smoking

COVID-19 and Tobacco: What You Should Know, and How to Protect Yourself

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A month ago we had no idea that life as we previously knew it was starting to change in a drastic way, and that public spaces would close indefinitely. Then COVID-19 came. We are flooded with news articles, videos, and interviews talking about the social and health implications of such a pandemic– so COVID-19 might be the last thing that you want to read about right now. But I believe that we need to fully understand the implications that this virus has on people who smoke, and what can be done to protect yourself if you do smoke. In order to understand why COVID-19 should be a concern for people who smoke, it is important to understand how tobacco affects your immune system.

Tobacco use and your body

Tobacco use causes damage to nearly every organ of your body, and is especially harmful to your upper and lower respiratory systems due to the smoke and many chemicals that are inhaled through your mouth, down your throat and into your lungs. As the various gases (ammonia, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide to name a few) make their way to your lungs, they cause cell damage and abnormalities.

Even more, as soon as you inhale the smoke from a cigarette, those chemicals cause irritation to your whole upper airway. This causes your nose and sinuses to produce more mucus. With healthy mucus production, the mucous we produce daily drains healthily down our throats and helps to rid our body of bacteria. When we produce an excess that is caused by irritation, our body does the reverse. It starts to build up this mucous in our sinuses and makes us more susceptible to colds and allergies. This can even eventually lead to cancer of the throat and lungs over time.

upper and lower respiratory

Also worth noting, is the fact that cigarette smoking suppresses your immune system by damaging important organs in your body.  This causes your organs to have to work harder and less efficiently than if they were not damaged, in order to carry out normal functioning within your body such as breathing, hormone regulation, and the ability to fight off infections.

What you need to know about COVID-19 if you smoke

Given the facts that smoking causes significant damage to your lungs and other airways, as well as suppresses your immune system there is validity in being concerned about COVID-19 if you smoke and you should be more cautious during this time.

In an article by the American Lung Association, Dr. Albert Rizzo states “COVID-19 is a lung infection that aggressively attacks the lungs and even leaves lung cells and tissue dead,” Dr. Rizzo said. “While it’s important to prevent getting COVID-19 in the first place, it’s also essential that we do all we can to keep our lungs healthy to avoid the worst affects of the disease.”

single cigaretteThe bottom line: If you do get COVID-19, you are at an increased risk for developing more severe symptoms as well as having symptoms for a longer period of time due to tobacco use decreasing the body’s ability to heal itself efficiently. You can read more about COVID-19 here. 

 

What you can do to protect yourself

The important thing to know and remind yourself in the midst of this pandemic is knowing that there’s hope. If you smoke, you can begin to take your health into your own hands by making the decision to quit smoking. This task is difficult, though definitely not impossible. Here are some tips to help you get started:

  • Think about your “why.” What are some reasons today that you would want to quit smoking? Give this some thought and create a list of all of your reasons. Go a step further, and hang that list in a visible spot so that you can see it every day.
  • Keep track of your triggers and plan ahead. One of the most important parts of planning to quit smoking is identifying the moments when you are the most likely to smoke or want to smoke. Do you always seem to smoke after a big meal? Do you get a craving every time you feel worried about something? Take a day or two, before you quit smoking, to keep a journal on you and log each time that you smoke. Before you light up, record what time it is, what you are doing (or just did) and how you feel. Once you’re aware of your smoking triggers, create a plan for alternatives to smoking when these situations arise. For example, common alternatives people direct themselves to after eating instead of smoking are to go for a walk, chew gum, have a mint or brush their teeth.    QuitSmoking613_2
  • Set a quit date. Once you feel comfortable with an alternative for your smoking triggers, it’s time to set a date within the next month of when you will smoke your last cigarette. Be mindful to set your quit date for a time when you have no foreseeable stress, as well as big celebrations, in order to set yourself up for success.
  • Maximize your social support. Tell the people in your life that you are quitting and ask them to help keep you accountable. If you don’t have support from your friends or family, look for support in the form of a quit smoking group. Here are some free online communities with the common goal of becoming and remaining tobacco-free:

QUITLINE

  • Call the Michigan Quitline at 1-800-784-8669 or enroll in their online program to see if you qualify for free Nicotine Replacement Therapy to assist you with quitting. NRT can help significantly ease the feeling of withdrawal symptoms and ween you off of nicotine.
  • Practice mini quits! Pick one day or a few days where you won’t smoke, and take note of how that felt, what you needed to get by, etc. It’s a less intimidating way to get a feel for a tobacco-free life as you prepare for your quit date. This article details more about the benefits of practice quits. 

