This document discusses developing healthy habits after quitting smoking to maintain long-term cessation. It outlines Dr. Lester Breslow's 1972 research showing people who quit smoking and adopted healthy habits of diet, exercise and sleep lived 11 years longer. The document then provides tips for developing healthy habits like regular exercise, picking up hobbies, healthy snacking, and rewarding yourself to replace smoking urges and stay smoke-free.
2. Introduction
• So, you have successfully quit smoking and are
optimistic the ride will be smooth?
Congratulations! But the ride won’t be smooth if
you refuse to establish healthy habits to
permanently stay smoke-free. Developing healthy
habits such as, daily exercise and consumption of
a balanced diet, is key to permanent tobacco
cessation. Smoking cessation is tough for most
people but adopting healthy habits will help ex-
smokers stay smoke-free.
3. Physical Health and Longetivity
• Dr. Lester Breslow, a public health leader, lends
credence to this fact. Popularly known as “Mr.
Public Health”, Breslow was one of the first to
publish the relationship between healthy
behaviors and physical health and prolonged
existence.
• His 1972 research gave scientific proof to the idea
that people who cease smoking and take up
healthy habits of diet and sleep can live longer. It
proved with numbers that behavior indisputably
influenced longevity.
4. Physical Health and Longetivity(2)
• A former dean of the Fielding School of Public
Health, the University of California, Los Angeles,
Dr. Breslow’s most acclaimed feat was a study
involving 6,928 people in Alameda County,
California, that observed their behavior for a
space of up to 20 years. It used quantitative
investigation to confirm that a 45-year-old with at
least six of the seven healthy habits Dr. Breslow
picked as imperative would live 11 years longer
than someone with three or fewer.
5. Breslow’s 7 Healthy Habits
• Abstain from smoking totally.
• Drink with a lot of restraint. There is no significant
difference between those who don’t drink at all and
those who drink with self control.
• Everyday, sleep for exactly 7 to 8 hours, no more, no
less.
• Exercise or workout regularly.
• Make regular eating a habit but don’t eat between
meals.
• Watch your weight, a moderate weight is the best.
• Eat breakfast on a daily basis.
6. After Smoking Cessation, What Next?
• A quit smoking decision springs from the desire
to live a healthy life but once the step has been
taken, smokers often find themselves struggling
to take their minds off cigarettes.
• Their question usually is, “what should I do to get
cigarettes and smoking out of my mind?” The
answer usually lies in focusing on brand new and
healthy habits. With this, smokers are assured of
a successful quit.
7. Developing Healthy Habits to Assist
Quit Smoking
• Tip No 1: Make Exercise a Top Priority
• Physical workouts will prevent a lot of smokers
who drop off cigarettes from gaining weight. It’s
also a good and healthy substitute for smoking.
Interestingly, smoking and exercise are stark
opposites. They both can’t co-habit. In fact,
medical personnel say if you smoke and exercise,
you’re likely to become sick of smoking. This is
because exercise gives you exactly what smoking
does and healthily too.
8. Tip No 1: Make Exercise a Top
Priority(2)
• Even though walking briskly or running for half an
hour daily can help your overall fitness, you can
consider taking a fitness class. Meeting other
non-smokers in such a class will reinforce your
new healthy habits and give you a greater chance
of quit smoking for good.
• Drinking water is also beneficial to preventing
weight gain, curbing smoking
cravings and flushing cigarette toxins out of the
body.
9. Exercise Is Beneficial
• Exercise is thoroughly advantageous to
smoking cessation but you can only
experience the benefits when you take up an
exercise regimen today. Do so without fail. It’s
even advised you start your physical
workouts (and commit to it daily) before
kicking the smoking habit.
10. Tip No 2: Learn a New Hobby
• Learning a new hobby can be an excellent way
to get your mind of cigarettes. Hobbies like
knitting, painting, playing the piano or other
crafts will keep smokers’ hands busy and
anything that keeps the hands occupied will
definitely keep the mind busy. What’s more,
these handicrafts give smokers a sense of
accomplishment of creating a finished project.
11. Tip No 2: Learn a New Hobby(2)
• Learning a new language, visiting or spending
time with loved ones, and volunteering for a
laudable cause are all healthy habits that can
help take the place of cigarettes in a smokers’
life. Smokers may also try keeping a diary to
help them identify what triggers them to
desire a cigarette. This will help them avoid
such triggers and ultimately prevent a relapse.
12. Tip No 3: Consider Healthy Snacking
• If you quit smoking and constantly have the urge
to substitute cigarettes with food, consider
healthy snacks, to prevent weight gain. Luckily,
there are many healthy snack options available,
including but not limited to:
• chewing sugar-free gum and candy
• licking sugar-free mints
• consuming a limited amount of nuts such as
almonds, pistachios, walnuts or peanuts which
are all healthy snacks
13. Tip No 3: Consider Healthy Snacking
• fresh vegetables and fruits like carrot sticks,
pieces of celery and apples are low-priced and
provide a satisfying crunch
• sipping herbal teas is also helpful
• chewing on cinnamon sticks
• Consuming broccoli florets, pepper,
mushrooms or tomatoes plain or with a low-
fat addition such as vinegar dressing or skim
cheese.
14. Tip No 3: Consider Healthy
Snacking(2)
• Taking up healthy eating habits like eating on
time (never skip meals), drinking a lot of water,
not skipping breakfast, varying the type of foods
you eat can naturally supercharge your
metabolism when dropping off cigarettes. Reduce
your consumption of caffeinated drinks and other
beverages that contain sugar. Caffeine can
contribute to nervousness and anxiety in smokers
who recently quit. Make sure the tea you drink is
also decaffeinated.
15. Tip No 4: Pamper and Reward
Yourself
• Rewarding yourself for taking a quit smoking
decision is an integral part of staying smoke-
free after dropping off cigarettes. Convert the
money you would have used to buy cigarettes
to pamper and distract yourself. Taking time at
home to relax and indulge yourself can
thoroughly weaken your nicotine cravings or
urges.
16. Tip No 4: Pamper and Reward
Yourself(2)
• Whether you choose going to the movies, home
spa treatments, your favourite restaurant treat, a
relaxing bubble bath, or a manicure/pedicure
with the money you’ve saved on cigarettes,
pampering yourself will strengthen your resolve
to quit smoking.
• Teeth brushing can also keep off cigarette
cravings, so, focus on your oral health now that
you have successfully quit.
17. Conclusion
• One thing you should know is; adopting these
healthy habits will take time. You can start small
at first, or go the whole hog. The changes you
make will depend on how ready you feel, but it is
important to know that any change will start you
on your way to being smoke-free, healthier and
happier.
• Allen Carr talks more about adopting healthy
habits for smoking cessation in his book
titled: Easy Way to Stop Smoking. Check it out
today. You’ll be glad you did!