Did you know that it takes the average smoker five to six attempts to quit? This is even more true if you started smoking before the age of twenty-four because this time precedes the brain’s full development. Every cigarette contains 50 cancer-causing chemicals and smoking them is the #1 cause of preventable death in the United States and worldwide.
Here are the 7 best reasons to quit smoking.
1. You smell
Smoking smells. Not just the air surrounding the smoker, but the smoker him or herself. It gets in the hair, on the clothes and within the skin. There’s no mistaking the smell of a smoker. This is one of the BEST reasons to quit because who wants to smell so badly all of the time?
2. Loss of senses
Smokers lose some of their senses because breathing in hot fumes is toxic. There’s a gradual lose of the ability to taste food because of the lose of smell. The pleasure of eating is slowly taken away when you smoke, but the good news is quitting instantly brings it all back.
3. Makes you look old
Smoking causes premature aging of the face. Leathery skin and deep wrinkles occur and are very apparent in regular smokers. Smoking causes biochemical changes in the body that speed up aging. One of the ways this happens is because smoking deprives living skin tissue the oxygen it needs because of restricted blood vessels.
4. Protect friends and family
Although there was a time when smoking was considered sexy, romantic and socially accepted, it now longer is looked at this way. In fact, it’s considered to be the opposite. More importantly, second hand smoke causes 50,000 deaths each year.
The smoke that emits from a cigarette contains toxins that can be even worse for those who surround the smoker than the smoker him or herself. Smoking doesn’t just kill the smoker, but also everyone in the room.
5. Finding and keeping love
Let’s face it, a nonsmoker doesn’t want to be around a smoker. And since smoking is at an all time low, there’s a lot more nonsmokers out there. If you’re looking for love for keeps bare this in mind because it certainly reduces the chances of finding a partner.
6. Getting sick more often
Yes, smoking causes serious health risks, but it also makes people get sick more often with colds and flu. A smoker is more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections because their cilia, the tiny hairs that protect us, are paralyzed and cannot do their job. The good news is, within a month of quitting the cilia starts performing their protective role once again.
7. Going broke
Now more than ever smoking is extremely expensive averaging about $10 per pack depending on where you live. Outside of the serious health issues, the cost is the best reason to quit smoking right now. Smokers are spending between $3,000-$4,000 on average per year buying cigarettes.
Think of what could be accomplished with that amount of money. Whether it be travel, investing in a home or saving for the future, this has got to be one of the most motivating reasons to quit.
If you’re serious about taking the first step to quit smoking right now make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your options. There are a number of helpful ways to conquer this goal. Believe in yourself because you can do anything you set your mind to.
