How To Quit Smoking For Good

Hello to all of our readers! This week we are continuing our theme from our previous post regarding the facts and how to cut back on alcohol but in regards to smoking. We will be discussing the affects of smoking on your health and provide you with some key tips to help you quit long term.

How Is Smoking Affecting Your Health? 

Smoking can cause very serious and permanent damage to your body and even in some cases this damage may be fatal.

• When you smoke toxins enter your blood stream reducing the amount of oxygen rich blood entering your lungs and increasing your blood pressure and heart rate
• Both the carbon monoxide and nictone from smoking puts a strain on your heart making it work faster than normal doubling your risk of suffering from a hear attack
• Smoking can visibly affect your mouth causing staining to the teeth, bad breath and puts you at risk of gum disease
• If you regularly smoke 10 cigarettes a day you are 1 and a half times more likely to develop kidney cancer this is increased to twice if you smoke over 20
• Smoking particularly for women can cause brittle and weak bones
• Smoking can increase your risk of suffering from a  stroke by at least 50%
• Smoking causes 84% of deaths from lung cancer. You are more likely to develop frequent chest infections, asthma or COPD known as "smokers cough"

As you can see smoking can be very life threatening however not all is lost if you are a smoker. The longer you have gone without smoking the more health benefits you will reap, but first lets look below to our own tips on how you can quit smoking.

Our Top Tips To Quit Smoking

• Get moving! It is proven that exercise can help your brain produce non craving chemicals
• Make non smoking friends. Smoking is often seen as a social interaction when out in public, make friends who won't tempt you to go outside with them for a cigarette
• Keep your hands busy to avoid cravings by using things such a e-cigraates
• Use NRT also known as Nictonie Replacement Therapy if you are struggling, This has shown to double your chances of quitting for good and there are many options out there such as patches, nasal spray, lozenges and gum to name but a few
• Remind yourself why you are quitting smoking,wirte a list of reasons why you want to quit to keep yourself motivated
• Use the money you save from quitting smoking to reward yourself in other more healthy ways such as new clothing, a meal out etc. Whatever it may be celebrate milestones such as quitting for a week, month , year etc

What Kind Of Health Benefits Will You Get After You Quit?

• \Within 2-12 weeks your blood circulation improves, this makes things such as running, going to the gym and even walking much easier
• Within 3-9 months coughs, wheezing and breathing issues will improve as lung function will improve by 10%
• After 1 year your risk of heart disease is cut down by half compared to a person who still smokes
• After 10 years the risk of lung cancer drops by half of that of a smoker
• After 15 years the risk of hear attack falls to that as the same of someone who has never smoked

We are excited to announce that the NHS Grampian Smoking Advice Service is coming to RGU! Group sessions will run once a week from 2nd of March till the 6th of April. Sessions will last one hour and are free and confidential. However if you would prefer the advice service can also offer individual one to one sessions. For more information or to schedule a one to one appointment contact-rebekah.dressel@nhs.net

Remember to pick up our quit smoking guides which can be found at all of our outlets on campus next to our Healthy For Life Information Points as shown above. We hope this has helped encourage and motivate any of our readers looking to quit smoking. If you require any more advice or support visit your local GP or Pharmacy.