Today is the 32nd annual Great American Smokeout.
As Judy Fortin reports in this Health Minute, for many smokers, the benefits of putting out that last cigarette can be felt right away.
QUITTING SMOKING ISN'T EASY. BUT THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY REPORTS SMOKERS WHO KICK THE HABIT WON'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG TO FEEL THE HEALTH BENEFITS.
Within 20 minutes of one's stopping smoking, one's heart rate and blood pressure actually go down.
Twelve hours after one stops smoking, the carbon monoxide levels in one's blood decrease.
About two weeks after one stops smoking, one's lung function actually improves, so one is going to be less short of breath and have more exercise tolerance.
DOCTOR OTIS BRAWLEY SAYS A SMOKER MAY EXPERIENCE SOME NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL.
You can have shaking. You can have nervousness. Even have some depression, increased appetite.
BUT BRAWLEY URGES PEOPLE TO HANG IN THERE, BECAUSE THE BENEFITS OF NOT SMOKING WILL CONTINUE.
One to nine months after one stops smoking, the cough goes away.
About a year after one stops smoking, one's risk of heart disease goes down.
About five years after one stops smoking, one's risk of stroke decreases.
BRAWLEY SAYS 10 YEARS AFTER QUITTING, THE LUNG CANCER DEATH RATE IS ABOUT HALF THAT OF A CURRENT SMOKERS.
FOR TODAY'S HEALTH MINUTE, I'M JUDY FORTIN.
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