It's no secret that smoking causes enormous damage to the whole body. Nicotine and accompanying harmful substances contained in tobacco smoke penetrate into every organ, into every cell of the body, bringing with it destruction and severe consequences.
So it would be naive to believe that giving up this bad habit will go unnoticed.
The problem of smoking is dealt with by doctors of specialization - narcologist and psychotherapist (psychologist). This is explained by the fact that when quitting smoking, a person must face the problems of physical and psychological dependence on cigarettes. If the patient is not a passionate smoker, then the body rehabilitation procedure is quite simple and straightforward (almost imperceptible). If the patient is an experienced smoker, and at the same time his daily norm was a pack, or even two a day, smoking cessation (and even a sharp cessation of smoking) can lead to a state of stress.
Let's take a closer look at what happens to a smoker's body after a bad habit stops?
What can affect the body's recovery process?
How difficult and how long the process of recovery and renewal of the body will take, depends entirely on the smoker, more precisely on:
- his history of smoking;
- sex;
- age;
- presence of background and chronic diseases;
- state of the immune system;
- individual characteristics of the patient's body.
For some patients the process is faster, for others it is delayed, but on average it takes about a year to “heal”.
Get ready for: the unpleasant aspects of quitting smoking
Smoking cessation can have a number of unpleasant sensations, but they are all temporary and are a normal reaction of the body during restructuring and transition to nicotine-free functioning. In medicine, this period is called the abstinence syndrome (popularly - fragile) and in no way threatens the body. The following symptoms may occur during body rehabilitation (but this is not necessary, so you should not listen and look for these signs in yourself):
- burning desire to smoke;
- slight dizziness;
- irritability, lack of strength to wait or tolerate anything;
- depressed mood or depressed state;
- obsessive anxiety;
- rapid fatigue;
- slow heart rate;
- skin rash (irritation, acne);
- inflammation of the oral mucosa;
- sore throat;
- runny nose;
- sleep disorders;
- constant hunger;
- stomach cramps;
- persistent cough.
These are the most common illnesses during the recovery period of the body, but it is not at all necessary for all of the above symptoms (or even some of them) to occur in you.
The recovery period can also be accompanied by a decrease in immunity, so smokers are prone to viral and cold diseases in the first few months. And this is quite understandable, because the body adapts to the new conditions of existence, and therefore the immune system can not adequately reject viruses.
Over the years of smoking, your body has become accustomed to functioning in a constant mode of nicotine supply, and in order for the body to adapt to new (well-forgotten old) working conditions, it takes time, and the longer you smoke, the longer you have to wait.
What can make the body's recovery easier?
The body's recovery process can be made a little easier by filling life with pleasurable sensations and joyful events - it stimulates the production of pleasure hormones (dopamine).
To calm the nervous system, you can take sedatives - tincture of valerian, lemongrass and ginseng, lemon balm cocktail and chamomile decoction. Sports (moderate physical activity - lift lift and walking up stairs, classes in the pool, walking and cycling in a pine or forest forest, hiking, outdoor games) and hobbies (some prefer to "leave work with their heads"). And instead of cigarettes, take seeds or nuts - this is a useful alternative to nicotine, they contain minerals and substances needed by the body that help fight toxins.
For the fastest recovery of the respiratory system, try to limit contact with home and office equipment (they inhibit the process of cleansing the lungs) or buy an air ionizer.
To maintain immunity, it is recommended to avoid drafts and walks in cold and muddy weather; compensate for the lack of vitamins with fruit or take vitamin-mineral complexes. It would be helpful to pay attention to your diet to restore your protein balance, as well as eat more foods that contain vitamin C (oranges, lemons, kiwis, grapefruit, pineapple, berries, herbs, rosehip soup, sauerkraut salad) andfiber (dried fruits, bran, vegetables). Dairy products will discourage the craving for tobacco, moreover, they will be very useful for the recovery of the organism (especially for the cardiovascular system).
But above all, smoking cessation must be accompanied by strong motivation.
What to expect: positive changes
When you stop smoking, the internal organs and systems react first.
Do not be afraid of some chest discomfort (this is, as we have already said, a temporary phenomenon), only the respiratory and circulatory systems begin to recover: the heart muscle and blood vessels regain their former elasticity and begin to work at full strength.
After you stop taking nicotine, some depression can be noticed, but these are just the consequences of the fact that the nervous system is toned and returns to its natural state - it resists stress without the help of nicotine. The handshake syndrome disappears a little later.
