Clean House
Once you've smoked your last cigarette, toss all of your ashtrays and lighters. Wash any clothes that smell like smoke and clean your carpets, draperies, and upholstery. Use air fresheners to help rid your home of that familiar scent. You don't want to see or smell anything that reminds you of smoking.
Try and Try Again
It's very common to have a relapse. Many smokers try several times before giving up cigarettes for good. Examine the emotions and circumstances that lead to your relapse. Use it as an opportunity to reaffirm YOut commitment to quitting. Once you've made the decision to try again, set a "quit date" within the next month.
Get Moving
Physical activity can reduce nicotine cravings and ease some withdrawal symptoms. When you want to reach for a cigarette, put on your inline skates or jogging shoes instead. Even mild exercise is helpful, such as walking the dog or pulling weeds in the garden. The extra calories you burn will also ward offweight gain as you quit smoking.
Eat Fruits & Veggies
Don't try to diet while giving up cigarettes - too much deprivation is bound to backfire. Instead, focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. A Duke University study suggests these foods make cigarettes taste terrible. This gives you a leg up in fighting your cravings while providing disease- figh ting nutrients.
Choose Your Reward
In addition to the tremendous health benefits, one of the perks of giving up cigarettes is all the money you will save. Reward yourself by spending part of it on something fun.
Do It for Your Health
There's more than the monetary reward to consider. Smoking cessation has immediate health benefits. It lowers your blood pressure and reduces your pulse after only 20 minutes. Within a day, oxygen and carbon monoxide levels in your blood return to normal, and risk of a heart attack decreases. LongΒterm benefits include a reduced risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and other cancers.
Question
Why do I need to cool down and stretch after I finish exercising?
Answer:
A cool down helps slow your heart rate down and helps muscles and joints return to an inactive state. You reduce your chances of injury and sore muscles if your brisk walks and other aerobic activities include the warm-up and stretch before you start and cool down and stretch after you finish. You can slow down your aerobic activity or walk slowly for 5-10 minutes after aerobic activity to cool down. The cool down should end with stretching. Again, the stretching includes neck rotations, shoulder rolls, arm swings, gentle knee bends, and ankle rotations. Your stretches should be smooth, fluid movements. As you do in yoga, you can hold a stretch, but do not make jerky, sudden movements or bounces. After the cool down and stretching, your body should feel relaxed and more flexible. Your heart rate should have returned to its normal pre-exercise rate by the end of the cool down and stretch.