1. Breaking habits
By Dominika Cudzich
Features Editor
As another week flew by,
the second part of the Smok-
ing Cessation Program held.
the next one hour meeting in
the U Building on Thur. Sept.
17 at 12:30pm.
."Why quit?" asked Deb-
bie Guerrero, the respiratory
therapist who encourages the
faculty and students to re-
strain themselves and even-
tually give up smoking alto-
gether.
Guerrero . discussed the
health benefits of quitting.
Benefits include blood pres-
sure and pulse rate to drop-
ping down to normal, an in-
crease of oxygen flow in the
body, a decrease of heart attacks,
and increased longevity of vital
organs and bodily procedures.
Most importantly, being
smoke free can be financially re-
warding as it frees up the money
one would use for nicotine.
"Make your plan for sub-
stitution;' Guerrero advised as
Smokers can ease the tension of
needing a smoke by grabbing a
healthy snack instead of a ciga-
rette.
For instance, drinking water,
chewing gum, sucking on lico-
rice lines, and generally keeping
oneself busy with other activi-
SMOKING Ipage 4
)I
4
SMOKING Ifrom front page
ties can help a smoker find a substitute
for smoking.
Guerrero also warned of triggers
that can activate an immediate urge to
go back to old habits, elaborating that it
.is important to plan ahead. "Make sure
there is nothing-that is lurking;' Guer-
rero continued .
She advised the participants to get
rid of anything that may cause triggers.
Aside from the social support that
Guerrero and the program provides,
she also asks family and friends to help
through the struggle. ''Ask for their
support, say please try to help me;' said
Guerrero. '
In substitution of support from oth-
ers, online support is available as well.
"Smokefree.gov is an awesome web-
site;' she says. Telephone support is
available as well. The Illinois Tobacco
Quitline, counseling through the Illi-
nois Department of Human Services,
and the National Alliance of Mental
Illnesses all provide telephone hotline
-services for potential quitters.
Guerrero concluded the meeting
with fruits, cookies, drinks and healthy
salads, and encouraged students to
come out and join the upcoming
Thursday for another session.
I
Dominika Cudzich can be contacted at j
features@mvccglacier.com