Mr. President: I Challenge You To Quit!

Dear Mr. President,

I know you're trying to fix our massive problems, all while moving us forward on multiple fronts. I voted for you, and rejoiced when you won.

Yet, I also want you to quit.

I'm sure your stress levels are unbelievable. Yet, if you want to help create change we can believe in, then you must stop bumming cigarettes. I know you've done it, and might do it again, because you told Men's Health about it.

And you haven't come out with a definitive statement since then about totally putting down the pack. So, in service of my president, and my country, I am going to offer you a quick and easy way (yes, there is one) to replace those stress-related smokes with a more powerful habit to suit the powerful man you are.

Readers--take note.

Because now, Houston, we have a problem.

Cigarettes are one of the greatest causes of preventable death in our country, with obesity nipping at its heels. We don't need any more high-profile leaders leading our youth by example into the addictive mire of smoking.

And though bumming on the campaign trail isn't the same as heavy usage, no amount of carcinogens is OK. By it's very nature, doing something is saying that it's OK for others to do. I can't drink vodka and then tell you to lay off the hard stuff.

And no, our president doesn't have to be a role model for everything and I know he's not perfect. But he is undeniably cool. And by his natural emanation of coolness, he makes bumming cigarettes seem much, much cooler than it is.

Sharing a chocolate chip cookie with a friend is said to release all the calories, which is a harmless joke. But it's not as if, when smoking someone else's cigarette, all the death falls out.

Do cigarettes kill everybody who smokes? No.

Neither does staph infection, but I'm not going to go out and bum some from someone and see. I've decided that if the odds are good that the choice in question is deadly, but avoidable--I'm going to avoid it.

I can't tell what's in everything I eat, drink or breathe, but I sure as hell don't have to pick up a pack at the store on purpose.

Yet, I have to admit something to you, Mr. President, since you admitted it to us:
Even though every little harmless-seeming cigarette is a flirt with the can't-turn-back-now Big C, I, too, love smoking. A well-timed cigarette can be just what the doctor ordered if you know what I mean.

However, even though I have a crush on cigarettes, I also hate dying. So, I find myself at odds.

I may be a relatively detoxified yogi now, but I used to smoke a pack a day. When I smell that first puff, what we used to call the "butternut" and which was always my favorite part, my whole body squeezes and I want...just...one...drag.

And yes, I still bum one once in a while. My last one was a few days back, and that's when I decided to lead by example, and offer you the same tools I'm offering myself.

So before all you smokers brush off the "healthy" chick, let's be clear that I'm talking to the sometime smoker in my own mirror, too.

And I don't think I accept my friends' offers to join them outside because movies and the media make it so inviting. I, like the president, am not easily swayed by advertising executives marketing to my target group. I also have a sneaking suspicion that if Barack Obama wants to smoke, it's not because he wants to be just like Joe Camel.

So, Mr. President, and readers, I invite you to do what I promise to do this month--own our proclivity for bumming smokes (and smoking) and stop this nonsense together. In so doing, I will teach you, readers, how to get all the benefits of a cigarette--without ever smoking another one again.

Because really, we're after the ritual, the alone time, the sense of calm and space and camaraderie and relationship we get with this often-deadly lover. None of us want to be codependent, but, dysfunctional or not, we are. They might be hurting us, but cigarettes are always there for us when we need them, and we keep going back for more.

Though cigarettes are quite the stimulant, smokers most often cite the sense of calm, and centering as their primary reason to reach for one.

Mr. President, if anyone in this country needs a freakin' ciggy, it's you. I get it. But let's get all of us that moment of Zen--and the buzz, too--without all the carcinogenic accoutrements.

Because, as we all know, stress happens. So what are you going to do about it?
We have to deal with life's pressures somehow, so why not choose the coping mechanism that makes your life better instead of worse, and actually solves the physical imbalance of stress rather than masking it with a literal smokescreen?

Ready? Ok.

THE BUTT-KICKING BREATH:

Use this technique any time you would normally choose to smoke, or any time stress or anxiety gets the better of you.

This breath has been shown to slow your brain waves down, switching your central nervous system from the fight-or flight of anxiety to the still waters of the parasympathetic, and release endorphins that give you that same glad-to be alive buzz without, oh, say, the carbon monoxide.

It lowers your blood pressure, oxygen consumption and heart rate, detoxifies you. It also increases your lung capacity, which tends to diminish in smokers. Importantly, this breath gets you back into mastery of your moment, so you can decide what to do next.

Best of all, every time you use it, you will feel better and your health will be better, instead of feeling better mentally and emotionally, but actually being worse physically. And a win-win is more optimal than a win-lose any day.