 

Things you can do right now

In addition to following the recommendations from the CDC (hand-washing, social distancing) wherever you are in your quit smoking journey,  here are some tips to help you stay healthy and build your immune system:

  • Focus on your sleep hygiene. Set a consistent time to go to sleep and wake up each day. This not only helps keep your body physically healthy, but it will help eliminate stress and mild depressive symptoms as well as the anxious feeling of being on quarantine. person wearing black low top sneakers and black jeans
  • Move! From walking to jumping, or doing at home workouts in your living room, any form of moderate exercise is beneficial for your immune system as well as your mental health.
  • Stay hydrated. Drinking water throughout the day won’t only keep you feeling awake and replenish hydration throughout your organs. Drinking fluids also helps flush out bacteria and viruses that could be lingering in your body.  variety of vegetables
  • Eat your vitamins. Literally. While it’s important to incorporate a daily multivitamin to make up for gaps in nutrition, the best way for your body to absorb vitamins and other micro-nutrients is by eating nutrient rich foods such as vegetables and fruit. Organ meat also has a high amount of vitamins, so if you’re feeling adventurous try my personal favorite: liver and onions!
  • Warm your body up by drinking hot tea and honey. Honey is proven to help rid the body of bacteria. Another added bonus- honey helps to break down mucous build up! Many herbal teas also have beneficial affects on the immune system.
  • Laughter is good for the soul (and immune system). Last but never least… LAUGH! During stressful times and when you’re undergoing changes within your routine (such as reducing or quitting smoking), it never hurts to make time for a good laugh- whether that means joking with friends and family, watching stand up comedy, a feel good sitcom, or finding something else to make you giggle a little. It is scientifically proven that laughter is good for your mental and physical health. Read this article by the Mayo Clinic that details all of the long-term and short-term health benefits of laughter.

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As we continue to navigate these confusing and uncertain times, please continue to refer to the CDC for information on how to navigate the changing status of the pandemic in your community.

 

Interested in finding out more about Unified’s Tobacco Reduction services? Contact your local Tobacco Treatment Specialist:

Detroit: 
Amber Jager – (313) 446-9800 
ajager@miunified.org

Ypsilanti/Jackson: 
Caitlyn Clock – (734) 961-1077
cclock@miunified.org

Time Management and Tobacco Reduction: Tips to Get Started

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What is Time Management?

In our first tobacco workshop of the year, clients discussed the idea of looking at time management in two different ways:

  1. Having too many tasks, appointments, etc. and feeling as if there isn’t enough time to get them all done.
  2. Having too much free time and not knowing how to fill it.

Both of these situations can be overwhelming, and both can lead to an increase in feelings of stress, anxiety, frustration, and loneliness/depression. Which can result in an increased want or need to use tobacco products. Stress, in particular, is a commonly cited barrier for people attempting to quit their tobacco use, and often plays a role in slips and relapses during quit attempts. 

So how can one start to utilize time management skills in their daily life? Something I noticed when exploring ideas for this month’s blog is that most articles and blog posts offering time management tips revolve primarily around productivity and efficiency in the workplace. While productivity-based skills can be incredibly useful in many settings, they often don’t prioritize an individual’s overall wellbeing. The following list includes my top time management tips.

  • Start Small. It’s important to remember not to overwhelm yourself with major changes, even when they may benefit you in the long run. Scheduling every minute of every day is unnecessary and likely to increase negative feelings if you’re unable to meet those detailed time frames. Start with marking down important appointments and deadlines, and see what else would be helpful from there. 
  • Use a Planner or Calendar. While it seems obvious, using a calendar or planner can help you keep track of appointments, events, and other commitments. Keeping track of these will allow you to make appointments as needed while also helping to prevent you from double or overbooking yourself. Having these things planned out will also allow you to prepare for them.
  • Become a List Maker. Using lists can be incredibly helpful when you feel like you’re just not getting things done that you need to. Not only can they serve as a reminder for what needs to be done today (or tomorrow, or this week, etc), crossing off tasks as you complete them will provide you with a visual of how much you’ve accomplished.
  • Break Up Your Big Tasks. Oftentimes major tasks can seem intimidating and we can end up putting them off to avoid feelings of failure and anxiety. By breaking these big tasks up into multiple smaller ones, you can gain confidence in getting through your to-do list without trying to put them off. 
    • For example: You were sick in bed for a week and missed multiple appointments with your doctor, your case manager, your tobacco treatment specialist, your therapist, and a class. Rather than trying to reschedule everything in one sitting, space the calls (and the appointments) out with breaks in between. 
  • Prioritize! Though time management skills can certainly be helpful, they can’t change the fact that we only have 24 hours in the day and seven days in the week. Take time to determine which tasks are the most important, and which one(s) can wait until you have more time available.
  • Make Time for Yourself. While making it to your appointments and other commitments is important, remember that it’s equally important to set aside time for yourself to do things you enjoy whether that’s reading, taking walks, spending time with loved ones, or watching movies. 
  • It’s Okay to Say No Way. These tips and skills are supposed to help reduce stress, anxiety, and frustration in your daily life. Recognize that it’s okay to let people know when you have enough on your plate for that week and need to schedule for a better time in the future. 
  • Celebrate! With any change in your life, it’s important to remember to recognize your accomplishments even if they seem small. Made it on time to an appointment you’d missed and rescheduled a few times? Have a small treat! Completed a major task that’s been looming over your head for weeks? Give yourself a night where you can focus on relaxing and doing activities you enjoy.

