It is no secret that smoking causes colossal damage to the entire body. Nicotine and the harmful substances that accompany it in tobacco smoke penetrate every organ, every cell in the body, bringing with it destruction and serious consequences.
So it would be naive to believe that giving up this bad habit will go unnoticed.
The smoking problem is treated by specialty doctors - narcologist and psychotherapist (psychologist). This is explained by the fact that, when quitting smoking, the person has to face the problems of physical and psychological dependence on cigarettes. If the patient is not an avid smoker, the process of body rehabilitation is quite easy and simple (almost imperceptible). If the patient is an experienced smoker and at the same time, his daily norm was one pack, or even two a day, then quitting smoking (and even an abrupt cessation of smoking) can lead to a state of stress.
Let's take a closer look at what happens to a smoker's body after quitting a bad habit.
What can influence the body's recovery process?
How difficult and how long the body's recovery and renewal process will take, it all depends on the smoker himself, or better:
- your smoking history;
- gender;
- age;
- the presence of chronic and underlying diseases;
- the state of the immune system;
- individual characteristics of the patient's body.
For some patients the process is faster, for others it takes time, but on average it takes about a year to "heal".
Get ready for: the unpleasant aspects of quitting smoking
Quitting smoking can cause a number of unpleasant sensations, but all of them are temporary and are a normal reaction of the body during restructuring and transition to nicotine-free functioning. In medicine, this period is called abstinence syndrome (popularly - fragile) and does not threaten the body in any way. During the rehabilitation of the body, the following symptoms may appear (but this is not necessary and therefore you should not hear and look for these signs in you):
- burning desire to smoke;
- mild dizziness;
- irritability, lack of strength to wait or tolerate anything;
- depressed mood or depressed state;
- obsessive anxiety;
- fast fatigue;
- slow heart rate;
- rashes (irritation, acne);
- inflammation of the oral mucosa; sore throat; runny nose;
- sleep disorders;
- constant hunger;
- stomach cramps;
- persistent cough.
These are the most common diseases during the body's recovery period, but it is not necessary for all of the above symptoms (or even some of them) to appear in you.
The recovery period can also be accompanied by a decrease in immunity and therefore, in the first few months, smokers are prone to viruses and colds. And this is perfectly understandable, because the body adapts to the new conditions of existence and, therefore, immunity cannot be a worthy rejection to viruses.
Over the years smoking, your body has become accustomed to operating in a mode of constant supply of nicotine, and for the body to adapt to the new (well-forgotten old) working conditions, it takes time, and more and moreyou smoked, the more you have to wait.
What can make the body's recovery process easier?
The body's recovery process can be slightly facilitated by filling life with pleasant sensations and joyful events - this stimulates the production of the pleasure hormone (dopamine).
To calm the nervous system, you can take sedatives - valerian, lemongrass and ginseng tincture, a cocktail of decoctions of mother grass and chamomile. Sports (moderate physical activity - refusing the elevator and climbing stairs, classes at the pool, walking and cycling in a pine forest or forest, hiking, outdoor games) and hobbies (some prefer to "leave it to work with their heads"). And instead of cigarettes, take seeds or nuts - this is a useful alternative to nicotine, as it contains minerals and substances needed by the body that help fight toxins.
For faster recovery of the respiratory system, try to limit contact with home and office equipment (they inhibit the process of clearing the lungs) or purchase an air ionizer.
To maintain immunity, it is recommended to avoid drafts and walks in cold and muddy weather; replenish the lack of vitamins with fruit or take vitamin and mineral complexes. It will be useful to pay attention to the diet to restore the balance of proteins, as well as to eat more foods containing vitamin C (orange, lemon, kiwi, grapefruit, pineapple, berries, herbs, rosehip broth, sauerkraut salad) and fiber (dried fruits, bran, vegetables). Dairy products will discourage craving for tobacco, in addition, they will be very useful for the recovering body (especially for the cardiovascular system).
But above all, smoking cessation must be accompanied by strong motivation.
What to expect: positive changes
When you stop smoking, the internal organs and systems are the first to react.
Don't be afraid of any chest discomfort (this, as we said, is a temporary phenomenon), only the respiratory and circulatory systems begin to recover: the heart muscle and blood vessels acquire their former elasticity and start to workwith full force.
After giving up nicotine, some depression may be seen, but these are just consequences of the fact that the nervous system gets toned and restores its natural state - it resists stress without the help of nicotine. The handshake syndrome disappears a little later.