Here goes:

1) Go to a different, smoke-free spot to enjoy your moment, since inhaling other people's secondhand smoke doesn't really count.

2) Sit comfortably.

3) Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts. Let your chest and belly expand as you do this. Hold.

4) Breathe out through your mouth for about 8 counts with pursed lips, as if releasing smoke. Press the air our slowly with your belly and ribs. Hold.

5) Repeat.

Do the Butt-Kicking Breath for as long as you want or until the cravings and stress have dissipated. And watch...they will.

"That's it?" You might say.

Yeah, that's it.

And by "it", I mean "the power to calm yourself down anytime, anywhere, without killing you".

I'm aware that to quit smoking, you'll have to go through withdrawal, whether mental, emotional or physical. I want you to know that the Butt-Kicking Breath will help you get through the 14 minutes it takes to bust a strong craving. It will help cleanse your body of toxins faster, and give you a tool to use while you support your efforts with the Patch, the gum, or whatever you need to ease the transition.

Eventually, though, you will find the power in being a DIY stress-reliever. Any time you hit drama in your life, reach for this breath. Find center yourself. And then, you're free.

Smoking has other draws, too, that you can switch over to healthier habits.

You want a ritual? Whenever you're stressed, go for a walk, and do your breathing practice. With every exhale, release your shoulders more, and with them, your crappy day. Realize this too shall pass.

Seeking community? Join a vigorous yoga class, shape up your body, and meet other people who support your smoke-free lifestyle, and are choosing to de-stress sans emphysema and families who have to pay their medical bills long after they're gone.

Oral fixation? Try having more sex. Your partner will thank you (and me). Or, though not quite the same, keep tea tree or cinnamon toothpicks around. It worked for my husband, after smoking for 20 years. The toothpicks, I mean.

Want to avoid the weight gain that can come with quitting? Don't smoke more...move more. Take this opportunity to learn the joys of eating well.

Mr President, am I being hard on you? Smokers--ditto?

You bet.

I think you're all rock stars. I'd vote for all of you for a second term. In fact, that's what I'm trying to do right now.

It's just this bad habit of yours has been fooling you into thinking you're handling your stress. In fact, the smokes are managing you.

Yoga and mindful breathing is all about taking control, real control, of your life. I know you can get the relief and peace you're looking for in another, more life-affirming way. And I'm all for trading up.

In fact, Mr. President, and readers...I'm starting today.

You?

 

Follow Sadie Nardini on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SadieNardini

Comments

[omsandi]

I think some people are taking this article waaaayyyy too literally. It was meant to be a catchy and creative way to introduce the subject of yoga for quitting smoking, not an actual address to the president. I am surprised at the defensive, almost-venomous comments?? Lighten up, everyone!

By the way, as yoga teachers, we are trained professionals in WELLNESS - not just "breathing and stretching." Actually it is part of our ongoing studies as well as our lifestyle. Many of us go on to be Yoga Therapists, working with people with conditions such as diabetes, overweight, menopause, MS, cancer, injuries, depression, etc.... And though granted we are not physicians, we are very knowledgeable about the body and these conditions - certainly enough to address these issues FROM A YOGIC POINT OF VIEW - eg. which positions/breathing techniques etc. help what. As far as the health risks of smoking, I don't think anyone has to be a doctor to read the Surgeon General's warning on the pack, or a trained physician to advocate stopping smoking.

[JustJoy7]

I think everyone should leave smokers alone. It's not the smoking, it's the smoke that gets people; yet, when I was growing up, EVERYONE smoked, from older teens to old old people. They lived long, coped well with stress, and had fun in life.

I get so sick of folk telling other folk what to do or not do. We all have our vices. By the way, all those things people and motive driven studies claim about smoking is not necessarily so. Someone in some back room trying to come up with a new cash cow decided that smoking was IT!!! Then they went on to brain wash all us gullible weak-minded people. It's been going and going and going every since. The handiest cash cow of all.

[MrVee]

I didn't know there was a half-way house to quit smoking. What she's talking about is straddling the line and fake it like it is equivalent to quitting.
It's not.
I am an ex-smoker myself. I once smoked 25 cigarettes a day. Everyday. Not those lame standard "King" ciggys. I smoke the Ultra 100's. Smoked that way for 2 years and saw I was creeping upwards. I tried the gums, silver nitrates, light brands that supposed to curb it but none of that worked until I realized I wasn't serious about quitting. Not really. What worked for me was cold turkey. I've been free of them for over 20 years now. So if the president ever gets around to being serious about quitting, he only need to simply quit and decide not to go back. Screw Brown & Williamson, Liggett, Philip Morris, R.J.Reynolds and the rest.

