Barb Walls of the NB Lung Association tells CHSJ News as soon as you smoke your last cigarette your body begins working to repair the damage done by smoking.
20 minutes after your last cigarette: blood pressure and pulse rate return to what they were just before your last cigarette, and your hands and feet warm up.
8 hours after your last cigarette: the carbon monoxide level in you blood falls.
24 hours after your last cigarette: the chance of your having a heart attack is lessened
48 hours after your last cigarette: nerve endings start regrowing, so your senses of both smell and taste improve. Walking becomes easier.
By 3 months after your last cigarette circulation has improved, and your lung function has increased.
By 9 months after your last cigarette: the cells lining your airways have fully recovered, you cough less, have less sinus congestion, and your shortness of breath has gone.
1 year after your last cigarette: your risk of coronary heart disease is now half that of a smoker's.
5 years after your last cigarette: your risk of having a stroke is now greatly reduced, approaching that of someone who has never smoked.
She says it's also important to plan your quit, and realizing it's a physical addition, not just a bad habit, and you need to prepare accordingly.
