As New Year is upon us, people will start to think about changing things like diet and exercise and also giving up smoking.

Smoking was once my favorite thing to do in the whole wide world and in my experience, losing nearly five stone was easy compared to quitting smoking!

The key to trying to quit is to understand how it affects the body and change your philosophy towards it. Money is a key factor but to understand how this can damage you permanently is vital.

I hope that I haven't done the damage now and will live as long and full life as possible. I do not want to live the last few years of my life in pain like so many others.

I am not a scientist and it is widely know that smoking can cause cancer of the mouth, throat and lungs, however there are a few more angles to ponder.

Smoking creates a lovely fur round your arteries, arteries that supply your vital organs with blood and oxygen. This is why smoking causes heart attacks as it can stop blood flow to the heart all together. Every time you have a cigarette, this is happening inside you.

Strokes are caused by a complete lack of oxygen to the brain, by clogging arteries, smoking increases the chance of this happening as well. So three of the major causes of death are caused by smoking.

Not only does it drastically increase the chances of early death, it also can damage brain function by depleting zinc, which is the most critical nutrient for brain function. This can cause mental illness, depression and in some cases schizophrenia! All this, just from smoking!!

I understand that people don't value their lives hence why they abuse their bodies, I smoked for 16 years and I enjoyed it. To be honest, just writing this blog makes me want a fag!

The truth is, if you want to make a positive life change and give up, you don't know the incredible benefit to your health it can have.

The fact is, you have one life to live. There are no second chances.

John Hill
Inspiring Fitness Personal Trainer
www.inspiringfitness.co.uk
www.easygoodfeelings.com