Tag Archives: smoking

Great American Smokeout: Tips for Smoking Cessation

Introduction

great-american-smokeout

The Great American Smokeout is a great time to get serious about smoking cessation. Don’t wait to make it a New Year’s resolution. Do it now. Can’t do it now? Do it Monday. In fact, do it every Monday. It’s a fight. If you fall down, start it back up again. It’s the fight of your life (or should I say for your life)!

Try all of these tips to help

  • If you decide to quit after your current (last) pack, throw away one cigarette for every one you smoke.
  • Count (figuratively or literally) all the money you’re saving by not smoking.
  • Throw away (not give away) all cigarettes, cigars, matches, lighters, humidors, cigar cutters and anything else you associate with smoking. You’ll realize how sad it is if and when you find yourself rummaging through the garbage to get a fix.
  • Tell everyone (loudly) that you’ve quit. Empower them to help and hold you accountable. Enlist another smoker friend to go through the journey with you.
  • If you do fall off the wagon, smoke a different cigarette brand. Odds are you won’t like it as much, and that will help combat the natural ease you have with smoking.
  • Contact your physician and ask for help.

smokinghard-yes

Here’s a marvelous best-practices schemata of appropriate interplay between a physician and a patient trying to stop smoking.
smoking cessation As

If your physician and you decide to place you on a patch or otherwise medicate you, follow instructions carefully and precisely.
smokingcessation1

More tips

  • Practice deep breathing. Part of the euphoria of smoking is nothing more than the physiologic sensations produced by deep inhalations.
  • Keep other things in your mouth. Mints and chewing gum (low-calorie) are great. Brushing your teeth also serves many purposes. Drinking water when you want to smoke will often remove the urge.
  • Make it past the first day. Then make it past the first week.

smoking surgeon general cessation

Let’s START!

I personally love the START method, which includes several of the above methods. Let me know if it works for any of you.
S: Set a quit date.
T: Tell your friends, family and associates that you’re quitting, and enlist their help.
A: Anticipate and act on the plan you’ve set and challenges you’ll meet.
R: Remove (trash) cigarettes, cigar and other paraphernalia from your environment.
T: Talk with your physician about options and additional support.
For those of you affected (either first or second-hand), this is huge and important. I really wish you all the best. I welcome any comments or questions.

smoking the end

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2018 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Smoking Cessation RESOLVED

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser post is about smoking cessation.

smoking new-year-s-resolutions

Ok. On our New Year’s resolutions list, we’ve covered diet and exercise. Now what? Of course. Several of you have promised me that you would stop smoking for the new year. (I’ve made my list and am checking it twice.) The thing about smoking is there really is no time like the present to stop. Smoking cessation is a now proposition.

The Gift of Life

You’ve all been asked what things you’d take with you on a desert island. I’ll pose and answer the opposite question, just not on an island but regarding your life. Getting you to stop smoking is certainly one of the three gifts I’d offer you if it was within my power. This post won’t be about the dangers of smoking. (I’ll continue to hit you over the head with those at every opportunity.) Given that I’m into producing positive outcomes, I’m going to discuss with you effective means to stop smoking and the benefits of stopping.

How to Stop

The question on your mind is obviously how to stop. Personally, I’m of the Yoda mindset. You know, when he was teaching Luke Skywalker, he famously said, “Do or Do not. There is no try.” I can hear you now, “But Doc, I’m addicted!” Sure you are. There are many things in medicine about which I’m absolutely sure. One of these is the most effective way to stop smoking is to quit. Cold turkey. The moment you’re motivated. Not only is this premise supported by the data, which I’ll discuss momentarily, but here’s the benefit of over 20 years in clinical emergency medicine practice and having seen hundreds of people stop, stay stopped, and letting me know months and years later that they stayed stopped. Despite being addicted, people are amazingly able to quit cold turkey, and they will do it in one of five circumstances.

When they develop the will

Upon the birth of their first child

After their first heart attack

After their first stroke

When they die

For those of you convinced that you can’t, here’s a fact: Today there are more former smokers than current smokers.

smoking give it up

Cigarette Smoking vs Nicotine Dependence

I want to point out that I appreciate the difference between cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence.  My particular concern for your health lies in the delivery of smoke (containing over 7,000 other toxins, approximately 70 of which can cause various cancers) into the airway system that is supposed to deliver oxygen throughout your body for the maintenance and health of your organ systems.  Still, I want you to know I understand and appreciate the difficulty of smoking cessation.

