All You Need To Know About Aquatic Therapy

Exercises and treatments performed in water for relaxation, therapeutic benefits, fitness and physical rehabilitation is termed as aquatic therapy. Usually done in a pool or any aquatic environment, it is done under the guidance of a trained healthcare professional like an aquatic therapist. These treatments and exercises are performed while floating or while being partially or fully submerged into the water.

Aquatic Therapy
Many aquatic therapies are also performed in temperature-controlled pools. Rehabilitation mainly focuses on the issues associated with injuries, illness or disabilities. Physical therapy involving water is extremely beneficial to people suffering from neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disorders.

For centuries, water has been used as a therapeutic alternative in healing people suffering from various health issues, because of the healing capabilities that water possesses. This therapeutic use of water is termed as aquatic therapy. Although hydrotherapy uses water for therapeutic benefits, there is a vast difference between hydrotherapy and aquatic therapy.

Aquatic therapy includes a wide range of techniques and methods consisting of aquatic exercises, physical therapy, aquatic bodywork, and hydrokinesiotherapy, the movement based therapy in water.

Aquatic therapy programs have certain goals to achieve and these include:

  1. Balance and co-ordination improvement
  2. Increase in flexibility
  3. Strengthening
  4. Increase in muscle strength and endurance
  5. Reduced spasticity
  6. Assistance with locomotion and stride
  7. More relaxation and less stress
  8. Reduction in joint swelling and pain
  9. Increase in range of motion
  10. Increased tolerance to sitting and standing

Aquatic therapy is usually performed under the guidance of the therapist who helps in assisting in the exercises and is termed as passive treatment. However, it can also be performed on your own with self-generated and controlled movements, and exercises, termed as active treatment. Such techniques include Ai Chi, Aqua Running, Bad Ragaz Ring Method, Burdenko method, Halliwick concept and Watsu.

For a long time, it has been believed that water promotes healing and has been used in a variety of treatments for managing the ailments along with other treatments. The therapeutic application of water includes neurological disorders, cardiopulmonary problems, spine pain, musculoskeletal disorders, orthopedic disorders, pediatric disabilities etc. It is also beneficial for obese people as it helps them perform exercises that are difficult to perform on land.

Aquatic therapy has different variations which helps the therapists create treatment plans and exercise schedules according to individual needs and conditions. Such specific treatment plans help the patients mentally, emotionally and makes them stronger, thereby improving their overall quality of life.

History of Aquatic Therapy

Water has been used as a healing element for a very long period of time. Over the time, several other terms have been coined for this therapy such as hydrotherapy, aquatic exercise, water therapy, water gymnastics, aquatic rehabilitation, aqua therapy, pool therapy etc. Water has been used for a numerous remedial purposes.

The use of water as a therapy, aquatic therapy, dates back to the early 2400 BC, when the people in Asia and Greece immersed themselves in water for religious and therapeutic purposes. The ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, wrote about the healing properties of water and bathing in spring water to alleviate illnesses. He used water both externally and internally to treat a variety of illnesses. By 1500 BC, fevers were treated with water therapy. Ancient Greeks knew all the benefits of water, especially for healing muscle and joint pains.

Ancient Egyptians enjoyed bathing in their sacred river, Nile. Romans, following Greeks, considered bathing as a regime for good health. They built recuperation centers for wounded soldiers. Fatigued and injured from the war, the Roman soldiers used natural spring water to relax their muscles and treat sore wounds.

As time progressed, the use of water in therapy increased. In 800 BC Bath, England, known for its natural hot water springs, became famous as a center for healing through bathing. In the 1700s however, hydrotherapy developed by a German doctor Sigmund Hahn, came into existence. During this time, cold water was used to treat small pox victims. Vincent Priessnitz, in 1830, combined cold water and a rigorous exercise regimen to help sick people gain strength. This lead to the start of research on water, it’s temperature, and its reaction to certain diseases in Europe.

Over the course of several centuries, use of water therapy spread all over the world. New names were given, new methods and combinations were developed and new equipment were developed. Today, aquatic therapy is found in every sports center and facility. It helps in improving balance, co-ordination, muscle strength, cardiopulmonary endurance, pain management, motor skills and control, range of motion, and circulation.

Principles of Aquatic Therapy

The physical properties of water contribute to therapeutic effects.

