 |
|
|
|
 Rick Morris celebrates during a workout with the Atlanta Hawks in February.
April 7th, 2012
12:00 PM ET
10 surprising benefits of quitting smokingRick Morris is one of seven CNN viewers participating in the CNN Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge. He quit smoking on an episode of "Sanjay Gupta, M.D." and has been smoke-free since. About two months ago, I quit smoking. At the time there were many reasons influencing my decision to finally choose a smoke-free lifestyle. I was worried about my health. I had high blood pressure. My doctor and everyone I knew was encouraging me to kick the habit. My family history is one of lung cancer and diabetes. The list goes on and on. Now that I've been without tobacco for the past couple months (63 days, to be exact), I've noticed some changes in the way I'm living. All are positive and are in direct relation to my body's depletion of those nasty chemicals I've called friends for the last 12 years. So I thought I would list those changes and explain how I have been affected by each. Though my list is restricted to 10, it is by no means an exhaustive one. 1. No more chronic cough: All smokers know what "smoker's cough" is. I didn't realize how annoying this was until I stopped coughing all the time. After about a week being smoke-free, I noticed I didn't have to clear my throat every few minutes. I recall plenty of times when I was at a function or meeting and needed to cough so badly, but couldn't because I knew it would be rude and interrupting to those around me. It's like an insect hovering in your throat – not touching, just drying everything between your tongue and your stomach – and you can't do a darn thing about it. 2. The smell: I didn't know I smelled so badly until I was around other smokers. Their clothes, home, car, even their pets reek! About a week after I smoked my last cancer stick, my daughter and her boyfriend, a smoker, dropped by for a visit. Their dog always peels for the door and makes it into the house first. Yeah, I actually smelled the odor of cigarettes coming from the dog. 3. No more cleaning butts: I swear that cigarette butts would multiply when I wasn't looking. I once placed a butt can out back on the patio and initially used it as intended. Pretty soon, I was too lazy to walk down the steps to the can and just started flipping cigarette butts out into the yard, in the area of the butt can (as if I were shooting a jump shot). I rarely scored. Eventually, they were lying everywhere. So much that I would just wait until the weekends to "clean" them with the leaf blower. Nasty, nasty, nasty! 4. It's just an extra $200 per month: Really, the extra money wasn't even noticed, as I can easily spend that on a night grilling on the patio (I love king crab and filet mignon, and only the finest Belgium beer!) So I really didn't look at this as a true benefit of not smoking. But, with the price of cigarettes reaching about $6 a pack in my area – and up to $11 in other areas of the nation – I discovered this adds up. And, it was clear the price of tobacco was just going to continue to rise. So, I got out my calculator. $6 a day multiplied by 365 days in the year. Comes out to $2,190. Looking at this long term, that's about $122,000 over the next 56 years (when I turn 100). Assuming cigarettes continue to increase in price at the present rate, then it's easy to see that number growing to half-million dollars. Invested wisely, I'm sure I can leave someone a big, fat payday! 5. Lost productivity: Sure, we all need a break or two during the work day. But I realized I was taking about 20 of these 5-minute breaks. In all honesty, each was probably about 10 minutes. About two-thirds of my breaks were when I was at work (I have a home-based web development business). So, that's more than 2 hours of breaking as opposed to working. How in the world was I getting my work done? I have since realized that I wasn't. 6. Food tastes much better: I don't know if it has something to do with a cleaner mouth, but food simply tastes better. I also find that I use less salt. I've heard on several occasions that if one quits smoking one gains weight, but I would warn people from using the weight-gain excuse as a viable argument when attempting to become smoke-free. Trading one bad habit for another isn't the way to go. 7. Non-smoking or non-smoking?: I think the air-line industry coined the phrase: "Smoking, or non-smoking?" And, I think it was the first group to eliminate cigarette smoking from a certain area (the airplane). Today, it's almost preposterous to think we once smoked during an international flight on a 747! "Non-smoking or non-smoking?" seems to be the rhetorical, unasked question wherever you go these days. It's understood. There will be no smoking here, or here, or there, or over there, or in there, or... well, you get the point. Unlike the Golden era of the 1920s and 1930s, when smoking was an upper-class hobby, a smoker's world is an unfriendly one today.Since the airlines quit asking that redundant question, smoking has been eliminated from virtually all public places. Restaurants, high-school football games, town parks, even bars and drinking establishments have become smoke-free. For smokers, drinking a beer without a cigarette is like playing pool without a beer! Whether smokers realize it or not, the very fact that one uses tobacco limits them in myriad ways – especially socially. I don't have to worry about that anymore. 