Smoking and surfing are two words with the same number of characters and two terms with vastly different implications.
There are many surfers who smoke; however, if you're passionate about the ocean and the waves, consider giving up cigarettes.
You can't imagine what you'll earn. You'll live longer, surf better, catch more waves, and ride waves others couldn't.
Each cigarette you smoke contains around 4,000 chemicals.
Add the insanely addictive drug nicotine to this mix, and you can already see the problem. Smokers spend money to fuel a deadly habit.
Smoking affects the whole human body, from head to toe. Here are just some of the common ailments caused by smoking:
- Hair loss;
- Eye irritation;
- Blindness;
- Headaches;
- Mood changes;
- Sore throat;
- Tooth loss;
- Bronchitis;
- Pneumonia;
- Coughs;
- Colds;
- Shortness of breath;
- Heart attack;
- Cold hands and feet;
- Premature skin aging;
- Impotence;
Save Money and Buy New Gear
Surfing and smoking are not complimentary.
While every human is free to make their own choices, smoking's ill effects on a surfer's body - from stamina to life expectancy - can't responsibly be overlooked.
And the truth is you could improve your wave riding skills so much by quitting that burning those last cigarettes would seem, in hindsight, like the best choice you ever made.
A Californian surfer who smokes a daily pack of cigarettes spends nearly 2,400 dollars on tobacco products every year.
How does that translate into the purchase of surfboards, wetsuits, travel, and surf gear?
Do you "only" smoke ten cigs a day? That's still 1,460 dollars.
Quit Smoking and Surf More
Tobacco changes surfers.
Smoking damages the lungs and makes breathing more difficult. In addition, it affects lung capacity, a critical variable in surfing and paddling for waves.
A surfer who doesn't smoke uses oxygen three times more efficiently than a non-smoker who doesn't swim or ride waves.
Have you quit smoking? Eat more apples, tuna, peanuts, corn, lemons, and oranges.
Stay away from smoking environments, walk, run, swim, and drink large amounts of water to expel mucous.
Your lung function will be improved by 30 percent between 14 days and 12 weeks after quitting.
One week after quitting, you will be catching more waves and have more lung power to cope. Shortness of breath subsides in one to nine months.
What Happens After You Quit Smoking?
Here's what else will happen to your surfing life:
- 20 Minutes: Your blood pressure decreases;
- 8 Hours: The amount of carbon monoxide in the blood drops back to normal;
- 48 Hours: Your nerve endings start to regenerate; smell and taste are enhanced;
- 72 Hours: Your body gets rid of nicotine;
- 2-3 Weeks: The lungs are clearer, and breathing is easier;
- 1-3 Months: The inhale/exhale function is greatly improved;
- 1-9 Months: The shortness of breath decreases;
- 12 Months: The overall lung function improves dramatically;
- 5 Years: The stroke risk reduced to that of a non-smoker;
- 10 Years: The danger of lung cancer is less than half that of a smoker;
Surfers aged over 35 will notice increased problems in the respiratory system. It's a matter of making choices.
Want to surf more? Choose life, choose waves. Quit smoking and enjoy the ocean.