Buoyancy permits floatation and reduces the effect of gravity. This allows people who cannot weight-bear on the land to put weight on their limbs in the water. Buoyancy has numerous benefits. It decreases joint compression forces, stress on connective tissues etc. It supports weak muscles, enhances flexibility and range of motion, and strengthens the muscles.Principles of Aquatic Therapy

Hydrostatic pressure is a force exerted on the body immersed in fluid. Hydrostatic pressure is beneficial in treating cardiovascular issues. The hydrostatic pressure pushes blood from the limbs towards the chest causing the heart to pump more blood and stretching of cardiac muscles. The stretching results in requiring a few heartbeats less than normal to pump the same amount of blood, thereby decreasing the patient’s heart rate while in water.

Routine aqua exercises can increase breathing capacity outside of water and increases efficiency of the heart. Similarly, hydrostatic pressure helps alleviate issues of renal system, respiratory system, and nervous system. Benefits of hydrostatic pressure are, reduction in pain and edema which in turn increase range of motion and increases blood circulation.

Viscosity provides resistance to water which increases as much as force is exerted against it. This helps in muscle strengthening. However, the resistance halts when the movements stop. It increases muscle balance and tone, and improves cardiopulmonary output. This resistance is especially helpful in people with Parkinson’s and cerebral palsy.

Aquatic Therapy Techniques

Ai Chi: Developed in 1993 by Jun Konno, Ai Chi is a total body relaxation and strengthening technique used in aquatic therapy. It uses deep breathing techniques inspired by Tai Chi and Qigong. This technique focuses on deep breathing and gradual movements of the upper and lower extremities, trunk and then the entire torso. The movements are slow, accompanied by deep diaphragmatic breathing and a calm state of mind.

Bad Ragaz Ring method: Developed in Bad Ragaz springs in eastern Switzerland by physiotherapists, it is a technique primarily focusing on improving neuromuscular functioning. Ring refers to the floats or rings that this method uses to support patients to be on surface of water. It involves a therapist acting as a fixed point, assisting the patient in their movements while the patient floats horizontally. The patient is guided through specific movements for muscular elongation and relaxation, and pain modulation with the ultimate goal of improving neuromuscular function, and active and passive range of motion.

Burdenko method: Developed by a Soviet professor, Igor Burdenko, this method focuses on six main aspects of movement. It is an integrated land-water sports therapy, mainly focusing on balance, co-ordination, strength, flexibility, endurance, and speed.

Halliwick concept: Developed in the late 1940s by fluid mechanics engineer, James McMillan, this technique focuses on the biophysical principle of motor control in water. This develops sense of balance and core stability. It mainly focuses on teaching swimming and independence in water to disabled patients. It has been used in neuro rehabilitation and pediatrics.

Watsu: Developed in the early 1980s by Harold Dull in California, this technique is used for deep relaxation and is a passive therapy. It is performed one-on-one in warm chest-deep water. The therapist gently cradles, moves, stretches, and massages a patient. The session consists of breathing co-ordination, movement patterns including stillness, gentle cradling, and stretching and mobilization, and massage depending upon the needs of the patient.

Aqua running: It is a form of water sport done in deep water using a support to float in the water. It involves running and jogging in the water. Helpful for injured athletes and people aiming for low impact aerobic workout. Aqua running or aqua jogging, conditions the cardiovascular system.

Benefits of Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic therapy is a unique form of physical therapy that assists the patient to slowly recover at a progressive pace that reduces the normal recovery time. Though aquatic therapy has been around for centuries, it is still progressing and developing new techniques to help patients recover. This form of physical therapy has variety of benefits. Some of which include improved balance and coordination, increased muscle strength, tone and endurance, cardiopulmonary endurance, improved motor skills and control, improvement in range of motion and circulatory function.Benefits of Aquatic Therapy

Benefits of this therapy are greatly experienced by people suffering from sensory disorders, muscle weakness, spasticity, incoordination, balance issues, orthopedic injuries, trauma, neurological problems, arthritis, respiratory problems, depression, cardiac issues and motor skill defects.

Aquatic therapy is specifically designed for therapeutic purposes and is typically used by people suffering from disorders, disabilities, or injuries. You don’t need to know how to swim if you want to undergo aquatic therapy. Indulging in this form of therapy helps you develop an ability to perform exercises and a sense of confidence that you have great endurance and flexibility.
This therapy provides a relaxing way to reconnect with your body after suffering from an illness and helps you recover faster. It helps reduce stress and pain and pushes you towards a healthier and improved way of living.