8. Dry, sticky contact lenses: As a wearer of these miracle discs of ocular health, I know what smoking does to your contact lenses. Smoke makes them dry. They become cloudy and you're constantly rubbing your eyes. Eventually, your lenses get to the point where you must get them out. Fortunately, I wear disposable contact lenses. All I had to do was pop in a new set. But, at a couple dollars per lens, this was costing me. How to solve this annoying problem? Quit smoking! 9. Physical appearance: In the few months I've not smoked, I can tell my overall physical appearance has improved. My skin isn't dry and wrinkly. My bit of gray hair is actually going brown. My self-confidence in speaking directly to someone isn't hindered by my desire to turn at an angle because of smoker's breath. 10. Bye, bye yellow teeth: No matter how hard I brushed or swished fluoride, I couldn't seem to keep perfectly white teeth. "It's because you smoke," my dentist proclaimed. "And, unless you do something about that, your dental health will continue to deteriorate, thus affecting your overall health." Bad teeth can lead to serious health effects throughout your body. Yesterday I had a cleaning at the dentist, and plan to keep my teeth white and healthy from now on. soundoff (2,380 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 Next »Leave a Reply to Home lighting mila
Next entry »What the Yuck: What's wrong with my nipples?
« Previous entryArsenic in chicken, or just feathers?
|
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
 |
|
|
|
http://sys.labaq.com/cli/go.php?s=lbac&p=1410jt&t=02&url=http://backboneleaders.com
https://www.zlatestranky.cz/Cookies/Disagree?returnUrl=http://www.backbonehunters.com/ugryum_reka_2021
erectile spray http://ediagra.com#
https://closings.cbs6albany.com/scripts/adredir.asp?url=https://backbonehunters.com/
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will return yet again since i have book-marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.
https://www.bad.org.uk/for-the-public/patient-information-leaflets/alopecia-areata/?showmore=1&returnlink=https://backbonehunters.com/
MSM Jewelers is having their annual Summer Jewelry Sale! Get these deals at MSM Jewelers – https://www.msmjewelers.com and be fresh this Summer!
https://www.msmjewelers.com
https://www.myamateurwebsite.com/cgi-bin/atx/out.cgi?id=169&trade=https://ocrvexperts.com/
http://chambleega.org/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=www.ocrvcenter.co/
You're so cool! I do not suppose I've truly read anything like that
before. So nice to find another person with original thoughts on this subject.
Really.. thank you for starting this up. This site is one thing
that is required on the internet, someone with a bit of originality!
erectile capacity http://ediagra.com#
Save up to 70 OFF all Cross Pendants at MSM Jewelers with FAST SHIPPING! – https://www.msmjewelers.com/search?type=article2Cpage2Cproduct&q=cross*
https://www.msmjewelers.com/search?type=article2Cpage2Cproduct&q=cross*
http://www.fullerccim.com/Dot_EmailFriend.asp?referURL=//www.ocrvmotorsports.net
erectile function paralysis http://canadasildenafill.com#
https://naviking.localking.com.tw/about/redirect.aspx?mid=7&url=https://sprintervanrepairshop.com/
I'm gone to say to my little brother, that he should also visit this
website on regular basis to get updated from newest gossip.
sildenafil 150 mg https://www.pharmaceptica.com/
http://uvbnb.ru/go?https://ocrv.vip
I'd like to thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this website. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own, personal site now 😉
http://www.aeecenter.org/i4a/etrack/track.cfm?rType=2&campaignID=3291&contactID=13467&origURL=ocrvcenter.com/
http://davidgiard.com/ct.ashx?id=06982d19-26dc-46b4-9c63-9d42fb457b19&url=ocrvcenter.com
Today, I went to the beach with mmy children. I
found a sea shell and gave it tto my 4 year old daughter and said "You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear."
She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crfab inside and it pinched her
ear.She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally
off topic but I had to tell someone!
Everything is very open with a clear explanation of the issues. It was definitely informative. Your website is extremely helpful. Many thanks for sharing!
http://www.trackroad.com/conn/garminimport.aspx?returnurl=ocrvcenter.com
sildenafil generic without prescription https://www.pharmaceptica.com/
After looking at a handful of the articles on your site, I really like your technique of blogging. I saved as a favorite it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back in the near future. Take a look at my web site too and let me know what you think.
http://cssdrive.com/?URL=www.ocrvempire.com
I used to be able to find good info from your blog articles.
http://2ch-ranking.net/redirect.php?url=http://www.ocrvluxurycoaches.com
Hello there! Would you mind if I hare your blog with my twitter group?
