We've all heard about the many health risks of smoking - such as an increased risk for many forms of cancer, heart attacks, stroke and pulmonary problems. Smoking also contributes to health problems of particular concern to seniors, including osteoporosis, cataract formation and macular degeneration, a progressive eye disease that is the leading cause of blindness. But did you know that kicking the habit can result in immediate and long-term health benefits? Consider the following:
Immediate health benefits of quitting:
Decreased heart rate and blood pressure
Increased energy and endurance
Sharpened sense of smell and taste
Within one year:
Improved circulation
Decreased coughing, sinus congestion and fatigue
Lower risk of fatal heart attack to about half that of a smoker
Within three to five years:
Decreased risk of fatal heart attack to about the same level as a non-smoker
Within ten years:
Reduced risk of stroke
Decreased lung cancer death rate to about half that of a smoker
Lower risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas
Over the long-term:
Continuous decrease in cancer risk
'In general, people who quit smoking live much longer than those who continue to smoke,' says Chris Kotsen, PsyD, a psychologist with Somerset Medical Center's Outpatient Behavioral Health Services and coordinator of the medical center's Quit Center Tobacco Dependency Treatment Program. 'Many people think they've been smoking too long to change - but the health benefits of quitting are substantial at any age.'
