4 Health Benefits of Giving Up Smoking
It’s common knowledge that smoking is dangerous, which is why many decide to quit the habit. Apart from harming the person who smokes, the smoke also affects people around them who inhale it. Smoking is especially detrimental to respiratory health, and it is one of the main causes if lung cancer. While one may find it difficult to quit, here’s how quitting smoking benefits health:
- Boosts immunity
Smoking damages the immune system of an individual, as they’re exposed to various harmful chemicals like tar and nicotine. The immune system faces a hard time fighting with these chemicals and is weakened in the process. When one decides to quit smoking, the immune system is not constantly fighting harmful chemicals and gets some rest. So, it can function normally and fights the other invaders of the body much more effectively, reducing the chances of illness due to other reasons. - Improves heart health
One of the biggest implications of smoking is on the heart, and heart diseases are most common among smokers. Smoking increases the heart rate almost instantly, and one can instantly see an improvement in the functioning of the heart as soon as they stop smoking. The risk of a heart attack decreases within as little as 24 hours of quitting smoking. The blood becomes thinner, and dangerous blood clots are less likely to be formed. This means blood can be pumped by the heart more easily, lowering the pressure on the heart. Lower cholesterol is also one of the benefits of quitting smoking, which means that the heart is healthier, as the buildup of fatty acids in the arteries is reduced. - Improves teeth and gum health
Research says that smokers are six times more likely to develop gum diseases as compared to non-smokers. This is because their immunity is not strong enough to fight against diseases. Gum disease is a result of bacteria found in plaque, which is the sticky substance that forms on the teeth if they’re not cleaned properly. Also, smoking might lead to gaps between the teeth and also cause inflammation of the gums. This means the chances of inflammation and the teeth becoming loose reduce when one quits smoking. - Ensures healthier lungs
Healthier lungs are symbolic of how quitting smoking benefits health as the lungs are directly impacted by smoking. Within weeks of quitting smoking, it becomes easier to walk, and one is less likely to experience breathlessness. If one is wondering how quitting smoking benefits health, it also prevents emphysema, a condition that has no cure otherwise. Once people quit smoking, coughing occurs more than usual, which is the sign of cilia growing back. When cilia returns completely, they can fight cold and infection better.