SMOKING
References: American Heart Association; www.tobaccofree.org; http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/
For more information, please talk to your healthcare provider.
Why is smoking bad for me?
Smoking is a major cause of heart disease, stroke and can cause lung cancer. Every year there are more than 400,000 deaths in the US due to smoking. It is also very expensive and is dangerous to unborn children during pregnancy.
What do you mean, heart disease?
Heart disease occurs when the blood vessels going to your heart get clogged up, like a drain. When this happens, blood and oxygen can’t get to your heart and part of the heart can die, causing a heart attack. Smoking is one of the major things than can lead to a heart attack.
Some other factors that lead to heart disease are:
· High blood pressure
· High cholesterol
· Obesity
· Diabetes
· Decreased physical activity
People who have these problems, and smoke, are at an even high risk of having a heart attack.
But I’m young, I don’t have these problems…
Most people start smoking when they are young. They think that they can quit before they get old and it causes problems. However, once someone starts smoking and they get addicted, it is very difficult to quit.
Smoking tobacco damages your body with every day that you do it. Although you may not see the results immediately, it is important to stop smoking before the effects can be seen. At that point, it may be too late to reverse the damage.
Why should I quit now?
No matter how long you’ve smoked, once you quit, your risk of heart disease begins to drop. The sooner you stop, the lower the risk of heart disease.
So how do I quit?
Quitting tobacco smoking is a very difficult task. You should know that most people who try, fail the first time. Do not get discouraged. With help, you too can beat the addiction.
You should talk to your healthcare provider about wanting to quit. Listed below are some other suggestions that might help as well:
Support: Find a friend or family member that can help you quit. Having support from someone you trust and someone that cares about you will help tremendously.
Nicotine patches and gum: These are skin patches or chewing gum with small amounts of nicotine that help decrease cravings and wean you off the nicotine in cigarette smoke.
Programs: There are several programs out there that promote quitting smoking. One is “Nicotine Anonymous.” The national number is: (800) 642-0666. Ask your healthcare provider about local programs near you.
**The best way to quit smoking is a combination of the suggestions above**
References: American Heart Association; www.tobaccofree.org; http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/
For more information, please talk to your healthcare provider.
References: American Heart Association; www.tobaccofree.org; http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/
For more information, please talk to your healthcare provider.