Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you. It’s not good for your health.
Smoking cigarettes makes you smell like an old chimney, unclean, and in need of a sweep. And, it’s unsociable—smoke wafts over others, gets in their eyes, nose and mouth making them choke and suffocate, not to mention contaminates their airways—and it can even ruin friendships.
However, quitting smoking isn’t easy. There are many reasons why people say they “can’t” quit smoking.
But if your goal is to live a healthier life, then you need to make an effort. Otherwise you may end up like a friend of mine.
Jason was 40. He’d smoked cigarettes since the age of 15. Every time I saw him he had a cigarette in his hand.
He chose to smoke, because as he said, “I enjoy it. Smoking makes me feel relaxed.“
Describing Jason to you is not difficult. He was a joker, the life of any party and he was an extremely selfless person.
He was spontaneous, made others feel happy even when they were down, and he devoting hours to firefighting and other charity causes.
Jason’s diagnosis of lung cancer was no surprise. But, nonetheless it tore many people’s hearts out of their chests as they watched someone they loved slowly fade away until he was no longer viable.
We all said our goodbyes to Jason—hundreds of us—while tears rolled down our cheeks. His memorial page, set up by his son, is testament to the number of lives that he’d touched—other volunteers, people he’d taught, helped and shared his life with all told Jason how much they loved him and how they’d miss him every day for the rest of their lives.
And as you read this you say, “Oh that’s so sad”, then you take a puff of that cigarette that you have in your hand. Because, you think to yourself that’s Jason’s story, not mine. That won’t happen to me. I’ve been smoking for years.
Let’s look at 5 motivators for you to quit smoking right now. Seriously, you don’t need to cough, splutter or feel like you’ve swallowed an ashtray anymore.
Motivators For You To Quit Smoking #1 Improved Mental Health
Smoking causes stress and anxiety. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, nicotine is a stimulant that can cause you to feel anxious or nervous when quitting smoking. If you are already stressed out about quitting cigarettes, this only makes things even worse.
Nicotine withdrawal has similar effects as other drugs (including caffeine). That’s why people who try to quit using e-cigarettes experience the same symptoms as regular smokers—including irritability, difficulty concentrating, cravings, restlessness, increased appetite/weight gain and sleep disturbances. If you’re struggling with quitting, feel free to have a look at some American Addiction Centers reviews to find some help that will assist you in quitting for good.
Motivators For You To Quit Smoking #2 Reduced High Cholesterol & Heart Disease Risk
Smoking is the leading cause of heart disease and contributes to many other health problems. For example, according to a recent study, people who smoke increase their risk for coronary artery disease by approximately three times when compared with those who do not smoke. In addition, according to The American Lung Association, smoking can lead to atherosclerosis (the narrowing of arteries due to plaque buildup), which increases your chances of having a stroke or developing peripheral vascular disease.
Motivators For You To Quit Smoking #3 Sexier Smile
Smoking can lead to tooth staining (because of tar buildup on the teeth), gum disease, and discolouration. The stains caused by smoking are difficult to remove; they worsen over time if not treated with whitening agents or bleaching products. Plus, you can develop oral cancer, and esophageal lesions and cancer, and cancer of the larynx due to smoking.
Motivators For You To Quit Smoking #4 Youthful Glow & Radiant Skin
Smoking can also cause wrinkles and age spots. According to researchers at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, exposure to tobacco smoke causes skin tissue damage that results in deep wrinkles and sun-related skin colour changes.
Motivators For You To Quit Smoking #5 Longer Life
Many people think that quitting smoking is too much work—especially when you’ve been doing it for a long time. However, once you quit smoking, your body starts repairing itself right away. Within 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your blood pressure and heart rate decrease back towards normal levels. Then, just one year later, oxygen-carrying capacity in the blood increases again and returns to normal within three years.
In addition, according to Medical News Today, quitting smoking reduces your risk of dying from coronary heart disease by half if you quit before the age of 40. So, by putting down that package and walking away from it for the rest of your life will let you live for longer.
You don’t need cigarettes, they need you.
Stop smoking now. You’ll begin to see changes in your body occur daily. And while it may not seem like it now, in just a few weeks, you’ll start feeling healthier than ever—you’ll be thrilled that you made this decision.
InShape Key Takeaways
- Make an effort to stop smoking.
- Reduce your anxiety.
- Avoid heart disease and many other health conditions.
- Lessen your changes of yellow teeth and oral cancers.
- Overcome tissue damage and ageing, as well as deep wrinkles.
- Increase your body’s ability to transport life-giving oxygen to cells, muscles and organs.
- Live your life for longer with those you love and share more of those good times you enjoy.
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