News from Newham

To mark Stoptober, Dr Terry O’Shaughnessy, Consultant in Respiratory Care at Newham Hospital, blogs about why smokers should quit and offers his top five tips to quit successfully. 

Did you know smoking is the most common cause of respiratory disease, lung cancer and heart disease? 

It is also associated with premature aging, poor oral and dental health and for pregnant mothers who smoke, can result in risking the health of their baby. Perhaps you’ve been a smoker for many years now and believe there’s no point quitting – the damage is already done. I want to stress here that it is truly never too late to quit. 

Stopping smoking is one of the best things you'll ever do for your health (and your pocket). Here’s some interesting facts which may help put things into perspective: 

• It takes 12 hours for your body to flush out the carbon monoxide found in cigarettes. After this your oxygen levels increase.
• One day after you’ve quit your blood pressure drops to normal and your circulation improves. At this point you’ve already reduced your risk of heart disease from high blood pressure caused by smoking.
• One month after you’ve quit your taste of sense and smell will have returned to normal and as your lungs heal you may notice less coughing and shortness of breath. You could also find it easier to do exercise.
• One year after you’ve quit your risk of coronary heart disease will half and will continue to decrease. 

And the good news doesn’t stop there. If you smoke 10 cigarettes per day on average, quitting could save you around

• £150 per month – that’s a fancy dinner out for two or some new clothes! 
• £1,848 per year – enough for a top a 5* holiday for two, or significant savings towards something much bigger like a deposit for buying a property. 

So, have I persuaded you? I hope so. Here are my top 5 tips to kicking the habit for good. 

1. Quit as a team. If you have friends who also want to stop smoking work as a group to support each other, especially when cravings arise.
2. Make use of nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine patches. Visit your local stop smoking service, GP or pharmacist for more on what’s right for you.
3. Keep busy. Cravings are less likely to arise if you are occupied with other things. Consider starting up exercise or ringing a friend who can give you some support. 
4. Recognise your triggers and change the pattern. What are your smoking triggers? If you usually smoke at certain times, i.e. after food, before you go to sleep – plan ahead and schedule in other activities to replace the habit. This could be having a cup of tea or reading a book. 
5. Why do you want to quit? Everyone’s reasons are different. It could be to improve your health, save some cash or set a good example to a loved one. List out your reasons and read them at least once every day. 

There is lots of support on the NHS website which can offer you many more tips and support from others who have quit smoking. Good luck!