When smokers quit, within twenty minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of changes.
At 20 minutes after quitting:
* blood pressure decreases
* pulse rate drops
* body temperature of hands and feet increases
At 8 hours:
* carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
* oxygen level in blood increases to normal
At 24 hours:
* chance of a heart attack decreases
At 48 hours:
* nerve endings start regrowing
* ability to smell and taste is enhanced
The first year after quitting:
At 2 weeks to 3 months:
* circulation improves
* walking becomes easier
* lung function increases
1 to 9 months:
* coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
1 year:
* excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker
Long-term Benefits of Quitting
At 5 years:
* from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.
At 10 years:
* risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
* risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
* risk of ulcer decreases
At 15 years:
* risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
* risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked
Source: American Lung Association
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