Lung & Respiratory Trac Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that May is Lung Cancer and Respiratory Trac Awareness month?

Lung Cancer 

By Victoria Anderson Grey
As Published in the Cayman Reporter on May 9, 2014

When smokers quit – what are the benefits over time?

20 minutes after quitting – Your heart rate and blood pressure drop. Your body starts to heal

12 hours after quitting – The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting – Heart attack risk drops and lung function improves.

1 to 9 months after quitting – Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

1 year after quitting – The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker’s.

5 years after quitting – Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus , and bladder are cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker. Stroke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker after 2-5 years.

10 years after quitting – The risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. The risk of cancer of the larynx (voice box) and pancreas decreases.

15 years after quitting – The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s.

These are just a few of the benefits of quitting smoking for good. Quitting smoking lowers the risk of diabetes, lets blood vessels work better, and helps the heart and lungs. Quitting while you are younger will reduce your health risks more, but quitting at any age can give back years of life that would be lost by continuing to smoke.