A virtual wellness program offered by the National Institute for Fitness and Sport and provided to you through your employer.

Smoking

Kick the Habit

In recent decades, the latest trend is to kick the smoking habit…not start.  In fact, there has been a decrease of 17% of American smokers since 1964.  Studies say that this decline is due to more people quitting, not fewer people starting.  48 million Americans have QUIT SMOKING.  Kicking that BUTT to the curb is a new trend that helps to benefit your health and those around you.  Stop relying on those cigarettes to run your life, mood, emotions, etc.  Put out your last cigarette for good. 

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Sure, you know smoking is bad for you health.  But no one ever thinks, “Smoking will really hurt me.”  If you smoke, the odds are against you.  Think about these facts: 

• Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals.  Many are poisonous.  More than 40 of them cause cancer.

• Your chances of getting lung cancer are 10 times greater than a nonsmoker.

• You are twice as likely to have a heart attack as a nonsmoker.

• Cigarette smoking is strongly linked with emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

• Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to have low birth weight babies or stillborn babies.

• Cigarette smoke is harmful to all who inhale it, including nonsmokers.

• Your children are twice as likely to be smokers when they grow up.

The Good News about Stopping 

• Within a few days, mucus in your airways breaks up and clears out of your lungs.

• Within a few weeks circulation improves and you will be able to smell and taste more.

• Within a year your risk for lung cancer begins to decrease.

Getting Over Smoking

The nicotine in cigarette smoke is addictive.  This means that, as a smoker, your body has gotten used to a certain level of nicotine.  After you stop smoking, you may feel some body and mood changes.  As your body adjusts to the absence of the nicotine that you used to get from cigarettes, you may be: 

• Irritable: At first, without nicotine, you may feel nervous or touchy.  Try exercising: it will help you feel better.

• Tired: Nicotine is a stimulant, so when you aren’t smoking anymore, you may feel tired.

• Trouble Sleeping: You may wake up often during the night.  Also, you may dream about smoking.

• Hunger: People may think that their urge for a cigarette is really a hunger pang and eat to get rid of it.  Often this results in weight gain.  Try drinking a glass of cold water instead of snacking.

• Cough, Dry Mouth: Ex-smoker’s cough is the way that the body gets rid of the mucus clogging your lungs.  Also, when you stop smoking, your body does not produce as much mucus, so your mouth may feel dry.

• Depression: Some ex-smokers say that giving up cigarettes is like losing a best friend.  Bouts of crying are common.  These feelings will pass.  Smoking is not an answer!

Remember:

• You may not have any of these feelings.

• If you do, don’t worry—it’s normal.

• You may not feel the same as others who are stopping.

• Hang in there.  These feelings will go away.  Give yourself a chance to get over smoking.

Coping with Stress

You are doing fine until—BLAM!—something happens and you think you MUST have that cigarette to calm you down.  WRONG!  There are many ways to manage stress without smoking.  Find the ones that work for you.

• Take a deep breath, hold it, and let it out slowly.

• Take a warm shower.

• Go for a walk.

• Call a friend.

• Drink a glass of cold water.

• Ask yourself: “Will smoking a cigarette solve this problem?”

 Some Tips to Stay Off Cigarettes for Good 

• Never, Never, Never forget why you stopped smoking.  We tend to remember the good parts of smoking and forget the reasons we stopped.  You may miss smoking, but don’t kid yourself, it’s not worth it.  Smoking kills.

• Don’t Get Cocky.  One of the worst things about cigarettes is their ability to snag their victims again.  Don’t give in to thoughts of just one. 

• Keep Busy.  Boredom is hard for new ex-smokers.  Take up a new hobby, clean your closets, or paint the bathroom.  Plan to be busy.  Don’t sit around waiting for the smoking urge to grab you.

• Reward Yourself.  Save the money you would have spent on cigarettes.  Buy yourself a treat.

• Feel Proud.  By stopping, you have done a great thing for yourself and for your future.  Think about all the ways your life is better now.

• Call YOUR American Cancer Society.  If you are thinking about reaching for a cigarette, DON’T.  Call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 for support.