It's no secret that smoking causes enormous damage to the whole body. Nicotine and the accompanying harmful substances contained in tobacco smoke penetrate into every organ, in every cell of the body, bringing with it destruction and severe consequences.
So it would be naive to believe that giving up this bad habit will go unnoticed.
The problem with smoking is dealt with by doctors with special specializations - narcologist and psychotherapist (psychologist). This is explained by the fact that when quitting smoking one must face the problems of physical and psychological dependence on cigarettes. If the patient is not an avid smoker, then the process of rehabilitation of the body is quite easy and simple (almost imperceptible). If the patient is an experienced smoker and at the same time his daily norm was a box or even two a day, quitting smoking (and even abruptly stopping smoking) can lead to stress.
Let's take a closer look at what happens to a smoker's body after giving up a bad habit?
What can affect the body's recovery process?
How difficult and how long the process of recovery and renewal of the body will last depends entirely on the smoker himself, or rather on:
- his smoking history;
- gender;
- age;
- presence of background and chronic diseases;
- the state of the immune system;
- individual characteristics of the patient's body.
For some patients, the process is faster, for others it is slow, but on average it takes about a year to "cure".
Get ready for: the unpleasant aspects of quitting smoking
Quitting smoking can have a number of unpleasant sensations, but they are all temporary and are a normal reaction of the body during restructuring and transition to nicotine-free functioning. In medicine, this period is called withdrawal syndrome (popularly - fragile) and in no way endangers the body. The following symptoms may occur during body rehabilitation (but this is not necessary and therefore you should not listen and look for these signs in yourself):
- burning desire to smoke;
- slight dizziness;
- irritability, lack of strength to wait or tolerate something;
- depressed mood or depressed state;
- obsessive anxiety;
- rapid fatigue;
- slow heart rate;
- skin rash (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 recovery period of the body, but it is not necessary at all for all of the above symptoms (or even some of them) to appear in you.
The recovery period may also be accompanied by a decrease in immunity and therefore smokers are prone to viruses and colds during the first few months. And this is completely understandable, because the body adapts to the new conditions of existence and therefore the immune system can not give a decent resistance to viruses.
During the years of smoking, your body is accustomed to functioning in a mode of constant supply of nicotine and in order for the body to adapt to the new (well-forgotten old) working conditions, it takes time and the longer you smoke, the moreyou have to wait a long time.
What can facilitate the body's recovery process?
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 - tincture of valerian, lemongrass and ginseng, a cocktail of decoctions of motherwort and chamomile. Sports (moderate physical activity - giving up the elevator and walking up the stairs, swimming in the pool, walking and cycling in a pine forest or forest, hiking, outdoor games) and hobbies (some prefer to "let them work with their heads"). And instead of cigarettes, take seeds or nuts - this is a useful alternative to nicotine, they contain minerals and substances needed by the body that help fight toxins.
For the fastest recovery of the respiratory system, try to limit contact with household and office equipment (they inhibit the process of cleansing the lungs) or buy an air ionizer.
To maintain immunity, it is recommended to avoid currents and walks in cold and rainy weather; fill the lack of vitamins with fruit or take vitamin and mineral complexes. It will be useful to pay attention to the diet to restore protein balance, as well as eat more foods containing vitamin C (oranges, lemons, kiwis, grapefruits, pineapples, fruits, herbs, rosehip broth, sauerkraut salad) andfiber (dried fruits, bran, vegetables). Dairy products will discourage the desire for tobacco, in addition, they will be very useful for the restorative body (especially for the cardiovascular system).
But above all, quitting smoking must be accompanied by strong motivation.
What to expect: positive change
When smoking stops, the internal organs and systems react first.
Do not be afraid of any discomfort in the chest (this, as we have said, is a temporary phenomenon), just the respiratory and circulatory systems begin to recover: the heart muscle and blood vessels regain their former elasticity and begin to work at full strength.
