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" If you smoke and want to stop, there&amp;#039;s no better time than now to quit. Roughly 18 percent of adult women in the U.S. (1 out of every 6) currently smoke. Although this rate has declined over the last 60 years, the reality is that lung cancer is now the leading cancer killer among women. And of those deaths, 90 percent are attributed to tobacco dependence, says Michael Fiore, MD, director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention. Now for the good news: 40 million people have managed to quit smoking! &amp;quot;There are more ex-smokers in the U.S. than smokers,&amp;quot; says Bill Blatt, director of tobacco programs at the American Lung Association. If you want to become smoke-free, there&amp;#039;s no better time than this month: November 18 marks the American Cancer Society&amp;#039;s 35th Great American Smokeout, which encourages people to make the commitment to a smoke-free lifestyle. Read on to find out why you should quit and how to go about doing it.   Why Quit?  The health benefits of quitting start almost immediately after you stop puffing. Here are some of the best reasons to commit today:  Your fertility will increase. &amp;quot;One of the leading causes of infertility is smoking,&amp;quot; says Dr. Fiore. This could be due to a number of factors, such as a reduced level of estrogen and lower blood flow to genital organs, which can result in sexual health issues.  Your blood pressure will go down. &amp;quot;Blood pressure rises acutely after you smoke, so the more you go smoke-free, the less you are putting yourself at risk,&amp;quot; says Dr. Fiore.   Your kids will be less likely to smoke. &amp;quot;The number one predictor for teenagers and smoking is having a parent who smokes,&amp;quot; says Blatt. They learn by example, so do them and yourself a favor by committing to quit as soon as possible. Your chances of developing lung cancer will decrease. The Nurses&amp;#039; Health Study at Harvard University found that women who stopped smoking had a 21 percent reduction in lung cancer risk within five years of kicking the habit.   Your carbon monoxide blood levels will go down. According to the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, within a few hours of your being cigarette-free, the level of carbon monoxide\u2014an odorless gas found in cigarette smoke that reduces the blood&amp;#039;s ability to carry oxygen\u2014in your blood begins to decline.   Your heart attack risk will decrease drastically. &amp;quot;After just one year of [quitting], your chances of having a heart attack go down by 50 percent,&amp;quot; says Dr. Fiore.   You will be less wheezy. According to the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, within a few weeks of quitting cigarettes, women have improved circulation, don&amp;#039;t produce as much phlegm and don&amp;#039;t cough or wheeze as often.  How to Quit  There&amp;#039;s no shortage of resources to help you quit, so take the time to explore your options. And remember: It&amp;#039;s important to try more than one, sometimes at the same time! &amp;quot;Trying multiple things at once, such as medication and counseling, gives you the greatest possible chance of success,&amp;quot; says Blatt. Here&amp;#039;s what&amp;#039;s available:   Medication: There are seven FDA-approved medications to help you quit. Five of them are over-the-counter (patch, gum, nasal spray, inhaler and lozenge) and are a form of nicotine replacement therapy, which means they provide a reduced amount of nicotine to help your body wean off it. The other two FDA-approved options are medications (Zyban and Chantix) that you&amp;#039;ll need a prescription for. Talk to your doctor about the right option for you.  800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669): This national phone number will connect you to the local smoking cessation line specific to your state. A local phone counselor will then assist you for free.   800-LUNG-USA (800-586-4872):This is a free service staffed by respiratory nurses and therapists who can advise you on all matters of lung health. When you first call, you will be matched up with a counselor whom you&amp;#039;ll work with over the phone from that point on. The counselor can help you find resources in your area, guide you through the cessation process and discuss certain medication options.  Freedom from Smoking Clinic: The American Lung Association offers this face-to-face adult cessation program, where a trained facilitator helps you through the quitting process as well as your first few weeks of living smoke-free. Clinics are available throughout the country; some sites have fees, whereas others are free of charge. Visit LungUSA.org to find your local American Lung Association chapter.   Freedom from Smoking Online: If you&amp;#039;re not able to make it to a clinic or prefer online support, try the Internet version of the American Lung Association&amp;#039;s program at FFSOnline.org. For a fee of $15 for a 3-month membership (or $40 for one year), you&amp;#039;ll get online counseling sessions, community support and access to online message boards.   UW-CTRI:The University of Wisconsin&amp;#039;s Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention provides specific information about women and a great deal of research about methods of quitting. This is a great site to browse if you&amp;#039;re interested in educating yourself about studies on smoking.   Alternative therapies: You may have heard of treatments like hypnosis or acupuncture to help you quit, but experts suggest approaching these with caution. &amp;quot;Although they might work for some individuals, the truth is that none of these options have been scientifically proven to work, nor are they backed by the FDA,&amp;quot; says Blatt.   Common Quitting Mistakes  Don&amp;#039;t let these easy-to-make blunders hinder you from stopping smoking. Learn what you need to avoid:   Mistake #1: Thinking it takes only one try. &amp;quot;On average, it takes people seven to nine attempts before they successfully quit,&amp;quot; says Blatt. That statistic isn&amp;#039;t meant to discourage; rather, it&amp;#039;s a reminder that everyone&amp;#039;s process is different.   Mistake #2: Trying to do it alone. Reach out and get all the help you can. In fact, some research has found that one of the most effective ways to quit for good is to combine one of the FDA-approved medications with counseling. Don&amp;#039;t be afraid to ask for help and pursue the counseling options available. Visit Smokefree Women or the American Lung Association for resources and information.   Mistake #3: Assuming it&amp;#039;s just a matter of willpower. Tobacco dependence is a serious physical addiction, not just a matter of being strong. &amp;quot;If you were a diabetic, would you use willpower to control your disease?&amp;quot; asks Dr. Fiore. &amp;quot;No, you would use all medical tools available.&amp;quot;  Mistake #4: Confusing a lapse and a relapse. Just because you smoke one cigarette at any point after quitting doesn&amp;#039;t mean you are relapsing and should then just continue smoking. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s fairly common for smokers to quit and then have a slip-up here and there,&amp;quot; says Blatt. &amp;quot;The key is to realize that you&amp;#039;re not having a relapse and to just get back on track.&amp;quot;   Mistake #5: Letting alcohol get in the way. &amp;amp;gt;Half the people who try to quit and end up relapsing have alcohol in their bloodstream. &amp;quot;Smoking and drinking are so intertwined because you start to let your guard down and have reduced inhibitions,&amp;quot; says Dr. Fiore. Limit yourself to two drinks per day or fewer if you think this might be a problem for you.  Mistake #6: Ignoring small victories. Remember that any time you spend smoke-free is a success, emphasizes Blatt. Even if it&amp;#039;s been two days, remind yourself of the healthy benefits your body has already reaped, and jot down what worked for you on those specific days. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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