Quit Smoking and Your Health Benefits

Smoking has been linked to various health conditions and diseases from lung cancer to bronchitis, coronary heart disease and even blindness.

In countries where smoking has been practiced over several decades, smoking accounts for:

• 90 per cent of lung cancer cases,
• 15 to 20 per cent of other forms of cancer,
• 75 per cent of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and
• 25 per cent of deaths from cardiovascular diseases.

Quit Smoking to Protect Your Lungs

The first sign of lung damage in a smoker is the smoker's cough. This is commonly experienced in the morning after a build up of mucus which is caused by the damaged lung's inability to sweep mucus up into the throat to be swallowed.

Continued lung damage may lead to more serious cases of bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer.

Bronchitis is caused by lung inflammation and results in increased difficulty when breathing. Smokers may develop chronic bronchitis, which, if untreated, can result in death.

Emphysema is another long-term chronic condition whereby a smoker experiences great difficulty in exhaling thus experiencing bouts of breathlessness and exhaustion particularly after exercise. There is currently no known cure for emphysema.

Quit Smoking to Prevent Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the most common and most fatal form of cancer in the world and is caused by the mutation of genes which result in the uncontrollable growth of cells.

Because the symptoms of lung cancer are similar to those experienced in any normal situation by a smoker e.g. cough, chest pain and breathlessness, detection during the early stages may be difficult.

Risk of contracting the disease is directly proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked each day and the number of years a person has been smoking.

However, the risks begins to fall almost immediately the instance one has quit smoking.

Other Health Benefits

Apart from lowering the risk of contracting serious health conditions, other health benefits become apparent when one has quit smoking.

Your senses of taste and smell will improve. You will be less likely to develop facial wrinkles or dental hygiene problems.

Wounds heal faster after you have quit smoking and your resistance to infections increases meaning you suffer less coughs, colds, sore throats and other minor ailments.

You will also begin to feel fitter and more energetic as a result of your decision to quit smoking while your fertility will also improve.

The risks of contracting other serious diseases such as coronary heart disease (heart attacks), strokes and osteoporosis also decreases.