March 28, 2024

Newton Wellness Talks: Nov. 16 is the Great American Smoke Out

The Great American Smoke out is coming up on Nov. 16.

Encourage you or someone you know to quit smoking or make a plan to quit, even if for just one day. Quitting, even one day, takes a step towards a healthier smoke-free life. Whether a resolution or a personal goal, the health benefits to quitting smoking are a motivating factor for many.

Consider this, just 20 minutes after quitting, a smoker’s heart rate drops to a normal level and the body begins to repair the damage caused by smoking. No matter how long someone has been using tobacco, they’ll experience the benefits right away.

Here are more immediate health benefits:

20 Minutes After Quitting:

• Heart rate drops to a normal level.

12 Hours After Quitting:

• The carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal.

2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting:

• Risk of having a heart attack begins to drop.

• Lung function begins to improve.

1 to 9 Months After Quitting:

• Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

1 Year After Quitting:

• Added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

5 to 15 Years After Quitting:

• Risk of a stroke is reduced to that of a nonsmoker’s.

• Risk of getting cancer of the mouth, throat or esophagus is half that of a smoker’s.

10 Years After Quitting:

• Risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a smoker’s.

• Risk of getting bladder cancer is half that of a smoker’s.

• Risk of getting cervical cancer or cancer of the larynx, kidney or pancreas decreases.

15 Years After Quitting:

• Risk of coronary heart disease is the same as that of a nonsmoker.

Quitting can be an overwhelming process, but you do not have to do it alone. Quitline Iowa can help.

Quitline Iowa is a FREE tobacco cessation resource available to Iowans 13 years and older. They provide phone coaching and web coaching to help participants form a quit plan to stay on track. Quitline Iowa coaches can help you pick the best quit aid for you. You might even be eligible to receive free nicotine replacement therapies.

Visit www.QuitlineIowa.org or call 1.800.QUIT.NOW for more information. Take the steps to set yourself up for success as a non-smoker and reap the health benefits.

For more information, contact the American Lung Association in Iowa at 515-309-9507 or Lung.org.