Dr. Mahdi Hamza Manzoor / College of Nursing<br />Why should you quit smoking?<br />Everyone must have heard or read about the harms of smoking. Here are some of the benefits of quitting smoking:<br />• Extending one's life.<br />• Improving one's health, as smoking increases the risk of lung and throat cancer, emphysema, heart disease, high blood pressure, ulcers, gum disease and other medical conditions.<br />• Feeling more energetic and healthy, as smoking causes coughing, sore throat and inability to exercise.<br />• Enjoying a better appearance, as smoking is known to cause facial wrinkles, yellowing of teeth and paleness of the skin.<br />• Improving the senses of taste and smell.<br />• Saving money.<br />How can you quit smoking?<br />Instead of resorting to immediate and sudden cessation of smoking, it is better to develop a plan that helps the smoker:<br />• Set a specific date to quit smoking and prepare himself for it.<br />• Record the times and circumstances of smoking to understand the triggers that drive you to smoke.<br /><br />• Record everything you do when you smoke. When planning to quit, a smoker should, for example, try to smoke at unusual times and places, in order to break the association between smoking and certain activities.<br /><br />• Prepare a list of the reasons for quitting smoking and read it constantly before and after quitting.<br /><br />• Find alternative activities to smoking and be prepared to do something when you feel an urgent need to smoke.<br /><br />• Ask your healthcare provider about the possibility of using nicotine gum or nicotine patches, as some smokers find great benefit in using these alternatives. You can also talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking some nicotine-free medications, such as Chantix or Zyban, which may help you quit smoking.<br /><br />What should you do when you start implementing your decision to quit smoking?<br />The smoker should do the following:<br />• Spend the morning of the day he chooses to start his plan without smoking any cigarettes.<br />• Focus on what you miss, not what you gain. (See “What happens when you quit smoking?” below.)<br /><br />• Believe that you are a great person for deciding to quit smoking and remember this whenever you feel the urge to smoke.<br /><br />• Breathe deeply and hold your breath for ten seconds and then release it slowly when you feel the urge to smoke.<br /><br />• Keep your hands busy doing something like drawing, doodling, knitting, using the computer, or playing a sport.<br /><br />• Change your smoking-related activities, such as walking or reading instead of smoking a cigarette during a break.<br /><br />• Do not carry any lighters, matches, or cigarettes.<br /><br />• Visit places where smoking is not allowed, such as museums and public libraries.<br /><br />• Eat healthy, low-calorie foods when you feel the urge to smoke, such as carrots, fresh fruit, and other low-fat snacks.<br />• Drink plenty of fluids, and reduce alcoholic and caffeinated drinks because they may increase the desire to smoke, and replace them with water, herbal tea, or caffeine-free drinks and juices.<br />• Exercise, as this helps you relax.<br />• Befriend non-smokers.<br />• Receive support and encouragement from others, as you can talk to them proudly about your achievements in quitting smoking<br /><br />"AL_mustaqbal University is the first university in Iraq"