  • Nicotine dependence in the most common chemical dependence in the U.S.
  • Quitting smoking often requires multiple attempts.
  • Nicotine withdrawal produces bothersome symptoms (e.g., irritability, reduced concentration, increased appetite with possible weight gain and anxiety).

smoking stop
The good news is more than two-thirds of smokers profess a desire to stop smoking, and yearly over half of smokers attempt to stop. That’s likely a result of knowing that no matter when you stop, you will improve your health outcomes. Each incremental inhalation of cigarette and cigar smoke produces damage better left unproduced. Let’s just hope you don’t wait until it sets up permanent damage. Consider a sampling of the following benefits that smoking cessation offers you.

  • Lower risk for cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix, as well as certain leukemias
  • Reduction of the risk for heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease
  • Lower risk for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Reduction of the risk for infertility

In a subsequent post, I’ll review specific methods and tips to help you and/or your loved one stop. Today’s as good of a day as any.

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Smoking Cessation – Find Your #OneGoodReason

 cvs quits smoking

In a rather amazing decision by a multinational corporation, in September 2014 CVS Health became tobacco-free. It ended the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products at its 7,700 pharmacies across the United States. Regardless as to its motivation, CVS apparently found its one good thing that allowed it to move past being a contributor to the consequences of tobacco smoke.
We’ve turned the tide in this fight, but the decision as to whether your individual lives will be spared is dependent on your individual choices in this matter. You’ve all been asked what things you’d take with you on a desert island.  I’ll pose and answer the opposite question, but not on an island but regarding your life.  Getting you to stop smoking is certainly one of the three gifts I’d offer you if it was within my power.  This post won’t be about the dangers of smoking – I’ll continue to hit you over the head with those at every opportunity.  Given that I’m into producing positive outcomes, I’m going to discuss with you effective means of smoking cessation and the benefits of stopping.

#onegoodreason_224x200_gray

The question on your mind is obviously how to stop.  Personally, I’m of the Yoda mindset.  You know, when he was teaching Luke Skywalker, he famously said “Do or Do not. There is no try.”  I can hear you now, “But Doc, I’m addicted…”  Sure you are.  There are many things in medicine about which I’m absolutely sure.  One of these is the most effective way to stop smoking is to stop smoking.  Cold turkey.  The moment you’re motivated.  The moment you find that #OneGoodReason.
Not only is this premise supported by the data, which I’ll discuss momentarily, but here’s the benefit of over 20 years in clinical emergency medicine practice and having seen hundreds of people stop, stay stopped, and letting me know months and years later that they stayed stopped.  Despite being addicted, people are amazingly able to quit cold turkey, and their #OneGoodReason tends to be among these five occurrences.

When they develop the will

After the birth of their first child

After their first heart attack

After their first stroke

When they die

For those of you convinced that you can’t, here’s a fact: today there are more former smokers than current smokers.

I want to point out that I appreciate the difference between cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence.  My particular concern for your health lies in the delivery of smoke (containing over 7000 other toxins, approximately 70 of which can cause various cancers) into the airway system that is supposed to deliver oxygen throughout your body for the maintenance and health of your organ systems.  Still I want you to know I understand and appreciate the difficulty of smoking cessation.

  • Nicotine dependence in the most common chemical dependence in the U.S.
  • Quitting smoking often requires multiple attempts.
  • Nicotine withdrawal produces bothersome symptoms (e.g. irritability, reduced concentration, increased appetite with possible weight gain, and anxiety)

smoking stopThe good news is more than two-thirds of smokers profess a desire to stop smoking, and yearly over half of smokers attempt to stop.  That’s likely a result of knowing that no matter when you stop, you will improve your health outcomes.  Each incremental inhalation of cigarette and cigar smoke produces damage better left unproduced.  Let’s just hope you don’t wait until permanent damage has set in.  Consider a sampling of the following benefits that are sitting there waiting for you.

