Giving up smoking has great rewards
LEVELS of smoking are falling in Ireland, but it seems many of us are still having issues with kicking this nasty habit. Around 23% of the population still smokes and when you are attempting to give up, it can be hard to stick with it.
We all know smoking is bad for your health but it also has a detrimental effect on your skin and teeth, meaning your daily puffing is not only leaving you at an increased risk of various cancers, it’s also damaging how you look.
Now a new scheme aims to help nicotine addicts kick their habit, while offering incentives for every milestone reached. The Boots Stop For Good campaign is offering a rewards scheme for would-be quitters with discounts on nicotine products and even a makeover for those who manage to stick with the programme.
‘The number of smokers is going down but not as quickly as they should be,’ says Susan O’Dwyer, a pharmacist at Boots. ‘People often say they are going to give up smoking but they don’t make a plan and they don’t have people on board to support them or help them be better prepared when they come up against barriers.
‘It is really difficult to do, which is why we think if you have managed to stay off cigarettes, you deserve a bit of a treat to ensure you are motivated to keep going.’
Susan has these tips to help those who want to give up for good:
KEEP ACTIVE
BEING busy is one of the best ways to distract yourself from smoking. Exercise will help you feel great, manage stress and prevent weight gain.
AVOID TEMPTATION
DON’T put yourself in a situation that makes you want to smoke. Be aware of the things that are likely to tempt you. For the first few weeks, try to avoid these situations. Get rid of anything that reminds you of smoking. Try to go to places where you won’t be tempted to smoke.
USE REMINDERS
USE reminders to help you stick to your plan. Pin up a list of your reasons for stopping in a place where you’ll see it every day. Or ask a friend to call you daily to ask how you’re doing.
BE WILLING TO MAKE SACRIFICES
REMEMBER this is a priority in your life. You’ll feel good when you succeed.
EAT WELL
TUCKING into a healthy diet will help you avoid gaining weight.
FIND A NEW WAY TO RELAX
YOU might think that a cigarette helps you cope with stress. But it actually does the opposite because it raises your blood pressure and increases your heart rate. Find other ways to relax. Take a walk, run a bubble bath, call a friend.
REWARD YOURSELF
MAKE sure you feel great about giving up with regular treats. If you sign up to the 12-week programme you will get a Stop For Good Advisor to keep you on track with your progress — and reward you for meeting your goals with free products, money-off vouchers and a makeover or skincare consultation.
But there’s no wriggle room for cheating — to qualify for a little reward you will have to get your carbon monoxide levels tested to see if you really have stayed off the cigarettes.