Whether you have a diagnosis of cancer, or not, quitting
smoking is the best thing you can do for your overall
health. The Clinical Cancer Center offers individual
assistance in quitting by trained smoking cessation
counselors.
There are many health benefits for you when you quit:
- Decreases your risk for developing another cancer
related to tobacco
- Helps improve your immune response so you can fight
infections
- Improves your nutritional state by slowing your
metabolism so you burn calories more slowly. It also
increases your appetite with a better sense of smell and
taste.
- Clears your lungs so you have less chance of
complications after surgery
- Improves your circulation so you can heal and recover
more quickly
- Reduces your risk of other tobacco-related diseases
such as stroke, heart attack, chronic bronchitis and
emphysema.
Quitting gives you a sense of accomplishment by
triumphing over a powerful addiction to tobacco. Our smoking
cessation counselors discuss with you your past attempts to
quit. You and your counselor will get to know how cigarettes
have intertwined them-selves into your life. Your counselor
will help you plan for a quit date, giving you the tools and
support to help you be successful. You will also be educated
about the vari-ous aids available both over the counter and
by prescription. The two of you will decide what aid you
feel will assist you in quitting. Your counselor can direct
you to resources in your community as well as follow your
progress at clinic appointment and by phone.
We want to help you be successful at breaking the bond to
cigarettes and assist you in achieving your maximum health.
For questions about smoking cessation programs at UI Hospitals and Clinics,
call the Cancer Information Service at 319-356-3000 or 1-800-237-1225.
Related Links:
Division
of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine
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