Are you up for taking the Stoptober challenge to get fit and healthy and improve your general wellbeing?
‘Stoptober’ – the campaign that has inspired 1.5 million people to quit nationally since 2012 – gets under way on Sunday (October 1) and is being supported by Cheshire East Council.
Stoptober is a national 28-day stop smoking campaign. Research shows that people who successfully stop smoking for four weeks are five times more likely to stop for good than those who don’t participate in the campaign.
Councillor Liz Wardlaw, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for health, said: “Stopping smoking is a crucial way in which a person can improve their health quickly. When you quit, blood pressure is reduced, it’s easier to breathe, your skin looks better and you feel better because of improved blood circulation levels.
“While smoking rates have reduced in the borough, 13 per cent of adults in Cheshire East still smoke. I urge these people to access the stop smoking support available through One You Cheshire East, a health initiative which helps local residents to live better, healthier and longer lives.”
Sam from Macclesfield is typical of many smokers that have quit using stop smoking support available across Cheshire East.
She said, “I became a smoker at 18. The main reason for starting smoking was peer pressure. It was a cool thing to do at the time and we didn’t really know anything about the harm it caused.
“Many people say they’re going to stop when there’s a less stressful time, when they’ve completed something or they will stop for somebody else – but it doesn’t happen.
“Now I can breathe. It’s a different world. I can smell and taste things better and I’m a bit more confident around people because I know I don’t smell. Bit by bit, I can see how my breathlessness improves when I am walking with my dog.
“Some people say because I’ve smoked that long the damage is already done. But I can see that my body has started to heal and I can feel that.
“I try to recommend the stop smoking service to any smoker I meet. Any chance and I’ll take it!”
Currently, more than 40,000 adults like Sam still smoke in the borough. Cheshire East Council is tackling this issue by providing support through One You Cheshire East, which provides expert support and advice about quitting the deadly habit.
From the free ‘Stoptober’ app, One You gives support for people looking to quit. It’s available on the App store and Google Play store and provides motivation and expert support, advice on how to deal with cravings and keeps track of how much money you’re saving by not smoking.
In order to speak to someone at One You Cheshire East about quitting smoking and to get advice – including the use of e-cigarettes – ring your local stop smoking service free on 0800 085 8818, or visit the One You website at: www.oneyoucheshireeast.org
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