The medical assistant is assisting the primary care provider during a client's annual health exam. Which statement will the medical assistant most likely hear the provider tell the client regarding smoking cessation?

a) "Within three months of quitting, an ex-smokers lung function begins to improve.
b) "Within five years of quitting, an ex-smoker's risk for heart disease is about the same as that of a lifelong nonsmoker."
c) "Within one day of quitting, an ex-smoker's risk for heart attack drops."
d) "Within one week of quitting, an ex-smoker's risk for heart disease is about the same as that of a lifelong nonsmoker."

Quitting smoking is one of the best health decisions you can make. In general, the whole organism benefits from the end of this addiction - and the lungs, directly impacted by each lit cigarette, are the first to avail themselves of the suspension. But reversing the "smoker" picture takes time, a lot of time.

Cigarette action is as serious a trigger for the body as its cessation brings quick benefits: Two days after quitting, the body is completely free of nicotine and carbon monoxide. And the nerves, responsible for smell and taste, revive - making food taste better, for example. By three months without tobacco, the lungs begin to improve, the sinuses will be cleaner, and breathing is clearly easier. But this is a crucial moment in the process when many people stop for good and others are tempted to return.