You are probably well aware of all the health implications associated with smoking: a leading cause of heart disease, lung disease, numerous cancers, asthma, and much more. Making the choice to quit smoking can be tough, but you can do it, the same way many before you have done so. Keep all the benefits in your sights: you will be healthier, you will feel stronger, and you’ll have more money in your pocket!

Make a game plan and stick to it…try for 21 days. What happens after 21 days of not smoking? It is generally accepted that it is at this point that your body begins to heal.

What happens after 21 days of not smoking? Your body is free of nicotine.

Make it to 21 days without smoking any cigarettes and then congratulate yourself. Twenty-one days of being smoke-free generally marks the point at which the body is completely free of nicotine. And this is important, for without that nicotine in your system, your body is in the process of healing.

The cravings that you once had for cigarettes (nicotine) will have dramatically improved; you may not have any cravings at all anymore. Studies have found that the acetylcholine receptors in the brain- which are upregulated (increased) in response to the presence of nicotine in the smoker’s blood- are substantially downregulated by day 21.

What happens after 21 days of not smoking? Your circulation improves.

Within about three weeks of not smoking, circulation improves considerably. This is because your blood is less viscous (thick, sticky) so it is able to be pumped around the body more freely. This means that simple activities such as walking become much easier. Hands and feet that previously felt cold and sometimes numb will no longer feel so.

What happens after 21 days of not smoking? Your lungs heal.

After 21 days of not smoking, your lungs begin to heal and your lung capacity increases. You will probably find that you cough much less and no longer experience the shortness of breath that you did before. Your endurance will increase, and with a bit of practice, you may find that you have a renewed ability to participate in more strenuous cardiovascular activities such as running and swimming.

What happens after 21 days of not smoking? You continue to reap the benefits!

When you reach 21 days of not smoking, be proud, and press on. Some days may be more challenging than others, but after the nicotine has cleared from your system, the vast majority of the physical effects of withdrawal will have disappeared. Find strategies to help you to combat the psychological cravings, because staying smoke free is worth it!

Within 3 months, you immune system will become stronger, helping you fight off infections more easily. Within 6 months, you will feel less stressed than you did when you were smoking. As you continue to stay smoke free for two years and beyond, your risk of having a heart attack or stroke will decrease over time. As the years go on, your risk of lung cancer will be lower than that of a continuing smoker (provided the cancer wasn’t already present when you stopped smoking). If you’re a woman, your risk of cervical cancer will also have reduced to the same as someone who has never smoked.

What happens after 21 days of not smoking? Let us help you reach that point.

If you think that you’re ready to quit smoking for good, feel free to contact us today and find out how we can help you take a step in the right direction. Ditch the smokes for good and feel for yourself what happens after 21 days of not smoking and beyond…