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Benefits of Quitting
By the American Cancer Society (800-ACS-2345)
Oprah.com   |   January 01, 2006
Quitting smoking means a healthier life.
The benefits of quitting smoking include immediate rewards such as whiter teeth and heightened senses and long-term effects such as improved circulation and a stronger immune system.

Change your life for good!
Immediate Rewards of Quitting
Kicking the tobacco habit offers some benefits that you'll notice right away and some that will develop over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life a great deal.
  • Your breath smells better
  • Stained teeth get whiter
  • Bad smelling clothes and hair go away
  • Your yellow fingers and fingernails disappear
  • Food tastes better
  • Your sense of smell returns to normal
  • Everyday activities no longer leave you out of breath (for example, climbing stairs or light housework)
20 Minutes After Quitting
Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
(Effect of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure Amplification, Mahmud, A, Feely, J. 2003.)

12 Hours After Quitting
The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1988)

2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting
Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990)

1 to 9 Months After Quitting
Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs and reduce the risk of infection.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990)

1 Year After Quitting
The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990)
5 Years After Quitting
Your risk of having a stroke is now equal to a nonsmoker's.
(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990)

10 Years After Quitting
The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix and pancreas decrease.
(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990)

15 Years After Quitting
Your risk of coronary heart disease is now equal to a nonsmoker's.
(U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990)

Feeling tempted? Use these tools to make sure you don't relapse.
Printed from Oprah.com on Saturday, May 26, 2012
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