Healthylife® QuitWell™
Part 2
Learn what is pulling you toward your goal and what is holding you back. All thoughts and feelings are valid. Is your goal more important to you than the challenges to achieve it? Are you pursuing this goal just because someone said you “should” do it? Complete the chart below as well as you can. If you think of something later, come back to this page to add another point to one of the boxes.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® QuitWell™
Part 1
Maybe you have started this program in the action phase-you are already quitting or have just quit. While you may have a quit date in mind, this phase is more than just one day. This phase usually lasts about six months for any behavior change. It starts when you start putting your plan into place and continues as you go through challenges and practice your new way of living.
In a few words, describe your current quit plan.
Who is supporting you?
Remember, you may be moving back and forth between stages during your quitting process. Some days may be easier than others. It is important to stay very alert during the active phase, as slip-ups are very common. You will probably face many new challenges, from new stressors to different times of the year and holidays.
Even if you have started this program in the action phase, work through the guide in order. Building a strong foundation will help you get through the first few months of quitting-and beyond.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® QuitWell™
Part 3
All of these products contain nicotine. Patches, gum, and lozenges are available other-the-counter. The nicotine nasal spray and nicotine inhaler require a prescription.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® QuitWell™
Part 4
This is one of the best Urge Tamers you will learn. Do this deep breathing when you have an urge.
1. Breathe in deeply through your nose.
2. Hold your breath for 3 seconds.
3. Slowly breathe out through pursed lips to make a “whooshing” sound.
4. Keep breathing this way until the urge goes away. Sometimes you may need to do the smokeless inhalation 2-3 times, or up to 12-13 times. An increase in oxygen helps you feel relaxed.
The smoking cycle:
Avoiding tobacco/nicotine and using smokeless inhalation can help you break the cycle.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
SleepWell® Program
Week 1
Complete the following.
* Why I am concerned about my sleep?
* What I think is the biggest challenge with my sleep: (e.g. not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep, waking up often, not feeling refreshed when I wake up)?
* Could any medical issues or medications be causing my sleep problems? (If you answered yes to this question, talk with your doctor about your sleep issues.)
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® QuitWell™
Part 2
Maybe you don’t feel like you have time to read the QuitWell™ program or answer the questions in each section. The tips on time management in this section can help. Other barriers may seem to be unchangeable until a powerful motivator enters the picture. More information or skills to get through a challenge can also help you overcome what felt impossible in the past.
Be Open to Powerful Motivators
Have you ever started a new relationship or made a new friend and suddenly you want to spend all your time with that person? You may even get into a new hobby in order to spend more time with them. Or, maybe you got concerning test results and want to improve before your next visit to the doctor. Or, maybe you just found out you are going to be a parent or grandparent.
These are examples of powerful motivators. They usually seem to come out of nowhere or when you are least expecting them. Some seem to knock you off your feet and you can’t ignore how powerful they are. Others you may not notice unless you are paying attention. These may be negative and scary or joyous and exciting. As you think about quitting and look at your barriers, try to be open to power motivators.
Do you feel any powerful motivators in your life right now?
What could be a powerful motivator in the future? Imagine what it would take to suddenly make nearly all the barriers on your list seem less important.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® QuitWell™
Part 1
The maintenance phase of quitting starts after you have been quit for about six months. At this point, your tobacco/nicotine free lifestyle has started to feel more normal and routine. It can take years to feel like tobacco/nicotine is truly in the past, though. In this phase, you may not be thinking of your old habit on a daily basis, but reminders are still all around you. Your new habits are still young.
What do you enjoy about being tobacco/nicotine free?
What challenges have you overcome to get here?
If you have quit before and relapsed, what tripped you up?
Stress is one of the most common triggers for relapse. This guide has many tools for responding to things that happen to you. While it may not be possible to control what happens in your life, you can control your response.
Deepen your motivation, understand your barriers (even if you already overcame them), and build a supportive team you can lean on when the going gets tough.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Tobacco Cessation
Not using tobacco is one of the best choices you can make for your health.