  • Reduction of the risk for cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix, as well as certain leukemias.
  • Reduction of the risk for heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.
  • Reduction of the risk for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Reduction of the risk for infertility

Congratulations to CVS for exhibiting great public health sensibilities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services continues to seek businesses, communities, governments and individuals in the fight to make the next generation a tobacco-free generation. A previous Straight, No Chaser reviews specific methods and tips to help you and/or your loved one stop.  Today’s as good of a day as any.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2018 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

From the Health Library of SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: “If I stop smoking, what does this do to my risk for heart disease and stroke?”

Stop Smoking

 There are immediate and long term benefits to smoking cessation that extend beyond just lowering your risk for lung cancer. I challenge you to consider the following regarding lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke, and I’d bet you’d make the change to make yourself healthier.
  • Within 1 year of smoking cessation, your excess risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke has dropped to less than half that of a smoker.
  • Within 5–15 years after stopping, your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker.
  • At 15 years after stopping, your risk of coronary heart disease is that of a person who has never smoked.

You can do it. There are many great reasons to do so. You likely call some of these reasons family and friends.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Great American Smokeout – Quick Tips to START Smoking Cessation

great-american-smokeout

The Great American Smokeout is a great time to get serious about smoking cessation. Don’t wait to make it a New Year’s resolution. Do it now. Can’t do it now? Do it Monday. In fact, do it every Monday. It’s a fight. If you fall down, start it back up again. It’s the fight of your life (or should I say for your life)!
Try all of these tips to help you:

  • If you decide to quit after your current (last) pack, throw away one cigarette for every one you smoke.
  • Count (figuratively or literally) all the money you’re saving by not smoking.
  • Throw away (not give away) all cigarettes, cigars, matches, lighters, humidors, cigar cutters and anything else you associate with smoking. You’ll realize how sad it is if and when you find yourself rummaging through the garbage to get a fix.
  • Tell everyone (loudly) that you’ve quit. Empower them to help and hold you accountable. Enlist another smoker friend to go through the journey with you.
  • If you do fall off the wagon, smoke a different cigarette brand. Odds are you won’t like it as much, and that will help combat the natural ease you have with smoking.
  • Contact your physician and ask for help.

smokinghard-yes

Here’s a marvelous best-practices schemata of appropriate interplay between a physician and a patient trying to stop smoking.
smoking cessation As

If your physician and you decide to place you on a patch or otherwise medicate you, follow instructions carefully and precisely.
smokingcessation1
More tips:

  • Practice deep breathing. Part of the euphoria of smoking is nothing more than the physiologic sensations produced by deep inhalations.
  • Keep other things in your mouth. Mints and chewing gum (low-calorie) are great. Brushing your teeth also serves many purposes. Drinking water when you want to smoke will often remove the urge.
  • Make it past the first day. Then make it past the first week.

smoking surgeon general cessation

I personally love the START method, which includes several of the above methods. Let me know if it works for any of you.
S: Set a quit date.
T: Tell your friends, family and associates that you’re quitting, and enlist their help.
A: Anticipate and act on the plan you’ve set and challenges you’ll meet.
R: Remove (trash) cigarettes, cigar and other paraphernalia from your environment.
T: Talk with your physician about options and additional support.
For those of you affected (either first or second-hand), this is huge and important. I really wish you all the best. I welcome any comments or questions.

smoking the end

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Great American Smokeout – Quick Tips to START Smoking Cessation

great-american-smokeout

The Great American Smokeout is a great time to get serious about smoking cessation. Don’t wait to make it a New Year’s resolution. Do it now. Can’t do it now? Do it Monday. In fact, do it every Monday. It’s a fight. If you fall down, start it back up again. It’s the fight of your life (or should I say for your life)!
Try all of these tips to help you:

  • If you decide to quit after your current (last) pack, throw away one cigarette for every one you smoke.
  • Count (figuratively or literally) all the money you’re saving by not smoking.
  • Throw away (not give away) all cigarettes, cigars, matches, lighters, humidors, cigar cutters and anything else you associate with smoking. You’ll realize how sad it is if and when you find yourself rummaging through the garbage to get a fix.
  • Tell everyone (loudly) that you’ve quit. Empower them to help and hold you accountable. Enlist another smoker friend to go through the journey with you.
  • If you do fall off the wagon, smoke a different cigarette brand. Odds are you won’t like it as much, and that will help combat the natural ease you have with smoking.
  • Contact your physician and ask for help.

