Smoking is one of the most common habits that threatens the health of millions of people around the world. Directly associated with fatal diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease and COPD, smoking both reduces the quality of life and shortens the life span. Istanbul Rumeli University Assistant Professor Gamze Başkent, made a statement discussing the positive effects of quitting smoking on physical health.
According to Dr. Gamze Başkent, quitting smoking is an important decision that improves our health in every way. After quitting smoking, the body's self-repair process begins in a short time. Blood pressure returns to normal levels just 20 minutes after quitting smoking, and the risk of heart attack begins to decrease within 24 hours. The return of taste and smell to normal after two days shows that the damage done by smoking is reversible.
Lungs Can Regenerate Themselves
Dr. Gamze Başkent states that smoking causes damage to nerve cells and that this damage begins to be repaired 48 hours after quitting smoking. Especially between 2 weeks and 3 months, the recovery of the immune system, the cleansing of the lungs and improvements in vascular health become apparent.
Your Body Begins to Repair
In smokers' lungs, hair-like structures called cilia that clean the mucosa are damaged over time. However, after quitting smoking, these structures grow back within 1 to 12 months and increase the lungs' cleaning capacity. This also contributes positively to the healing process of diseases such as chronic bronchitis caused by smoking.
Quitting Smoking Saves Lives in the Long Run
Another point that draws attention in Dr. Başkent's statements is the long-term effects of quitting smoking. While the risk of lung cancer decreases by 10% 50 years after quitting smoking, the risk of heart attack drops to the same level as non-smokers. In addition, the increase in the amount of oxygen in the blood within just a few days of quitting smoking provides the person with a more energetic and happy mood.
Passive Smoking Is Also a Significant Threat
Dr. Gamze Başkent emphasized that cigarette smoke seriously affects not only smokers but also passive smokers. Başkent stated that the incidence of both lung cancer and other lung diseases increases in individuals exposed to cigarette smoke, and drew attention to the importance of staying away from cigarettes completely and avoiding environments where cigarette smoke is present.
