Resolve to quit smoking with professional, medical support
You’ve heard it hundreds of times―it’s never too late to quit smoking. While this is true, the sooner you make the change, the better, as you can significantly decrease your chance of developing several types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Sue Graupmann, RN, Nurse Navigator, Ridgeview, explains, “There are more than 4,000 chemicals found in cigarette smoke and more than 60 of those cause cancer. The carbon monoxide produced by smoking is a poisonous gas that replaces oxygen in your blood—causing your heart to work harder and preventing your lungs from working effectively. Nicotine is also dangerous. It doesn’t cause cancer, but it’s what gets you hooked.”
Quitting also lowers your risk of diabetes, helps your blood vessels work more efficiently, and improves your heart and lung performance. “Ditching your smoking habit can add as many as 10 years to your life,” Graupmann added.
Immediate benefits of quitting
It takes about a year for your body to recover from most of the damage caused by smoking, but don't let this dissuade you. There are immediate benefits that come with quitting, such as: saving money, your taste and smell returning to normal and that lingering odor will dissipate. According to the American Cancer Society, your body begins to recover immediately after the last puff.
20 minutes after quitting
Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
A few days after quitting
The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
2 weeks to 12 months after quitting
Coughing and shortness of breath decrease. Tiny hair-like structures (called cilia) that move mucus out of the lungs start to regain normal function, increasing their ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs and reduce the risk of infection.
1 to 2 years after quitting
Your risk of heart attack drops dramatically.
5 to 10 years after quitting
Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat and voice box (larynx) is cut in half. Your risk of stroke decreases.
10 years after quitting
Your risk of lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking (after 10 to 15 years). Your risk of cancer of the bladder, esophagus and kidney decreases.
15 years after quitting
Your risk of coronary heart disease is close to that of a non-smoker.
Take the first step
Get started by talking to a provider about options for support. "You don't need to quit cold turkey,” Graupmann said. “Nicotine is highly addictive, so it is not just a matter of willpower.”
In addition to education, your provider may recommend one of several FDA-approved medications to help, this includes: nicotine patches, lozenges, gum, nasal spray and inhalers. Bupropion is an antidepressant medication sometimes prescribed to help with smoking cessation. There is also Varenicline which works by blocking nicotine's effects in the brain that trigger those cravings. “You can take a combination of these medications to support your journey. Since everyone's needs are different, everyone's treatment plan can be different. Just because one method or combination doesn't work, doesn't mean there isn’t a different option to try,” Graupmann explains.
“Your chance of success doubles by using medications in combination with coping strategies. It’s very important to have a plan in place to help overcome triggers, such as turning to gum, toothpicks or suckers when a craving hits. Ridgeview’s health navigators will help you develop a plan, choose supportive medications and guide you during the quitting period.”
For professional, medical support to quit smoking, request an appointment with a Ridgeview provider at a clinic location most convenient for you.
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