Now we all know there are benefits to quitting smoking but do you know what they actually are?
Smoking is a habit that can be extremely hard to break, but I broke my smoking cycle over 5 years ago but even being beneficial, not only to our health but to our finances too it can be super hard. Here are ten benefits to quitting smoking:
It decreases the risk of heart problems
Smoking is said to be the leading cause of heart problems such as heart disease and heart attacks. It may seem hard to believe but quitting can help to lower your blood pressure and heart rate almost immediately, according to smokefree.gov – it is said that your risk of a heart attack declines within just 24 hours.
It halts damage to your lungs and helps to prevent emphysema
If you already have scarring on your lungs, it isn’t reversible but quitting now can stop any further damage. If you are lucky enough to not have any scarring yet, quitting now will ensure you don’t do permanent damage to your lungs. After quitting, you might find it easier to do certain tasks such as walking a certain distance or doing heavy lifting as you are less short of breath.
A disease most commonly caused by smoking and of which there is no cure is emphysema. Protecting the air sacs in your lungs will help protect you from hopefully getting it in the future.
Your immune system will be stronger
I’ve seen some people say that at first, after quitting, they seem to catch every bug going but within a short amount of time, you will find that your immune system gets stronger and you are less likely to be sick.
You lower your risk of cancer
Cancer is probably the disease most people are most terrified of getting so if you are a smoker, why not quit now to lower your chances of getting it? Quitting will prevent any new DNA damage from happening and can even perhaps repair the existing damage.
Your estrogen levels will return to normal if you are a woman
Your estrogen levels will change a lot whilst smoking however they will return to normal once you quit. If you are looking to have children someday in the future, quitting now will increase your chance of a healthy pregnancy.
It will help to lower your cholesterol
Whilst you won’t be able to get rid of any fatty deposits that already exist, you will be able to lower the levels of fats going around your bloodstream and also the levels of cholesterol. This should help to slow buildup of any new fatty deposits.
It will make your blood thinner and less likely to clot
Smoking increases the risk of your blood clotting which can be extremely dangerous. Thinner blood is a benefit of quitting smoking – it means dangerous blood clots are less likely to form and your heart will also not be working as hard as it is able to move blood around the body much more easily.
You will smell much better
You won’t notice this whilst a smoker yourself but you stink. You are so used to the smell that you don’t even notice and neither will those who spend a lot of time around you untilthe time you quit. Enjoy smelling so much better and nothing like an ashtray!
Your skin will be a lot clearer
Smoking ages you and if you don’t want to look old before your time, consider giving the cigs up. It will help clear up blemishes and also protects you from premature aging and wrinkles – many woman’s worst nightmare.
Your finances will thank you
Finally, just think about how much healthier your bank account will look without the daily or weekly purchase of cigarettes. They have risen in price so dramatically over the last 5-10 years too and the dent in the bank accounts is increasingly expensive. Perhaps consider one of the apps that tells you exactly how much you’ve saved in the time you haven’t smoked – you may be pleasantly surprised.
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