I’ve just given up smoking as one of my New Year resolutions – how long will it take for my body to get back to that of a non-smoker?
Mike Finch, by email

Once you stop smoking the body immediately gets to work repairing the damage. In just 20 minutes your pulse rate and blood pressure return to normal, after eight hours oxygen blood levels are back to normal, and by 24 hours the lungs have started clearing out the debris. After three days you should have more energy and be breathing more easily.

On the first anniversary of stopping, your lungs will be functioning at least ten per cent better and on your tenth anniversary your risk of lung cancer will be half what it would be if you’d continued to smoke.

A year after you quit your chance of a heart attack is halved, and after 15 years as an ex-smoker you’re no more likely to suffer a heart attack than someone who has never smoked.