One Year Ago…

…I quit smoking. Holy shit.

Yeah, it’s been a year and I can’t believe it, especially considering I haven’t really had many cravings. I haven’t had to use my e-cigarette unless I’m around smokers. I tried the vapor, but I didn’t care for it much because it hurt my throat. I guess I was just finally “ready.” I’ve always said there was a psychological addiction to move past with smoking and that the physical addiction–the nicotine addiction–was easy to get over. That only took a few days, a week at most.

I will say, however, that there have been a few days where I just plain miss lighting up a smoke, but so many things stop me and it only lasts a second. The smell, for one, is disgusting to me now. That goes for anything you’re going to smoke. Hence, the reason I couldn’t handle the guy upstairs–who has since moved–smoking weed.

So much changes when you quit smoking. For instance, just take a look below:

That’s a great graphic up there, but do you know what it doesn’t tell you? Allow me…

If you don’t get your body in motion, you will gain weight. Now, I didn’t suddenly start stuffing my face with food. I eat differently, yes, but it’s a healthier diet. So WTF happened? My body’s systemic dysfunction and autoimmune system freaked the ever-loving fuck out, that’s what. I was no longer poisoning my body with all the chemicals cigarettes contain; thereby, masking my systemic disorder which makes it seems like I never got sick.

On the contrary, every disease you didn’t know you had will suddenly come to light because up until now, your body has been hiding them and they’ve turned into systemic diseases. Then you have to work with your doctor(s) on peeling each layer back to find out what the hell is going on with your body.

It hasn’t been fun, but at the same time, I do feel different, in a good way. Regardless of what my body is going through on the current layer (which happens to be hives from hell), I know that in the end I will feel a TON better and that perhaps I’ve added some time to my personal clock.