Having suffered from tuberculosis, many people realize that to be cured it is necessary to completely stop smoking, which disrupts the protective mechanisms of the bronchopulmonary system.But not everyone succeeds in quitting smoking because of worsening health and increased cough in the first days after quitting cigarettes.
Many people expect the body to immediately start on the road to improved well-being.But this is a mistake: during years of regular nicotine intake, the body gets used to it and demands to return to its usual state.The fact is that smoking leads to changes in the body even at the molecular level;the genes responsible for cell division may be damaged.Therefore, a smoker has an increased risk of cancer.
After quitting smoking, a person faces a period of body restructuring.It may be uncomfortable, but once it's over you feel better quickly.The following positive changes are observed in the cardiovascular system: blood vessels regain their elasticity, the flow of oxygen to the heart increases and it begins to work better.Impulse transmission in the nervous system improves, irritability decreases, and limbs stop trembling.
The functioning of the bronchi is restored rather slowly and does not fully return to a healthy state.Even several years after a person has stopped smoking, the risk of cancer remains, but it is significantly lower than for smokers.
Unpleasant sensations may appear when quitting smoking, and this is not only due to depression due to smoking cessation.In the first days without cigarettes, small ulcers or stomatitis may appear on the lips and oral mucosa.A cold may develop, along with a cough, runny nose or sore throat, and there are also cases of conjunctivitis.All these symptoms arise because the body did not have enough time to renew itself, and the immune system is in a depressed state.This causes colds to appear, but after 2-3 weeks your health starts to improve.
In the first week after quitting smoking, the body is actively cleansed of nicotine, which leads to cravings for nicotine.Regenerative processes begin in the mucous membranes of the bronchi and intestines, and over time they become more and more active.Mucus may start leaking from the lungs along with coughing.The blood supply to the blood vessels of the brain and other organs improves.Due to the fact that the intestines are reduced, constipation can occur.An increase in blood pressure may occur.
By the end of the first week, stomach function returns to normal.If injuries and ulcers are noticed on the tongue, then the healing process takes place.Skin may feel flaky due to dryness.It is believed that by the end of the first week, the physical addiction to tobacco disappears, but the psychological one may still remain.Those who quit smoking describe their bodies as "out of balance" in the first week.Appetite increases, and all taste sensations in food become more acute;often a person becomes "addicted" to sweets.
For a person who quit smoking a week ago, this is a time of stress that can be difficult to handle.This condition can affect sleep, increased sweating, and the person becomes nervous and irritable.Thoughts appear that you should not stop smoking, but by the end of the week these thoughts appear less and less.At this point, willpower and conviction are important.
After a month, the body renewal period begins at the cellular level.The appearance noticeably improves - the face looks healthier.Dry skin disappears, vascular tone returns to the appropriate level.But lung function is still going through a recovery period.
After 5 months from the moment of quitting smoking, the liver cells begin to recover, and the blood is completely renewed.Cough rarely bothers me anymore.Normalization of body weight is observed as sleep and appetite return to normal.There is a surge of strength and a desire to play sports.
You can make it easier to quit smoking by reviewing your lifestyle and diet.There should be enough fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy products on the menu.It is necessary to walk more often in the fresh air and go to bed on time.
After quitting smoking:
The first changes start in 20 minutes - blood circulation improves and the sensitivity of fingers and toes increases.
After 8 hours, the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood decreases.This means that the oxygen level in your blood has returned to normal.
After two days of abstaining from smoking, the body is completely cleansed of nicotine.You can finally say goodbye to those tiny crystals that encourage you to smoke.Unfortunately, as soon as the nicotine completely leaves the body, the desire to smoke increases to a maximum.
Two days after quitting smoking, the taste buds begin to function normally.Not only will you be able to better understand the nuances of flavor, but you'll also start adding less spice to your usual foods.
After two days you start to smell better.Now the idea of stopping and smelling the roses will seem much more appealing.
After three days, the ciliated epithelium in the lungs regenerates.Smoking destroys the microscopic cilia that clean the airways.Fortunately, these eyelashes can regenerate.
Blood pressure begins to decrease after a week, which reduces the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, kidney failure, and angina pectoris.
The cough begins to disappear two weeks after quitting smoking.It doesn't disappear immediately, because your lungs need time to remove harmful substances accumulated in them.
In two weeks, blood circulation will be restored, which will immediately have a positive effect on sexual function: the quality of erection in men will improve, sensitivity in women will increase.
Three months after quitting smoking, skin tone evens out.Nicotine prevents blood flow to the upper layers of the skin, which makes it pale, dry and promotes peeling.Nicotine also stimulates the appearance of wrinkles because it blocks the production of collagen.
If you haven't smoked a single cigarette for a year, the most obvious signs of smoking disappear.The tobacco tint on your fingers will disappear and the plaque on your teeth will fade.After cleaning at the dentist, the teeth will no longer turn yellow, and the blood circulation in the gums will normalize.
After five years without smoking, stroke risk indicators return to normal, and after 15 years, the risk of developing cancer in an ex-smoker becomes the same as in a non-smoker.