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Amber Alert

Stop Smoking

Though, I don't smoke as often as I used to (a pack a day in the Army), I do still smoke when I am terribly stressed. This summer has been a very stressful summer so my smoking habit has dramatically increased over the past few months. I have several friends and my children who wish I would quit all together so I need to find the motivation -- and willpower -- to quit.

I think one of the main reasons it’s so hard to quit smoking is because all the benefits of quitting and all the dangers of continuing seem so very far away.

To help me (and you), I put together this timeline about some of the more immediate effects of quitting smoking and how that will affect my body RIGHT NOW.

  • In 20 minutes, your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.
  • In 8 hours, the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream will drop by half and oxygen levels will return to normal.
  • In 48 hours, your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level.
  • In 72 hours, your bronchial tubes will relax and your energy levels will increase.
  • In 2 weeks, your circulation will increase and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks.
  • In three to nine months, coughs, wheezing, and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%.
  • In 1 year, your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.
  • In 5 years, your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.
  • In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.
  • In 15 years, your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

I do (and you do) have more immediate things to look forward to if I quit now, besides just freaking out about not being able to smoke.

My promise to Sandy and Michael (and others) is I am going to quit RIGHT NOW!

Thought of the Day - 9/5/09

Is it better to be lonely or afraid?

Thought of the Day - 9/4/09

We can bury the past, but it never really dies.
~~ Richard Paul Evans ~~

Thought of the Day - 9/3/09

We are not human beings going through a temporary spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings going through a temporary human experience.

Thought of the Day - 9/1/09

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

Save a Child

If you are concerned about the welfare of any child, tell the authorities. Please report your concerns to anyone and everyone who will listen to you. If they don't listen (and your concerns continue), call again and ask to speak to a supervisor. The miniscule risk of invading another's personal affairs is trumped by the reward of saving a life.

If each of us truly believed we are personally responsible to help the most vulnerable population -- our children -- we would follow our intuition and go the extra mile to protect them. Any one of us could be the hero who saves a child from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.

Freebie of the Month - September

Keeping your kids safe is a number one priority! If your child is young, you have a lot of safety skills to teach. You can start now by picking up a child safety kit for each child under 14 in your home. Click here to find out more about the kit.

Thought of the Day - 8/31/09

When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present . . . we experience heaven on earth.
~~ Author Unknown ~~

Thought of the Day - 8/30/09

A smile is a sign of joy.
A hug is a sign of love.
A laugh is a sign of happiness.

 
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