Healthy lifestyle factors and benefits

Health Letter

Dear Joe,

As you know, I have been at school working hard on my education. Currently I am studying issues related to health and wellness and I have learned a lot. We have been studying issues that are common in our society that greatly contribute to health risks. Examples of this include such things as smoking cigarettes, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption. Each of these behaviors can cause problems far beyond what I would have ever expected. I think if more people were aware of the scope of the risks that they were taking then less people would take these risks.

As a result of this I wanted to confront you smoking habit. By no means do I want to upset you nor do anything that would make you feel pressured or annoyed. That's why I'm writing this letter. I thought a letter would be the least confrontational way to share some of the things that I have learned. My hope is to provide you with some of the information that I have learned during my studies so that you can make a more informed decision about your health. However, I am fully aware that ultimately the decision is yours and yours alone. Please understand that I love and care about you and your health and I am just trying to make sure that you have some timely information in which to base a decision about your health from this moment on. It is never too late to start living a healthier lifestyle.

There are many reasons that people smoke and it is important to understand the factors that influence people to do so. Many factors are somewhat hidden to the actual smokers and they may not fully understand their own internal motivations for smoking. There are behavioral predispositions and cognitive attributions that make it more likely for people to engage in the habit (Guo, Unger and Azen). Some cognitive attributions that are likely predictors for smoking development include items such as curiosity, autonomy, social image, engagement, and mental enhancement. Yet many of these predictors remain unknown to the potential smokers. For example, you may be driven by your social image without even realizing that it is the underlying reason that attracted you to smoking. However, whatever the case may be, if you become aware of the situation then this opens up a space for dialogue, or at least a consideration of the initial causes that led to the behavior.

There is another study that I think you should also be aware of that deals with the children of parents who smoke. Since you have children, I thought you might find such a study interesting. The study looked at over four hundred adolescents who had parents who smoked and analyzed their likelihood to adopt the smoking behaviors from their parents (de Leeuw, Sholte and Bermulst). The study found that parents who talked to their children about smoking in a constructive and respectful manner were far less likely to have smoking children. Furthermore, if the parents made a non-smoking agreement with their children then this also was associated with less risk of them smoking. However, if the parents did not engage in quality communication with their children about smoking then the children were more likely to adopt their parent's bad habits.

I do understand that trying to quit smoking can be one of the most challenging things in a person's life. The mental and physical addictions can be overwhelming a times. However, many people do quit and it is definitely possible. There isn't one method that works for everyone. Yet there are more alternatives than ever before of things that are designed to help you overcome the urges. Various pharmaceuticals have been developed that have been reported to help. There are also over the counter option to help deal with the nicotine withdrawal. Some people have also had success by switching to the electronic cigarettes which use water vapor as opposed to smoke.

Another research study that I have come by provides another possibly helpful piece of information if you do ever attempt to quit. Despite whatever method you choose to help with the initial withdrawals, it was found that people who actively exercise had a far less chance of relapse (Ussher, Taylor and Faulkner). It was found that former smokers who exercised regularly were far less likely to pick up smoking again at the end of a twelve month follow up. To me, this makes a lot of sense. Not only would you be improving your health by stopping smoking but you would also benefit from being more physically fit and active. If I were to guess, I would say that if you quit smoking and started a regular exercise program then you would probably feel better than you have felt in years.