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therewith. /Society for Vascular Surgery ) - "Within 48 hours of
quitting smoking , health benefits begin," said Dr. Steven
Leers, a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery. "Blood
pressure decreases. Pulse rate drops. The body temperature of
hands and feet increases. Carbon monoxide levels in the blood
return to normal. The chance of a heart attack decreases. Nerve
endings regrow. There's an increase in the ability to taste and
smell." Dr. Leers is an advocate for not smoking. Research has
linked smoking to cancer, vascular disease, stroke and lung
disease. "As a vascular surgeon, I've seen the damage done to
veins and arteries from tobacco use," said Dr. Leers. "Nicotine
speeds up the heart and causes the body to release fat and
cholesterol into the blood. All of these are related to vascular
disease." In addition, smoking ac