body needs.
Lower Cholesterol Levels
When you smoke, your cholesterol levels become unbalanced. Smoke increases bad cholesterol levels and lowers good cholesterol levels. As a result, plaque begins to build up inside of your body. Quitting smoking will help to decrease the buildup of plaque deposits in your arteries.
Reduction in Belly Fat
Cigarette smokers tend to have more fat that surrounds internal organs. This type of fat is called visceral fat. Visceral fat can increase the risk of diabetes because it gathers around the midsection. Quitting smoking will decrease your risk of diabetes because it results in the reduction of belly fat.
Improves Hormone Levels
If you smoke, the reasons that you should quit are overwhelming. Smoking has been known to alter hormone levels. Quitting smoking normalizes estrogen and testosterone levels in women and men.
Proper Wound Healing
In order to heal properly, wounds need proper blood flow and access to important minerals and nutrients. Quitting smoking improves proper flow and allows wounds to heal faster.
Muscle Strength
Muscles benefit greatly when you quit smoking. Once the flow of oxygen increases in your blood, muscles become strengthened and healthy. It’s important to quit smoking to prevent permanent muscle damage.
Stronger Bones
Smoking greatly affects your bone health in negative ways. It causes a higher risk of bone fractures throughout life. In order to keep your bones healthy and strong, consider quitting immediately.
Broken Cycle of Addiction
Within a short time of quitting, many brain receptors begin to normalize. This helps to minimize the likelihood of having the desire to smoke because your brain begins to reprogram.
Whether you’ve just begun to smoke or smoked for a lifetime, do yourself a favor and quit. It still isn’t too late, and your body can start to heal.