The Many Benefits of Quitting Smoking

How Quitting Smoking Benefits the Body Over Time

Did you know that when you quit smoking, your body begins to reap the benefits in as little as 20 minutes following your last cigarette? The health experts at Parrish Healthcare are here to share the ways that quitting can help to bolster your health over time.

1 Hour

Within the first 20 minutes of finishing your last cigarette, your heart rate begins to decrease. Within an hour, your heart rate should return to a normal level.

1 Day

After one day of quitting smoking, the carbon monoxide levels in your blood have dropped to a normal level. Your risk of heart attack is also reduced.

3 Months

Within the first 2 weeks to 3 months of quitting, your circulation begins to improve and so does your lung function. Your risk of having a heart attack also begins to decrease.

9 Months

By the ninth month after your last cigarette, you should notice that you are coughing less often. Your lung capacity should also continue to improve and you should experience a decrease in shortness of breath.

 

At this point, the hair-like cilia found within your lungs begin to remove excess mucus from your lungs, helping them to function normally. This improves your lungs’ ability to do the following:

 

• Regulate mucus levels.
• Clean out your lungs.
• Reduce the risk of infection.

1 Year

At the 1 year mark, your risk for experiencing a heart attack has dropped significantly. As a former smoker, your risk of developing coronary heart disease is now half that of a current smoker’s.

10 Years

After 10 years without smoking, your risk of having a stroke has decreased to the same risk of a non-smoker’s. Your risk of developing the following types of cancer are also down by 50%:

 

• Mouth
• Throat
• Voice box (larynx)
• Esophageal
• Lung
• Kidney
• Cervical
• Bladder

15 Years

After 15 years of being smoke-free, your risk of developing coronary heart disease has now reached the same level as a non-smoker.

 

Some other benefits of quitting smoking include:

 

• Improved sense of taste.
• Your sense of smell returns to normal.
• Your teeth and nails stop yellowing.

Primary Care in Titusville

When it comes to supporting your health, it is important to find a family care doctor you can trust. The family doctors at Parrish Medical Group Family Medicine treat patients throughout all stages of your life, providing you with the insight, resources, and preventative care you need to live happily and healthily.

Whether you’re in need of a regular check-up or you have a health concern, contact Parrish Medical Group Family Medicine at 321-268-6111 to schedule your next visit.