Self Care For Smokers
- Apr 17, 2016
- 2 min read
Self care(health care at home) that replaces medical care is beyond just taking care of a cold or protecting the skin from the sun. This type of self care is preventative, it's aim is to prevent disease or manage an existing one.
The risk factors that cause diseases become the focus in providing self care. Smoking, being a major risk factor for chronic diseases and ill health puts it at the top of the list of all self care activities.
Of course; if you are not a smoker, your health is insured against the tobacco, but smokers and those who live with second hand smoke are not.
The first action for smokers is to quit, but quitting is not easy. Many have tried and succeeded, but some have not.
Self Care For Smokers
In providing self care, smokers must put quitting as their most important self care activity.
Those who cannot quit or will not quit can still support a disease prevention lifestyle by taking steps to remove other risk factors. In time, when they begin to enjoy better health they will be more motivated to quit.
These are the other major risk factors for chronic diseases:Overweight/obesity, unhealthy eating, physical inactivity, air pollution and alcohol abuse. If any of these risk factors are present a smoker can provide the self care necessary to prevent them.
So how does a smoker provide this type of self care? By:
Developing healthy eating habits
Losing weight
Being physically active
Taking steps to enjoy clean air
Avoiding the abuse of alcohol
The first step is to put smoking cessation on the top of the list. The next step is to start eliminating one or more of the other risk factors.
Even though it may be difficult for smokers to quit, they can start developing one or more of the above healthy habits.
Consumer health education will provide the foundation to quit and to develop a healthier lifestyle overall.
Here is some information on our consumer health education program.
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