[mikebarden]

I'm not even gonna try cause I smoke a pipe.

[empiricalWeb]

Let the man smoke. He has much more important things to deal with.

-Signed, Registered Respiratory Therapist , AE-C, Tobacco Treatment Specialist

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

I don't understand your logic.

There are many comments just like this here, and I'm not sure why we condone an unhealthy habit just because someone is stressed.

This type of attitude is known as "enabling" in addiction and codependency circles, and it's one of the most dangerous ways addictions take hold. I'm surprised, coming from someone who sees firsthand the struggles people go through once addicted to cigarettes, that you would actively encourage someone to keep smoking.

Just because they're legal doesn't mean they're not addictive, and that we should not at least consider dealing with that same stress in more productive, healthy ways.

[empiricalWeb]

Okay so think of it this way... When talk to patients about quitting smoking, I always check their current diagnosis.

If a man comes in because he is an alcoholic or a drug addict.. I'll talk to them about quitting but I won't force it down their throats. They have much larger fish to fry.

The time and effort it takes for someone to quit is no joke. Plus the emotional effect is often undesirable. Smokers quitting get angry and short tempered. President Obama should be given a pass on smoking because he has HUNDREDS of infinitely larger fish to fry.

[empiricalWeb]

In the other response, to clarify, if a man is an alcoholic or drug addict I'm not going to force them to quit smoking tobacco products.

[risottto]

Ive hit a week without a smoke today. I bought a 100pack of Cinnamon Nicotine gum, but am not chewing nearly as much as they recommend (9-12 peices a day for six weeks), it has helped a lot.

The breathing looks simple and free, but the gum really helps me, and even though it's expensive, it's still cheaper than $10 a pack in NYC.

Does anyone know where to get some cinnamon flavored toothpicks / chewing sticks in NYC? I think they would also help with the hand to mouth thing.

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

Whole Foods in NYC has cinammon and tea tree toothpicks. They really helped my hubby when he quit after 20 years...

Good luck!
Sadie

[ming099]

....tobacco is far more addicting than heroin......and in some cases harder to give up than heroin....and most of it has to do with the fact that tobacco is LEGAL while heroin is not.

To really conquer a smoking addiction....you have to WANT to quit. If you dont WANT to quit .....all the smoking cessation programs, tricks and diversions are all for naught.

In 1994.....cigarettes in my home town were in the 84 cents a pack range....I decided to quit.....and really WANTED to quit so I bought a 2 lb. bag of Starlite Mints and kept ten in my pocket at all times....when the urge to smoke came on me I would pop a mint and the desire would quickly fade.....the peppermint made me smell better and it diverted my attention away from the habit that , without a doubt, would have killed me by now.....I was a 2 and 1/2 pack a day smoker......


you CAN quit............but you must WANT to quit......­.....witho­ut that resolve.....most attempts will fail.

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

Lovely--thanks for sharing!

Studies have show that the mint flavor shuts down food cravings. It's why brushing your teeth after dinner is said to lessen the likelihood that you'll snack later on.

So, maybe it works for smoking, too! When I quit, I did chew a lot of Doublemint gum, come to think of it....

[gmccague]

Sadie, I was riveted by your video and impressed by the article. I use the breath whenever I can. Thank you for the refresh on how important it is. The context is a good one as well! Everyone can use some encouragement on occasion.

[rubinoff]

oh for pity sake, get off this man's back. :(...Do you want a for real human being as prez or a 'robot?'
all the hype about cigarettes, what next...our dirty water, the air which is so polluted or our filthy food (the canned good that contain a fair amount of maggots) or the trumped up 'flu.' what???...what????

We've had 'other' prez who have smoked, drank plenty of liquor, whored around and no one seemed to have cared in the past, so why Now are people sooo concerned about every ity-bity move this family makes? No one is perfect in this very imperfect world.

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for your support! Encouragement was my main offering. Glad you got that!

[tssent]

I have recently send President Obama an amazing 100-page book
called "The Smoke Stops Here," because while it will blow your mind
in concept it never once admonishes or even says, "you must quit."
I'm not related to this book but I would recommend it to anyone who
has any habit. It's a laugh a minute and filled with inspiration. It
certainly worked for me.

[CarolinaYankee]

Will Power has nothing to do with it. You have to WANT to do it. Leave him alone, he has so much on his plate, he needs something to relax him...

[cdiasmd]

Federal Bldgs are all non-smoking ... the military is pushing (hard) to be tobacco free. He is the CINC...he must set an example.

