Hey Ladies, Put Down the Cigs!

By Elizabeth Perez on September 28th, 2010
Photo Courtesy Valentin.Ottone

For all of you women out there who smoke, I have one bit of advice for you that might just save your life. Quit smoking.

The list of health issues caused by smoking is lengthy for both men and women, but women who smoke are even more likely to develop serious medical conditions.

According to an article on the Mayo Clinic website, women who smoke run a higher risk of succumbing to one of the top five illnesses that affect women, which are heart disease, cancer, stroke, COPD and Alzheimer’s disease.

It has been said that breaking a habit takes around two weeks. And for you smokers out there, that could seem like a lifetime. You may be worried about all the stigmas attached to quitting smoking: you’ll gain weight, you’ll be moody and cranky, you’ll get terrible headaches. But the truth is, if you can stick it out for a handful of weeks, the benefits of quitting smoking will far outweigh how bad you feel for a few weeks. And there are plenty of resources available to you if you want to put down that cigarette.

A great resource is the Smoke Free website, www.smokefree.gov, which provides you with tools and resources to help you stop the unhealthy habit. The site also has a step-by-step guide to help you quit and an option to speak with someone for advice. Kicking the habit can be very hard and you don’t have to do it alone. Talking with someone about your struggle may just be the push you need to help you quit.

There are also various inventions that can assist you in your journey. Whether you try to nicotine patch, nicotine gum or the fairly new electronic cigarette, find what works for you and stick with it. The health of all your organs depends on it.

The fact of the matter is smoking does nothing but harm your body. The longer you smoke, the higher risk you run of developing a serious health condition that could dramatically alter or even your life. You are worth more than that.

Elizabeth Perez is a freelance writer and blogger living in the Tampa Bay area. She holds a bachelor’s degree is mass communications from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Currently, she works for a non-profit where she writes press releases and web content. Follow her blog and see recent work at her website, WhosGotAPen.com.

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