How to Kick Butts!
Are you a smoker? Then you probably already know that tobacco kills. Each year, 392,000 Americans die from smoking-related diseases. That makes smoking the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Now if you’re thinking tobacco only causes lung cancer, think again. Smoking causes 30 percent of all heart disease. People who smoke are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease and twice as likely to have a stroke than people who don’t. That’s because tobacco contains chemicals that damage the blood vessels. Nicotine causes narrowing of the arteries, and carbon monoxide takes the place of life-giving oxygen in the blood. As a result, the heart has to work harder and harder, which can eventually lead to a heart attack. But here’s the good news. Once you stop smoking, in just one year, your risk for heart disease decreases by 50 percent compared to a smoker.
Be A Quitter – Stopping the smoking habit is no easy task. As Mark Twain said, “Quitting is easy, I’ve done it a thousand times.” Quitting is so difficult because the nicotine in cigarettes is as addictive as heroin and cocaine. To help you quit, you’ll need support. Ask your family and friends to help. Talk to your doctor about medications that can make quitting easier. Find smoking cessation classes and support groups at your local hospital. With some help and expert guidance, you can be a quitter!