For years, the medical profession has told us that smoking causes almost every kind of health problem known to humankind. It is common knowledge that it causes lung cancer, COPD and heart disease and hypertension. My doctor also told me it can contribute to high cholesterol. That surprised me a bit. And I have even heard that smoking contributes to hair loss because of impaired circulation.
All those reasons are really good reasons to quit smoking. We all have other reasons as well that are not health related.
Here’s the problem. It’s kind of a reality-check. I have been telling myself for so long that smoking is causing my high blood pressure, high cholesterol, accelerated heart rate and maybe even hair loss. Now that I am an ex-smoker, I guess I subconsciously expected that all my health problems would vanish within weeks of my last cigarette.
I know that some damage has been done and not all of it is reversible. I know that smoking did not necessarily cause every health problem I have ever had. I know these things, but I can’t help being a little disappointed that I didn’t become 20 years younger, perfectly healthy and grow a full head of hair in the last 54 days.