smokinghard-yes

Here’s a marvelous best-practices schemata of appropriate interplay between a physician and a patient trying to stop smoking.
smoking cessation As

If your physician and you decide to place you on a patch or otherwise medicate you, follow instructions carefully and precisely.
smokingcessation1
More tips:

  • Practice deep breathing. Part of the euphoria of smoking is nothing more than the physiologic sensations produced by deep inhalations.
  • Keep other things in your mouth. Mints and chewing gum (low-calorie) are great. Brushing your teeth also serves many purposes. Drinking water when you want to smoke will often remove the urge.
  • Make it past the first day. Then make it past the first week.

smoking surgeon general cessation

I personally love the START method, which includes several of the above methods. Let me know if it works for any of you.
S: Set a quit date.
T: Tell your friends, family and associates that you’re quitting, and enlist their help.
A: Anticipate and act on the plan you’ve set and challenges you’ll meet.
R: Remove (trash) cigarettes, cigar and other paraphernalia from your environment.
T: Talk with your physician about options and additional support.
For those of you affected (either first or second-hand), this is huge and important. I really wish you all the best. I welcome any comments or questions.

smoking the end

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress
 

Straight, No Chaser: Here’s How You Stop Smoking – Quick Tips to START Smoking Cessation

smoking give it up

Don’t pick your birthday to stop when New Year’s has just passed. Do it now. Can’t do it now? Do it Monday. In fact, do it every Monday. It’s a fight. If you fall down, start it back up again. It’s the fight of your life (or should I say for your life)!
Try all of these tips to help you:

  • If you decide to quit after your current (last) pack, throw away one cigarette for every one you smoke.
  • Count (figuratively or literally) all the money you’re saving by not smoking.
  • Throw away (not give away) all cigarettes, cigars, matches, lighters, humidors, cigar cutters and anything else you associate with smoking. You’ll realize how sad it is if and when you find yourself rummaging through the garbage to get a fix.
  • Tell everyone (loudly) that you’ve quit. Empower them to help and hold you accountable. Enlist another smoker friend to go through the journey with you.
  • If you do fall off the wagon, smoke a different cigarette brand. Odds are you won’t like it as much, and that will help combat the natural ease you have with smoking.
  • Contact your physician and ask for help.

Here’s a marvelous best-practices schemata of appropriate interplay between a physician and a patient trying to stop smoking.
smoking cessation As

If your physician and you decide to place you on a patch or otherwise medicate you, follow instructions carefully and precisely.
smokingcessation1
More tips:

  • Practice deep breathing. Part of the euphoria of smoking is nothing more than the physiologic sensations produced by deep inhalations.
  • Keep other things in your mouth. Mints and chewing gum (low-calorie) are great. Brushing your teeth also serves many purposes. Drinking water when you want to smoke will often remove the urge.
  • Make it past the first day. Then make it past the first week.

smoking surgeon general cessation

I personally love the START method, which includes several of the above methods. Let me know if it works for any of you.
S: Set a quit date.
T: Tell your friends, family and associates that you’re quitting, and enlist their help.
A: Anticipate and act on the plan you’ve set and challenges you’ll meet.
R: Remove (trash) cigarettes, cigar and other paraphernalia from your environment.
T: Talk with your physician about options and additional support.
For those of you affected (either first or second-hand), this is huge and important. I really wish you all the best. I welcome any comments or questions.

smoking the end

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

From the Health Library of SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: “If I stop smoking, what does this do to my risk for heart disease and stroke?”

Stop Smoking

There are immediate and longterm benefits to smoking cessation that extend beyond just lowering your risk for lung cancer.  Consider the following regarding lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke, and make the change to make yourself healthier.

  • Within 1 year of smoking cessation, your excess risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke has dropped to less than half that of a smoker.
  • Within 5–15 years after stopping, your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker.
  • At 15 years after stopping, your risk of coronary heart disease is that of a person who has never smoked.

