Spring is in the air! And when you quit smoking cigarettes, breathing it in becomes easier.
In fact, as soon as you quit, your heart rate and blood pressure go down. And within about three months, your circulation improves and your lung function increases. By the nine-month mark, you should no longer be coughing or short of breath. As your lungs regain normal function, the little hairs in your airways are better able to keep your lungs clean. So, you may find you have fewer colds and respiratory infections.
Sounds great, right? But we know quitting is easier said than done. That’s why the Life. Inspired. program provides resources to help you quit and stay tobacco-free. Visit the Tobacco Cessation Resources on PASSport to learn about free programs you can use, and about a special program just for Publix BCBS PPO Plan enrollees.
Did you know?
Cigarette butts are a toxic waste problem. Filters are made from a non-biodegradable material — meaning it doesn’t break down in the environment. Trillions of filters are introduced to our environment every year, and they never completely go away. It’s estimated that up to 50 percent of the litter collected from streets and roads is cigarette butts. And in one beach clean-up effort, nearly 34 percent of the debris collected by volunteers was cigarette butts.
