A timeline after quitting smoking

Those who quit smoking experience a bounty of health benefits, from lowering the risk of diabetes and cancer to allowing the blood vessels to work better, which aids the heart and lungs.

Here’s a look at benefits that kick in, some within minutes of snuffing a cigarette.
The first day: Twenty minutes after quitting, heart rate and blood pressure drop. After 12 hours without smoking, carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop and return to normal.

The first weeks and months: Two weeks to three months after quitting, the body’s circulation improves and lung function increases. After one to nine months, a person’s coughing and shortness of breath decrease. In addition, the cilia, or tiny, hairlike structures that purge mucus from the lungs, once again begin to function normally. This increases the body’s ability to handle mucus, cleans the lungs and lowers risk of infection.

One year after quitting: The risk of developing coronary heart disease drops by 50 percent.
Five years after quitting: A person’s risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder are reduced by half. Risk of cervical cancer is now about equal to that of a nonsmoker. Also, the risk of stroke can be on par to that of a nonsmoker two to five years after quitting.

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