As you begin to plan ways to put some of these tips to the test, remember that different things work for different people. Maybe most of these will work for you, or maybe only one will. Don’t be afraid to adapt these tips to benefit YOU and your time management needs. Ultimately, the goal is to find ways to help manage feelings of stress, anxiety, frustration, depression, and boredom that might lead to an increase in your tobacco use. 

Interested in finding out more about Unified’s Tobacco Reduction services? Contact your office’s Tobacco Treatment Specialist:

Detroit: 
Amber Jager – (313) 446-9800 
ajager@miunified.org

Ypsilanti/Jackson: 
Caitlyn Clock – (734) 961-1077
cclock@miunified.org

Quit Smoking Tip of The Week: Keep the weight off! Part 3

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So far we have covered nutrition and exercise as tools for a healthy weight and lifestyle. Now, third but definitely still just as important as the former two, is sleep! We often disregard or forget about this oh so important factor altogether, in the go-go-go lifestyle that comes along with our society. Sleep is one of the most crucial ingredients for health and well-being. Sleep is what regulates your hormones, repairs your body, promotes a healthy mental state, and so much more.

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If weight loss is your goal and you’re eating healthy foods and working out but not seeing much progress, it is time to evaluate your sleep. Not only will your “gains” from working out be lost if you are deprived of sleep, but your body will crave more food to help fuel your body as it goes into “overtime,” and usually the foods we crave are not the foods we need for proper nutrition. Let’s dig a little deeper, here, and see what else is effected by sleep and HOW to get the most out of your sleep!

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In addition to getting enough sleep (a recommended 6-8 hours for adults), the timing of your sleep is also crucial. Research shows that your body starts to release melatonin in the evening as it starts to get dark out, then begins to release cortisol as the sun begins to rise. Melatonin is the sleep hormone responsible for putting your body at rest and cortisol is the sleep hormone responsible for waking your body up. An optimal sleep schedule is to sleep from 10pm to 6am (8 hours), as 10pm-2am is the time in which your body reaches its peak hormone balance to promote optimal restoration for your cells. When you stay up too late, or sleep in too late, your body is thrown off by hormone dysregulation. This can explain why you may still feel tired even after getting a solid 7-8 hours of sleep, because getting 8 hours of sleep from 12am-8am, is not the same as a 10pm-6am schedule. When you go to sleep at 12am you have already missed the first two hours of REM sleep. Dr. Oz has a great article going deeper into the science behind the 10pm-2am cycle of restorative sleep here if you’re interested in learning more.

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What happens to your body when you get a good night’s sleep? A ton of great things, such as:

  • Blood sugar regulation, important for preventing type 2 diabetes
  • Your muscles rebuild themselves, utilizing essential amino acids that you have digested throughout the day (making your workout actually worth it!)
  • Your body repairs itself from internal and external stressors (inflammation reduces, mood regulates, free-radicals that cause disease are removed, all thanks to the antioxidant properties of melatonin)
  • Long-term memory is reinforced, helping you perform cognitive tasks more efficiently

All of the above (expect for the last point, which should still be an important factor for people) aid in weight loss. When you don’t get a quality amount of sleep, the above either will not happen or will occur at a much less efficient rate.

So, get those ZZZ’s because they’re a lot more important than you think!

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Setting a routine for better sleep

Now, let’s address HOW to get this restorative, restful sleep, because as we all know, insomnia can be a withdrawal for many smokers who begin their quit journey.

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  • Only use your bed for sleep and sex. When you do other activities in your bed (such as reading, watching tv or eating) your brain does not associate your bed with sleep as strongly, and your bed should only be associated with relaxation.
  • When you can’t fall asleep, get out of bed. This might sound like bad advice, but it goes along with the first tip. If it is taking you up to an hour to try to fall asleep, get out of bed and read on the couch or stretch until you feel sleepy, then hop back in bed. When you can’t sleep and stay in bed, feeling anxious or upset that you can’t fall asleep, you are unintentionally associating your bed with negative emotions.

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  • Exercise early in the day, if possible. It is proven that moderate exercise (try for 30 minutes a day, even if it’s just walking) will help adults get a better night’s sleep. Even further, if you exercise before 3pm you will be getting the most from this benefit as it is also proven that exercising after 3pm can cause your sleep hormone production (melatonin and cortisol) to get post-poned, potentially making it harder to initially fall asleep.
  • Consistency is key. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night, and wake up around the same time each morning. Building a consistent routine around your sleep schedule helps keep your hormones in check and makes it easier to fall asleep (and stay asleep) at night.

