If you knew that you could decrease your high blood pressure, cut the likelihood of getting coronary heart disease and cancer in half, decrease your chances of having a stroke and improve your circulation, would you go for it?
Well, if you’re a smoker – you can! Quitting smoking is a process that starts one day at a time and immediately leads to improving your health the minute you stop. So why not just ‘go for it’!
The American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout event is a great time to begin a tobacco-free life. This year, November 17th is set aside as the one day for encouraging all smokers to decide to quit smoking for good. And it starts with just one step.
Betty Cook, shares “I just decided to do it on the Great American Smokeout day. My children and grandchildren, husband, former boss who was a physician – basically, everybody I loved had tried to get me to stop so many times, but I just wouldn’t do it. That year, I made up my mind that I was going to quit, at least for that day, so I called a few of my best prayer warriors and told them what I was going to do and with God’s help, I’ve quit ever since. That was 22 years ago and at that time I had been a smoker for more than 40 years.”
Quitting is a process that starts one day at a time. And every day you stay quit is another step toward a healthier life. As you can see from Ms. Cook’s story, it’s not just great for you, it’s a positive impact on your family and those around you. But quitting is also hard, so don’t be afraid to lean on your friends and family for support.
About 40 million Americans still smoke cigarettes, and tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the world. Although cigarette smoking rates have dropped; cigar, pipe, and hookah – other dangerous and addictive ways to smoke tobacco – are very much on the rise. Smoking kills – there’s no ‘safe’ way to smoke tobacco.
We, at Inspirien, want to help you be a great resource for those in your communities. The American Cancer Society has great resources at www.cancer.org/smokeout for free tips and tools you can use to help those in your community focus on ways to increase a smoker’s chance of quitting successfully. We encourage you to download ‘free’ tools on this website and put helpful hints on social media and your local media outlets to help encourage a healthier nation. Most of us try to promote patient safety in our hospitals every day, why not help decrease the largest preventable cause of death and premature death in the world! Our thoughts are — just ‘go for it’!