The health benefits of quitting smoking are immediate and stable over time. After 15 years, the risk of heart attack or stroke is the same as with someone who never smoked. Regardless of how old or how many packs you smoke daily, your health state and your appearance will be the first to benefit from you quitting smoking. Your gesture will be equally important to your family, because the children or spouse of a smoker unwillingly inhale cigarette smoke every day and, believe it or not, they face the same risk of developing diseases as you do.
It may seem incredible, but your body starts to regenerate from the first minute without tobacco. From the moment you quit smoking, time is running out in your favor. The longer you can go without smoking, the shorter the road to being a nonsmoker and your health prognosis is more favorable.
So here are the top ten reasons you should consider giving up smoking as a New Year’s Resolution.
1. Health issue
In general, smokers think they are aware of the effects smoking has on health. Well, there are not. They cannot afford to think about cancer and heart diseases, because if they did, they would break away from the illusion that smoking is pleasure. Doctors say that every minute counts.
Smokers who quit before the age 50 reduce the risk of dying in the next 15 years by 50% compared to those who continue to smoke.
Women who quit smoking at age of 65 have a life expectancy of about 4 years longer than those who continue smoking.
2. Independence
Once you release yourself from the “obligation” to smoke, you escape other inconveniences as well: rebuilding the stocks of cigarettes at impossible times and in any weather, interrupting a pleasant conversation to take your dose of nicotine in the smoking room, avoid places where there is no smoking, at the risk of losing something important, looking for a space (sometimes doing marathons) to find out where smoking is allowed and the list continues.
Along with giving up smoking, you get rid of embarrassing moments where you are not allowed to smoke, the disapproving eyes of family and friends.
3. Quality of life
48 hours after smoking the last cigarettes, you regain your sense of smell and taste, senses you thought permanently lost. This means that by now you can really enjoy the flavors of flowers, perfume or gourmet delights. Minus the horrible cigarette smell emanating from your body and clothes.
4. Physical strength and energy
After only two weeks of giving up smoking, you will really feel better. Your lungs will function more efficiently and the blood circulation will be much improved. Between one and 9 months, you regain your breath during physical activities and you get rid of cough. You will discover with astonishment that old age does not start at 30.
5. Family
Your health might be the first reason that comes to mind when you think to quit smoking, but there are others, equally important. One of them would be to protect your family. According to the Ministry of Health in the U.S. and WHO data, exposure of nonsmokers to tobacco smoke increases their risk of pulmonary cancer by 20-30% and by 25-30 % that of heart disease.
6. Money
Have you ever thought about the thousands of euros you could have saved so far, if you did not smoke in the last 5 years? How about the last 10? And how much you can save from now on, when the tax on cigarettes increases constantly.
7. Additional responsibilities
You do not have to wash three times a week your curtains, drapes and bedspread to get rid of the smell of tobacco impregnated in them.
8. The look
Get rid of yellowing fingers, nails and teeth, bad breath, dark circles and skin prematurely wrinkled.
With tissue oxygenation, your skin will start to regenerate and regain its natural color. Now you can get rid of ugly cellulite and a long buried hope in a cigarette package.
9. Life
Giving up smoking before 30 means that you will reduce by 90 % the risk of disease that can be attributed to smoking.
10. Crime
Between 12 and 33% of the cigarettes sold worldwide are on the black market, according to the World Health Organization – which means that the money you pay to buy cigarettes at a low price go into the accounts of organized crime, corrupt government officials and support terrorist organizations.
