The US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion states that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. Did you know that smoking causes harm to almost every part of your body? Here are some examples:
• Lung cancer and many other types of cancer
• Heart disease and stroke
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and other lung diseases
• Pregnancy problems
• Gum disease
• Vision loss
• Type 2 diabetes
• Rheumatoid arthritis
Smoking can also hurt other people with secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke comes from your cigarette and the smoke that you breathe out. Secondhand smoke is dangerous and can cause health problems for babies and children and other adults.
In babies and children, breathing in secondhand smoke can cause:
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Severe asthma attacks
• Ear infections
In adults, breathing in secondhand smoke can cause:
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Lung cancer
Quitting smoking is not impossible and is one of the most important lifestyle changes you can make for your own personal health so you can live a longer and healthier life. Your body will feel the positive effects almost immediately! Your body will begin to heal, and you will feel better! Here are some ways in which you will feel better:
• You’ll breathe more easily
• You’ll cough and wheeze less
• Your senses of taste and smell will improve
• You’ll have more energy
• Your lungs will become stronger, making it easier for you to be active
• Your risk of having a heart attack or stroke goes down
• Your risk of getting cancer goes down
• The levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide in your blood return to normal
• If you have children, you can also help them be healthier by quitting smoking. Children whose parents smoke around them are at higher risk for lung and ear infections.
Quitting smoking is challenging, but did you know that millions of people have quit? More than 50% of Americans who ever smoked have quit! You can do this, and I will help you every step of the way! In this session, I will explore with you your hesitancy to quit smoking but still respect your autonomy and strengthen your belief that you can stop smoking. I will do this by discussing the five Rs with you (relevance, risks, rewards, roadblocks, repeat).
Together, we will explore why quitting smoking is personally relevant to you (relevance). I will provide information to you on the negative consequences of continuing to smoke (risks). You will be asked to identify the benefits to you for quitting smoking (rewards). We will investigate some obstacles you may face when quitting (roadblocks). The above aspects are incorporated into each contact you have with me for follow-up (repeat)!
See Yourself in Good Health!
Pamela