(mellow guitar music)
Hi, Brian here.
If you smoke, the absolute best thing you can do
for your health is to stop today.
I know it isn't easy, but it's not impossible.
Since 1965, more than 45% of adults
who have ever smoked, have quit.
You can be one of the approximately 1.3 million Americans
who kick the habit every year.
I know from personal experience what it's like
to live with secondhand smoke.
And I'm really grateful to my dad who chose to
give up his habit.
It's been almost 30 years now, but I still remember
right after I blew out my seven birthday candles,
my dad tousled my hair and asked me,
"so, what'd you wish for?"
I think he was pretty stunned when I told him,
"I wished that you would stop smoking."
He's my dad, and I was worried about him.
But, I'm so proud of him.
He took my birthday wish to heart.
And he's still smoke free to this day.
You can trade out a bad habit
and replace it with a good one.
So let's look at the practical hows and whys.
First, we'll talk about why.
A healthier life begins the moment
you toss out that final cigarette.
Even if you've smoked for years, your body can start
the repair process as soon as you stop
harming it with more smoke.
And it's not only about you.
When you do your part to clean up the air,
you can also help those who live with you
to have better health too.
Do you know that the non smokers who have to
breathe your secondhand smoke at home or at work
increase their risk for heart disease by about 25 to 30%?
Each year more than 46,000 people die
from heart disease attributed to secondhand smoke.
If you're ready to start your plan for smoke free health,
let's get going.
It's a good idea to talk with your health care provider too.
Medication can be helpful for some people
during the kick-the-habit phase.
But with or without prescription, here's a good plan
to improve your chances for success.
Don't let your action plan go up in smoke, make it happen.
First, focus on the rewards.
It's a lot more satisfying to make life changes
when you focus on the positive rewards that motivate you.
So today, make a list of all the benefits you'll experience
by tossing out those cigarettes.
Think of the money you'll save,
the benefits to your health and to the health
of those around you, the satisfaction of
conquering your cravings.
Now, keep your positive list handy.
The hardest part is usually the first couple of weeks.
Here's what my dad did.
He wore a rubber band around his wrist
and whenever he had the urge to smoke, he'd snap himself.
Check the clock, and go over his positive motivation list.
He made a deal with himself that he would wait 15 minutes
from the rubber band snap to allow the craving to pass.
If it wasn't gone in 15 minutes, he would go for a walk
or do something else to help get rid of his tension.
So make a plan now for how you will distract yourself
during that time.
Start by planning out day one, be creative
You can quit one day at a time.
And remind yourself that the difficulty is temporary.
The craving to smoke will not last forever,
and once you get past this challenging part,
you'll be well on your way to better health.
And then, choose your reinforcement.
I can remember the calendar on my dad's desk
with a big red X for every day he had conquered.
I think it helped him to see what he was accomplishing.
So check out some of the material on our website
and plan to reinforce your choices regularly
until the good habits become easy for you.
Yep, it's a habit,
but you can break it.
Reward yourself for your hard work with something good
that reinforces your choices for living well.
Together, let's take the Simple 7 to heart.
Everyone needs a breath of fresh air.