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Quit Smoking – Your Heart Will Thank You

Posted at 10:48 AM, Nov 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-20 12:48:32-05

The following is sponsored by Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute.

The heart can be considered the engine of your body. It works nonstop to make sure your whole body gets an even flow of blood, circulating oxygen and other important things to your body. Just to understand how hard your heart works for you let’s just say that your heart beats 70 times a minute, with each beat, the heart pumps 60 to 90 milliliters (2 to 3 ounces) of blood out of the heart. It can move 5 to 7 liters of blood in one minute and 7600 liters (2000 gallons) per day! That’s Amazing!

With your heart working so hard for you it’s only fair that you return the favor by keeping your heart healthy. One easy way to keep your heart healthy is to quit smoking and avoid second hand smoke like the plague. Studies show that your chances of developing heart disease is 25-30 percent higher if you’re exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work and even greater chances for non-smokers that have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

As the 11 contestants competing in the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute’s 2017 My Heart Challenge: Nonprofit Edition are working to become more heart healthy by eating right and exercising regularly, people who smoke CAN make the lifestyle changes necessary to have a healthier heart.

Tip: To avoid secondhand smoke ask smokers to not smoke in your car or around your home. If you are near someone who is smoking, steer clear of their smoke, and avoid areas where smoking is allowed.

If you are ready to quit and would like some additional support you can contact the Utah State quit line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit the website at waytoquit.org