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Health 52
Info Tip:
Smoking
It’s undisputable that smoking is probably the worst thing you can do for
your overall health.
Smoking is both physically and psychologically addictive, so accept the fact
that you will experience withdrawal. Then find ways to deal with it, such as
distractions or motivations.
Calculate how much smoking costs you in a year, and vow to use that money as
a reward when you’re clean for one year.
A multitude of nicotine replacement therapies and prescription
medications—plus hypnosis and acupuncture—are often covered by health
insurance because insurers know that stopping smoking reduces the long-term
medical costs of smoking-related disease.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, twenty minutes after you stop
smoking, your blood pressure drops. Twelve hours later, the carbon monoxide
level in your blood drops to normal.
Two weeks after quitting, your circulation starts to improve. After a few
months your lung function improves, reducing the risk of infection. One year
after quitting, your excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a
smoker's.
Lots more information is available at www.cancer.org, including ways to
participate in the annual Great American Smokeout on November 15.
Source: American Cancer Society
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