Tobacco smoke has thousands of harmful chemicals that negatively impact your body and those around you. Quitting tobacco is no easy task but the benefits outweigh the discomfort of setting yourself free from tobacco use. Whether you use cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes or any other form of tobacco, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that quitting enhances your quality of life and harbors health benefits no matter your age or how long you’ve been smoking/using tobacco. Below is just a sampling of the ways your body benefits when tobacco use is stopped:
Cardiovascular System
- The risk of cardiovascular disease and death related to it is reduced
- Leads to rapid improvement in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels
- Reduces the risk of coronary heart disease
- The risk of disease and death from stroke is reduced
Respiratory System
- Reduces the risk of developing COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
- Respiratory symptoms (i.e. cough, sputum production, wheezing) are decreased
- Respiratory infection (i.e. pneumonia, bronchitis) are reduced
Cancer-Related
- Quitting smoking/tobacco use reduces the risk of twelve different cancers
Reproductive System
- Quitting smoking before pregnancy or early in pregnancy reduces the risk for a small-for-gestational-age baby
- Quitting smoking during pregnancy reduces the risk of delivering a low birth weight baby
- Quitting smoking early in pregnancy eliminates adverse effects of smoking on fetal growth
To learn more about how your health improves when you quit tobacco use, click here. One of the most important actions for your health and your loved ones is to stop using tobacco and you are not alone if you are ready to quit. Some resources at Norton Healthcare to help you are:
- N Good Health tobacco Cessation Workshop
- Meet with a pharmacist
- American Lung Association Freedom From Smoking course
How to access these resources can be found here or reach out to the team at N Good Health for guidance by calling (502) 629-2162
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