HealthyLife Articles

Tag: Tobacco Cessation

  • What Holds You Back?

    Healthylife® QuitWell™

    Part 2

    Image of man thinking.

    Many people want to quit, but don’t. When people are asked why they don’t quit, the main reasons tend to be:

    *  Fear of gaining weight

    *  Worry about feeling more anxious

    *  Thinking that it’s too difficult to quit

    *  The thought that “it’s too late to quit”

    Star any of the above that are holding you back. Write your own reasons for why you have not quit yet. What are your biggest worries or fears about quitting? Avoid judging yourself for these reasons. It is important to understand your own barriers. If you do not want to quit, list those reasons.

    QuitWell™ can help you work through these issues. The more honest you are with yourself, the better this program will work for you.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Action Planning

    Healthylife® QuitWell™

    Part 4

    Women writing in notebook.

    Remember, an “okay” plan today beats a “great” plan tomorrow. Use this template to write out your quit plan. By this point, you probably know most of your expected triggers during the day. Write both your planned urge tamer/response to the trigger and another idea to try, in case you need it.

    Chart to help with Action Planning.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Help Someone Quit Smoking

    Tobacco Cessation

    Image of note with 'Quit Smoking' written on it.

    Nagging does no good. Sarcasm has no beneficial effect. Threats, harassment, yelling, and pleading leave the object of your attention feeling demeaned and resentful. So, how can you truly help someone kick the cigarette habit?

    If someone close to you has decided to quit, here’s how you can help.

    *  Let the smoker know you support his or her efforts and that you care about the person whether or not he or she is successful in quitting.

    *  Offer to baby-sit, prepare meals, or do other favors to help reduce stress for the other person for the first few days after he or she has decided to quit.

    *  Don’t tell the other person what to do. You can suggest ways to make quitting easier, but don’t nag or dictate.

    *  Sincerely praise the quitter’s efforts. Comment on how much more in control he or she is.

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Moving Through Stages

    Healthylife® QuitWell™

    Part 1

    Image of couple walking down a paved trail.

    Over the next few weeks, as you move through the QuitWell™ program, you might notice yourself moving back and forth between the stages as different factors affect your thinking. For example, a stressful day at work can make you feel like you’ve taken a step backward. Don’t let that stop you! This guide will give you tools to work through challenges and be better prepared for future ones.

    You can try out nearly all the activities in this guide, though pay special attention to the activities highlighted for your stage of change. Look for the tips throughout the guide that help you fit an activity to your stage of change. This will help you feel good about where you are at and help you feel more confident about the future. When you feel yourself moving forward in the stages of change, you can go back to these activities and do them again, using the tips for your new stage of change.

    In a few words, describe how you are feeling right now about quitting. What brought you here? What stage of change do you feel fits you best right now?

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Relaxation Techniques

    Healthylife® QuitWell™

    Part 4

    A couple resting on sofa with their dog.

    We will teach you four skills to relax:

    *Relaxation Reflex:Getting rid of muscle tension.

    *Mental Imagery:Thinking of calm, restful places.

    *Deep Natural Breathing:Feeling relaxed by breathing in more oxygen.

    *Spend Time with Animals:Feeling relaxed, happy and secure.

    These relaxation strategies are not designed to take your stress away. Done correctly, they will help you calm your body and mind so that you can think more logically, see major problems as manageable challenges, and get through a tough day.

    If something helps you-even a little-add it to your quitting tool kit. Remember, you will probably need a lot of strategies to be successful in the long run. One strategy may work on Monday morning, but you’ll need another tool on Friday afternoon!

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • What Motivates You?

    Healthylife® QuitWell™

    Part 1

    Image of women with no smoking sign.

    You’ve probably heard a lot of reasons why you should quit, but the best reasons are your own. Making lifestyle changes to fit with your own values and reasons makes your successes more meaningful. It can also be easier to overcome challenges along the way.

    You can do this activity at all stages of change, even if you aren’t planning to quit right now or have already quit. If you don’t feel like anything is motivating you right now, that is OK. You can return to this activity in the future. If you have already quit, think about why you want to stay quit.

    Here are some common reasons for quitting. Start a ‘Why Quit’ list. If any of these ring true for you, add them to your list.

    *  Avoid major health problems in the future

    *  Be able to breathe more easily

    *  Better circulation, especially to fingers and toes

    *  Easier, deeper sleep

    *  Good feeling when waking up

    *  A younger, brighter, more lively look

    *  In order to have surgery (many surgeons require you to quit first)

    *  Pregnancy/new baby (as a mother, partner, or grandparent)

    *  Keep new home or car clean

    *  Be healthier for loved ones

    *  Save money

    *  Smoking/chewing/vaping no longer fits a current or desired lifestyle

    *  Worried about known and unknown long term risks

    *  More healthy years with family & friends

    *  Pride in accomplishing something you set out to do

    *  Freedom from being “owned” by an addiction and a tobacco company

    *  Better sense of taste & smell

    *  More energy

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Balance Of Choice

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 1

    Dumbbells, scale, towel, fruit, BMI body mass index formula rate formula in a board.

    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? If you think of something later, come back to this to add another point.

    Benefits – “Pros” vs Costs-“Cons”

    Making a change.

    Pro Example: I will have more energy.

    Con Example: I won’t be able to have sweets as often as I do now.

    Not changing.

    Pro Example: I can keep all of my current habits.

    Con Example: I could keep putting on more weight.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Quit Smoking

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Hands breaking a cigarette in half.

    Smoking and the use of other tobacco products causes serious harm to the body, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and emphysema. Smoking can also complicate diabetes and other health conditions.

    If you are smoking, try to quit. Talk to your doctor about tools to help you quit. Call 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) to talk to someone who can help you quit.

    Quitting smoking may cause some weight gain as your body learns to regulate blood sugar and appetite normally again. Smoking can also be a coping strategy for stress, so you will need to learn new ways to manage stress. It is worth it to quit smoking.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Another Reason To Stop Smoking

    SELF-CARE CORNER

    Image of cigarettes butts.

    Each year Americans buy nearly 300 billion cigarettes. A vast number of those cigarette butts, including the filters, will be flicked into the environment, landing along waterways, parks, beaches, and public roads. This makes cigarettes the number one littered item in the nation, according to Legacy, the nonprofit created in the wake of tobacco lawsuits. Cigarette butts are made mostly of plastic, which can take years to decompose, and they only break up into small particles of plastic. Join a cleanup event and help build awareness around your community and workplace.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Breaking Bad Habits

    WELL-BEING

    Close-up image of a person breaking a cigarette in half.

    Bad habits may be hard to change, but it can be done. Smoking, for example, can be stopped. So can alcohol abuse.

    If you could only … but why don’t you? Scientists at the NIH study what happens in your brain as habits form. They come about through repetition. Brushing your teeth in the morning is a good habit. Reaching for a cigarette-bad habit.

    Habits trigger pleasure centers in your brain. First, focus on becoming more aware of your bad habits. Then try these strategies to counteract them:

    *  Avoid tempting situations. If you don’t buy candy bars, it won’t be as easy to eat one.

    *  Prepare mentally. Think about how you want to handle it and mentally practice what you plan.

    *  Enlist support. Ask friends, family, and coworkers to support your efforts to change.

    *  Replace unhealthy bad habits with healthy ones. Exercise or try a new hobby.

    *  Reward yourself for small steps.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine