From the team September 2017 - Grand Pacific Health · smoking throughout the day, and why it’s...
Transcript of From the team September 2017 - Grand Pacific Health · smoking throughout the day, and why it’s...
“My habit controlled me from
the time I was young.
Everything I did revolved around
smoking. I would drive to the
shops and stop and have a
cigarette before I did the shop-
ping. I would do my shopping
and then have another smoke.
When I quit I found it tough.
real success came when I
started to tell myself that my
will to enjoy a healthier life was
stronger than my withdrawals
and my habit. Positive talk
makes a world of difference.”
- Community member
In This Issue
From the team: R U Ok?
Day
Special feature: Young
people, smoking, and your
mental health
Food for thought: A weighty
issue
Spring Starter recipe :
Homemade burgers
September 14th marks R U Ok? day
R U OK? Day reminds us to ask family, friends and colleagues the question, "R U OK?", in a
meaningful way, because connecting regularly and meaningfully is one thing everyone can do to
make a difference to anyone who might be struggling.
As we discussed last month, smokers are more likely to develop depression or
anxiety disorders than non-smokers.
We know that smoking damages our heart and lungs, but research from Johns Hopkins Universi-
ty in the United States of America, found that lighting up increases your odds of developing
mood and anxiety disorders too. The more cigarettes you regularly smoke, the more susceptible
you are to mood problems, the researchers say.
Many smokers reach for a cigarette to help ease their anxiety during stressful periods. However,
the research has also found that quitting smoking makes people happier, and the effect lasts for
as long as they manage to kick the habit.
When you quit you may grieve the loss of your habit
Many people feel depressed when they quit smoking. You may feel sad, lonely and miss smoking
your cigarettes. Smoking is like a constant companion who is there in good times and bad, guar-
anteed to help boost your mood. Giving up this perceived friend may cause you to feel deprived
of the enjoyment of smoking. No need to worry—the loss of this friend is replaced with more
money, more time and control over your life so you can live it in the healthiest way possible!
The good news is that all this emotional upheaval is temporary. It will take some time and prac-
tice to get used to the new you – the person who no longer uses cigarettes to control moods
and feelings. In the meantime here are some ways you can manage these emotions:
Talk to your support person(s) and vent safely, or journal and write out your thoughts
Do deep breathing exercises, use relaxation techniques
Exercise, take a walk, get outdoors, breath fresh air, enjoy nature
Do things you truly enjoy
Practice your personal affirmation(s)- use positive self talk, "I love being a non-smoker!"
Consider using a quit-smoking medication to help minimize the emotional withdrawal symp-
toms
Quitting smoking is about gaining back control of your life -- emotions and all!
From the team September 2017
Young people, smoking and your
mental and physical health
Author: Robyn Young, Youth Worker and Community
Engagement Officer—Headspace Goulburn
If you have mental health problems, smoking can make it
more complicated. You might start or keep smoking be-
cause you think it helps with your anxiety or depression,
and then find that when you try and quit, your anxiety and/
or depression becomes much worse.
If you keep smoking, it becomes a vicious cycle. Smoking
can also affect your physical health, causing things like
shortness of breath, more regular colds and flu, yellow
stained fingers, ashtray breath, and in the long term, heart
disease, and cancers.
When you inhale the nicotine in a cigarette, it hits your
brain in about 10 seconds and it wears off within a
minutes. Teenagers who smoke become addicted quickly
and are more likely to be highly dependent smokers for
life. This is why most teens feel like they need to keep
smoking throughout the day, and why it’s easy to become
dependent on smoking.
It is normal to crave cigarettes when you first quit because
your body is withdrawing from the nicotine. Gradually the
cravings will become less and less.
You may find that after quitting you ‘relapse’ and start
smoking again—don’t worry, every relapse is an oppor-
tunity to learn something new about yourself, your smok-
ing habits and triggers, and what works for you and
doesn’t.
Some people manage to quit smoking without any help,
but those that are highly addicted will need some
assistance. Your GP or headspace Goulburn or Quean-
beyan can talk you through the options.
If you or someone you know would like help to quit, or to
chat about smoking contact your GP, headspace Goul-
burn: 02 4824 4944 or headpace Queanbeyan: 02 6298
0300
Follow these easy tips
from our resident
dietician Emily for
keeping you feeling
refreshed and energised
as you give up smoking:
While our appetite does in-
crease after quitting smoking,
this is an opportunity to eat a
variety of quality foods to al-
low our body to get all the nu-
trients in needs. Satisfy your
appetite with a range of fruits,
vegetables and wholegrains.
Slow down and pay attention
to your eating habits. Wait at
least 30 minutes after a meal
before deciding if you want
dessert and make a list of ac-
tivities to combat boredom
apart from eating.
Talk to your doctor or make
an appointment with a dietitian
if you are concerned about
excess weight gain after quit-
ting smoking.
A Weighty Issue
We’ve all heard it, or maybe we have used it as an excuse to keep smoking ourselves: “Smoking keeps my weight
under control”. Did you know that a person who quits smoking, on average only gains about 2 kilograms? That’s not
even half a clothes size!
We are often pushed with the message that in order to be healthy, we have to be thin. This is not so. But in order to
be healthy, we have to quit smoking. This is a fact. We can gain a couple of kilograms and at the same time be gaining
health by quitting smoking and instead filling our body with the nutrients it needs. Just as everybody can be at different
heights and still be healthy, we can be at different weights and be just as healthy too.
Smoking suppresses our appetite, so when we quit we do tend to eat more. However, this is not a bad thing! Eating
more food allows us the chance to get all the nutrients we need, which as we have discussed in previous newsletters,
are often depleted when smoking. When we nourish our bodies with quality food, such as wholegrains, fruits and vege-
tables, unhealthy weight gain is very unlikely. Furthermore, when you quit smoking and nourish your body with healthy
food, it improves skin and hair health, as well as inner health.
If you are concerned about gaining weight after quitting smoking, here are some ideas to help you keep your weight
“under control” without feeling like you need a cigarette to do so:
Wait for at least 30 minutes after finishing a meal before deciding if you want dessert.
Often we reach for a smoke straight after a meal. When we quit smoking, more often than not that smoke is swapped
for dessert. Many people crave something sweet after dinner, even when we are full. By waiting 30 minutes, even if we
have to distract ourselves by doing the dishes or reading the newspaper, that sweet craving will disappear. If you still
find you want to reach for the sweets half an hour later, that’s ok: savour it and enjoy it! If you enjoy it, rather than
feeling guilty about it, you will probably find you won’t eat as much and won’t feel the need for after-dinner sweets
every day.
When your head tells you you’re hungry, check in with your stomach too.
We often think that we are hungry when we might just be thirsty, bored or we walked through the chocolate aisle at
the supermarket. Ask yourself, “Am I really hungry? How do my energy levels feel – do I need something to eat?” if so,
think about what you actually feel like eating. Do you really want that chocolate bar, or do you only want it because
you saw it? Remember food quality and what will give your body the nutrients it needs. Again, if you really want that
piece of chocolate, make sure you savour it and enjoy it. There’s no shame in enjoying food!
If you find yourself eating out of boredom, what can you do instead?
Eating is a common go-to activity when we are bored. Make a list of what else you can do. Could you call a friend? Go
for a walk? Does the dog need a bath? Could you go for a drive? Have a relaxing bath after dinner yourself?
Don’t swap every smoke for a snack.
It’s easy to swap the hand-to-mouth action of a cigarette to snacking instead. Again, catch yourself and think about if
you are actually hungry. Could your new hand-to-mouth be a drink bottle? Perhaps you could snack on carrot sticks or
celery instead. Brush your teeth or chew some gum to help take away the urge of non-hungry eating.
If you find that you have gained a lot of weight after quitting smoking and can’t work out why, consider making an ap-
pointment with a dietitian or talking to your doctor about your thyroid hormones.
Homemade burgers
Healthy homemade burgers are a fun way to pack in plenty of nutrients. Grating vegetables into your homemade burger patties gives them
an extra boost and the kids will hardly know they’re there! Lean beef mince is a good source of zinc, while the capsicum and salad veggies
have Vitamin C – combined, great for your immune system! Choosing wholemeal bread and packing in the salad will give you a good amount
of fibre to keep you feeling full until your next meal.
You will need:
Lean beef mince (400g)
Potato (1 potato, grated)
Carrot (1 carrot, grated)
Zucchini (1 zucchini, grated)
Red capsicum (1, finely chopped)
Egg (1)
Breadcrumbs (2 tablespoons)
Wholemeal bread rolls
Salads of choosing (e.g. lettuce, tomato, cucumber)
MAKES 6
Method:
Combine mince, potato, carrot, zucchini and capsicum in a bowl.
Add egg and breadcrumbs and mix well (get your hands in there!)
Roll small handfuls of mixture into balls and squash into patties.
Heat frypan over medium heat and spray with oil.
Cook patties for about 4 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned and cooked through.
Serve in wholemeal bread roll with salad
If you’re contemplating quitting and need someone to
talk to, please call Aboriginal Quitline on 13 78 48
or visit www.gph.org.au/BoB
YOU’RE STONGER THAN YOU THINK
Contact Us
Queanbeyan Office
Ground Floor, 34 Lowe Street,
Queanbeyan
Goulburn Office
13-17 Verner street, Goulburn
Butt Out Boondah Team
02 4824 4900
Visit us on the web
www.gph.org.au
Upcoming Events
September 2017
5th—7th: Nicotine addiction and smoking cessation workshop,
Canberra
13th: Aunty Jean’s smoking cessation group, Munjuwa Aboriginal
Corporation, Queanbeyan
14th: Aunty Jean’s smoking cessation group, St John of God,
Goulburn
15th: Yass Schools and Community NAIDOC, Yass High School
17th: Koori Knockout, Queanbeyan
29th—2nd Oct: Koori Knockout, Lilyfield
October 2017
11th: Aunty Jean’s smoking cessation group, Munjuwa Aboriginal
Corporation, Queanbeayn
12th: Aunty Jean’s smoking cessation group, St John of God,
Goulburn
For more information or to join in the mental health and smoking
cessation program:
Contact: Jessica Auciello or Emily Bonnell
Grand Pacific Health Goulburn 02 4824 4900 or [email protected]