If you or a person you know wants to get involved in this therapy, talk to your healthcare provider and understand if this is a better option for you to recover.

10 Best Home Remedies On Piles You Will Read This Year

Piles, also called as hemorrhoids, are swelling of blood vessels located in the region of rectum and anus. They can occur internally or externally. Internal piles are formed at few centimeters above the opening of anus. On the basis of their size, they are divided into four grades – grade I to grade IV; grade I being the commencing or the starting stage and grade IV being the final stage. External piles (termed medically as perianal hematoma) are visible and can be afflictive.

There could be several causes of piles; constipation being the major culprit. Pregnancy, exerting undue stress over anal muscles while defecating, history of rectal surgery and lifting of heavy weight could be possible reasons for piles.

https://www.medifee.com/treatment/piles-surgery-cost/
Though people from any age group can be affected by piles, it mostly attacks people aged between 45-65. Hence, people falling under this age group should be more careful about their toilet habits. Piles give out early signs of warning in form of symptoms like pain while defecating, formation of hard lumps around the anus, presence of blood in the stools, mucus discharge while passing stools and itchiness around anus. If the symptoms are not treated in germinating stages of piles, they will worsen further and cause more damage.

Piles surgery is the only option implemented to treat piles which has advanced to final stage. Before piles can take control of the body, we should implement measures to curb it.

Here are 10 best home remedies on piles that may stop you from searching piles surgery cost.

Continue reading “10 Best Home Remedies On Piles You Will Read This Year”

Are You Really Taking Care of Your Teeth?

We all have been through the painfully long wait at the dentist’s office and the further painful session seated in the dentist chair. A visit to the dentist is never fun. Starting from having your teeth cleaned to a root canal, teeth and gums are the more sensitive parts of the human anatomy. And not to mention every trip burns a large hole in your wallet.

Today, because of the kind of lifestyles we lead with our vegan phases, liquid diets and fluctuation nutrition intake and green tea binge drinking, our teeth are bearing the brunt of our experiments. So it is possibly more important than ever to make dental hygiene a habit.Close-up of patient’s open mouth before oral checkup with mirror near by

Ironically, dental hygiene is also the easiest to take care of at home, but easily one of the most ignored. We bring you some important do’s and don’t’s for simple maintenance of dental hygiene.  Continue reading “Are You Really Taking Care of Your Teeth?”

Take Advantage of These 10 Healthiest Drinks – Be Healthy

After a long weekend of binge drinking with friends, a friend’s wedding or after a weekend getaway, here are the two words going through your mind: liquid diet. This trend of detoxing your body caught on a few years back. Having proved effective in providing sufficient hydration to the body, it strengthens your muscles and is much easier to execute than a regular diet with solid food.

Since we all have tried (and then some) this form of dietary nutrition, we thought of bringing you the drinks that are safe to binge on. Here’s a list of the top ten healthiest drinks in the world, and why your body can never have enough of them.liquid2 Continue reading “Take Advantage of These 10 Healthiest Drinks – Be Healthy”

Childhood Obesity and How to Fight It

A recent study by the JAMA showed that more than two thirds of Americans around the age of twenty five are obese. UK reports that one in ten children face childhood obesity in kindergarten and the number is one in five by the time they hit school. The numbers in India may not be as alarming, but medical research institutes predict that they will be dangerously close to their Western counterparts in the next decade. A latest report by The Times of India reiterates this fact. India is already the third most obese country in the world. “Latest estimates show prevalence of obesity among adolescents (13-18 years) has grown from 16% to 29% over the last five years,” the report says.

WHO calls childhood obese one of the most urgent problems of the 21st century
WHO calls childhood obesity one of the most urgent problems of the 21st century

Continue reading “Childhood Obesity and How to Fight It”

Get Ready for Monsoon – Useful Tips for You

It is the time for monsoons. If you’re a rainy season person then you might be looking forward to tucking in with a hot cuppa while in bed as it thunders and storms outside or going for a long walk with the drizzle for company. But this change of weather brings with it a lot of cause for concern.

But before you slip into your rain wear and pick the next hike in the mountains, watch out for a few things. The monsoon looks like a fun season, but it brings with it the danger of a lot of diseases and health effects. There is a higher risk of allergies and infections and the spread of water-borne diseases is much higher. Also, since there is minimum sunlight, bacteria and viruses thrive in this weather, attacking our immune system.rain5

So just at the onset of the monsoons, we thought we would prepare a short checklist of things that you need to go through to make sure you’re weather ready. Right from your diet, clothing and exercise your routine would need to be modified slightly to accommodate the  season of the rains. Continue reading “Get Ready for Monsoon – Useful Tips for You”

Are You Working Out at Work?

