Smoking is one of the worst habits in terms of the impact it takes on our health. It increasing the risk of circulatory problems and can lead to lung cancer. Thanks to the addictive effect of cigarettes and aggressive marketing, the tobacco industry flourishes. Worldwide, there are approximately 18 billion cigarettes being sold every day, or 6.5 trillion per year. It is vital to start the process of quitting smoking, the first step is tracking how many you consume and gradually decrease the amount of tobacco consumed using a no smoking tracker. An app like CareClinic can help you track your consumption and keep you on track to lower your consumption.
Quitting smoking is associated with reduced health risk, improved respiratory capacity. It increases your lifespan and protects you from potentially life-threatening chronic conditions, such as heart disease and or cancer. It is also one of the hardest habits to let go of, the chances of relapse being considerably high. If you have decided to become smoke-free, you will benefit from using a quit smoking app.
Before we jump to how the CareClinic App can help you, it can be stated that quitting Vaping (or e-cigarettes) can also be done in the same way. Recently, there has been a massive proliferation in people using products such as JUUL which have flavored nicotine salts that provide flavor, and the mild buzz that has gotten smokers addicted.
It is still early to know all the detrimental effects that can be caused by Vaping, but some smokers have found benefit in easing off by using Vaping as a cessation product then slowly tapering off of Vaping as well with less and less nicotine in their “pods”.
More Than Just a Cigarette Tracker App
CareClinic is a health app that can be used, among other things, as a smoking log. As you will see how much you are smoking, it will become easier to give up this habit and become smoke-free.
The application comes with an integrated health journal, which can make the whole process of quitting smoking easier. You can record how smoking makes you feel, and also the circumstances in which you were tempted to smoke (for example, in association with stress, a particular event, etc.). You might even want to rate how badly you wanted that cigarette, as this can help you understand your addiction and its potential triggers.
Within the application, you can note the date, time and circumstances associated with smoking. You can take your time and describe your feelings, or mood in general, as many smokers engage in this habit as a way of coping with negative emotions, stress, anxiety, depression. Most importantly, you can record how you responded to that situation – if smoking always appears as the number one choice, it might be high time to go ahead and quit.
Personalized plan through the app for quitting
Smoking is a habit that becomes stronger with the passing of time. The body, and especially the brain, starts to crave the nicotine and the pleasurable sensation it brings. For some people, it might be impossible to stop. And this is where health apps such as CareClinic come in.
The application allows you to create a personalized intervention plan, which will be useful in quitting smoking for good. You can decide to go cold turkey and give it up in a day, or slowly reduce the number of cigarettes. Either way, you can trust the application to track your cigarette consumption and associated cravings. The app will help you see your progress and, thus, keep you on the right track.
What kind of information can you record in the App?
The most important thing is that you keep a careful eye on your habit and everything that it entails. You can record how many cigarettes you smoke in a day, what made you smoke and the intervals in which you stayed smoke-free. The app is available for Android and iOS, and happens to work on tablets too.
Discover Correlations to find out When and What Makes You Smoke
The smoke tracker app is comprehensive in reporting so you are able to discover what correlates the most with you smoking, is it while watching TV? Eating certain foods? Knowing this information can help you avoid the “trigger” that encourages you to smoke.
Once you quit smoking, you can keep logging information, such as how long it passed since you gave this habit up, how much money you saved and a number of cigarettes avoided.
You can also use it to record your smoking habits, where you can view your smoking log at a later time or view charts to see how often you smoke, this sort of functionality is available in the app free of charge. Many smokers complain of cough, breathing difficulties and halitosis. You can even make a parallel and describe how you felt before and after quitting this habit in the diary part of your check-ins in the app. As you will notice your health improving, you will also feel more motivated to stay away from cigarettes.
Patterns, cravings and triggers
For the majority of the people out there, quitting smoking is a process that lasts. And there might be good days, when you forget about smoking altogether, but also bad ones, in which you really crave a cigarette every other minute. By using CareClinic’s health app, you can manage your cravings and identify both triggers, and patterns of behavior.
For instance, many people crave cigarettes when they are stressed or upset. They associate smoking with emotional release, needing a cigarette to calm down or feel like their own selves. For others, smoking has a relaxing effect, being associated with pleasurable activities. It is also true that smoking is a social habit, this being the reason why so many people like to smoke when going out.
Goal – Quit vaping (Juul) or Smoking
When it comes to smoking or vaping, the ultimate goal should be to quit for good, as this is the only way to ensure you will stay healthy. CareClinic can help you break this bad habit and reach your goal, with a beneficial effect on your blood circulation, oxygen levels and overall health.
You can use the application to record all of the solutions you are planning on resorting to, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation therapy, hypnotherapy, etc. You can also make a list of motivation videos that might be useful in your journey. What matters is that you give multiple solutions a try, so that you are successful in your endeavors.
