Stay Away from Tobacco

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of cancers of the mouth and throat, lung, esophagus, pancreas, cervix, kidney, bladder, stomach, colon, rectum, and liver, as well as acute myeloid leukemia. Some studies also link smoking to breast cancer and advanced-stage prostate cancer.

Smoking also greatly increases the risk of debilitating, long-term lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It raises the risk for heart attack, stroke, blood vessel diseases, and eye diseases. Half of all those who keep smoking will eventually die from a smoking-related illness.

That’s why it’s so important to quit. No matter how old you are or how long you’ve smoked, quitting can help you live longer and be healthier. But quitting is hard because tobacco products contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive, naturally occurring chemical in tobacco. Even so, many Bermudians have quit with help, and you can, too.

Quitting tobacco is not easy, but it can be done. Whether you smoke cigarettes, use smokeless tobacco, or are trying to help a friend or loved one, Pathways Bermuda will show you how it can be done.

This is how your body will start to recover.

People breathe more easily and cough less when they give up smoking because their lung capacity improves by up to 10% within 9 months.

In your 20s and 30s, the effect of smoking on your lung capacity may not be noticeable until you go for a run, but lung capacity naturally diminishes with age. In later years, having maximum lung capacity can mean the difference between having an active, healthy old age and wheezing when you go for a walk or climb the stairs.

Within 2 to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, your blood circulation improves. This makes all physical activity, including walking and running, much easier. You’ll also give a boost to your immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu. The increase in oxygen in the body can also reduce tiredness and the likelihood of headaches.

When you stop smoking, your senses of smell and taste get a boost. You may notice that food tastes and smells different as your mouth and nose recover from being dulled by the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.

Stopping smoking has been found to slow facial ageing and delay the appearance of wrinkles. And giving up tobacco stops teeth becoming stained, and you’ll have fresher breath.

To quit smoking, contact Pathways Bermuda for a consultation.

Tel: 236-0823. Email: info@pathwaysbermuda.bm . www.pathways.bm