(HealthDayNews) -- If you're even thinking about quitting smoking, you've taken a step in the right direction.
To help you along, the University of Toledo Health Services describes how kicking the habit will benefit your health:
After 20 minutes of quitting:
- blood pressure decreases;
- pulse rate drops;
- and body temperature of hands and feet increases.
At 8 hours:
- carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal;
- and oxygen level in blood increases to normal.
After 24 hours:
- chances of a heart attack decrease.
After 48 hours:
- nerve endings start regrowing;
- and ability to taste and smell is enhanced.
The first year after quitting:
- circulation improves;
- walking becomes easier;
- lung function increases;
- coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease;
- and excess risk of coronary heart disease decreases by half.
At 10 years:
- risk of lung cancer drops 50 percent;
- and risks of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease.
At 15 years:
- risk of coronary disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked;
- and risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked.
