Here are some tips:

Related: More Quit Smoking Tips

Preparing to Quit

  • Know your purpose for quitting. Write down reasons for quitting smoking in your diary to remind yourself.

  • Set a quit date. Pick a date in the not too distant future, say within the next two weeks so that you have enough time to prepare without losing your motivation. And stick to it.

A woman circling a date on a calendar 

  • Choose a quit method that works best for you. Decide whether to quit cold turkey, gradually reduce, use nicotine replacement therapy or seek professional help. 

  • Talk to your doctor. Ask your doctor for advice on how to manage the side effects of quitting smoking such as increased appetite, weight gain, mood change and fluctuations in blood glucose levels.

  • Tell your friends and family. Let them know you’re trying to quit smoking and ask for their support. Instead of bottling up your frustration, tell them how you feel.

Quitting

 

  1. Throw away cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays. Ditch everything that tempts you to smoke. When you feel yourself craving a cigarette, take a deep breath and hold it for 10 seconds, before exhaling slowly.

  2. Snack healthy. When you crave for something to munch, drink a glass of water first before you reach for a snack. And if you must have a snack, choose one with a low Glycaemic Index such as celery or cucumber sticks or a small cup of plain low-fat yoghurt.

Fresh fruit yoghurt parfait in a clear glass toppied withblueberries and raspberries 

  1. Drink plenty of water to flush out nicotine from your system and stay well hydrated. For people with diabetes, drinking plenty of water is an important part of managing a healthy blood glucose level.

  2. Make time for exercise. Regular physical activity helps to stabilise your blood glucose levels and improve your mood. It also distracts you from craving for a cigarette.

  3. Minimise all sources of nicotine. As the nicotine in nicotine replacement therapy can cause spikes in blood glucose, reduce your reliance on these items over time.

 

A woman practicing deep breathing in yoga class 
  1. Learn to relax. It can be stressful managing diabetes and trying to quit smoking. Make sure you get enough sleep and find many ways to de-stress like exercise, music, meditation and self-massage.

  2. Celebrate small successes. Quitting smoking is tough, so reward yourself for your successes. Give yourself a treat each time you make it through the week without a cigarette. Count how much you’ve saved by not buying cigarettes. Each small success brings you a step nearer to your goal of quitting smoking for good. Give yourself a pat and allow yourself to feel good.

    3. Don't Give Up Even if You Relapse


  3. Refocus. If you do slip-up and smoke a cigarette, stay calm and don’t blame yourself or dwell on it. Move on and apply the techniques you've learnt to counter any smoking triggers, such as delay, deep breathing, drink water and distract yourself.

Join the I Quit Programme and remain smoke free for 28 days and you are 5 times more likely to quit smoking. You can nominate your loved ones as a supporter when you sign up for the programme. Validate your smoke-free status and redeem a HPB eVoucher* worth $50 at the 28th day milestone. Keep going and you'll also receive eVouchers* worth $30 and $20 at the 3rd month and 6th month milestone respectively!

*Terms and conditions apply.

Find out more about quit smoking services or call QuitLine at 1800 438 2000^.

^Kindly note that airtime charges apply for mobile calls to 1800 service lines and calls are free of charge only if made from regular land lines.

 

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References

  1. Sherman, J.J. (2016). The impact of smoking and quitting smoking on patients with diabetes. Diabetes Spectrum, 18(4), p 202-208.
    Retrieved November 2016 from http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/18/4/202