Health Benefits

Health Benefits
Full of Expectation

First of all, your reasons for stopping are your reasons. It is important to be clear why YOU want to stop. Most people list improving their health as a benefit. Perhaps you agree.

You probably figure you’ll improve your lung function. That’s true. What is also true is that your health benefits begin within minutes and last for a lifetime. And they aren’t limited to your lungs. That’s great news.

[I’ll write about a more complete view of health in another post (including your mind, body, lifestyle and emotions). For now let’s consider the physical health benefits.]

The first good news is extending your life. Really! If you stop smoking when you are around 30, you add about 10 years to your life; stop around 40, you add 9 years and stopping at 50 adds 6 years. Imagine that, extra life-time, for free, just by being smoke free.

LIVE 5 – 10 YEARS LONGER
just by quitting smoking

Here is a table based on the World Health Organization summary in their Tobacco Free Initiative.

There are many facts to scare you about smoking. Do they work? Are you scared? I’m not so sure, because most smokers know some of the problems and they still smoke.

If quitting smoking was easy, the majority of smokers would stop. That’s what the research shows. So it’s not easy. You know that. My view is that looking at the health benefits you are going to experience is vital to understand the process of healing your body (and mind) from the unhealthy practice of smoking. [I didn’t use the word habit or addiction. I have some views on that which will appear in another blog post.]

Go back through the graphic above to remind you of the positives. After all, you are visiting a site about quitting smoking and becoming smoke free. Some of these will be more compelling than others.

It’s normal not to smoke. You were born smoke free. You don’t need it. You don’t want it. Imagine if it were an old pair of shoes that you didn’t want, didn’t need. You’d walk away, you’d get rid of them.

Here’s another version of the information above. It might help to look through this from 20 minutes after your last cigarette, all the way to 15 years on. Also, there are a few other benefits, including reproductive health for both men and women. And of course the money.

If you have any other health issues, right now, or in your family history, quitting smoking will help you to limit or overcome these issues.

Download both of these images for your motivation. Share them with others. Look forward to a smoke free lifestyle.