BLOOMINGTON – September is Healthy Aging Month, and quitting smoking is one of the healthiest things an individual can do at any age.
“Making healthy lifestyle choices, like not using tobacco, are essential to healthy aging,” said IU Health Community Health Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Kristen Terry. “The earlier you quit, the better, but everyone can benefit from tobacco cessation.”
Some of these benefits, as reported by the American Cancer Society, include:
- Your heart rate and blood pressure drop 20 minutes after quitting.
- The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal a few days after quitting.
- Your circulation improves, and your lung function increases two weeks to three months after quitting.
- Your risk of heart attack drops dramatically one to two years after quitting.
- Your risk of stroke decreases, and your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box is cut in half five to 10 years after quitting.
- Your risk of lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking (after 10 to 15 years) 10 years after quitting.
- Your risk of coronary heart disease is close to that of a non-smoker 15 years after quitting.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports cigarette smoking as “the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States.” As shown in the list above, quitting can help with these risks.
“Tobacco cessation can even help your outward appearance since your skin begins to repair itself,” says Terry. “I love seeing people a month or two after quitting, and they’re smiling because they’re feeling better, and their skin is brighter, smoother, and just looks healthier.”
Quitting tobacco is easier when you have the right resources available. Call 1.800.Quit.Now for help from a trained quit coach and get started on a quit plan. You can also call this number for free, evidence-based tobacco cessation support. Visit QuitNowIndiana.com to learn more.
For local tobacco prevention and control efforts, visit the Tobacco Free Coalition of Monroe County on Facebook.
