Reading Time: 4 minutes
I believe— to experience the journey called ‘LIFE’ you must try out everything and then make choices of what to hold on to and what to let go off. The toughest thing about the choices we make are the consequences we need to face with the choice. It comes as a package, hand-in-hand.
The formula is simple — CHOICE + CONSEQUENCE = LIFE.
Very often the intention of the choices we make are ‘in the moment’ for the kick, peer pressure or curiosity.
These cool intentions when done for a lark is okay, its when they become a habit that cause numerous health risks in the long run, that we need to stop in our tracks, take a deep breath and alter our choices to affect us positively.
A few such choices that do cause health risks in the long run are smoking, drug addiction, alcohol addiction and sugar addiction.
Of these, I would rate smoking and sugar addiction on level. Both are highly addictive habits and quitting takes a lot of will power, a lot of patience and a lot of back tracking and restarting. Though I rate both equally, who bans sugar anywhere? Smoking is a more visual hazardous habit to your health, to society and to the passive smoker at large. Hence the worldwide ban on smoking indoors, caution printed on cigarette packets.
Lets explore what a remarkable change your body can go through the day you make the choice to ‘quit the butt. ’
Improved cardiovascular health
Improved respiratory health
Improved energy and stamina
Improved oral health
Improved taste and smell senses
Improved quality of skin
Lets measure each of these improvements in detail —
Cardiovascular health — Smoking damages your blood vessels, increases blood pressure all this in turn raises the risk of heart disease.
When you quit smoking — as soon as within a few weeks, your blood circulation will improve, your heart rate will slow down and the overall risk of a heart attack and stroke decreases. All this contributes to a healthier heart, and that’s the heart of the matter.
Respiratory health — Have you ever had the opportunity to look at an X-ray of the lungs of a smoker and non-smoker? Well I have been fortunate enough to view both and the dark patches you see on the smoker’s lungs are reason why your dear lungs are struggling to give you every breath. Yes, smoking does take a severe toll on your lungs and respiratory system. When you quit smoking — your lungs begin the healing process and with time, I say give yourself a year, you lower your risk of all lung diseases (bronchitis, emphysema), Coughing gradually reduces, that deep smokers cough can be recognized in an instant. Shortness of breath, easy breathing becomes real to you after years. With every clean breath you take, you let your body’s natural defense mechanisms against respiratory infections grow stronger, hence reducing risk of respiratory infections.
Energy and Stamina levels — Smoking deprives your body of oxygen, lack of enough oxygen leads to fatigue and reduced physical endurance.
When you quit smoking — your sensory organs improve, more oxygen is absorbed, the more oxygen the more energy, this leads to a leap in your stamina and the end result is that you will begin to enjoy your exercise routine, which may have been so challenging for many a year. A more active life filled with vitality to enjoy recreational activities and exercise is on the cards.
Oral health — Whether it’s chewing of tobacco or smoking, you are ripping apart all the sensory glands, your taste buds, your gums (gingivitis), the enamel of your teeth and what’s worse the increased risk of oral cancer, which is on the rise.
When you quit smoking — your oral health improves, your gums heal, discoloration of your gums and teeth are in remission, your breath improves and tooth decay and loss is no more high risk. Preserve your oral health.
Taste and Smell — ‘the faculty of perceiving by means of sense organs are what we call senses.’ We all know the five senses sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch plus the two lesser known vestibular and proprioception.
How do the senses work? Your brain collects information, like smells and sounds, through your five senses, each of your five senses has its own special sensor, which collects information about your surroundings and sends it to the brain. The senses predominately connected with smoking are taste (mouth) and smell (nose) these are definitely compromised with smoking.
When you quit smoking — you reverse the effect of compromised smell and taste. Your taste buds will rediscover subtle flavours and your sense of smell will get sensitized to aromas all around. All that’s delicious in life can be felt and tasted in the mouth, and your recovered olfactory receptors welcome pleasant smells (not so pleasant ones too). Why not savour and enjoy this rekindled life experience.
Youthful skin — Smoking is dehydrating for the body thus accelerating the aging process. Who wants to look in the mirror when all it reflects is dull lack luster complexion, wrinkles, or dry, patchy skin?
When you quit smoking — the rejuvenation process begins, its really the awesomeness of creation, how quickly the human body reacts to the way it is treated — treat it with kindness and nourishment, it will grab the opportunity to heal and vice-a-versa. You will see improvement in your appearance as the skin cells gets flooded with blood flow, oxygen and nutrients. Now you will want to look in the mirror and with each day watch your uneven skin tone improve, dark circles lighten, lesser or no additional wrinkles and a glow that comes with a vibrant smile.
Final word — Lets just say it as it is — “Quit Smoking Yesterday” There is no better gift you can give yourself. It’s not a question of let me reduce the number of cigarettes, or switch to e-cigarettes or vapping devices or maybe the style quotient of pipe and cigar smoking. You just need to cold turkey and QUIT.
You will experience the 21-day rule of going through the motions of the body and mind adjusting. Stick hard with it, it is life changing and you will see the remarkable health changes in your body.
Start experiencing —
Improved cardiovascular health
Improved respiratory health
Improved energy and stamina
Improved oral health
Improved taste and smell senses
Improved quality of skin
This article misses the most damaging fact about smoking- there is nothing like safe smoking for a lark. Just like safe driving on the wrong side of the road for a lark. Even a passive smoker can get cancer of the throat or cancer of the lungs or more. A person who has smoked a few puffs could get fatal cancer while a chain smoker may peacefully pass away in his sleep at a ripe age of 90yrs. The reason why smoking is so deadly is its total unpredictability. Which is why smoking is a complete No-No. Period.