Quitting smoking: what happens in the body in the first days when you stop smoking

Having contracted tuberculosis, many understand that to recover it is necessary to completely stop smoking, which disrupts the protective mechanisms of the bronchopulmonary system.But not everyone manages to quit smoking due to deterioration of health and increased cough in the first days after quitting smoking.

broken cigarette

Many people expect the body to immediately take the path to improved well-being.But this is a mistake: over the years of regular intake of nicotine, the body manages to get used to it and asks to be returned to its usual state.The fact is that smoking leads to changes in the body even at the molecular level;Damage to the genes responsible for cell division can occur.Therefore, a smoker has a higher risk of cancer.

After quitting smoking, a person faces a period of restructuring the body.It may be unpleasant, but once you finish it you immediately feel better.The following positive changes are observed in the cardiovascular system: the vessels regain their elasticity, the flow of oxygen to the heart increases and it begins to function better.The transmission of impulses in the nervous system improves, irritability decreases and the limbs stop shaking.

The functioning of the bronchi is restored quite slowly and a complete return to a healthy state does not occur.Even several years after a person quits smoking, the risk of cancer remains, but it is significantly lower than that of smokers.

When you quit smoking, unpleasant sensations may appear and this is not only due to depression due to giving up cigarettes.In the first few days without cigarettes, small ulcers or stomatitis may appear on the lips and mucous membrane of the mouth.Colds can develop, with cough, runny nose or sore throat, and there are cases of conjunctivitis.All of these symptoms arise because the body has not had enough time to rebuild and the immune system is in a depressed state.This causes a cold, but after 2-3 weeks your health starts to improve.

In the first week after quitting smoking, the body actively cleanses itself of nicotine, which leads to nicotine starvation.Regenerative processes begin in the mucous membranes of the bronchi and intestines and become more active over time.Mucus may begin to drain from the lungs along with the cough.Improves blood supply to the blood vessels of the brain and other organs.Due to the fact that the intestine has a reduced tone, constipation may occur.An increase in blood pressure may occur.

By the end of the first week, stomach function returns to normal.If lesions and ulcers were observed on the tongue, the healing process occurs.Your skin may flake due to dryness.It is believed that by the end of the first week the physical dependence on tobacco disappears, but the psychological dependence may still persist.Those who quit smoking describe the state of their body as “unbalanced” in the first week.Appetite increases and all taste sensations of food become more acute;often a person becomes "addicted" to sweets.

For a person who quit smoking a week ago, this is a stressful time that can be difficult to bear.This condition can affect sleep, sweating increases and the person becomes nervous and irritable.It seems like you shouldn't quit smoking, but by the end of the week these thoughts occur less and less often.At this moment, willpower and conviction are important.

After a month, a period of renewal of the body at the cellular level begins.The appearance improves noticeably: the face appears healthier.Dry skin disappears, vascular tone returns to the appropriate level.But lung function is still recovering.

After 5 months from the moment you stop smoking, the liver cells begin to recover and the blood is completely renewed.The cough rarely bothers me anymore.You notice the normalization of your weight because your sleep and appetite return to normal.There is a surge of strength and the desire to play sports.

You can make quitting smoking easier by reviewing your lifestyle and diet.The menu should contain enough fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy products.It is necessary to walk in the fresh air more often and go to bed on time.

After quitting smoking:

The first changes will begin in 20 minutes: blood circulation improves and sensitivity in the fingers and toes increases.

After 8 hours, the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood decreases.This means that your blood oxygen levels have returned to normal.

After two days of abstaining from smoking, the body is completely cleansed of nicotine.You can finally say goodbye to those tiny crystals that encourage you to smoke.Unfortunately, as soon as nicotine completely leaves the body, the urge to smoke increases to the maximum.

Two days after quitting smoking, your taste buds begin to function normally.Not only will you be able to better grasp the nuances of flavor, but you will also start adding less spices to your usual food.

After two days you start to smell better.Now the idea of stopping to smell the roses will seem much more appealing to you.

After three days, the ciliated epithelium in the lungs is restored.Smoking destroys the microscopic cilia that clean the airways.Fortunately, these lashes can regenerate.

Blood pressure begins to decrease after a week, which reduces the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, kidney failure and angina.

The cough begins to disappear two weeks after quitting smoking.It does not disappear immediately, since the lungs need time to eliminate harmful substances accumulated in them.

In two weeks, blood circulation will be restored, which will immediately have a positive effect on sexual function: the quality of erection in men will improve, sensitivity in women will increase.

Three months after quitting smoking, your skin tone evens out.Nicotine prevents blood flow to the upper layers of the skin, making it pale, dry and promoting flaking.Nicotine also stimulates the appearance of wrinkles because it blocks the production of collagen.

If you don't smoke a cigarette in a year, the most obvious signs of smoking disappear.The tobacco tint on the fingers will disappear and the plaque on the teeth will become pale.After cleaning at the dentist, your teeth will no longer turn yellow and blood circulation in the gums will return to normal.

After five years without smoking, stroke risk indicators return to normal, and after 15 years the risk of developing cancer in a former smoker becomes the same as in a non-smoker.