A smoking reduction plan that works
If you are interested in the gradual reduction of your cigarette intake, you might consider using the CareClinic app to record a smoking reduction plan. You can decide how many cigarettes to smoke every day, until you give them up altogether. You can record daily symptoms from reducing your consumption initially such as “headches”, “insomnia”, or increased irritability, or even boredom. Over time as you continue to track your symptoms in your journal, the negative ones will start to decrease.
Some experts say that this form of quitting is more beneficial, in the sense that it allows the body to slowly adjust to the reduced nicotine levels. With the help of the app, you can plan your cigarette intake, setting an average time intervals between cigarettes.
You might even set up alert to indicate when you are allowed to smoke, as this will help you stay on the desired path. Using the app, you can increase the time interval every day. Thanks to this approach, you will be able to reach your target and become smoke-free in no time.
Celebration of each milestone
Once you have reached a milestone and managed to smoke less, it is high time you celebrated. You can enter the progress you have made within the application and also the health improvements you have noticed. It is essential to celebrate each small success, as this is the just the kind of motivation you need to keep going.
Thinking ahead & taking measures to stay healthy
Upon quitting smoking, you might notice that you have put on some weight. Once again, you can use the application to ensure your health stays within normal limits, and that you have not replaced smoking with eating. You can formulate a personalized weight loss plan, opting for home-cooked meals prepared from fresh ingredients.
Recording of health measurements
Apart from your smoking-related information, you can use CareClinic to record various measurements. For example, you can enter your blood pressure, oxygen levels, weight loss progress, blood glucose and any other biometric you want to track and manage as part of your health goal. By entering these on a regular basis, you will be able to see if these have changed after you quit smoking or not.
A change in attitude
Basically, the application offers a complete and comprehensive view of your health with regard to smoking. As you give up smoking and change your mindset, you will also reset your behavioral patterns. You will enjoy a healthier lifestyle, enjoying the progress you have made.
What matters is that you are able to change your attitude about smoking, educating yourself about the best solutions for quitting and working on self-esteem (so that smoking is no longer your go-to solution for feeling better). As you record the moments of the day when you are smoking, you will be able to identify what makes you want to smoke and how to avoid those triggers.
To be successful with quitting, you need to change the relationship you have with cigarettes and what they mean to you. You need to replace this habit with healthier ones, overcoming your smoking urges and regaining control over your nicotine addiction.
Why should you consider quitting smoking?
Add a Family member or friend for support to keep you on track
Smoking might be one of the best things in your life but it certainly isn’t the healthiest. As you give up smoking, your heart rate will improve and the blood pressure will go back to normal. The level of carbon monoxide in the blood will decrease and the functioning of the lungs will improve. The rate of heart attacks will be considerably reduced.
As a non-smoker, you will be able to breathe better and experience less frequent coughing boughs. You will present a reduced risk of cancer (mouth, throat, and esophagus) and stroke. It is clear that one might experience nicotine withdrawal, which will be difficult but it is a good sign, suggesting that you are on the right path towards healing.
From another perspective, quitting smoking will increase your lifespan. Chronic smokers often present a higher risk of premature death – this risk is not necessarily associated to the smoking itself but rather to the conditions that can occur as a result. The sooner you quit smoking, the more years you will add to your life. You will lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, respiratory disorders and cancer.
There are also other health benefits that come with quitting smoking, which are not as well known as those mentioned above. Studies have confirmed that cognitive decline is more frequently encountered in those who are chronic smokers. Smoking has also been known to increase the risk of autoimmune conditions and it leads to the sudden infant death syndrome, in association to maternal smoking.
Best solutions for quitting smoking without patches? Use a Cigarette Tracker App
Nicotine replacement therapy can help you keep your cravings under control, making withdrawal easier as a process. The products that can be used include skin patches, chewing gum, lozenges, nasal spray and inhaler. There are healthcare professionals that can guide one towards the right NRT solutions.
Medication might be prescribed for more severe cases, such as bupropion and varenicline. These influence the brain neurotransmitters, reducing the risk of cravings and making the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal easier to handle. The second medication will reduce the pleasure derived from smoking, helping you forget all about this desire.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CareClinic may be used for Tracking CBT) is one of the most effective solutions for giving up smoking, changing the mindset and increasing the success rates of quitting. Additional solutions include hypnosis, acupuncture, magnet therapy, herbs and supplements, yoga, meditation and mindfulness.
It is also essential that you exert self-control and keep in mind that smoking is not a healthy habit. Try different solutions and find out what works the best for you. Remember, you have technology on your side, with smoking tracker apps such as CareClinic proving out to be valuable tools in the quitting process.