There's a lot of folks that I thinkk would really enjoy your content.
Please let mee know. Many thanks
erectile growing foods http://tadalafiluni.com#
http://big5.jobcn.com/gate/big5/www.ocrvart.com/
I loved as much as you'll receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish.
nonetheless, you command get got an impatience
over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly
again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you
shield this hike.
I quite like reading a post that can make people think. Also, thanks for allowing for me to comment!
http://grannyseducesboy.com/out.php?https://ocrv.pro/
erectile creams walmart http://sildenafilbusd.com#
It's very simple to find out any topic on net as
compared to books, as I found this paragraph at
this web page.
https://glowing.com/external/link?next_url=https://www.ocrv.art/
If a few girls seem to be extremely dominant, be submissive if the scenario calls for it. poker players do errors in a way that the bluff more than they ought to. Every year, online casinos are providing bonuses.
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/mazidahmed
You need to know the guidelines and methods completely and also adhere to it in the right method. Some fundamental mathematics and statistics are important to turning into a great poker player.
https://www.knightsonice.com/users/mazidahmed
Howdy, I do think your website might be having browser compatibility problems. When I take a look at your website in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in IE, it's got some overlapping issues. I simply wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Aside from that, fantastic blog!
https://www.pcnet.com.tr/revive-adserver/www/delivery/ck.php?ct=1&oaparams=2__bannerid=52__zoneid=3__cb=4b11dacd9b__oadest=http://www.ocrvart.com
There's certainly a great deal to know about this subject. I like all the points you made.
https://www.yourareacode.com/redirect.php?destination=http://ocrvcenter.biz/
Iím amazed, I must say. Rarely do I encounter a blog thatís both educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. The problem is something too few men and women are speaking intelligently about. I'm very happy I found this during my hunt for something relating to this.
https://www.aluminco.com/umbraco/newsletterstudio/tracking/trackclick.aspx?nid=185042255248005212099220144014155161254154037038&e=090235077216231074026153051006137016032112232048104016255214180034244094197042083234030213045063&url=http://ocrvmotorsports.us/
https://www.serbiancafe.com/lat/diskusije/new/redirect.php?url=https://ocrv.today/
erectile exercises http://canadassildenafil.com#
https://www.londonplay.org.uk/newsletters/click/68/394/101174?url=http://ocrv.tv
I was pretty pleased to discover this page. I wanted to thank you for ones time for this wonderful read!! I definitely really liked every part of it and i also have you bookmarked to look at new information in your website.
https://unovi.com/users/auth/8414444/rambler?return_to=http://www.ocrvcenter.co
https://www.kultika.de/magisches-register/index.php?id=out&seite=ocrvempire.com/
Has anybody ever shopped at EmpireMods Ecig Shop in 1448 Jeffco Blvd?
http://yuzhin.com/user/cbd-cbd3463/
I blog often and I really appreciate your information. Your article has really peaked my interest. I am going to book mark your site and keep checking for new information about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed too.
https://scga.org/Account/AccessDenied.aspx?URL=https://ocrvcenter.com/
Iím impressed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog thatís both educative and entertaining, and without a doubt, you've hit the nail on the head. The problem is an issue that too few folks are speaking intelligently about. I am very happy I found this during my hunt for something relating to this.
http://www.web-magic.ca/redir.php?U=https://www.ocrvcenter.com
This is the right site for everyone who hopes to understand this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I personally will need toÖHaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a subject which has been discussed for decades. Excellent stuff, just great!
http://www.edina.com.ec/guia-telefonica/setUrl.ashx?u=https://www.ocrv.org/
erectile stimulator http://cialisetce.com#
https://dizovo.ru/bitrix/redirect.php?event1=news_out&event2=ckfakel.ru/&event3=3F3F3F+3F3F+AB3F3F3F3F3FBB&goto=http://rvmarketingexperts.com
Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found
a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said "You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear." She put the shell to her ear and screamed.
There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back!
LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell someone!
This is my first time pay a quick visit at here and i
am actually impressed to read everthing at one place.
Here is my web page – casino online terpercaya (https://smithandwesson340pdfastt.blogspot.com)