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  • Unplug! This one is so important in our busy, always accessible society. At least an hour before going to bed, stay away from your cell phone, computer, tv, or any other electronic device. Read a book, stretch or find another relaxing activity that you can participate in each night as part of your routine to help your body unwind and relax. This will help you rid yourself of your racing thoughts, as well as give your brain a rest by intentionally reducing the blue-light that you are exposed to. Blue-light interferes with our internal clock, which controls our sleep hormone (melatonin), causing hormone imbalance, anxiety and stress.
  • Ditch the late night snacks (or meals). Eating later in the evening and at night is tough on our digestive system. Historically speaking, when the sun goes down, so does our body. And with it, our bodily systems, such as digestion. Remember earlier when I said that our body repairs itself when we sleep? Well, when you eat a meal less than three hours before going to sleep, your digestive system is still doing a lot of work while your body is trying to rest! This might be why you wake up multiple times in the night to pee, can’t seem to get a deep sleep, or even have trouble falling asleep. Do yourself and your digestive system a favor and try to abstain from eating at least three hours before sleeping, four if you’re able to eat dinner earlier.
  • Dim your lights. Our sleep hormone, melatonin, is produced by our pineal gland which gets triggered to release or not release melatonin based on the light we receive. Similar to the idea of unplugging from technology, you should try to reduce the overall amount of light received as soon as the sun starts to set. In this way, you are mimicking the way nature intended and helping produce melatonin naturally in order to induce a restful sleep by 10pm.

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  • Reduce or eliminate your caffeine intake altogether. Caffeine is a stimulant and it has been proven that even having caffeine in the morning can effect your sleep at night. Try cutting down from 2 cups of coffee to 1, or switch to decaf if you really enjoy the taste. Be aware that a lot of teas have a ton of caffeine in them, so opt for the de-caffinated ones or something light like a white tea.

white bed comforter

Coming from someone who has personally had a bad relationship with sleep from my adolescence through my early 20’s, if you try all of these tips, you will be successful in helping to reset your sleep pattern. I never thought that I would have a “normal” sleep schedule, but the fact is most American’s are not getting a restful sleep due to the rise in technology and just lack of knowledge about how our sleep hormones are regulated and what environmental cues can throw them way off. Give it a try for a week, and be amazed that you will not need a sleep aid or other substances to help you sleep anymore! If you suffer from racing thoughts at night, as a lot of us do, and stretching or meditating is not working for you, you can try getting a magnesium supplement to help relax your mind (it also relieves muscle cramps!) or look into ashwaganda root to take mid-afternoon and in the evening for stress relief and relaxation. Always ask your doctor before adding any supplements to your daily regimen as some can interfere with medications.

Quit Smoking Tip of The Week: Keep the weight off! Part 2

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Last time we discussed the basics of weight loss and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. This week, I want to go a little deeper into exercise.

As mentioned before, doing cardio is good for your body as well as getting a jump start on weight loss. The real key to fat loss though, is to build lean muscle. I’m not talking body builder muscle, but a decent amount of muscle that is strong and appropriate for your body type to support your metabolism as well as your daily activities. Muscle is what promotes a faster resting metabolism (meaning, it helps you burn calories even while you are not doing any physical activity). So… how do we build muscle? There are a few different ways to build muscle that I am going to cover.

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First, there are body resistance training exercises. These are my favorite, because they require essentially no workout equipment due to you using your body to build upon itself.

Body resistance training 101:

  • Push-ups (Click here for a guide with different push-up variations)
  • Squats (Click here for a guide with different squat variations)
  • Ab sets (Click here for a beginners guide)
  • Lunges (Click here for a guide with different lunge variations)
  • Pull-ups (Click here for a step-by-step guide)

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Secondly, there are machine resistance training exercises. The amount of equipment required can vary here. From using resistance bands, to exercise machines that hyper-isolate one muscle group and build on contractions (pushing your muscles out, then stretching, and back again). Here is a guide that shows you variations with resistance bands.

woman in black sleeveless crop top and white leggings using a butterfly machine in front of a mirror

And lastly, another one of my favorite, are the free weight exercises. These are basically resistance training but I like to include them in their own category because they do such a great job at helping improve stability and target certain muscle groups while helping tone other areas of your body through stabilization. Here is a beginners guide for utilizing weight machines as well as free-weights.

women having exercise using dumbbells

I recognize that a lot of people who might be reading this may be thinking at this point, “but what if I can’t do any of these exercises due to an injury, or general immobility?” Don’t worry, you can still build muscle! It may take a little longer, but there are some great ways to modify workouts so that anyone can participate.

