Benefits after
quit smoking!!!!!!!
How to quit smoking, Why quit?
Improve your health
-reduce your risk of cancer, lung
disease, heart disease, stroke, emphysema and other smoking related disease. Help
prevent pneumonia and bronchitis. Lose your smoker’s cough, stop smoking
related headaches and enjoy better overall health.
Help others stay healthy
-reduce your family’s risk of
lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory infection and other health problems
caused by secondhand smoke. Then, increase your chance of having a healthy baby
if you become pregnant.
Enjoy life more
-enjoy a smoke(free home). Have a
lot more spending money. Increase your energy level. Stop worrying about
cigarette breath and yellow teeth and fingers. Lastly can improve your sense of
smell.
Condition after quit smoking
20 minutes after quitting:
blood pressure drops, hands and feet warm up to normal temperature
8 to 24 hours after quitting:
carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop to normal and heart attack risk
decreases
2 weeks to 3 months after
quitting: circulation improves and lungs work up to 30% better
1 year after quitting:
excess risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker’s
10 years after quitting:
risk of dying from lung cancer is half that of a smoker’s
Overcoming excuses
“smoking helps me cope with stress” nicotine (a drug found in
cigarette) is a stimulant. So, smoking may actually increase your response to
stress. To reduce stress try:
- Start an
exercise program
- Do not
use food as a smoking substitute
- Symptoms
only last for one to four weeks while the benefits of quitting last a
lifetime
- Withdrawal
can be managed with nicotine substitutes and other methods (see the Managing Withdrawal section of
this guide)
- Wait an
extra five minutes before each cigarette
- Smoke only
every other hour during the day
- Switch to
lower nicotine brand
- Smoke a
brand you don’t like
- Smoke half
of each cigarette
- Limit where
you can smoke
- Limit the
number of cigarette you smoke each day
- Wait an
extra hour before having your first cigarette
- Eat regular,healthy
meals. Don’t skip meals. Hunger may trigger your urge to smoke.
- Choose low
calorie foods when you need a snack. Healthy snacks include vegetables,
fruits, non fat yogurt and non fat cottage cheese.
- Drink six
to eight glasses of water daily. Drinking a glass of water before meals
can help fill you up.
- Exercise
for 20-60 minutes, three to five times a week. If you weren’t exercising
before you quit smoking, walking is a great way to start.
- Renew your
resolve to quit smoking. Remind yourself of all the hard work it took to
get to this point.
- Think about
what triggered your return to smoking. Find ways to deal with that trigger
in the future.
- Talk to
a friend, discuss how and why you slipped. Your friend may be able to help
you through future cravings.
- Get professional
help if you need it. Your health care provider may be a good source of
support. Many national organizations also have programs and materials that
will help you quit for good.
Quitting methods
Using nicotine substitutes
Nicotine substitutes release
small amounts of nicotine into the bloodstream to reduce withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine
substitutes should be used with the cold turkey method only. Never smoke and
use a nicotine substitutes at the ame time. It could lead to a nicotine
overdose.
Nicotine patches
Release a small amount of
nicotine into your bloodstream through your skin. After that, can be bought
over the counter without a doctor’s prescription. Should generally be used for
three to five months (although eight weeks is long enough for some people)
Nicotine gum
Releases a small amount of
nicotine into your blood stream through your mouth. Can be bought over the
counter without a doctor prescription. An last, should generally be used for no
more than six months.
Nicotine nasal spray
Quickly delivers nicotine into
the bloodstream through your nose. Is the best for very addicted smokers who
have not been able to quit using patches or gum and is only available by
prescription.
Nicotine inhaler
Nicotine vapor is delivered
through the mouth and may cause coughing and throat irritation. Then, is only
available by prescription.
Tapering off
When you quit by tapering off you
must slowly reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. At some point,
you will need to pick a date to quit completely. Then, your withdrawal symptoms
won’t be as severe as quitting cold turkey, but they all last longer.