You can do it. There are many great reasons to. You likely can them family and friends.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Smoking Cessation RESOLVED

smoking new-year-s-resolutions

Ok. On our New Year’s resolutions list, we’ve covered diet and exercise. Now what? Of course. Several of you have promised me that you would stop smoking for the new year. (I’ve made my list and am checking it twice.) The thing about smoking is there really is no time like the present to stop.
You’ve all been asked what things you’d take with you on a desert island. I’ll pose and answer the opposite question, but not on an island but regarding your life. Getting you to stop smoking is certainly one of the three gifts I’d offer you if it was within my power. This post won’t be about the dangers of smoking. (I’ll continue to hit you over the head with those at every opportunity.) Given that I’m into producing positive outcomes, I’m going to discuss with you effective means to stop smoking and the benefits of stopping.

smoking-resolution-large

The question on your mind is obviously how to stop. Personally, I’m of the Yoda mindset. You know, when he was teaching Luke Skywalker, he famously said, “Do or Do not. There is no try.” I can hear you now, “But Doc, I’m addicted!” Sure you are. There are many things in medicine about which I’m absolutely sure. One of these is the most effective way to stop smoking is to quit. Cold turkey. The moment you’re motivated. Not only is this premise supported by the data, which I’ll discuss momentarily, but here’s the benefit of over 20 years in clinical emergency medicine practice and having seen hundreds of people stop, stay stopped, and letting me know months and years later that they stayed stopped. Despite being addicted, people are amazingly able to quit cold turkey, and they will do it in one of five circumstances.

When they develop the will

After the birth of their first child

After their first heart attack

After their first stroke

When they die

For those of you convinced that you can’t, here’s a fact: Today there are more former smokers than current smokers.

smoking give it up

I want to point out that I appreciate the difference between cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence.  My particular concern for your health lies in the delivery of smoke (containing over 7,000 other toxins, approximately 70 of which can cause various cancers) into the airway system that is supposed to deliver oxygen throughout your body for the maintenance and health of your organ systems.  Still, I want you to know I understand and appreciate the difficulty of smoking cessation.

  • Nicotine dependence in the most common chemical dependence in the U.S.
  • Quitting smoking often requires multiple attempts.
  • Nicotine withdrawal produces bothersome symptoms (e.g., irritability, reduced concentration, increased appetite with possible weight gain and anxiety).

smoking stop
The good news is more than two-thirds of smokers profess a desire to stop smoking, and yearly over half of smokers attempt to stop. That’s likely a result of knowing that no matter when you stop, you will improve your health outcomes. Each incremental inhalation of cigarette and cigar smoke produces damage better left unproduced. Let’s just hope you don’t wait until it sets up permanent damage. Consider a sampling of the following benefits that are sitting there waiting for you.

  • Reduction of the risk for cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix, as well as certain leukemias
  • Reduction of the risk for heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease
  • Reduction of the risk for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Reduction of the risk for infertility

In a subsequent post, I’ll review specific methods and tips to help you and/or your loved one stop. Today’s as good of a day as any.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Here’s How You Stop Smoking – Quick Tips to START Smoking Cessation

smoking give it up

Don’t pick your birthday to stop when New Year’s has just passed. Do it now. Can’t do it now? Do it Monday. In fact, do it every Monday. It’s a fight. If you fall down, start it back up again. It’s the fight of your life (or should I say for your life)!
Try all of these tips to help you:

  • If you decide to quit after your current (last) pack, throw away one cigarette for every one you smoke.
  • Count (figuratively or literally) all the money you’re saving by not smoking.
  • Throw away (not give away) all cigarettes, cigars, matches, lighters, humidors, cigar cutters and anything else you associate with smoking. You’ll realize how sad it is if and when you find yourself rummaging through the garbage to get a fix.
  • Tell everyone (loudly) that you’ve quit. Empower them to help and hold you accountable. Enlist another smoker friend to go through the journey with you.
  • If you do fall off the wagon, smoke a different cigarette brand. Odds are you won’t like it as much, and that will help combat the natural ease you have with smoking.
  • Contact your physician and ask for help.

