Will my body start to change right away after I quit smoking?

Yes. Your body starts to heal itself very soon after you stop using tobacco:

• Your blood pressure, pulse, and body temperature fall to normal levels. (Persons taking blood pressure medication should continue doing so until their doctor says otherwise.)

• Carbon monoxide and oxygen levels in your blood return to normal.

• Your circulation improves and your lungs get stronger, making it easier to breathe and walk.

• Your lungs become better able to resist infection. Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decreases.

• Your nerve endings start to regrow, and your ability to taste and smell improves.

As a former smoker, your chance of having a heart attack goes down. Also, you are less likely to die of lung cancer or get cancer of the throat, bladder, kidney or pancreas.

For free, one-on-one help with quitting, call the Smoking Quitline of the National Cancer Institute at 1-877-448-7848.

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