Quit Smoking
One of the best ways to reduce your risk of cancer is to quit smoking.
One in eight cancer cases are caused by smoking and one in five cancer deaths are caused by smoking. It is expected that if Tobacco didn’t exist then lung cancer would be a rare disease.
Tobacco contains the 7000 chemicals that that are known to increase your risk of developing sixteen types of cancer.
Cancer of the lung
Cancers of the mouth, throat, nose and sinuses
Cancers of the oesophagus
Cancer of the pancreas
Cancer of the stomach
Cancer of the liver
Cancer of the cervix and ovary
Cancer of the bowel (colorectal cancer)
Acute myeloid leukaemia
Quitting smoking can be difficult research indicates that quitting cold turkey is the most effective approach. However, there are many methods that you can use to help you quit including cutting down, patches, mouth spray or medications. Find a safe method that suits you and have a plan in place to help you quit. Nicotine is highly addictive and for this reason it is hard to quit, the support from your family and friends as well as your doctor will be important in helping you quit.
It is never too late to quit smoking. Here is what happens to your body when you quit smoking:
After 6 hours your body starts to repair it’s-self
After 12 hours almost all the nicotine is out of your system
After 24 hours your body can take and use oxygen more efficiently
After 2 days your sense of taste and smell return
After 2 months blood flow to your hands and feet improves
After 1 year your risk of heart disease rapidly drops
After 10 years your risk of lung cancer is halved
When you quit you may feel tired, irritated, and tense these symptoms will mostly disappear after two weeks. To help cope with cravings try to delay having a cigarette until the craving has weakened. Take three deep breaths. Drink water and sip it slowly and try to focus on something else such as exercise and spending time with friends.
For more information you can call Quitline 13 7848. Book an appointment to see your GP or visit https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/smoking/quit-smoking
