Lower Cholesterol

Self-Help Strategies for a Healthy Heart Kicking the Smoking Habit

There is nothing easy about giving up cigarettes. But as hard as quitting may be, the results are well worth it. One year after you stop smoking, your risk of coronary heart disease will drop by more than half. Within several years, it will approach, the heart disease risk of someone who has never smoked. This means that no matter what your age, quitting will lessen your chances of developing coronary heart disease. Meanwhile, for those who now have heart disease, giving up cigarettes lowers the risk of a heart attack. Quitting also reduces the risk of a second heart attack in women who have already had one.

Quitting will also save you money. Over 10 years, a two-pack-a-day smoker can spend more than $10,000 on cigarettes. And that price tag doesn't take into account the extra costs of smoking-related illnesses, such as doctors' bills, medicines, and lost wages.

Take some time to think about other benefits of being an ex-smoker. In addition to reducing your chances of heart attack and stroke, quitting will lessen your chances of developing lung cancer, emphysema and other lung diseases; result in fewer colds or flu each year; and give you more energy to pursue the physical actitivities you enjoy. In addition, if you have children living at home, they are likely to have fewer coughs, colds, and earaches once you stop smoking.

Take a few minutes now to write down all of the reasons you want to quit. Understanding what you and your family have to gain from quitting is an important first step in kicking the smoking habit.

Getting Ready to Quit
Once you decide to stop smoking, a few preparations are in order. Set a target date for quitting -- perhaps the first day of a month. Don't choose a time when you know you will be under a lot of stress. To help you stick to your quit date, you might want to write a brief contract that states your intention to quit, your quitting date, and some ways you plan to reward yourself for becoming an ex-smoker. Have someone sign it with you.
Consider asking your contract cosigner -- or another friend or family member -- to give you special support in your efforts to quit. Plan to get in touch with your supporter regularly to share your progress and to ask for encouragement. Give your "cheerleader" a copy of your list of reasons so that he or she can remind you of your goals. If possible, quit with a spouse or friend.

A Weighty Concern
Many women fear that if they stop smoking they will gain unwanted weight. But most ex-smokers gain less than 10 pounds. Weight gain may be partly due to changes in the way the body uses calories after smoking stops. Also, some people eat more when quitting because they substitute high-calorie food for cigarettes. Choosing more lower-calorie foods and increasing your level of physical activity can reduce the amount of weight you gain. If you do gain some weight, you can work on losing it after you have become comfortable as a nonsmoker. When you think about the enormous health risks of smoking, the possibility of putting on a few pound on a few pounds is not a reason to continue.

Three Aids for Quitting
As you prepare to quit smoking, give serious consideration to using a nicotine aid to help you stay off cigarette. Three products --nicotine gum, a nicotine patch, and a nicotine nasal spray -- can help you successfully quit by lessening your withdrawal symptoms. The gum and patch are now available over the counter, while the nasal spray is available only by prescription. However, nicotine aids are not for everyone. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, and people with serious heart problems cannot use them safely. Talk with your doctor about whether you should try any of these aids.

Breaking the Habit
* Surviving "Day One." On the evening before your quit day, "clean house." Throw away all cigarettes, matches, and lighters, and give away your ashtrays. Plan some special activities for the next day to keep you busy, such as a long walk or an outing with a friend. Ask family members and friends not to offer you cigarettes or to smoke in front of you. Your goal is to get through that first important day smoke-free. If you succeed on the first day, it will help give you the confidence to succeed on the second--and on each day after that.

* Know yourself. To quit successfully, you need to know your personal smoking "triggers." These are the situations and feelings that typically bring on the urge to light up. Some common triggers include drinking coffee, finishing a good meal, watching television, having an alcoholic drink, talking on the phone, or watching someone else smoke. Stress can also be a trigger. Make a list of the situations and feelings that particularly tempt you to smoke. Especially during the first weeks after quitting, try to avoid as many triggers as you can.

* Find new habits. Replace "triggers" with new activities that you don't associate with smoking. For example, if you always had a cigarette with a cup of coffee, switch to tea for awhile. If you always smoked at the table after dinner, get up as soon as the meal is over and go out for a walk. If you're feeling tense or angry, try a relaxation exercise such as deep breathing to calm yourself. (Take a slow, deep breath, count to five, and release it. Repeat 10 times.)

* Keep busy. Get involved in projects that require you to use your hands, such as needlework and jigsaw puzzles. When you feel the urge to put something in your mouth, have low-calorie substitutes on hand, such as vegetable sticks, apple slices, or sugarless gum. Some people find it helpful to inhale on a straw or chew on a toothpick until the urge passes.

* Be physically active. Walk, garden, or bicycle. Physical activity will make you feel better and help prevent weight gain.

* Know what to expect. During the first few weeks after quitting, you may experiences some temporary withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, irritability, tiredness, constipation, and trouble concentrating. These symptoms may come and go, and be stronger or weaker on different days. While these feelings are not pleasant, it is important to know that they are signs that your body is recovering from smoking. Most symptoms end within 2 to 4 weeks.

* Help is available. A number of free or low-cost programs available to help you stop smoking. They include programs offered by local chapters of the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society. Other low-cost programs can be found through hospitals, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), workplaces, and community groups. Some programs offer special support for women.

* Be good to yourself. Get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, and eat three balanced, healthful meals per day. If you are not as productive or cheerful as usual during the first several weeks after quitting, don't feel guilty. Give yourself a chance to adjust to your new nonsmoking lifestyle. Ask your friends and family to give you lots of praise for kicking the habit--and don't forget to pat yourself on the back. You are making a major change in your life, and you deserve a lot of credit.

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