Self-Help Information So you’ve decided to quit smoking Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking! Quitting smoking is one of the most positive and healthy lifestyle changes you can make to improve your overall health and well being. It is never too late to benefit from giving up smoking.

Questions to think about Think about the following questions before you try to stop smoking. You may want to write down your answers or talk to someone else about your concerns. At the end of this section there is a list of local quit smoking programs, helpful telephone numbers and website links. 1. Why do you want to quit? 2. When you tried to quit in the past, what helped and what didn't? 3. What will be the most difficult situations for you after you quit? How will you plan to handle them? 4. Who can help you through the tough times? Your family? Friends? Health care professional – doctor, nurse, pharmacist? 5. What pleasures do you get from smoking? What are ways can you still get pleasure if you quit? One reason cigarettes are so addictive is that within seconds of lighting a cigarette, nicotine enters the lungs and then travels directly to the brain. The smoker gets a very rapid and effective dose of nicotine by inhaling the smoke, causing that feeling of calm alertness smokers’ feel. Nicotine is not stored in the body, so the smoker soon wants more starting the addiction cycle. The good news is that perseverance pays off and whether it takes you two or 10 times you can do it. Here are some tips to help you get there:

Keep reading to find out more! Get ready!

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Write down your reasons for quitting Keep a record of when and why you smoke Review your past attempts to quit, what worked, what did not Experiment with cutting down beforehand

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Find a buddy who will support you Set your quit date and prepare for the transition Practice saying, “No thank you, I don’t smoke!” Develop new interests and try new activities

Your plan to quit A quit plan should help you:

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Keep track of your smoking Experiment with quitting Set a quit date Get support from others to help you quit Identify and eliminate smoking “triggers”

Your plan should help you:

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Find substitutes for smoking Avoid situations when you normally smoke Deal with cravings and withdrawal symptoms Reward yourself for your success Get back on track if you slip by smoking after your quit day

The key to smoke-free living is to avoid letting your urges for a cigarette lead you to smoke. You will be tempted. Remind yourself that you have quit and you are a non-smoker.

Get ready, set, quit! On your quit day

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Dispose of all tobacco products (including ashtrays) Prepare a “survival” kit (gum, candies, celery, carrots, fruit, squeeze ball, etc.) Avoid your smoking “triggers” Deal with the urges by using the 4 D’s Drink water or fruit juice Do something different Deep breathe instead of smoking Delay and delay again, the urge will pass

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Call a friend to help Reward yourself

Medications Seek professional advice to find out more about the patch, nicotine gum, or Zyban™. When used with a plan, counselling or cessation group, these medications can double or triple your chance of success and they cost the same or less than cigarettes.

Complementary Methods Acupuncture* Hypnosis* Laser Therapy* *Cost and effectiveness varies. People have more success quitting with these methods if they also have a plan, counselling or join a cessation group.

Caution If you are thinking about using herbal pills, herbal cigarettes, natural or organic cigarettes, or special cigarette filters, think twice! Some companies make great claims, but many products have not been proven to help with quitting smoking, and some of them may be unsafe.

Don’t want to gain weight? You and those extra pounds… You may put on a little weight when you quit smoking—the average ex-smoker gains about five or six pounds. Nicotine artificially raises your metabolism. When you cut cigarettes out of your life, your metabolism returns to normal and your body burns calories more slowly.

Just remember that quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do for your health. In fact, you would have to gain eighty to a hundred pounds to offset the health benefits of quitting smoking! Here's to your healthy weight as an ex-smoker… Healthy eating and being physically active can help the new tobacco-free you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Walking, biking, gardening or other activities you enjoy can build muscle tissue. This helps keep your metabolism high so that you burn calories more quickly. Being active is a great stress-reliever too, and helps keep your mind off cigarettes. Satisfy the urge to munch with healthy choices. Food will smell and taste better once you have stopped smoking, and you may be tempted to eat more to cope with nicotine cravings. That's fine, as long as you build most meals and snacks around healthy foods like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lower fat dairy products, leaner meats and meat alternatives. Avoid skipping meals—when you're hungry, you may be more likely to crave nicotine and to overeat later in the day. Combine smaller helpings at breakfast, lunch and dinner with a variety of healthy lower fat snacks. Need something in your mouth? Make up a "nutrition survival kit" to help keep your mouth busy. Keep a stock of crisp, crunchy or chewy items in your purse, at your desk, in the car or anywhere else you usually smoked. Here are some healthy ideas to start with: • carrot sticks, celery sticks and other raw veggies in bite-size pieces • oranges, melon slices, apples or other fresh fruits • air-popped popcorn • rice cakes • bread sticks • pretzels • baked corn chips • bagel halves • sugar-free gum or mints Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. Cold water helps to flush the nicotine out of your system, and helps give your mouth something to do if you get the urge to smoke. Fruit juices, clear soups and low fat milk (skim or 1%) are healthy ways to add more fluid to your diet. Cut back on caffeine-containing beverages like regular coffee, tea and colas. Try switching to decaffeinated versions, or mix your regular brew 50/50 with decaffinated coffee. Alcohol may trigger a cigarette craving, especially if you used to drink and smoke at the same time.

The Dietitians of Canada at www.dietitians.ca is another good source of nutrition information.

Links for More Self-Help Information Smokers Help Line Canadian Cancer Society 1-877-513-5333 http://ccs.stopsmokingcentre.net Canadian Cancer Society Oxford Branch (519) 537-5592 Cancer Information Service 1-888-939-3333 Heart and Stroke Foundation Perth Huron Oxford 1-888-287-7775 Ontario Lung Association 1-800-972-2636 Oxford Branch (519) 537-3101

This self-help program is based on the Five Stages of Quitting Smoking. Not everyone is in the same place when it comes to being ready to quit. In fact there are five steps or stages that smokers go through to quit. At any step, people can slip back into smoking. This too is a normal part of quitting.

Which stage are you in? 1. I'm not ready to quit. 2. 2. I'm thinking about quitting. 3. 3. I'm starting to prepare to quit. 4. 4. I'm quitting smoking. 5. 5. I've quit and want to stay smoke free. The program booklets walk you through the stages from "not wanting to quit" to using maintenance strategies to stay "smoke free." The booklets contain facts, activities and tips to build self-confidence and skills to assist you to quit smoking. Call for copies. National Non Smoking Week National Non Smoking Week started in 1977 and is held each year during the third week of January. National Non-Smoking Week is a national public education campaign whose goals are to: • Educate about the dangers of tobacco use • Prevent individuals from starting to smoke • Help smokers quit • To promote smoke-free spaces Weedless Wednesday is the highlight of National Non-Smoking week and focuses on providing information on the benefits of quitting smoking and the community resources that are available to support those wanting to quit. World No Tobacco Day World No-Tobacco Day (WNTD) on May 31is an annual event promoted by the World Health Organization. The goal is to inform the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.