Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Quit Smoking NOW Resources: Identify Reasons for Quitting

Reasons for Quitting

Here are some examples of reasons to quit:
I will feel healthier right away. I will have more energy and better focus. My senses of smell and taste will be better. I will have whiter teeth and fresher breath. I will cough less and breathe better.
I will be healthier the rest of my life. I will lower my risk for cancer, heart attacks, strokes, early death, cataracts, and skin wrinkling.
I will make my partner, friends, family, kids, grandchildren, and co-workers proud of me.
I will be proud of myself. I will feel more in control of my life. I will be a better role model for others.
I will no longer expose others to my second-hand smoke.
I will have a healthier baby. (If you or your partner is pregnant)
I will have more money to spend.
I won't have to worry: "When will I get to smoke next?" or "What do I do when I'm in a smokefree place?"
My other reasons are:
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via SmokeFree.gov_

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Quit Smoking Resources: Putting a Stop to Smoky Thinking

Putting a Stop to Smoky Thinking

It can be easy to lose sight of the benefits of quitting when a strong craving for a cigarette hits. You might start to lose your focus on staying smokefree. There is no good reason to smoke. You know this. So if you are giving yourself a reason to smoke, you are probably experiencing an attack of smoky thinking.

Fight your smoky thinking with a clear thinking response using this list.

Smoky Thinking
I just need one cigarette to take the edge off these cravings.

Clear Thinking
Cravings become weaker and less frequent with every day that I don’t smoke. Even just one puff will feed the cravings and make them stronger.

Smoky Thinking
It’s been a long day. I deserve a cigarette.

Clear Thinking
I deserve a reward after a long day, but there are better rewards than a cigarette. A favorite meal, a funny movie, or a hot shower will help me relax without ruining my quit attempt.

Smoky Thinking
The urge to smoke is just too strong. I can’t stand it.

Clear Thinking
Even the strongest cravings last less than 3 minutes. The urge will go away whether I smoke or not, and smoking now will just make it even harder for me to quit later. I can find something else to do—anything—until the craving goes away.

Smoky Thinking
I blew it. I smoked a cigarette. I might as well go ahead and finish the pack.

Clear Thinking
I am still learning how to be a non-smoker. It’s normal to make some mistakes. But I don’t have to smoke that next cigarette. I can learn from this mistake and keep going.

Smoky Thinking
I can’t deal with never being able to have another cigarette for the rest of my life.

Clear Thinking
I only have to deal with today. Quitting happens one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time! The future will take care of itself.

Smoky Thinking
I am too grumpy without my cigarettes. I am doing my friends and family a favor by smoking.

Clear Thinking
My friends and family love me and understand that quitting smoking now is the best gift I can give them. Grumpy or not, I am not doing them any favors by continuing to smoke.

Smoky Thinking
I am doing really well. Just one cigarette won’t hurt.

Clear Thinking
I have never smoked just one before. One cigarette always leads to another. I don’t want to undo all my progress by smoking a cigarette now.

Smoky Thinking
It’s too hard to quit smoking. I can’t do this.

Clear Thinking
Quitting and staying away from cigarettes is hard, but it’s not impossible. About 40,000,000 Americans have quit smoking. If other people can do it, so can I. It is too important to give up on.

Smoky Thinking
I’ve been smoking for so long; quitting won’t make a difference now.

Clear Thinking
No matter how long I’ve been smoking, my body will benefit from quitting. The healing process starts right away, and before long I will start to feel healthier and look better.

Smoky Thinking
I know people who smoked their whole lives and never got sick.

Clear Thinking
It’s true that some people get lucky. But there is no way of knowing whether I will be one of the lucky ones, and I am not willing to risk my life. The only safe choice is to quit smoking now.

Smoky Thinking
I have already cut down to a safe level.

Clear Thinking
There is no safe level of smoking. Smoking less is a good first step, but there are many more benefits when I don’t smoke at all. Plus, every cigarette that I smoke feeds the habit and makes it that much harder to quit.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Lifehacker: Breakfast in a mug in one minute (and why are we only giving it ONE minute?)

Make Breakfast in a Mug in Just One MinuteWell, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day.  I think so many of us just don’t have the time, or maybe we aren’t hungry, yet?  I think caffeine in the coffee has a lot to do with suppressing the appetite when you get started with it early every morning.  I find that my appetite doesn’t come around until 10am after having coffee. Anyway, the evils of coffee and caffeine, no matter how good they taste, aren’t the point of this post.  The positive, that breakfast is important, healthy, and yes necessary, is the point. 

Here’s an article on Lifehacker.com that talks about how to do it quickly.  As mentioned, you can add any numbers of ingredients to spruce up the meal and make it even more healthy.  Getting something in your stomach in the mornings is putting you ahead of the game, anyway, though!

Interestingly, though, the comments part of the article is (as usual) one of the most interesting things about it,  There’s a debate about whether or not reducing breakfast to one minute means that we seriously need to consider how packed, filled, and fast-paced our lives has become.  This is what I am putting my money – we need reset our priorities when it comes down to needing tips like this, eh?  It’s not that we don’t want to do things that are quick and easy, but there’s something to be said for Quality of Life and taking our time with such essential things as our health and having healthy bodies and minds.

So, here’s my compromise:  I was a cook in the Army and have been cooking for 25 years.... I liked this idea enough to read the article, but the commenters are mostly right I think.  I don't seem to have time to eat in the mornings.  It does ONLY take two minutes to cook an egg in a pan and it tastes better.  Many here have mentioned cleaning the pan and how long that takes, but for my life it makes sense to simply put the pan back into the oven (with the spatula as well) so that you can take it out again the next day or the day after.  Wash it once a week, at most.  Either cast-iron, or non-stick, you're only talking about some oil left in the pan, which doesn't mean it's "dirty."  And, it doesn't go bad or make you sick.  So, that's even easier. 

As an after thought, I just want to add here that for my life, I want to be more healthy, eat the breakfast even if I’m not hungry – or, at least, change some things so that a normal hunger is what I wake up with!  so, maybe it’s time to prioritize things like rest, going to sleep earlier, trying to resist the natural inclination of a student to stay up later and later at night.  The morning is such a beautiful and peaceful time.  The night can be peaceful, too, so I vacillate between which is more peaceful.  The point is that I need and love peace and quiet.  I need to move to the woods :-)

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Mental Health News | PTSD diagnosed in 6 of 14 soldiers examined at Walter Reed | Seattle Times Newspaper

12 out of 14 soldiers diagnosed with behavioral conditions or PTSD! 86%

The Walter Reed review concluded with six soldiers receiving PTSD diagnoses, while another six were diagnosed with behavioral conditions other than PTSD.

Monday, March 5, 2012

RESOURCES: Research Links and Resources - Planned Parenthood - Heartland


Research Links and Resources - Planned Parenthood

Research Links and Resources







We've compiled a list of links to useful websites for educational information, statistics and research materials below.

Abortion


Abstinence


Contraception


Disability & Sexuality


Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT)















Parenting Information


Planned Parenthood Information & History


Reproductive Issues


Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s)


Sexuality Information for Teens


Teen Pregnancy Information

National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
The Alan Guttmacher Institute
National Center for Health Statistics
SIECUS
Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention

Thursday, March 1, 2012

LGBT , GLBTQ, i?

Today, someone inquired whether it was more correct to use GLBT or LGBT?  She mentioned that GLBT was an older initialism.


I think this was the case before people realized they were continuing to dis-empower women by placing them (L) after men (G).


I think LGBT is more appropriate.  What do you think about it?