The 21st century office-goer in large metros or smaller cities, spends more than half his day commuting to work and back and sitting before his desk. This behavior is making us all unhealthy. There are no immediate repercussions but every minute you spend staring at your screen, bustling through meetings and skipping lunch to read the brief one last time, you’re either unwittingly gaining weight, adding to your stress levels and fueling hypertension and anxiety. It is not exactly the healthiest thing for your heart either.office

But to battle this silent assailant, people across the world are exercising at work. In small and mysterious ways, the workplace has changed from being a strictly professional work environment to a place where you can take twenty to go for a run, shove your jogging shoes in your drawer next to your files and have health food delivered at your desk. So are you working out at work?  Continue reading “Are You Working Out at Work?”

Don’t Waste Time! Know These Facts About Yoga

yoga_1

The excitement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation brought about in creating two Guinness Book World Records for India, one for largest number of people practicing Yoga simultaneously and the largest number of people of different nationalities coming together to perform the exercise, has turned attention back to India’s ancient form of training of the mind and the body.  International Yoga Day was declared by the United Nations of June 21, with close to 36,000 people performed asanas with the prime minister.

If you read the reports or saw the coverage and felt like pulling out your yoga pants or checking the price of a yoga mat online, let’s take a moment to understand this effective form of exercise. Deemed as one of the more balanced training vitalizing the spiritual, religious, physical and mental condition of the body. It may not be taken lightly. So before we jump onto the bandwagon, let us look at what we know about yoga, and the more important do’s and don’t’s.

What you need to know:

yoga2

 

  • Yoga is not just a physical exercise, but it improves muscles and skeleton structure of the body and does wonders for your cardiovascular system
  • It is the purest form of meditation, and practise it regularly and notice yourself becoming calmer, reducing levels of stress, hypertension and many lifestyle related diseases
  •  If you’ve suffered from mild attacks of anxiety or depression, you have naturally been recommended Yoga. It is a prescribed cure for improving mental stability and battling depression
  • Ditto for insomniacs; Yoga will relax the mind, clear the head and will help you sleep better
  • You’ll never have looked better. Yoga clears up your skin, improves your poster and sculpts and tightens your muscles. Like mentioned before, Yoga is not to be taken lightly. An exercise that lends so much to your system needs to have a set of guidelines. So before you start practicing Yoga at home or sign up for the next class nearby, browse through these important do’s and don’t’s.Do’s: 
  • Drink lots of water daily: If you’re not in the habit of hydrating yourself, make one of out it now. Yoga looks like it’s a breeze, but regulars will tell you how taxing asanas can be. You need plenty of water to avoid cramping and exhaustion.
  • Invest in a Yoga mat: If you plan to take Yoga seriously, buy a mat. The thickness and size will save you back pain. Never practise on the floor directly. If you don’t have a mat, carry a light mattress, sheet or perform on carpeted floor.
  • Be an early bird:  Join an early morning batch or wake up an hour earlier to your schedule to do Yoga. The benefits of waking up early to an hour of Yoga are endless. It is a healthy start to the day when your mind is at its most peaceful and calm state. Perfect for Yoga.

    If you're a beginner, join a class or perform Yoga under supervision
    If you’re a beginner, join a class or perform Yoga under supervision
  • Breathe: Yoga helps you breathe better. Throughout the exercise, breathe through your nose. Make it a habit, and it will help you breathe easy otherwise as well.
  • Beginners, join a class: For people who have not practised Yoga before, it is advised to join a class or hire a trainer. Yoga is more complicated than it looks, and maintaining the right poster, stretching the correct limbs and not overdoing it is of extreme importance.

Don’t’s:

  • Food woes: Never practice on a full stomach. Yoga must be performed on an empty to light stomach.
  • Women, pay attention to your cycle: Skip the class when you’re on your menstrual cycle. Pregnant women should also keep away from Yoga.
  • Patients stay away: If you’ve just been through a surgery or an accident, consult a physician before you resume Yoga. Your body may not be in the right state to start stretching yet, and you may end up doing more harm than good.
  • Take thirty: Wait for twenty minutes to half an hour before you eat or drink anything. Your body has been through an intense workout. Give it time to cool off.
  • Do what you can: If you’re a beginner, take it easy. If you can’t strike a particularly tricky asana, try it later but don’t push yourself too hard. You’ll end up pulling a muscle instead. If something hurts, stop. It is your body telling you that it can’t take it.

