The Great American Smoke Out 2014

November 20^th is The Great American Smoke Out. Each year associations, businesses, medical professionals and millions of others participate in this annual event in order to let consumers know that there are resources available to help you quit smoking. Taking on the dream of getting 42 million cigarette smokers to quit and start their journey to a healthier body is something that requires a lot of time, money & effort to get the word out. I think the first step to convincing someone to quit any habit is educating them.

As someone who cares greatly about the health of others and especially those in my community I take pride in presenting some facts, tips and information on how to quit smoking. I want to make certain that everyone out there has the knowledge they need in order to have a healthier life. It’s important to realize that quitting at ANY time can make a difference in your health; however, the younger you are when you quit smoking the better. Don’t be misguided in thinking that if you start young and quit “before you’re old” that you’re not doing much damage to your body. Every day you smoke, you harm your body.

How Does Your Body Benefit When You Quit Smoking?

You’re going to be surprised by the statistics from the American Cancer Society regarding how your body benefits over time.

• 12 Hours after quitting your CO2 levels return to normal
• 20 Minutes of cessation is all you need for your blood pressure to drop
• 20 Minutes after quitting your heart rate decreases
• 2 Weeks without smoking and your circulation begins to improve
• 1-9 Months of No Smoking you start to regain normal function of your lungs
• 1 Year after quitting reduces your risk of coronary heart disease by 50%

There are even more statistics and studies that will confirm the benefits of quitting can have amazing effects on your body. Even more amazing is that after 15 years of being smoke free your risk of coronary heart disease becomes equal to a non-smoker.

RESOURCES

As I stated earlier in this article there are a multitude of resources out there to help you quit smoking.

• The American Cancer Society online or call 1-800-227-2345
• Smoke Free. Gov – offers a multitude of information & resources from text messages, motivational messages, nutritional guides, and a guide to help you find the best program and method for you
• Live Your Life Physical Therapy – Offering a variety of services that can help you while you’re kicking the habit. One-on-one fitness coaching, personal training, wellness physical therapy programs specific to your needs, and diet counseling are just a few of the ways that we can help you start a healthier lifestyle. (Serving the Twin Cities area in Minnesota)
• The American Lung Association – a resource guide with a multitude of links, tips, and more
• CDC How To Quit – some great resources, including tips from former smokers about what worked from them

Our staff is well educated and experienced in helping clients get healthy. We understand how difficult it can be to take that first step to stop smoking. That’s why making the choice to start on one of the biggest days of support and information can help make that choice a little easier. The Great American Smoke Out is your chance to make the choice to live a longer and healthier life. We invite you to use our resource guide above to find the smoking cessation method that will work best for you. This one day can be the beginning of a whole new way of life.

LYLPT wants you to Live Your Life SMOKE FREE and healthier than ever. You can add years to your life and feel better than ever starting with this first step. Join America in the Great American Smoke Out as we all join together in taking back your life!

Dedicated to Keeping You Healthy & Active,

Dr. Eva Norman
President & Founder
Doctor of Physical Therapy

Live Your Life Physical Therapy, LLC