When you can't breathe, nothing else matters...

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), emphysema affects over 2 million Americans, the majority of whom are 50 years old and over.

All About Emphysema

Emphysema is a slow killer, progressing gradually over a period of many years. The damage done to the lungs with emphysema is permanent and irreversible, but if a person stops smoking early on in the disease, it may be possible to arrest further development and improve one's quality of life.

More:

• Diagnosing Emphysema

• Living with Emphysema - Christine's Story

• Emphysema Photo Gallery

_{Illustration courtesy of A.D.A.M.}

Smoking is a way of settling for so much less than we deserve. It's self-destructive behavior, and that tends to trickle down into other areas of our lives.

• Don't Settle for Less in Your Life

Once we quit smoking, positive changes start to happen all around.

Related:

• I Quit Smoking Because...

• The Pros and Cons of Smoking

_{Image © Stockxpert}

Radioactive Cigarette Smoke

Two of the more than 7000 chemicals in cigarette smoke fall into a category that is especially frightening - radioactive metal compounds.

• Radioactive Metals in Cigarette Smoke

Numerous poisonous and carcinogenic chemicals in cigarettes damage our bodies when inhaled directly or indirectly through secondhand smoke.

• The Harmful Chemicals in Cigarettes

Scientists have yet to identify all of the chemicals present in cigarette smoke, but the body of knowledge on the deadly effects of smoking continues to expand.

I'd like to introduce you to AWL, a member of the support forum here at About.com Smoking Cessation.  At four weeks quit, she was already keenly aware of the entrapment that comes with nicotine addiction and the change of mindset that brings lasting freedom.

• Seeing Through the Smokescreen

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us AWL, and congratulations on your quit!

More Reading:

• I Will Survive!
• The Seduction
• From Loss Comes Strength

_{Image © AWL}