It is never too late to stop the effects of smoking. Even when you have been smoking for decades, you can significantly improve your health by quitting today.

“If you already have a condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stopping smoking can slow the progression of the disease,” says Kimberly A. Keser, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, family nurse practitioner at Saint Francis Medical Center. “Stopping smoking can also reduce your risk for lung cancer.”

Fifteen years after a person quits smoking, the risk for heart disease is that of a nonsmoker. But you do not have to wait 15 years to see the effects of quitting: Right after you stop smoking, your risk of death from heart disease lowers by one-third. “Your blood pressure lowers right away, and your risk of mouth, throat, esophageal and bladder cancer is reduced by half, just five years after you quit,” says Keser.

For more information, call 573-331-3996.