My guide for limited mobility:

Items Needed:

  • 2-5lb (or heavier) Dumbbells *can substitute for 16oz water bottles or any similarly heavy set of objects
  • Medicine Ball *can substitute for a sturdy medium sized ball, such as a basketball or soccer ball
  • Resistance Bands *optional
  • Chair
  • Paper plates *or socks that allow for easy sliding

Instructions: It is advised that adults get approx. 30 minutes of exercise each day. Find which exercises below work best for you or are the most enjoyable and rotate between them as needed for 30 minute intervals. Be sure to include at least one rest day in your routine if you are new to exercise.

 

Legs: Seated Slides Back and Fourth

Sit tall and place paper plates under each foot. Push onto the right plate and slide the foot forward.  Slide the foot back, pressing onto the plate to activate the hamstrings while sliding the left foot forward.  Continue alternating for 16 reps (one rep includes both right and left slides).

 

Legs: Seated Outer Thigh

Sit tall in the chair and tie a band around the mid-thighs.  Step the right foot out to the side, touch lightly and then bring it back in, focusing on the outer thigh.  Repeat, stepping out with the left foot and repeat for a total of 16 reps (one rep includes both the right and left taps).

 

Leg Extensions

Sit tall with feet flat on the floor and knees together.  Squeeze the quads (upper thigh) to straighten the right leg, foot flexed. Bend the knee to lower the foot, lightly touching the floor. Repeat for 20 reps and switch sides. Add ankle weights for more intensity if desired.

 

Legs: Seated Ball Taps

Place a medicine ball (or a medium sized ball of choice) in front of you and sit tall with the abs engaged. Lift the right foot and tap the toes on top of the medicine ball. Take it back down and tap with the left foot. Continue tapping the ball, alternating feet, as fast as you can repeating for 16-20 reps.

 

Legs: Inner Thigh Squeeze

While seated with tall posture, place a ball between your knees. Squeeze the ball by contracting (pulling in) the inner thighs and release slightly–don’t release all the way–and repeat for 16 reps.

 

Arms: Seated Lateral Pull With Band

While sitting tall, hold a medium-tension band in both hands up above and slightly in front of your head. The distance between your hands will determine the intensity of the exercise (closer together is harder, further apart is easier). Contract the back and pull the right elbow down toward the ribcage.  Release and repeat for 16 reps before switching sides.

 

Upper Body: Chest Squeeze With Medicine Ball

Sit on a chair, back straight and abs in. Hold a medicine ball (or any other type of medium sized ball) at chest level and squeeze the ball to contract the chest. While continuing to squeeze the ball, slowly push the ball out in front of you at chest level until elbows are almost straight. Continuing the pressure with your hands, bend the elbows and pull the ball back to chest. Repeat for 16 reps.

 

Upper Body: Seated Lateral Raise

Sit with a tall posture holding 2-5lb dumbbells (or 16oz water bottles) at your sides. Keeping the elbows slightly bent and wrists straight, lift the arms up to shoulder level (palms face the floor). Lower back down and repeat for 16 reps.

 

Upper Body, Shoulders: Overhead Press

Sit with tall posture holding 2-5lb dumbbells (or 16oz water bottles) in both hands. Begin the move with arms bent to 90 degrees, weights next to the ears (arms should look like a goal post). Press the weights overhead and lower back down, repeating for 16 reps.

 

Arms: Biceps Curls

Sit and hold 2-5lb dumbbells (or 16oz water bottles). Curl the weight up toward your shoulder and release. Avoid swinging the weights and keep the abs engaged. Repeat for 16 reps.

 

Core: Seated Rotation for Abs

Sit tall, holding a 5-8lb dumbbell (or an equally heavy object) in front of your chest. Keeping the abs contracted, rotate the torso to the right while keeping the hips and legs facing forward. Contract abs to bring the weight back to center and then rotate to the left. Repeat for 12 reps.

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Hopefully after reading this, you have been able to think of a few ways that you will be able to implement strength training into your daily routine. Play around with these guides and even create your own fun way to get active, while building muscle, by exploring different sports or activities such as hiking. The most important part of exercise, is that you are enjoying it and doing it to better your body and mind rather than seeing as a chore because you “need” to lose weight. Rethinking physical activity is the start to a healthier, happier life.

Quit Smoking Tip of The Week: Keep The Weight Off! Part 1

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Post cessation weight gain can cause a lot of stress for most people. You don’t want to put on 10-15 extra pounds, especially if that will put you in the overweight or obese category. That’s completely understandable, and there are small changes you can make in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight but most importantly a healthy and active lifestyle.

