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Whether you enjoy smoking on social occasions or smoke regularly, it is a well-established fact that smoking is detrimental to your health for a plethora of reasons. Regardless of how long you have been smoking, kicking the habit is one of the best decisions you can take to improve your lifestyle. However, the earlier you do so, the better it is. Not only for yourself, but for your friends, family, and colleagues as well.
Primarily, quitting smoking can help you reduce your risk of premature death. Among the scientific community, it is believed that choosing to remain smoke-free can potentially prolong your life for up to a decade. This is highlighted by the fact that non-smokers who live in developed nations around the world have the highest life expectancy.
Apart from increasing the risk of premature death, smoking can lead to drastic deteriorations in cardiovascular health. Smoking promotes the tendency of the body to produce unnecessary blood clots. Furthermore, smoking reduces the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This is problematic as HDL has a key role in removing cholesterol from the body. Raised cholesterol levels can result in a narrowing of arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis, which can improve the likelihood of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. Giving up smoking is a really good way to lower your risk factor for these conditions.
Quitting smoking also dramatically improves respiratory health. In fact, an improvement in pulmonary function is one of the most significant changes that will happen should you choose to give up smoking. It will not only reduce the risk of developing morbidities such as bronchitis and pneumonia but also the frequency of unpleasant related symptoms such as coughing and wheezing. Moreover, symptoms of asthma can be exacerbated by smoking; kicking your habit will reduce the severity of the condition.
Most people are well-aware of the carcinogenic properties of smoking. Studies show that quitting smoking reduces the risk of an array of cancers including kidney, liver, lung, colon, oesophagus, and pancreas.
If you’ve tried giving up smoking but feel as though you were unsuccessful, don’t let it put you off. The most important part of starting your smoking-free regimen is maintaining a positive mind-set!