    Yoga is not easy; if something aches, back off. It's your body's way of telling you it's in pain
    Yoga is not easy; if something aches, back off. It’s your body’s way of telling you it’s in pain
  • Keep calm and carry on: You’re not going to see results in one or two sessions. But continue for a few weeks and you’ll start feeling the difference. If the first few classes bore you out, (yes, it’s a slow exercise and there’s no music) stick it out. You’ll not regret it.

Under the practised care of an expert, Yoga will elevate your exercise experience. So if you’re a beginner, an expert or just interested to give it a shot, there’s no better time than now. The world is, literally at its feet. So take a deep breath and begin.

 

Why you need to pay attention to your anger-anxiety issues

Are you always angry?

If the last time you let your anger get better of you and it took you by surprise, you need to take a more serious look at the problem. If you’ve raised your voice more than once at a dinner party, punched a wall after a fight, stormed out of a room in anger or more importantly, felt the increasing urge to do any of the aforementioned things, you’re probably angrier than you think you are.

Anger and anxiety are problems that can easily go undiagnosed and untreated. The issues may be boiling under layers of denial and ignorance years before they finally burst out. The more serious worry though is that people may not even be aware that they may be suffering from serious anger issues.

Even if you think you have your anger in control, here are some things you probably didn’t know your anger could lead to. No matter in what stage you think you are, inadvertently your anger is taking control of you with every temper tantrum. There is a list of scary and serious effects of anger including, mild to severe headaches, digestion problems, such as abdominal pain, stomach uneasiness, insomnia, depression, high blood pressure and skin problems. If you’ve been battling with anger for a while, you must have also been warned against the high level of stress it causes you, the risk to your heart .

Anger affects your health through migraines, depression and increases the risk of heart diseases
Anger affects your health through migraines, depression and increases the risk of heart diseases

To get you acclimatized to your issues, you need to identify your problem. Here are some quick pointers:

  • Admit to your problem:

    Notice your behavior carefully for a week. If you think your problem is not chronic, or not as serious, be vigilant with yourself. The next time you get angry, make a mental note. If your anger episodes are occurring more frequently than you thought, Houston, we have a problem.

    Aggressive or repressive: 

    Here’s the tricky part. Even if you’ve not yelled at the cashier, packed a punch at the punks who ticked you off or raised your voice in anger, you may still want to take a closer look at yourself. You may be repressing anger by keeping it bottled up. It is just harmful as aggressive anger, possibly even unhealthier.

  • Pay attention to physical symptoms:

    Usually when a person gets angry, the body reacts to that anger. If a colleague is inefficient, your employees have walked in late or your spouse is driving you up the wall, your body will react first. That pain in your neck will start acting up, your joints will probably call for attention or the throbbing pain in your temple will return. This is your body telling you that a storm is coming.

  • One or many:

    Once you’ve identified your issues, try and figure out if it is only one problem you’re stresses about or many. If it’s a one-situation only anger, then it is slightly easier to handle. For instance, if only work-related issues stress you out, then the problem is at work, and not at home. If this is not the case though and the problem is your temper and not the environment, then you need to work on yourself.hulk2The point of the matter is, don’t take your anger lightly. If not today, a year or five later, you will be left facing either physical or mental consequences of your anger. Treat it now when you can. Here are some simple DIY anger management tips:

  • Get help:

    A visit to a doctor is probably the smartest thing you will do all day. Not only will you know how serious your problem is, a therapist might help subdue the problem before it gets worse.

  • Find your exit activity:

    If you see the familiar symptoms of the imminent anger outburst, excuse yourself and walk away. Find an activity that will help you cool off. Take a walk or go for a run. Go talk to a more friendly voice or put on your favourite music playlist. Change the mood and return when you feel calmer.

    Find an activity that calms you down, change it monthly
    Find an activity that calms you down, change it monthly
  • Don’t get angry at the same thing twice:

    You can be better than that. If you’ve already realised you have no patience for incompetent drivers on the road, or your child’s messy bedroom, don’t return to the same issue. Accept some inevitable life truths, and try moving on from the small stuff.

