Your Health

Your body begins to heal itself almost immediately after you stop smoking. In the first 24 hours, blood pressure, pulse rate, and the temperature of your hands and feet will return to normal as your circulation improves. Your risk of sudden heart attack is substantially reduced. After two days, your senses of taste and smell begin returning to normal. After three days, your entire body is 100% nicotine free. Your lung capacity will begin to increase as bronchial tubes relax. In a month or two, walking and physical exertion will be easier, and your overall lung functioning will have increased an amazing 30%. After one year, your risk of a heart attack will drop to half that of a smoker. After five years or so, your risk of stroke will fall to that of someone who has never smoked. After 10 years, your risk of lung cancer, and cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus will be half that of a smoker. After 15 years, your risk of heart attack will be about the same as that of a person who has never smoked. Your overall risk of death after 15 years will be about the same as a person who has never smoked.

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