As you know, nicotine has a negative effect on the reproductive system of both men and women. By reducing the number and vitality of sperm, nicotine can make a man infertile. Nicotine is equally harmful to a woman's body, disrupting a woman's reproductive cycle, as well as the possibility of normal fertilization of the egg and intrauterine development of the child. Smoking (especially in women) entails gene mutations and therefore affects the ability to have healthy offspring. Smokers have a ten times higher risk of giving birth to an unhealthy child compared to non-smokers, as well as the fact that the risk of miscarriage is many times higher. After smoking cessation, the risk of premature birth is significantly reduced, as well as the birth of a child with pathology of the respiratory tract, cardiovascular system and other disorders. For men, smoking cessation prevents the appearance of premature impotence (for smokers, this age is 30-40 years).
Many women are concerned about gaining weight when they quit smoking. While smoking, nicotine suppresses hunger, speeds up metabolism, and at the same time helps fight stress. There is no reason to worry if during the period of restructuring the body due attention is paid to diet (give up fatty foods, and also refuse or at least limit the consumption of sweets and flour products). According to statistics, the average weight gain of those who quit smoking is about 3 kg per year, but "horror stories" about it are nothing but an advertising trick of tobacco companies and cigarettes. Those who are prone to obesity, in addition to a healthy diet, should also pay attention to an active lifestyle (try to walk more).
Smoking cessation will have a beneficial effect on the whole body, and will manifest itself in the following:
- improving the work of all organs and systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, digestive, urogenital);
- improving the circulatory system and blood circulation (healthy complexion, even blush);
- easy breathing and shortness of breath disappearing;
- improvement of smell and taste (maybe even improvement of sight and hearing, because nicotine no longer dulls the work of auditory and optical nerves);
- increase efficiency and the desire to be more active;
- sleep normalization (daytime sleepiness disappears) and general body tone;
- improving memory, reactions, concentration;
- increase thinking speed (quick wit);
- increase in free time (by refusing to smoke);
- increase in finances (which used to blow away - cigarette smoke).
What happens during recovery with the body by day and month?
For those who are interested in what happens to the body when a smoker gives up a bad habit, we will answer: the body recovers and it happens something like this (the procedure can take place differently for everyone).
1 day:
- the concentration of carbon monoxide in the blood decreases, and the level of oxygen in the tissues increases;
- decreased appetite;
- feeling weak;
- may be having an ugly dream.
Day 2:
- Improving the functioning of the lung epithelium - the amount of mucus in them is reduced;
- stomach and intestinal cells are regenerated;
- cough, itchy skin;
- frequent urination.
Day 3:
- bronchial mucosa is regenerated - oxygen flow to the heart and brain increases;
- improves blood vessel tone;
- appetite increases dramatically.
Day 4:
- blood flow to the brain is normalized - tinnitus and dizziness are noticed;
- antidiuretic hormone is produced.
Day 5:
- expectoration of mucus;
- healing of microtrauma of the tongue and restoration of taste.
Day 6:
- the work of the pancreas and gallbladder is restored;
- Excessive sweating and nausea occur.
Day 7:
- psychological awareness of cigarette addiction;
- expectoration of mucus;
- Stool violation.
This is roughly how the first week of physical recovery goes and, perhaps, these first days will not be particularly noticeable. However, a month will pass and not only will you be able to feel the qualitative changes, but others will notice as well.
For months, the recovery process has been like this:
- 1 month - recovery takes place at the level of cells (epithelium is renewed, the process of absorption and absorption in the intestine is normalized, depression is possible).
- 2 months - skin regenerates (yellowness of fingers and face disappears, dry skin disappears), lungs regenerate at the cellular level (cough can continue), fatigue during physical exertion disappears
- 3 months - blood vessels, nervous system (minimal susceptibility to stress), increased appetite, but healthy sleep is completely restored.
- 4 months - normalization of facial skin (peeling passes), production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is normalized and stool is normalized.
- 5 months - lung tissues continue to recover, liver cells are regenerating, the body's reaction to physical activity is normalized (however, with "marathons" one should wait for now).
- 6-8 months - the process of oxygen enrichment of the blood is normalized, the liver continues to recover, weight is stabilized, taste buds and odor are restored.
- 9 months - almost complete recovery of the whole body, it may be tempting to go back to smoking.
- 1 year - physical activity without restrictions; the risk of diseases caused by smoking is reduced by 90%.
Be patient, because you have to pay for everything in life, and all the unpleasant sensations are only temporary, but the diseases that smoking causes to the body bring much more trouble and suffering.
Good luck fighting your bad habit - smoking! We believe there is only one possible winner in this fight and you will become him!
Be healthy!