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Heart Attack Warning Signs
A heart attack is a frightening event, and you probably don’t want to think about it. But, if you learn the signs of a heart attack and what steps to take, you can save a life–maybe your own. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/actintime/haws/haws.htm
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Anatomy of a Baby Boomer
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Kicking the Habit
If you use tobacco, quitting should be at the top of your New Year’s Resolution list. Lori Maness, the education and outreach coordinator at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute offers these strategies for kicking the habit.
See your doctor. Smoking is a health issue in which you should involve your health care provider. Although many people prefer to quit smoking on their own, they have a much higher chance of quitting when they are receiving support from a health care professional.
Take your medicine. The addiction to smoking is more than just a habit, receptors in your brain change and it becomes a physical addition. Quitting smoking can cause withdrawal symptoms which won’t be too difficult to manage if you are on appropriate medicines. Speak to your provider and pharmacist about your choices in medicines and discuss with them how to appropriately use it.
Get support. Tell everyone you know that you are quitting smoking. You are more likely to be successful if everyone knows that you are trying. Make sure you identify the most supportive people and allow them to help encourage you. Listen to their encouraging words.
No substitutions! There are many new tobacco products. When you quit smoking cigarettes don’t start smoking e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or use other forms of tobacco. It defeats the purpose of breaking your addiction and getting healthy. It also makes it more difficult to break your addition to nicotine. These products are for keeping you addicted. But, don’t be afraid of using nicotine replacement therapy, it is formulated to help you quit.
Keep trying. Think you have tried everything and you are doomed to a lifetime of smoking? Surprise, you haven’t tried everything. There are many new types of medications which can help, both over the counter and by prescription. Don’t give up.
Here are a few local resources that provide information, help, and support:
Truth Hotline; 1-888-567-TRUTH: Speak to a quit coach and make a quit plan. You can also find a list of local classes. Visit online at
utahquitnet.com
National Cancer Institute’s quit program; 1-877-44U-QUIT: speak to support staff by phone, or live chat. cancer.gov/cancertopics/smoking smokefree.gov is a step by step program created by Tobacco Control Research. There is a program specifically for women at women.smokefree.gov.
American Legacy Foundation’s quitting tobacco and getting support www.becomeanex.org.
Lori Maness has a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science and Health from the University of Utah and is currently working on an MBA. She has taught smoking cessation classes since 2002. Lori has managed the outreach prevention and education program at Huntsman Cancer Institute since 2006.
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Shingles
Thought you were through with chicken pox? Maybe not. According to medicinenet.com, over 1,000,000 Americans get shingles every year, most of them over 60. Shingles is a skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox and lies dormant in your body. Shingles can be brought on by stress or immune deficiencies.
Shingles are very painful. Symptons might begin with a headache or flu-like symptoms such as achiness, but without a fever. Shingles normally affect just one side of your body. You might eventually get a rash that will turn into blisters that can last up to six weeks.
You can’t catch shingles from someone else who has shingles. But a person with a shingles rash can spread chickenpox to another person who hasn’t had chickenpox and who hasn’t gotten the chickenpox vaccine.
There is no cure for shingles, but there are treatments in the form of antiviral medicines, creams and pain medicines. See your doctor if you experience symptoms of shingles.
