10 Useful Tips to Help You Quit Smoking

Quit Smoking – 10 Tips:

• Decide on a date to quit smoking and do it.
• Throw away all reminders of smoking: cigarette packets, ashtrays, lighters. Drink lots of water – it will help flush the nicotine from your body.
• Become more active – exercise i.e. walk, jog.
• Change your routine. Avoid smokers and things that make you want to smoke for the first couple of days.
• Tell your family and friends that you are trying to quit so that they can offer you support.
• You may experience some dizziness, headaches or coughing once you have stopped smoking. This is normal and should improve after a day or two and disappear within 14 days.
• The first 2 to 3 days are the most difficult, after that it gets easier. Your cravings will reduce and eventually disappear.
• If you are worried about gaining weight, eat at regular times during the day. Snack on fruit between meals. Take time for exercise. Not all ex-smokers gain weight.
• Do not use a crisis or special occasion as an excuse for “just one” cigarette. One cigarette leads to another and another…

Alternate methods

There are many other ways to go about quitting smoking. You may find it helpful to consult with a practitioner who offers complementary therapies like acupuncture, hypnosis and homeopathy. Many prefer to use nicotine replacement products like patches, sprays or chewing gum.

“Cold turkey” has been proven to be the most successful method of quitting. It is unfortunately also the most difficult. Most smokers can’t cope with the “cold turkey” method and will follow whatever method they feel comfortable with.

For most people quitting is a gradual process that requires a great deal of support from those around them. The success rate for remaining “clean” is known to be extremely low. Those who have attempted quitting and have slipped up should try not to see themselves as failures. Most people attempt to quit more than once, before they succeed.

Giving up smoking is one of the most difficult challenges to overcome. Any amount of success is success all the same, even if you managed to quit for only a few hours. Hopefully you will have felt the benefits of quitting and are motivated to do better the next time.

Need Support to Quit?

• Contact the National Council Against Smoking QUIT Line: 011-720 3145
• Join the CANSA eKick Butt programme –  click here…
• Find additional support resources to help you quit for good….