V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 5 • M AY 2 0 1 4
A SLICE OF ORANGE Refreshing Your Health
UNUSUAL WAYS TO QUIT SMOKING • The workplace challenge • Sucking and mantras • Brush your teeth • The ultimate relaxation • Play solitaire • Smoke in your mind • Imagine your children smoking • Plan a vacation • Wear a rubber band • Quit caffeine
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Unusual ways to quit smoking AS THEY SAY, NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION. AND SINCE YOU NEED TO STOP SMOKING, WE WHIPPED UP SOME INVENTIVE NEW WAYS TO HELP YOU KICK THE HABIT. I will no longer start with a litany of how smoking is bad for you—you already know that. Which is why almost every smoker has tried to quit one time or another. If you are still smoking, we understand. Nicotine in tobacco is a highly addictive substance, more addictive than alcohol or methamphetamine (shabu).
A SLICE OF ORANGE
V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 5 • M AY 2 0 1 4
The ultimate relaxation
But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean
substantial for the activity to be more
you shouldn’t do it. In the April 2012 is-
compelling. If one person slips and
Have you ever heard
sue of A Slice of Orange, we told you
smokes, the other people split the money
of the sleeping diet?
some very effective ways to quit smok-
from that person amongst themselves. At
It’s
ing. These are:
the end of the game, let’s say 3 months,
ever you get a food
each person keeps his savings and uses
craving. The premise
it to buy something rewarding. This will
is that when you are asleep, you can’t
increase the positive reinforcement of not
eat. The same thing could work every
smoking.
time you get a nicotine craving. Instead
1. Quitting cold turkey. This method is effective if you have the resolve and your addiction is more psychological or “only in your mind.” 2. Fight anxiety. Breathe deeply. Drink cold water. Take a walk. Do jumping jacks. Inhale a relaxing scent, such as lavender, lemon or pepper scents. Play
sleeping
when-
of giving in, sleep it out. It has the addSucking and mantras
ed benefit of calming you down, further
This technique com-
lessening your cravings later on.
bines two techniques in one. The first tech-
Play solitaire
nique is to satisfy
Now that there are
your oral fixation by
tons of phone apps
3. If you experience physical symptoms
sucking on a lemon-flavored candy.
and computer games,
during cravings, you may have a physi-
For many people though, this technique
computer solitaire has
cal addiction. In this instance, reduce
alone is not enough. So you need to
lost a lot of its fan
your smoking gradually, perhaps by re-
add a second relaxation technique:
base. However, solitaire is an effective
ducing your smoking by one stick per
mantras. Choose an encouraging man-
way to distract yourself from nicotine
day at a time.
tra, such as, “I am healthy and smoke
cravings. In addition, it is not as tense
free.” Repeat this mantra slowly in your
as Flappy Bird, thus easing any anxiety
head for at least 3 minutes, until the
and lessening cravings. Furthermore,
craving goes away.
many people find that using real cards
with a koosh ball.
4. Hypnosis. There are many self-hypnosis apps on iPhone or Android that could help you.
is more satisfying than the computer ver-
If these four haven’t worked for you, it’s time to bring out the cavalry.
Here’s
some more—unconventional—ways to kick the habit.
Brush your teeth
sion, because it lets their hands fiddle
Have you ever noticed
how
The workplace challenge This technique combines negative/positive reinforcement with psychosocial support. Here’s how to do it: Get a group of smokers like you in your workplace that also want to quit. Each person gets a bottle. Every day that each person doesn’t smoke in the workplace, they put a certain amount of money into the jar. Make the amount
sweets
taste bitter after you brush
your
with something. Smoke in your mind
teeth?
Many people smoke
You can try the same
mindlessly, and if you
technique whenever you get a craving.
ask them why they
Use minty toothpaste. This will satisfy
smoke, the answer is
your oral craving, and will preoccupy
often unclear. After
your mind from your craving. Also, the
all, why would you rationally do some-
thought of staining your teeth may help
thing that’s harmful to your body? So the
you avoid smoking. In fact, some peo-
next time you get a craving, before light-
ple go to the extreme of having their
ing up, imagine that you are smoking
teeth bleached. The thought of nicotine
in your mind. Imagine lighting the ciga-
stains washing your thousands of pesos
rette, and you inhaling the smoke. After
down the drain could be a compelling
a while, ask yourself, “Why am I doing
deterrent for many people.
this? What pleasure do I get from this?
A SLICE OF ORANGE
V O L U M E 8 • I S S U E 5 • M AY 2 0 1 4
What harm do I get?” This activity will
elevating neurotransmitters that will allow
coffee may stimulate you too much,
slowly rewire your brain to recognize
you to fight even the worst cravings.
heightening anxiety, and illiciting crav-
that smoking is actually something you do not want to do.
ings. Keeping caffeine out of your sysWear a rubber band
tem will drastically lower cravings.
Maximize negative reImagine your children smoking
inforcement. Wear a
Everyone will agree
rubber band around
that this is a very re-
your wrist, and snap it
pelling image, repel-
against your wrist ev-
ling enough to dis-
ery time you get a craving. This will help
stimulate you too
suade anyone from
you associate smoking with the negative
much, heightening
smoking. Now remember that your lungs
Without cigarettes, coffee may
experience of pain.
anxiety, and
are just as fragile as a child’s. So if a child smoking is repelling, why should
illiciting cravings.
Quit caffeine
the thought of you smoking be any less
Why do coffee and
repelling?
cigarettes go
seem
How
Remember that it is always darkest be-
many times have you
fore sunrise. Cravings tend to increase
Planning a vacation—
seen people in coffee
until 72 hours after you stop. After this
even when you don’t
shops smoke? Cigarette smoking coun-
time, cravings become less strong and
actually take the trip—
ters the jitters caused by coffee. Thus,
less frequent. With the help of these un-
is one of the most re-
the combination of smoking and coffee
conventional ways to quit smoking, to-
warding and comfort-
can be relaxing to some people. Once
gether with the more conventional ways
ing activities you can do—and for free.
you start quitting smoking, you may also
you know, you can soon call yourself a
This activity floods your brain with mood
need to quit coffee. Without cigarettes,
non-smoker.
Plan a vacation
together?
to
Looking to enhance your corporate healthcare benefits? E-mail us at benefits@activelinkbenefits.com. The information in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a doctor for all matters relating to your health, particularly for symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. © 2014 ActiveLink
Benefits Made Better
ActiveLink 7/F Electra House Building 115-117 Esteban St., Legaspi Village, Makati City www.activelinkbenefits.com
A Slice of Orange
is a newsletter designed to help clarify basic health information and offer juicy tips on uplifting your health.
Editorial team Alvin Delfin Christine Llenes-Delfin Ivan Olegario, MD