6 Months After Quitting Smoking Health Feed

If you are concerned about the health of your heart, one of the primary and most important things to do is quit smoking. Avoiding and abstaining from smoking will heal the nicotine damage caused to your heart. This will enable you to lead a long and healthy life. Here are the reasons why you should quit smoking for the sake of your heart:

1. Reduced risk of heart attack: The benefits of not smoking start hours after you quit, and the heart rate and blood pressure get normalised slowly. By quitting smoking, your chances of having a heart attack are reduced by 50%.
2. In case of women, quitting smoking has special benefits: Women generally have a smaller body frame than men, and the harmful effects of smoking on a woman’s heart are considered to be more dangerous and concentrated. Female smokers under the age of sixty are more likely to experience a condition known as cholesterol plaque erosion, which is a fatal blood vessel condition. Women smokers are likely (seven times more than men) to develop heart complications due to smoking.
3. When you quit smoking, your heart is no longer exposed to harmful chemicals: Cigarette smoke contains toxins such as arsenic, formaldehyde and benzene. The chemical substances may be hazardous to the blood vessels in your body, and the heart muscles get damaged. Once you quit smoking, these chemicals will no longer enter your body, making your heart healthier.
4. Quitting smoking benefits other people as well: When children and people are exposed to tobacco smoke, their chances of having plaque in their heart’s arteries are enhanced. This may cause a stroke.
5. Quitting smoking reduces the chances of getting hospitalised: A smoker may be at the risk for getting hospitalised because of several conditions such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, much more than a non-smoker. After quitting smoking, the chances of being hospitalised decrease within five years.
6. Quitting smoking lowers the risk of having atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is a blood vessel disease which is caused due to inflammations all over the body. Because of this, the arteries may stiffen and thicken. Smokers face the risk of acquiring this condition three times more than non-smokers.

You can quit smoking most effectively by combining behavioural support along with prescribed medication. People using this type of multi-treatment are likely to become successful at quitting smoking. You should consult a specialist who is certified in tobacco treatment, who will provide you with a plan. It will include counselling, medicines and a nicotine replacement therapy. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Cardiologist.

Ready to Quit? Then Expect this!

Withdrawal Symptoms: Be aware that the withdrawal symptoms may begin as soon as four hours after the last cigarette, generally peak in intensity at three to five days, and disappear after two weeks. Withdrawal

Symptoms can be

Physical like Headache, tingling in the hands and feet, sweating, gastro-intestinal (cramps, nausea) and/or Mental like tension, craving, anxiety to withdrawal, feelings of dependency, temper tantrums, irritability, intense needs, , insomnia, mental confusion, strong emotional and mental responses like feelings of being an infant.

Plan to Quit:

Before you plan to quit, ask a few questions to yourself like,

• Do I really want to stop smoking?
• What is holding me back?
• What are the Real problems/excuses?
• Do I accept that there is no miracle cure?

– Be clear about your reason & readiness to stop.
– Draw up an action plan.
– Set a date and stick to it.
– Plan what you will do instead of smoking.
– Give up completely.
– Don’t allow even a quick puff.
– Make quitting number one priority.
– Particularly in the first crucial week.
– Plan it with your friends, agree to support each other and make a pact not to let each other down.
– Make sure all cigs are destroyed.
– Get rid of all smoking reminders.
– Stay away from people who smoke.
– Keep busy.
– Pamper yourself.
– Decide what you are going to do with the saved money and put it aside.
– Try to avoid danger areas.
– Find activities that focus the hands and mind but are not taxing or fattening: computer games, solitaire, sewing, crossword puzzles, etc.
– Set quitting goals on a day to day basis and reward yourself when they are met.
– Think repeatedly about the advantages of quitting.
– Do deep breathing exercises.

Intense Cravings:

When the cravings become uncontrollable, try these 5 D’s
– Delay
– Deep breathing
– Decide
– Drink water
– Do something else

Pharmacological Agents:

Your physician can prescribe you one of the following treatment options to help you quit.

• Nicotine replacement in the form of Nicotine patches, gums.
• Medication like Bupropione hydrochloride (Zyban) and Verenicline,(Champix)

Always Remember: MOTIVATION IS THE ONLY KEY TO SUCCESS !

If you are concerned about the health of your heart, one of the primary and most important things to do is quit smoking. Avoiding and abstaining from smoking will heal the nicotine damage caused to your heart. This will enable you to lead a long and healthy life. Here are the reasons why you should quit smoking for the sake of your heart:

1. Reduced risk of a heart attack: The benefits of not smoking start hours after you quit, and the heart rate and blood pressure get normalised slowly. By quitting smoking, your chances of having a heart attack are reduced by 50%.
2. In case of women, quitting smoking has special benefits: Women generally have a smaller body frame than men, and the harmful effects of smoking on a woman’s heart are considered to be more dangerous and concentrated. Female smokers under the age of sixty are more likely to experience a condition known as cholesterol plaque erosion, which is a fatal blood vessel condition. Women smokers are likely (seven times more than men) to develop heart complications due to smoking.
3. When you quit smoking, your heart is no longer exposed to harmful chemicals: Cigarette smoke contains toxins such as arsenic, formaldehyde and benzene. The chemical substances may be hazardous to the blood vessels in your body, and the heart muscles get damaged. Once you quit smoking, these chemicals will no longer enter your body, making your heart healthier.
4. Quitting smoking benefits other people as well: When children and people are exposed to tobacco smoke, their chances of having plaque in their heart’s arteries are enhanced. This may cause a stroke.
5. Quitting smoking reduces the chances of getting hospitalised: A smoker may be at the risk for getting hospitalised because of several conditions such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, much more than a non-smoker. After quitting smoking, the chances of being hospitalised decrease within five years.
6. Quitting smoking lowers the risk of having atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is a blood vessel disease which is caused due to inflammations all over the body. Because of this, the arteries may stiffen and thicken. Smokers face the risk of acquiring this condition three times more than non-smokers.

You can quit smoking most effectively by combining behavioural support along with prescribed medication. People using this type of multi-treatment are likely to become successful at quitting smoking. You should consult a specialist who is certified in tobacco treatment, who will provide you with a plan. It will include counselling, medicines and a nicotine replacement therapy.