Want to Improve Your Health Instantly? Quit Smoking Today.
Achieving good health is something everyone wants to accomplish. From eating foods to fuel your body to a fitness routine, people ideally try to set goals for themselves to get to a point where they feel and look their best. You might be doing the same, setting up plans for yourself to follow in order to reach your desired strength level or stave off illnesses, but there may be other barriers to getting to your milestones. For example, no matter how many servings of vegetables you eat or how often you go to the gym, you are sabotaging any health benefits if you’re a smoker.
Chances are you’re already aware of the harm smoking does to your body; the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s report on tobacco use lists down lung disease, heart disease, and various types of cancer as some of its consequences on physical health. Smoking also causes around 480,000 deaths every year in the US, even if smoking rates have been on the decline recently.
If you’re looking to improve your health, quitting smoking is one of the best ways to get started on your journey. Even in a matter of hours, you’ll start to feel changes in your body. Here’s what happens to you when you stay away from cigarettes:
The First Improvements
Once you’ve quit smoking, your pulse rate and oxygen levels will return to normal within hours. One of the first noticeable signs of your recovery is your improved sense of taste and smell, which happens within two days. In a few weeks, you’ll start to have better function of your lungs, reducing coughing and shortness of breath. Circulation also improves, making it easier for you to do physical activities. Your skin will also brighten and regain some suppleness that was lost due to the impaired production of collagen and elastin.
Long-term Benefits of Quitting
After a few months or years, your risk for certain diseases and ailments decreases significantly. Your risk of having a heart attack drops within a year or two, and your chances of an added risk of coronary heart disease drops to half within three to six years. It also reduces lung and respiratory system problems such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Your risk of certain kinds of cancers also decreases. Between two to five years, mouth, throat, and bladder cancer is reduced to 50% and the risk of cervical cancer drops to that of a non-smoker’s level. Quitting at a younger age also has its advantages. A report on JAMA Network Open notes that quitting smoking before or by the age of 35 can give ex-smokers a mortality rate of someone who has never smoked.
These benefits are something you’d definitely want to reap, but quitting is easier said than done. You may have the knowledge you need to stop, but withdrawal and addiction can get in your way. Thankfully, there are many methods that can help you stay motivated and on track. Here are a few ways you can help pull off your quit:
How to Commit to the Quit.
Though the health improvements of stopping smoking start from day one, it’s not that easy to keep from smoking for that long. You can start getting anxious, restless, or irritated the longer you go without smoking, and the cravings are hard to resist. But curbing these urges is not impossible, and you can do it in a way that doesn’t involve cigarettes or tobacco.
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products can help do the job while gradually reducing your dependence on nicotine. This is because NRT products like nicotine pouches come in a wide range of strengths that can be tailored to individual needs. The Rogue nicotine pouches listed on Prilla come in 3mg and 6mg varieties, allowing smokers to experiment with the different levels to curb their nicotine cravings—and gradually reduce intake. They also provide nicotine without the unpleasant experience of the smoke and smell that comes with cigarettes. Another popular alternative are the nicotine lozenges from Nicorette which also provide a similar experience. Unlike the nicotine pouch, which must be disposed of, you put the lozenge between your gum and cheek while your body absorbs the dose as it dissolves. It’s a good way to stave off the urge to smoke a cigarette.
Why Mindset Matters
Before or during your quitting journey, you may be feeling extra hard on yourself about how you look or feel, and you may feel disheartened when results don’t instantly show up once you’ve tried to stop. But like I’ve said on my guest appearance on the NJ Morning Show, connecting your mind and body is a great way to get out of that negative mindset, and that’s not just for summer body acceptance—it’s for the many lies we hear and tell ourselves on a regular basis. Listening to your needs like cravings or withdrawal and addressing them in a mindful, healthy manner can be the first step to consistency, motivation, and feeling your best. It doesn’t matter what you look like to others, but what counts is that you’re getting better every single day.