  • Discover a new hobby:

    Distraction is the key here. People who have anger issues usually hate the Hulk monster they become once they turn green. So add an aspect to your personality that you really enjoy. Take up cooking, music or sports. Become a cinephile for a month. Change your activity monthly.The important positive to remember here is the amount of advancement medicine has made in terms of mental health. So today you have therapists, pain relievers and medication to help you pull through. The equipment is ready, so it’s now time to let go and breathe easy.

Want To Quit Your Smoking Habit? You Need To Read This First

A new study by the JAMA Internal Medicine journal has proved that smoking causes more than 48 per cent of deaths from the 12 types of cancer. In a recent news story, TIME magazine quoted the journal saying that, ‘Smoking resulted in more than 80 per cent of lung cancer deaths as well as 77 per cent of larynx cancer deaths. Other top cancers caused by smoking include esophagus, kidney and liver cancer.’

To put it more simply, almost half the deaths caused by cancer were linked to smoking. Though these figures were limited to the United States of America, it is not too difficult to extrapolate these numbers globally, or to India.

These figures that scream to you across news headlines are not new. With every research paper published, the case against smoking is getting stronger. But to quit smoking is never easy. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably tried to quit, more than once perhaps, and undergone a relapse.

But there is no shame in admitting  defeat and giving it another try.  So if you’re trying to quit, helping a friend/spouse or child cut down or have never tried to cut down because you don’t know how to, here are some pointers to nudge you to stub it out.

What’s your number?
Identify the problem you’re dealing with. Make a note of the number of cigarettes you smoke daily. Be completely honest, even if you smoke more than you thought you do. The aim is to cut that number down. Once you give a face to the problem, it gets easier to deal with it. So if you smoke ten cigarettes a day, the number needs to go down to eight, then five. Set yourself a target for each week. After two or three weeks, cut the number of cigarettes by one. Go slow, set a reasonable number for yourself.

Find a Reason to Quit 

 

The reason will make your resolve to quit even stronger
The reason will make your resolve to quit even stronger

Even though quitting to stay healthy is reason enough, give yourself a separate reason. Are you bringing up kids? Did you quit swimming after you started smoking? Does your husband hate the fact that you smoke? Is it making your skin look darker and making you look older? All you need is one reason. You’ll find that it is easier to latch on to your resolve, once you have a strong reminder of why you’re quitting.

Employ ‘The Buddy System’ 

Find a friend who wants to quit too. But it is important to keep in mind that this friend must be equally motivated to quit. Once you have your ‘person’, make a pact of how many you’re allowing each other to smoke. If you cross the line, tell him, he’ll understand. If you do well, tell him, he’ll want to do better. Two is always better than one, whether it’s to complain about craving a smoke, or discuss withdrawal symptoms. Drag this buddy to parties so that you can keep a tab on each other.

 Make some rules

Promise yourself you won’t smoke after dinner, in the car or in the bedroom. Stay away from your usual smoking zones such as the smoke room at work, your terrace and your  balcony. Don’t buy a packet of cigarettes on your way home. Throw away your ashtray and lighter. You’ll find that refusing a smoke after a couple of beers is hard, but physically trying to clean out your life is much easier.

Ask for medical help

Try Nicotine Replacement Therapy, which means supplying your body with nicotine but not through tobacco. Try options such as nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers, and nasal sprays. You can also ask your doctor for prescription pills to help with the withdrawal.

Try using a nicotine patch as an alternative to tobacco
Try using a nicotine patch as an alternative to tobacco

Replace smoking with a hobby

Discover a new activity that will excite you. Take up cycling, running, swimming (exercise will also help you feel better about quitting). Pick up a musical instrument or a fresh hobby such as cooking. gardening or painting. You don’t need to be very good at this, just good enough to be distracted.

Exercise will help you get back into shape and also prove as a distraction
Exercise will help you get back into shape and also prove as a distraction

It’s okay to slip

Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you decided to smoke four cigarettes a day, and have not stuck to your word, try again tomorrow. Don’t abandon your plan midway. It’s a long road, and a few bumps along the way never hurt anyone.

Aim towards quitting altogether

Once you have your cigarettes per day in control, take the plunge for the next step. If you’ve cut down successfully and feel comfortable enough, concentrate on quitting. It’s only the next step.

Anyone who has quit smoking successfully will tell you that it was not the easiest thing in the world for them to do. But the rush of taking your life in control is going to make the long and hard journey worth it.