Health wise I have not noticed anything different besides the lack of the occasional small sore throat and coughing. I have been complimented on my complexion, I have been told my colour is now better.
I had my first cigarette when I was 8 years old and probably started smoking more than 5 a day in my early to mid teens. By my twenties I was on 10-15 a day and by my thirties 20-25 a day. So I have been a smoker for around 20-25 years and my lungs are probably almost black.
At 36 years old I would have been over half way through life if I had continued smoking. My guess would of been death before 70. Now that I have quit I have almost as long as I have been alive for my lungs (and the rest of my body) to repair. That sounds like a good amount of time to me and I am now confident of getting into my 80s.
a few benefits to quitting...
- I no longer have to go outside to smoke which is crap when it rains or in the cold.
- I no longer get condescending looks from people who realise I smoke.
- I don't have to leave any social situations to nip out for a cig e.g. wanting to walk out of the cinema, getting up in between courses in restaurants or having to deal with the day to day cravings when not allowed to smoke for any period of time.
- I am going to save a lot of money.
- Myself and my home smell normal now.
- I will probably find exercise much easier (when I get round to it).
- But best of all I am now likely to avoid being one of those people that gets cancer too early and cries out with regret with things like "I'm not ready to die, I don't want to die yet" (if you have been bedside with someone dying from cancer young, you will know what I mean), and then later wishes to die because the daily, never ending pain is too much to bear.
In all honesty quitting smoking was easy compared to what I expected. Sugary snacks helped a lot (I am still chewing on Mentos a lot). The first week surprised me how easy it was, then days 7-12 tested me mentally, but after that it got easier and easier.