After quitting nicotine, some depression can be observed, but these are only consequences of the fact that the nervous system is in tone 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 both men and women. By reducing sperm count and sperm vitality, nicotine can make a man infertile. Nicotine has an equally harmful effect on the female body, disrupting a woman's reproductive cycle, as well as the possibility of normal fertilization of the egg and intrauterine development of the child. Smoking (especially in women) leads to gene mutations and therefore affects the ability to have healthy offspring. Smokers, compared to non-smokers, have a ten times higher risk of giving birth to an unhealthy child, as well as the fact that the risk of miscarriage is many times higher. After quitting smoking, the risk of premature birth is significantly reduced, as well as the birth of a child with pathology of the respiratory tract, cardiovascular system and other disorders. In men, smoking cessation prevents the onset of premature impotence (for smokers this age is 30-40 years).
Many women are concerned about gaining weight by quitting smoking. While smoking, nicotine dulls hunger, speeds up metabolism and at the same time helps fight stress. There is no reason to worry if during the period of restructuring the body due attention is paid to the diet (give up fatty foods, and also give up or at least limit the consumption of sweets and flour products). According to statistics, the average weight gain of those who quit smoking is about 3 kg per year, but the "terrible stories" about it are nothing more than a publicity stunt by tobacco companies and cigarette companies. Those who are prone to obesity, in addition to a healthy diet, should pay attention to an active lifestyle (try to walk more).
Quitting smoking will have a beneficial effect on the whole body and will manifest itself in the following:
- improving the functioning of all organs and systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, digestive, urogenital);
- improving the circulatory system and blood circulation (healthy complexion and even blush);
- easy breathing and disappearance of shortness of breath;
- improving smell and taste (perhaps even improving vision and hearing, as nicotine no longer dulls the functioning of the auditory and optic nerves);
- increase efficiency and the emergence of a desire for greater activity;
- normalization of sleep (drowsiness during the day disappears) and general body tone;
- improving memory, reaction, concentration;
- increase the speed of thinking (quick mind);
- increase free time (by quitting smoking);
- increase in finances (which were previously blown away - on cigarette smoke).
What happens during recovery with the body during the day and month?
For those who are interested in what happens to the body when the smoker has given up a bad habit, we will answer: the body recovers and it happens roughly this way (the process can go differently for everyone).
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 bad dream.
Day 2:
- Improving the functioning of the epithelium of the lungs - the amount of mucus in them decreases;
- stomach and intestinal cells are renewed;
- cough, itchy skin;
- frequent urination.
Day 3:
- bronchial mucosa is restored - the flow of oxygen to the heart and brain increases;
- improves the tone of blood vessels;
- appetite increases dramatically.
Day 4:
- blood flow to the brain is normalized - tinnitus and dizziness are observed;
- antidiuretic hormone is produced.
Day 5:
- coughing up mucus;
- healing of microtraumas of the tongue and restoration of taste buds.
Day 6:
- the work of the pancreas and gallbladder is restored;
- excessive sweating and nausea occur.
Day 7:
- psychological awareness of cigarette addiction;
- coughing up mucus;
- Stool disorder.
This is roughly how the first week of the body recovers and these first days may not be particularly noticeable. However, a month will pass and not only you will be able to feel the qualitative changes, but others will also notice.
For months, the recovery process has been as follows:
- 1 month - recovery takes place at the cellular level (the epithelium is renewed, the process of absorption and absorption in the intestine is normalized, depression is possible).
- 2 months - the skin recovers (yellowness of the fingers and face disappears, dry skin disappears), the lungs recover at the cellular level (cough may continue), fatigue during exercise disappears.
- 3 months - blood vessels, nervous system (minimal susceptibility to stress), increased appetite, but healthy sleep is restored completely.
- 4 months - normalization of facial skin (peeling passes), the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is normalized and stools are normalized.
- 5 months - lung tissue continues to recover, liver cells recover, the body's response to physical activity is normalized (with "marathons", however, you have to wait for now).
- 6-8 months - the process of enriching the blood with oxygen is normalized, the liver continues to regenerate, weight is stabilized, taste receptors and odor are restored.
- 9 months - almost complete recovery of the whole body, it may be tempting to return to smoking.
- 1 year - physical activity without restrictions; the risk of diseases caused by smoking is reduced by 90%.
Be patient, because you have to pay for everything in life and all the unpleasant sensations are only temporary, but the diseases that smoking causes bring much more problems and suffering to the body.
Success 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!