First, I do want to address the fear of gaining weight while quitting smoking. If you are concerned about the health implications of gaining weight, know that putting on a temporary 10-15 pounds is far healthier than continuing to smoke or use tobacco. This is something I touch on with my clients who bring up weight as a major concern or trigger in their reduction/quit journey. I also like to let clients know that the upside to quitting is that even when you do gain a few pounds, your body is continuing to detox and rebuild its cellular processes post smoking cessation. This means that you will be able to more efficiently burn fat and put on healthy amounts of muscle because you are no longer doing continuous damage to your organs (which must function optimally to lose the RIGHT kind of weight).

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With my background in nutrition and weight loss coaching, I understand that this can feel like an uphill battle oftentimes, but rest assured that all you need is patience and dedication and there is no reason that you won’t be able to prevent or remedy weight gain after quitting. The best thing you are doing for your physical health and appearance is quitting smoking. Let’s face it, it’s hard to be fit and also a smoker- something to keep in mind.

Okay, so HOW exactly do you manage your weight?

Now let’s get into the details: how do you lose weight or even prevent the weight gain altogether? This is going to be a multi-part blog series, because there is no one magic secret that is going to do the trick. Tons of things factor into weight and how you gain and lose it, and it takes a long time for both to happen. In America especially, we get so caught up in the “immediate results, immediate gratification” mindset that we don’t step back and take a look at the whole picture.

Two Major Components: Exercise and Nutrition

These are the most well-known components to a healthy weight and lifestyle, yet most people are still not eating the right types of foods and either not exercising enough or exercising too much.

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A healthy diet includes a diet consisting of healthy fats, proteins and vegetables and a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates, such as the Mediterranean diet. The Mayo Clinic offers a great, easy to follow guide here.  One of the most important things that you can do for yourself regarding weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight is to eliminate as much processed food from your diet as possible. This includes chips, donuts, cereal, etc. This doesn’t mean that you can never eat these types of foods, but it’s encouraged to limit these to a “once in a blue moon” snack and not a daily (or even weekly) item to have.

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Now it’s time to touch on physical activity. You should strive to get 20-30 minutes of exercise each day at minimum. These guidelines are from the American Heart Association. This includes walking, so don’t let yourself get discouraged if you don’t have time (or the strength) to hit the weights every day. If you work, try to get up every hour or so to do a lap around your building. Take the long way to the restroom. Even park farther away (or, if you utilize public transportation and live in a safe area, try walking to your destinations as much as possible). Walking and more intense forms of cardio can be wonderful for jump starting a weight loss journey. But if you stick to JUST cardio, it will be just that and only that: weight loss. Not fat loss. Excessive cardio eats away your muscle, so you want to be careful to not overdo it. Muscle is what you want to keep, and build, in order to actually loose fat. The more muscle you have on your body, the higher your resting metabolism. It’s important to mix up your routine if you’re looking to lose fat rather than maintain your weight. Work on building strength, and the weight will come off (as long as you stick to a healthy diet—trust me, I have personal experience from years of learning that you can never out train a bad diet! Fat loss starts in the kitchen). Next week, we will go a little deeper in proper exercise and nutrition as well as touch on another important, but often neglected factor in healthy weight and lifestyle.

Tobacco Reduction Program Services

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Happy New Year, everyone! As we enter 2019, most of us have goals of renewing ourselves and refocusing on our health- whether that’s mental or physical. Along with those goals may be a big one: quitting tobacco or continuing to reduce your tobacco use as we enter the New Year. Whether you have never quit before, or have been quitting for the past year, the Tobacco Treatment Specialists at UNIFIED want to help you quit and stay tobacco free- whatever that looks like in your life!

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You may be wondering “Do I qualify for these FREE services, and if so, what exactly do these services provide?” To qualify for the Tobacco Reduction Program at UNIFIED you need to be an individual living with HIV/AIDS, qualify as low-income and live in either the Detroit, Ypsilanti or Jackson area. If you have never received case management services with UNIFIED before but fit the above qualifications, you still qualify for these FREE tobacco cessation services!

So what does a tobacco reduction counseling session consist of, anyways? The short of it, is that it is different for everyone and up to you what you want your reduction and quit plan looks like. We, as tobacco cessation counselors, are here to offer proven-strategies, non-judgmental support and accurate information to help guide your journey to a successful smoke-free life.

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When I meet with my clients, I think of it as them driving the car and me simply navigating the route for them. Most smokers know what they need to do to quit, but need a little guidance to create an individual and effective game plan to get there. That’s where Tobacco Treatment Specialists come in!

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Not ready to quit or reduce, but a little concerned about the health, social or personal implications of tobacco use? Come talk to a cessation counselor! We respect the boundaries of our clients and don’t push when an individual is not ready to make this big change. What we will do is offer information when appropriate, have open conversations about the pros and cons of smoking, and help you decide if it is the right time in your life to quit and give real feedback on what tools (mental coping strategies) you will need when you decide you’re ready to work towards reducing or setting a quit date. There’s nothing to lose by speaking with a tobacco cessation counselor, except maybe a pack of cigarettes or two!