How to cut back
If you are tapering off, don’t inhale deeper,don’t
take more and don’t smoke cigarettes farther down than usual. To cut back on
your cigarette use, try these tricks:
Other quitting aids
Bupropion is a prescription antidepressant
that reduces the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. it does not contain nicotine.
It can be used alone or with the patch. Talk to your doctor for more
information.
Stop smoking groups and classes
Stop smoking programs help smoker deal with
problems that come up during quitting. They also provide support and
encouragement.
Preparing to quit
-List your reasons
List your reasons for quitting. Put
your list in a place where you’ll see it every day. Some good reasons to quit
are discussed in the WHY QUIT? Section of this guide. Other reasons include is
setting a good example for your children, proving to yourself that you can do
it and being more competitive in sports and activities
-Set a quit date and sign a
contract
Sign a contract and carry it with
you. Your contract may include your quitting date, your reasons for quitting,
the names of people you can turn to for support and good ways to deal with
cigarette cravings.
-Avoid triggers
Figure out what triggers your
urge to smoke. Then try to avoid those triggers. For example,if driving is one
of your smoking triggers, walk or bike,take the bus,carpool with non smokers
The day you quit
(and after)
Managing withdrawal,nicotine is a
drug found in tobacco. when you quit smoking the decrease in nicotine leads to
withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms usually last for one to four weeks and
can usually be manged at home. For example the symptoms is depression and for solution
is exercise every day, ask friends and family for support then join a support
group. Symptoms dry mouth then you can sip cold drinks and chew sugarless gum.
Staying an ex- smoker
Throw away all of your
cigarettes. Hide your lighters and ashtrays in an out of the way place. Drink lots
of water and juice. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Stay active and go for a long walk
or bike ride. Work in the garden then take a dance class. Keep your hands busy,
do crossword puzzles. Knit or sew start a home improvement project.
Stock up on healthy snacks and
sugarless gum to help manage the munchies or chew on a straw or toothpick to
keep your mouth busy. Set mini goals for yourself, when you reach a goal, do
something special for yourself. Eat your favorite meal, go to a movie, spend
time with non smoking friends. Brush your teeth after every meal. When your
teeth feel clean and fresh, you are likely to crave cigarettes. Spend time with
non smokers. Talk with non smokers at social events and spend your lunch hour
with non smoking co workers.
Maintaining your weight
Some people gain weight when they
quit smoking. However, the gain is usually small and the benefits of quitting
far outweigh the drawbacks of a small weight gain. To maintain your weight
after you quit smoking, follow the suggestions bellow:
Weight maintenance tips
High risk situations
When your craving is intense
-if you have a sudden craving for
a cigarette, do something that makes it hards (or impossible) to smoke such as
talking a shower, going swimming,drinking a glass of milk and going to the movies.
When you’re socializing
Parties and other social events
can sometimes trigger the urge to smoke. For the first few weeks after you quit
can avoid places where others will be smoking, don’t drink alcohol and spend
time with non smokers as much as
possible.
When you’re stressed
Stress can sometimes lead people
back to smoking. To manage stress as an ex smoker like a learn relaxation
techniques such as deep breathing, meditation or yoga. Listen to soothing music
or take a warm bath. Think of ways to manage stressful situations. Then, talk
about your feelings with a counselor or trusted friend.
Quitting for life
Remember
your reasons
-think about what’s good about being
a non smoker and remind yourself why you don’t want to smoke.
Make it
easier on yourself
-spend time with non smoking
friends, go to smoke free restaurants and avoid your smoking triggers.
Adopt
a healthy lifestyle
-eat a healthy diet, get regular
exercise, manage stress, make time for rest and relaxation,also see your doctor
for regular check-ups.
Reward
yourself
-treat yourself to concert
tickets, a gym membership or new clothes using the money you would have spent
on cigarette. Give yourself a mini vacation and read a favorite book, enjoy a
hobby also take a long relaxing bath.
Don’t
make excuses
-one cigarette can hurt you,
cigarette do not make a good reward and the best time to quit smoking is now.
Take it
one day at a time
-just aim to make it through
today, and don’t think about being smoke free for the rest of your life.