[empiricalWeb]

Right, but all of these legalities have been pushed through for the sake of Non-Smokers...

They aren't to create an environment that encourages an individual to quit smoking, these things are happening because non-smokers don't want to inhale smoke.

So the president has a right to smoke if he wishes, so long as he does it where he is not affecting others.... that's the only example he needs to set.

[sweetwhine]

Have you ever smoked? Have you ever been addicted to anything? Do you know how unbelievable hard it is to quit under the best of circumstances. We'll his circumstances pretty much suck right now. So let the man smoke. Everything has it's time. He'll know when it's his.

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, so next time your child gets really stressed and starts smoking, make sure to be just as understanding...

REALLY?

[Nathan Nash]

The problem with your argument here is that you are comparing a hypothetical assumed minor to the president of the united states. A kid who gets stressed out about his midterms who decides to smoke is incomparable to a man who is trying to fix the United States. Those are two completely different kinds of stress. There is no logical bearing to this argument.

I'm saying this as a reformed smoker before you get on my back.

[Cruiserbruiser]

Quitting smoking will require the President to make a decision and apply willpower -Something that he has been unable to do on just about everything except getting elected.

[jcapp1]

Good grief, with all the problems this country has and you are worried about the president smoking. We are still emitting pounds of pollution into the air from automobiles. Think about the pollutants from gasoline, oil to say nothing of those tiny particles of rubber from tires. Get real !

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

I'm actually quite a bit more worried about the one in 10 adults that will die from smoking related causes...and make that 1 in 8 by this time in 2030.

Far more people die from smoking than from the environmental toxins you describe...just to make sure we're being "real" here.

I think we should all be concerned about the biggest sources of death and disease in our world, and, especially when we can choose NOT to intake them, we might try supporting that cause instead of criticizing those who try.

[tssent]

Your association of the president's will power to solving the country's
problems is a total disconnect. He is not kept from making decisions
and acting upon them by cigarettes but by idiot wingnuts who vote
against anything he says or does or tries to improve because he is
Black.

[J242]

Seriously? If there's anyone who needs a good stress reliever and a "smoke break", it's the POTUS... If he ever asked, I'd hand him an entire pack and offer him a light as well.

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

Great, and I'll hand your 18 year-old child a pack (and a light, too, by golly!) next time he gets stressed out, and I'm sure, from what I'm reading here, you won't have a problem with that.

[svwildflower]

Phew, you had me worried there for a minute. I thought you had our president confused with Sarah Palin. And, yes, I hope he can quit too. Been there. Done that. It worked the second time. It wasn't easy.

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

Please--I love President Obama--was with him all the way, and still am.

This article has tongue firmly in cheek as well as offering solutions to a major challenge some of us face. But to me, honestly? Our President rules.

...GObama!

Sadie

[akashm]

I do this exercise even though I am a non-smoker. It is very refreshing and boosts energy through out the day. It also helps improve the looks and keeps the face younger. I hope Obama listens to your advise at least for the sake of his children and family.

[MadHeart]

Well, that was just great, not the usual Nazi stuff. At 68, I'm still smoking after 50 yrs and trying to quit since I can't really afford them. It's cheaper now to smoke w**d. And I still have pretty decent lung capacity for a little woman, but really think I will try this breathing technique you described and try to kick 'em. Thanks!

[ssfahrer]

Not at $ 475+ a ounce (in the NYC area) for some good stuff! Maybe dirtweed is cheaper than tobacco where you live, but not the 'real' weed.... You should read the "High Times" column before you spout about the price of marijuana on the street.... (See the latest info at http://hightimes.com/lounge/ht_admin/5953?utm_source=rss_home and figure it out for yourself....)

[jcapp1]

Anyone that really wants to quit smoking can quit. Just have to want to bad enough.

[sweetwhine]

I smoked for over 20 years and quit 3 years ago. I don't need to say it's the best thing I ever did, that's obvious but I will say this, quitting has to be on your own terms. No one else's. And yes "you just have to want to bad enough".

[mjegan59]

please take this post for what it is...a well-written somewhat tongue-in-cheek way of saying addiction is tough and here are some ways to beat it. sheesh, give the woman a break. i'm going to try the breathing...and the acupuncture to help my own self quit now, though.

[SadieNardini - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey, thanks!

I see that people are taking this post in all sorts of ways--glad to hear you take it in the spirit in which it was intended.

You really got my point, and I appreciate you sharing it.

Sadie

[tssent]

Saide, you will LOVE this audio at www.thesmokestop.com,
which is very much along the lines of your great article.