Give us a call today! For our Detroit location, reach Amber Jager at (313)446-9817 and for our Ypsilanti and Jackson location, reach Erin Suprunuk at (734)572-9355.

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Quit Smoking Tip of The Week: Fight Post-Cessation Depression!

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Quitting smoking can momentarily bring on a more depressed mood as your body adjusts its hormone balance and the nicotine receptors slowly start to decrease back to a normal level. Think of it this way- when you smoke a cigarette, nicotine attaches to naturally occurring receptors in your brain. When this happens, you get a flood of dopamine (the feel good hormone). As time goes on and your smoking becomes a habit, your brain develops even more receptors allowing more nicotine to bind to receptors, resulting in a huge flood of dopamine. Well, your brain is not used to having this much dopamine readily available and down regulates this amount. Think of it as you listening to uncomfortably loud music and putting earplugs in to lessen what you can hear (Sleight, VJ. (2016, September 18) A craving is just your brain screaming, “WHERE’S MY NICOTINE?” Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/craving-just-your-brain-screaming-wheres-my-nicotine-vj/). This is what your brain does with dopamine.

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Once you stop smoking, your brain will take a while (a few weeks usually) to adjust to the lessened amount of dopamine that is being produced. Your brain is still down regulating the amount of dopamine being produced, leading to even less dopamine being processed in your brain than before you started smoking. So, you’ve turned the music down but you haven’t taken the earplugs out yet (Sleight, VJ.). The time it takes is different for everyone’s brain to adjust to the normal hormone levels now being produced (some only days, some up to a few weeks) and this could by why some people experience depressed symptoms after quitting tobacco use and some do not. It could also be the reason for increased agitation and feelings of anxiety as part of the withdrawals.

Also, as we dive into the winter season in Michigan we need to be aware that seasonal depression is among us. Up to 10% of adults will experience SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder (Mental Health America, http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/sad).

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Here are a few things that you can do consistently throughout the week to help fight the onset of depression or to just increase your happiness in general: 

  • Keep a Gratitude Journal
  • Savor the moment. This could be any moment- having dinner with a friend, talking with a loved one, walking outside, etc. Savor it by being completely present in this moment- no thoughts of the past or future, electronics put away, thoughts on what you feel, see and hear in that moment.
  • Be kind to someone. This could be someone that you know, or a complete stranger. But the idea is to act with kindness without expecting anything in return. Open the door for someone, smile at a stranger, give someone a compliment.
  • Spend less money on things and more on experiences (but free experiences are an added bonus). We get used to and bored with things. Experiences are encoded as memories that we can cherish forever, and they foster personal growth.
  • Make a new social connection or strengthen a friendship that you currently have. Say hi to a stranger, call a friend that you haven’t spoken to in a while, check-in on your neighbor.

These are just a few! I encourage you to do some of your own research, try out new things and see what works for you to lessen the seasonal blues. I strongly believe in taking care of your mental health and reaching the highest potential as possible regarding your happiness– we all deserve it! If you would like to work on more specific coping mechanisms with a smoking cessation counselor one on one to develop an individualized approach with tangible resources to help you quit with less distress, reach out to Amber Jager at (313)446-9817 for persons living in the Detroit area, and Erin Suprunk at (734)961-1077 for persons living in the Ypsilanti and Jackson area to see if you qualify for FREE smoking cessation services!

Please take into consideration that the combination of these activities are meant to be a part of lifestyle changes in order to help increase general happiness and fight off mild feelings of depression, but are in no means meant to treat Major Depressive Disorder or other extreme conditions that need to be treated by a physician. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or experiencing extreme or worsening depression, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, and prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.

National Suicide Lifeline

Tobacco Reduction – What’s In A Quit Kit?

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By: Kayla Gamino (UNIFIED Tobacco Treatment Specialist)

An ample part of UNIFIED’s tobacco reduction program includes creating quit kits for clients.  During the initial assessment, we bring out the quit kit while discussing possible quit dates.  Each client accessing tobacco reduction services receives 1 quit kit for their time working with the tobacco treatment specialist.  Each quit kit includes: a journal, pens, candy/gum, educational tools, and fidget toys.

Journal- The journal is an especially important piece of the quit kit.  The journal is a good tool to help keep track of a person’s smoking habits prior to their quit date.  Many clients use it to write down when they have cravings, what they are doing when they have cravings, and how they are feeling when they have a craving.  This will help the tobacco treatment specialist and client to better come up with coping mechanisms and a quit plan together for when the client experiences cravings.  For example, if Mike records that he has a craving every time he is feeling bored then coming up with things for Mike to do while he is bored can help combat cravings.

