(Louisville, KY) – Experts agree. It takes three weeks to break a bad habit or to start a good habit. So three weeks after proclaiming that New Year’s Resolution, there should be millions of new non-smokers!
“Smoking causes coronary heart disease – the leading cause of death in the United States as well as peripheral vascular disease (PAD),” said vascular surgeon Dr. Brad Thomas. “Persons who smoke are two to four times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than non-smokers.”
“As a vascular surgeons we witness first-hand the effects of cigarette smoke on health and know that smoking doubles a person’s risk for a stroke,” he said. “In addition, smoking narrows arteries resulting in greater risk of developing conditions such as peripheral vascular disease and abdominal aortic aneurysms.”
And then there’s lung cancer. An estimated 157,000 Americans died from lung cancer in 2010 according to the American Cancer Society. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Americans.
Dr. Thomas notes that the health benefits for people who stop smoking are quickly apparent:
• A feeling of being in charge; no longer dependent on cigarettes,
• An improved sense of smell;
• More disposable income;
• Healthier-looking skin;
• Energy for activities which can counteract weight gain.
The Centers for Disease Control indicates that a year or two after smoking cessation, the risk of coronary heart disease diminishes. Today, there are more adult non-smokers in the United States (80 percent) than smokers (20 percent).
Consider visting https://www.quitnowkentucky.org for more help on quitting.