Have you seen the commercial of a frail woman putting in dentures, placing a wig on her head, speaking with a voice box, and tying a scarf around a hole in her throat? She had surgery that removed cancer in her throat. Not a pretty sight. And a reminder that tobacco use can and does cause serious health problems.
Be smart, don’t start.
If you don’t smoke, don’t even think about trying it. Nicotine is a powerful addiction. If you do use tobacco, get help to quit.
* Use a nicotine replacement product, such as a patch, gum, or lozenges. Use as directed.
* Ask your doctor about prescribed medicines that can help you quit.
* Take part in a stop smoking program.
* Throw away all your tobacco and tobacco items.
* When the urge to smoke, dip or chew tobacco hits you, breathe deeply through your mouth and slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat four more times.
* Get rid of familiar tobacco triggers.
* Try sugarless gum, mints, and toothpicks to keep your mouth busy.
* Put the money you used to spend on cigarettes in a “ciggy” bank so you can reward yourself later.
* Put a rubber band on your wrist. Snap it when the urge to smoke, dip or chew strikes.
* Talk to a nonsmoking friend for support.
* Make a list of the positive changes you’ve noticed since quitting.
* Renew your commitment to quit daily.
* Don’t give up if you relapse. Most people try several times before they finally quit.
Bidis – Not a Safe Alternative
Bidis are thin brown cigarettes made in India and other Southeast Asian countries. They are filled with tobacco flakes and dust and rolled in dried tendu or temburni leaves (plants native to Asia). These unfiltered cigarettes may be tied with a string at one or both ends. To mask the poor quality of tobacco used, flavors are often added. These include cherry, chocolate, mango, and vanilla.
Bidis are cheaper and easier to buy than regular cigarettes, but have serious health risks.
* One bidi produces more than three times the carbon monoxide than one cigarette.
* Smoke from an unfiltered bidi has three to five times the amount of nicotine as a regular cigarette. This increases risk for nicotine addiction.
* One bidi releases three to five times more tar than a regular cigarette.
* Bidi smoke contains more deadly chemicals, such as ammonia than the smoke of one regular cigarette.
* Smoking bidis increases the risk for:
* Lung cancer, oral cancer, stomach cancer, and cancer of the esophagus
* Heart attack and coronary heart disease
* Chronic bronchitis and emphysema
In India, the majority of bids are made by women and children and in their homes. Exposure to particles and dust in the process leads to many health problems. These include:
* Asthma
* Lung cancer
* Tuberculosis
* Skin problems
* Eye problems
Resources
American Lung Association
800.LUNG.USA (586.4872)
National Cancer Institute’s Smoking Quitline
877.44U.QUIT (448.7848)
www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/smoking
National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines
800.QUIT.NOW (784.8669)
Smokefree Women
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Action Step
If the thought of quitting this very moment makes you crave another cigarette, don’t fret. Start with an action plan. Write down the top reasons you want to quit and set a date. Tell others so they can encourage you.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® QuitWell™
Part 1
Smokeless tobacco includes chewing tobacco, which may also be called oral tobacco or spit tobacco. Smokeless tobacco also includes both moist and dry snuff, snus, and dissolvable tobacco products. Smokeless tobacco is not a safe form of tobacco, even if that is often how it is marketed by tobacco companies. Smokeless tobacco carries many serious risks.
Smokeless tobacco can cause cancers of the:
* Mouth, tongue, cheek & gums
* Esophagus
* Pancreas
Smokeless tobacco can also cause:
* Sores in the mouth called leukoplakia that can become cancer
* Stained teeth
* Bad breath
* Gum disease, cavities, tooth decay, and tooth loss
* Bone loss around the teeth
* Heart disease
* High blood pressure
* Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
* Pregnancy complications and low birth weight
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
SleepWell® Program
Week 2
Answer the following.
* How did your sleep this week compare to the first week?
* What changes did you made to my sleep environment?
* What changes did you make to your eating habits?
* What Changes did you make to your exercise habits?
* What changes will you continue?
* What is one S.M.A.R.T. goal you have for next week?
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine