December 6, 2011 — With New Year’s fast approaching, it is important to find a worthy resolution to commit to, and quitting smoking is one resolution that should stick.

According to The National Cancer Institute, cigarette smoking causes more than 444,000 premature deaths each year, about 40 percent due to cancer. In addition, smoking increases a woman’s risk of stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, blood clots, coronary, and peripheral artery diseases and many other life threatening diseases. Yet, even with all of these negative health factors people continue to smoke.

ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner, Karen Erickson, BS offers tips to kick the habit for good.

• Get educated: Become better informed on the subject of smoking. There are more than 4,000 toxic chemical compounds in one cigarette that slowly kills a smoker. In addition, Mayo Clinic reports that smoking causes ten times more

wrinkles in woman than in non-smokers.
• Break it down: Determine what cigarettes are trying to compensate for and come up with a healthy way to deal with those feelings or desires. Once a commitment has been made to quit smoking for good, follow Erickson’s tips to remain smoke free:
• Breathe in, breathe out: Find a healthy activity to keep busy with such as meditation, gardening, exercise, or reading.
• Write it out: Create a list filled with the benefits of quitting. Go over the list everyday to reinforce the commitment.
• Switch it up: Change a routine to make it easier to quit. If bars are a trigger, avoid them initially. If coffee is a trigger, switch to tea for a period of time.
• Help is on the way: If assistance is needed, find a smoking cessation center where services are offered such as hypnosis, acupuncture, biofeedback, and herbal remedies.

Source: Chicago Healers, www.chicagohealers.com