| The Great American Smokeout is just two days | | | | Every day that you remain smoke free is a step |
| away and if you've decided to quit smoking we want | | | | closer to a healthier life. |
| to congratulate you! There are steps you can take | | | | 20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood |
| to ensure your success with giving up smoking this | | | | pressure drops. |
| year. | | | | 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in |
| 1. Designate your quit day - mark it on your calendar | | | | your blood drops to normal. |
| and tell others about it so they can support you. | | | | 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation |
| 2. Plan your entire day - know when you're going to | | | | improves and your lung function increases. |
| get up, who you're going to hang out with, and what | | | | 1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness |
| you're going to eat. Change your routine from the | | | | of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that |
| everyday. Take a different route to work, eat in a | | | | move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function |
| different place, drink tea instead of coffee. | | | | in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, |
| 3. Plan ahead for when you think the urge to smoke | | | | clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection. |
| might come and decide how you're going to handle it. | | | | 1 year after quitting:The excess risk of coronary |
| 4. Keep active and drink lots of water and juices. | | | | heart disease is half that of a smoker's. |
| 5. Buy yourself a treat - do something special to | | | | 5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to |
| celebrate your success. | | | | that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting. |
| 6. Take one day at a time and remind yourself of | | | | 10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is |
| why quitting is important to you. | | | | about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of |
| 7. Enlist the help of a professional. Visit to have | | | | cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, |
| someone from the American Cancer Society's Quitline | | | | cervix, and pancreas decrease. |
| personally contact you. | | | | 15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart |
| And remember to take things one day at a time. | | | | disease is that of a nonsmoker's. |