Nutrition and Lifestyle

the effect of alcohol on hormone levels. Our recommendation is to have less than one drink every other day and to consider limiting intake to social events or special occasions. (One drink is equivalent to 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, or 1½ oz 80-proof liquor.) Examine when, why, and how much you drink. You may find that drinking is a habit, that it serves emotional purposes, or that it simply heightens a dining experience. Think of positive behaviors that can serve as a substitute for some of your drinking. If you think that you may have an issue of alcohol abuse, there is no better time to pursue a lifestyle change. Inform one of your Dubin healthcare providers, and we will connect you with appropriate resources.

Smoking

Quitting smoking is the single best healthy lifestyle choice you can make for yourself. Smoking is directly related to lung disease and lung cancer. It also plays a role in the development of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and many kinds of cancer, including throat, esophageal, tongue, stomach, and bladder. Furthermore, it can contribute to other types of illness such as peptic ulcers and infertility. It can cause severe illness in people who don’t smoke through the inhalation of second-hand smoke, and can be particularly harmful for people having surgery by interfering with wound healing and increasing the risk of pneumonia.

• There are 4,800 chemicals in cigarettes including 69 which are known carcinogens.

• Nicotine is the addictive part of the cigarette and travels to the brain faster than medication delivered into a vein.

• Cessation of smoking often requires several attempts. Do not get discouraged if you quit and start again.

There are several resources available for smoking cessation:

• New York City has a hotline where you can get help. Call 311 and get free nicotine patches and gum.

• Call the American Lung Association for information and additional resources, or visit their “Stop Smoking” page online.

• The Mount Sinai Health System offers a few smoking cessation programs.

Mount Sinai Beth Israel: STOP! Nicotine Dependence Program - 212-844-STOP

– Mount Sinai West: Bilingual smoking cessation program - 212-523-5195

– Mount Sinai Morningside: Bilingual smoking cessation program - 212-523-5471

Stress Reduction:

Stress is defined as “your response to your environment.” This can be either good or bad. Good stress is often a motivator to get up in the morning and be engaged in our lives. It shows that a person is adapting to the world around them. It energizes us, allows us to be creative, solve problems, and learn.