Last week we spoke about the most important reversible cause of mortality and chronic illness in the world – tobacco use. Much of the disease burden could be minimised if we could break this imprisoning habit that enslaves over a third of South African males, and overall almost one in 6 people in our glorious country.
ALSO READ : FREE lifestyle health seminars offered in Port Shepstone
This time we will look at how to go about preparing for this important, and potentially life-saving process.
Establishing the facts – the reality check:
- When did you start smoking, and why did you start?
Many smokers start as teenagers, or due to peer pressure. It may be occupation related – like army or police, or (believe it or not) nursing!
- Why do you smoke now?
The most common response is STRESS. The problem is that when your nicotine levels dip, you get this jitteriness and anxiety which drives you to another smoke, and you feel more stressed. So yes, it is stress, but it is the nicotine withdrawal that is aggravating the stress. On the other hand, family or financial stresses can make giving up more difficult, so it is not the best idea to try to stop smoking when you are going through divorce or bankruptcy.
- What benefits do you gain from smoking?
a) temporary relaxation
b) social acceptance
c) any others?
- What are the activities associated with smoking?
a) Drinking coffee
b) Talking on the phone
c) Driving
d) Watching TV
e) Drinking alcohol
f) Others
It is important to list these as they will form the basis of specific interventions.
ALSO READ: More Turning the Tide on Lifestyle Diseases – your guide to healthier living
- Identify why you personally want to stop smoking?
This is not why your doctor, or your partner, or your friends want you to, but your own personal reasons.
It is good to write these down and place a few copies of the list in prominent places, like on the bathroom mirror, or on your work desk, or on the dashboard of your car, etc, to remind you frequently and to repeatedly motivate you.
These might include health, money, social acceptance, tired of addiction, bad breath, tasteless food, husky voice, wrinkle prevention, family request, better health for the family, breathe easier, better fitness and exercise tolerance, freedom from slavery to smoking.
- What can you look forward to?
After one day, your nicotine levels drop, carbon monoxide levels drop and blood pressure is lowered.
After one week, breathing becomes easier, taste and smell returns to normal, and most withdrawal symptoms disappear (like intense craving for nicotine, tingling in the hands and feet, sweating, nausea and abdominal cramping, constipation and gas, headaches, coughing, sore throat, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, irritability and depression.
After one month, lung function improves, risk of infections is reduced, exercise becomes easier and your skin takes on a healthy glow.
After one year, your risk of heart disease and cancer decrease significantly, and perhaps the biggest bonus – you will have a saved a whole lot of money that you can put to something really significant – a holiday or a special purchase for you and the family, or paid off some outstanding debt that is tying you down.
- Decide on your quit date.
a) Write it down prominently on a calendar or poster.
b) Stop all smoking completely on that date.
c) Dispose of all cigarettes and lighters so that you do not have easy access when you get cravings, and empty and clean out ash trays in your home and car.
d) Inform family and friends, so that you can get support and encouragement from them.
e) Get a good night’s sleep each night.
f) Exercise every day – either going for a walk around the block a few times, or work out at the gym, or swim or play sports (but stay away from the bar afterwards).
g) Avoid tea, coffee, cola drinks, and even chocolate (as caffeine has similar effect on your nerves and brain receptors as nicotine), for the week while you are tackling not smoking.
h) Avoid alcohol, as this will suppress your will-power control centre.
i) Attend a smoking cessation session regularly for support, or work closely with a partner who is also trying to quit.
j) Plan ways to cope with the cravings – this will be covered in later articles, but includes activities like sucking on prune pips, drinking copious amounts of water, chewing sugarless gum, eating large amounts of fruit and salads, and taking B-Co vitamin supplements.
This can be one of the most important decisions you can make in your life. Remember each cigarette has been estimated to reduce your life expectancy by up to 7 minutes. Why would you not want to invest in a longer and healthier life?
Many people I have spoken to have said they just suddenly decided one day they were fed up with smoking, and just threw their packet of cigarettes away and quit. That is great. But for most people it is a lot harder than that and can be overwhelming. It is for those who really struggle that we present these articles.
If there is a group of people who would like to get together and have a formal smoking cessation week-long series of hour-long seminars, I would be happy to provide these, with proper forward planning. This may be a church group, or Mosque group, or work-place group. Contact me at my rooms 0396821414.
Next time we will discuss the process of quitting.
To health and freedom,
Dave Glass
Dr David Glass graduated from UCT in 1975. He spent the next 12 years working at a mission hospital in Lesotho, where much of his work involved health education and interventions to improve health, aside from the normal busy clinical work of an under-resourced mission hospital.
He returned to UCT in 1990 to specialise in obstetrics/gynaecology and then moved to the South Coast where he had the privilege of, amongst other things, ushering 7000 babies into the world. He no longer delivers babies but is still very clinically active in gynaecology.
An old passion, preventive health care, has now replaced the obstetrics side of his work. He is eager to share insights he has gathered over the years on how to prevent and reverse so many of the modern scourges of lifestyle – obesity, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, common cancers, etc.
He is a family man, with a supportive wife, and two grown children, and four beautiful grandchildren. His hobbies include walking, cycling, vegetable gardening, bird-watching, travelling and writing. He is active in community health outreach and deeply involved in church activities. He enjoys teaching and sharing information.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
For news straight to your phone, add us on WhatsApp 082 421 6033