As you know, nicotine has a negative effect on the reproductive system of men and women. By decreasing sperm count and vitality, nicotine can make a man infertile. Nicotine has an equally harmful effect on the female body, interrupting the woman's reproductive cycle, as well as the possibility of normal egg fertilization and the child's intrauterine development. Smoking (especially in women) causes genetic mutations and therefore affects the ability to have healthy offspring. Smokers, compared to non-smokers, are ten times more likely to give birth to an unhealthy child, as well as the fact that the risk of miscarriage is many times greater. After quitting smoking, the risk of premature birth is significantly reduced, as is the birth of a child with pathology of the respiratory tract, cardiovascular system and other disorders. For men, smoking cessation prevents the onset of premature impotence (for smokers this age is 30 to 40 years).
Many women are concerned about weight gain when they stop smoking. While smoking, nicotine decreases hunger, speeds up metabolism and, at the same time, helps fight stress. There is no reason for concern if, during the restructuring period of the organism, due attention is given to food (renouncing fatty foods, and also refusing or at least limiting the consumption of sweets and flours). According to statistics, the average weight gain of those who quit smoking is about 3 kg a year, but the "horror stories" about it are nothing more than an advertising ploy by tobacco and cigarette companies. Those who are prone to obesity, in addition to a healthy diet, should be aware of an active lifestyle (try walking more).
Quitting smoking will have a beneficial effect on the entire body and will manifest itself as follows:
- improves the functioning of all organs and systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, digestive, urogenital);
- improvement of the circulatory system and blood circulation (healthy complexion and even redness);
- easy breathing and the disappearance of shortness of breath;
- improves smell and taste (perhaps even improves vision and hearing, because nicotine no longer dulls the functioning of the auditory and optic nerves);
- increased efficiency and the emergence of the desire to be more active;
- normalization of sleep (daytime sleepiness disappears) and overall body tone;
- improving memory, reaction, concentration;
- increase in speed of thought (quick thinking);
- increased free time (refusing to smoke in between);
- increase in finances (which used to explode - with cigarette smoke).
What happens during recovery with the body per day and month?
For those interested in what happens to the body when the smoker gives up a bad habit, we will answer: the body is recovering and it happens more or less (the process can be different for each person).
1 day:
- the concentration of carbon monoxide in the blood decreases and the level of oxygen in the tissues increases;
- decreased appetite;
- weakness is felt;
- can have a nightmare.
Day 2:
- Improve the functioning of the lungs' epithelium - decreases the amount of mucus in them;
- cells in the stomach and intestines are renewed;
- cough, itchy skin;
- frequent urination.
Day 3:
- the bronchial mucosa is restored - the flow of oxygen to the heart and brain increases;
- improves blood vessel tone;
- appetite increases dramatically.
Day 4:
- blood flow to the brain normalizes - tinnitus and dizziness are observed; The antidiuretic hormone
- is produced.
Day 5:
- coughing up mucus;
- healing of microtrauma of the tongue and restoration of the taste buds.
Day 6:
- the work of the pancreas and gallbladder is restored;
- excessive sweating and nausea appear.
Day 7:
- psychological awareness of cigarette addiction;
- coughing up mucus;
- Breach of feces.
This is more or less how the first week of recovery of the body passes, and perhaps those first few days are not particularly noticeable. However, a month will pass, and not only will you be able to feel the qualitative changes, but others will also notice.
For months, the recovery process goes something like this:
- 1 month - recovery occurs at the cell level (the epithelium is renewed, the absorption and absorption process in the intestine is normalized, depression is possible).
- 2 months - the skin is restored (the yellowing of the fingers and face disappears, the dry skin disappears), the lungs are restored at the cellular level (the cough can continue), tiredness with physical efforts disappears.
- 3 months - blood vessels, nervous system (minimal susceptibility to stress), increased appetite, but healthy sleep is fully restored.
- 4 months - normalization of the facial skin (flaking passes), the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is normalized and the faeces are normalized.
- 5 months - lung tissues continue to recover, liver cells are restored, the body's response to physical activity is normalized (however, with "marathons" you must wait for now).
- 6-8 months - the process of enriching the blood with oxygen is normalized, the liver continues to regenerate, the weight is stabilized, the taste buds and the sense of smell are restored.
- 9 months - almost complete recovery of the whole body, it can be tempting to go back to smoking.
- 1 year - physical activity without restrictions; the risk of diseases caused by smoking is reduced by 90%.
Be patient, because everything in life has to pay, and all unpleasant sensations are temporary, but the diseases that smoking causes bring much more disorders and suffering to the body.
Good luck in fighting your bad habit - smoking! We believe that in this fight there is only one possible winner and you will become him!
Be healthy!