Here’s a marvelous best-practices schemata of appropriate interplay between a physician and a patient trying to stop smoking.
smoking cessation As

If your physician and you decide to place you on a patch or otherwise medicate you, follow instructions carefully and precisely.
smokingcessation1
More tips:

  • Practice deep breathing. Part of the euphoria of smoking is nothing more than the physiologic sensations produced by deep inhalations.
  • Keep other things in your mouth. Mints and chewing gum (low-calorie) are great. Brushing your teeth also serves many purposes. Drinking water when you want to smoke will often remove the urge.
  • Make it past the first day. Then make it past the first week.

smoking surgeon general cessation

I personally love the START method, which includes several of the above methods. Let me know if it works for any of you.
S: Set a quit date.
T: Tell your friends, family and associates that you’re quitting, and enlist their help.
A: Anticipate and act on the plan you’ve set and challenges you’ll meet.
R: Remove (trash) cigarettes, cigar and other paraphernalia from your environment.
T: Talk with your physician about options and additional support.
For those of you affected (either first or second-hand), this is huge and important. I really wish you all the best. I welcome any comments or questions.

smoking the end

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Straight, No Chaser: Smoking Cessation RESOLVED

smoking new-year-s-resolutions

Ok. On our New Year’s resolutions list, we’ve covered diet and exercise. Now what? Of course. Several of you have promised me that you would stop smoking for the new year. (I’ve made my list and am checking it twice.) The thing about smoking is there really is no time like the present to stop.
You’ve all been asked what things you’d take with you on a desert island. I’ll pose and answer the opposite question, but not on an island but regarding your life. Getting you to stop smoking is certainly one of the three gifts I’d offer you if it was within my power. This post won’t be about the dangers of smoking. (I’ll continue to hit you over the head with those at every opportunity.) Given that I’m into producing positive outcomes, I’m going to discuss with you effective means to stop smoking and the benefits of stopping.

smoking-resolution-large

The question on your mind is obviously how to stop. Personally, I’m of the Yoda mindset. You know, when he was teaching Luke Skywalker, he famously said, “Do or Do not. There is no try.” I can hear you now, “But Doc, I’m addicted!” Sure you are. There are many things in medicine about which I’m absolutely sure. One of these is the most effective way to stop smoking is to quit. Cold turkey. The moment you’re motivated. Not only is this premise supported by the data, which I’ll discuss momentarily, but here’s the benefit of over 20 years in clinical emergency medicine practice and having seen hundreds of people stop, stay stopped, and letting me know months and years later that they stayed stopped. Despite being addicted, people are amazingly able to quit cold turkey, and they will do it in one of five circumstances.

When they develop the will

After the birth of their first child

After their first heart attack

After their first stroke

When they die

For those of you convinced that you can’t, here’s a fact: Today there are more former smokers than current smokers.

smoking give it up

I want to point out that I appreciate the difference between cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence.  My particular concern for your health lies in the delivery of smoke (containing over 7,000 other toxins, approximately 70 of which can cause various cancers) into the airway system that is supposed to deliver oxygen throughout your body for the maintenance and health of your organ systems.  Still, I want you to know I understand and appreciate the difficulty of smoking cessation.

  • Nicotine dependence in the most common chemical dependence in the U.S.
  • Quitting smoking often requires multiple attempts.
  • Nicotine withdrawal produces bothersome symptoms (e.g., irritability, reduced concentration, increased appetite with possible weight gain and anxiety).

smoking stop
The good news is more than two-thirds of smokers profess a desire to stop smoking, and yearly over half of smokers attempt to stop. That’s likely a result of knowing that no matter when you stop, you will improve your health outcomes. Each incremental inhalation of cigarette and cigar smoke produces damage better left unproduced. Let’s just hope you don’t wait until it sets up permanent damage. Consider a sampling of the following benefits that are sitting there waiting for you.

  • Reduction of the risk for cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix, as well as certain leukemias
  • Reduction of the risk for heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease
  • Reduction of the risk for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Reduction of the risk for infertility

In a subsequent post, I’ll review specific methods and tips to help you and/or your loved one stop. Today’s as good of a day as any.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what 844-SMA-TALK and http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress. We are also on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2015 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress