It is not too late to give up smoking for Lent and with www.giveupsmoking.ie you can create your own quit plan and start saving for that special treat.
By smoking 20 cigarettes a day you will spend €3,102.50 (based on €8.50 for a pack of 20 ). This is costing you €59.50 every week; €263.50 every month; €3,102.50 every year; and €15,512.50 over five years. Apart from these savings the health benefits start straight away:
Within 20 minutes your circulation will improve, and your heart rate and blood pressure will get lower. This reduces your risk of heart attack straight away.
Within eight hours the carbon monoxide level in your blood will drop and the oxygen level will go up.
Within 24 to 48 hours all the carbon monoxide will have left your body.
Within a few days your sense of smell and taste will start to improve.
After 72 hours your breathing will improve and your energy levels will increase.
Within two or three months your lung capacity can increase by up to 30 per cent.
Within one year your chance of heart attack drops by half and within 10 years the risk drops to almost the same as a non-smoker.
Within five years the risk of smoking related cancers will be greatly reduced.
Once you give up, your lungs start to fight back by coughing up tar. A mug full of tar builds up in the lungs of a 20 a day smoker over the period of a year. It is the toxic chemicals in tar that cause cancer.
Your guide to giving up smoking can be ordered on www.giveupsmoking.ie