Originally posted by gerimagsakay

Pens- The pens are good for when the client needs to journal.  We put 2-3 different colored pens in each quit kit to make it easier for the client to be able to journal. Pens can also act as a fidget toy.

Candy/Gum-  Each quit kit comes with a variety of candy.  We use Twizzlers, Life Savers, and mints normally.  The Twizzlers can help with the hand to mouth habit of smoking.  It is a similar shape to a cigarette.  The Life Savers, mints, and gum are good at combating the oral fixation that often comes with smokers.

Originally posted by fadedmapdots

Educational Tools-  In each quit kit, we put a pamphlet for the Michigan Tobacco Quit Line.  In the pamphlet, it gives little facts on how smoking affects the body as well as the number to the Quit Line for clients to utilize.  We also include a UNIFIED Tobacco Services palm card that has contact information and HIV and Tobacco use facts.  As an added bonus, we include the Michigan HIV/STD Hotline number.

Fidget Toys-  Each quit kit includes rubber bands that are used by switching wrists when a craving occurs.  It helps to keep the hands and mind busy.  Additionally, each client gets to choose another fidget toy.  We have two different options.  One is a bike chain fidget toy that is small enough to fit in a pants pocket.  The other is a Bendeez toy that can be molded into different shapes.  Both are used to help combat boredom and keep the hands and mind busy.

Originally posted by cracked

All of these items have gotten positive feedback from current tobacco clients.  If you are a current tobacco user and you think that a quit kit would be beneficial to your quit/reduction attempt, please contact UNIFIED- HIV Health and Beyond to meet with a Tobacco Treatment Specialist!

Introduction to UNIFIED’s Tobacco Reduction Program

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By: Kayla Gamino (UNIFIED Tobacco Treatment Specialist)

A session with the tobacco treatment specialists is different for everybody.  We meet you wherever you’re at and will continue to be there for you every step of the way.  It all starts with a referral from your case manager.  At each visit, they will ask about your tobacco use and assess your readiness to quit.  If you both decide that you are a good candidate for the tobacco program, the case manager will fill out a referral form with you and give it to the tobacco treatment specialists (TTS).

So how is your readiness to quit determined?  Through The FIVE A’s; ask, advise, assess, assist, and arrange.

  • Ask- Your case manager is required to ask every client about their tobacco use at each visit and record it in our records.
  • Advise-  If the client answered that they were a tobacco user, then the case manager will advise them to quit their tobacco use and discuss the benefits of doing so.
  • Assess-  Next, the case manager will assess the clients willingness and readiness to make a quit attempt.  If the client is interested in talking to the TTS about tobacco reduction, the case manager will then make the referral to the tobacco treatment specialist.  In some cases the case manager will refer the client, with the client’s consent, to the TTS before they are considered “ready” in order to get the client thinking about quitting and to help establish the relationship between the client and the tobacco treatment specialist.
  • Assist- At this point, the case manager and the tobacco treatment specialist have touched base and the client is now being assisted by completing sessions with the TTS.  During the sessions, the client and TTS will discuss reduction strategies and possible nicotine replacement therapy options.  These sessions can go many ways depending on the clients needs.  Some clients need to talk about outside sources that are affecting their tobacco use, while others simply want information on tobacco and health.
  • Arrange-  The TTS will arrange follow-ups with the client.  Depending on the clients stage of change and the client’s schedule, the TTS will likely meet weekly or biweekly with the client.  These follow-ups can be by phone or in person.  In some instances, the TTS will also meet the client at their home or a local business.  This is the point in the treatment where the TTS tries to meet the client wherever is easiest for them in order to help make the client more successful in their quit attempt.
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Originally posted by firelordasami

How we assess a client’s stage of change:
The Transtheoretical Model

The transtheoretical model is a behavior change model that was specifically created with tobacco cessation in mind.  The 5 stages of change are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.  It is important to know that the stages of change are not linear (that they don’t go in a single straight order).  Someone can go from being in action to contemplation in an instance.

  • Precontemplation- the client is not ready to quit or is not even considered quitting.
  • Contemplation- the client is considering quitting in the next 6 months.
  • Preparation- the client is ready to quit within the next 30 days.
  • Action- the client is currently on their quit attempt.
  • Maintenance- the client has successfully quit for 6 months.
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Because the transtheoretical model is not linear, a client can attempt to quit many times before being successful.  It is important to know that the tobacco treatment specialists are aware that not everyone will be successful right off the bat.  The specialists are there to help the client every step of the way in a completely non-judgmental environment.  Whether you’ve been working with them for months and relapse, or you met with them once and decided the program isn’t for you, they will always be there for you when you are ready to talk again.

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Want to learn more about UNIFIED’s tobacco reduction program? Visit us online at http://miunified.org/Get-Help/Services/Tobacco-Reduction-Services for more information.

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