Blog
Eight Years Tobacco-Free and Counting. Honouring a loved one by honouring yourself!
Kristie’s Breathe Story While I was in high school and in my early 20’s, I lived a very unhealthy lifestyle. I ate anything I wanted, rarely exercised and smoked a half a pack a day for 15 years. Shortly after I turned 31, I was hit by a bomb—my mother was diagnosed with terminal lung and brain cancer. I was devastated beyond belief and it triggered a rollercoaster of emotions. For years, as I
Quitting Smoking – We are here to help!
The Certified Respiratory Educators at The Lung Association are always eager and happy to help anyone with their quit journey. I am grateful to be part of this small but mighty Health Promotion team that empowers everyone to breathe easier. I find that each person’s quit experience is different. However, there tends to be several common myths about quitting that can be barriers to many people’s
How safe is that ‘new smell’?
Britt Swoveland, RadonAware Manager at The Lung Association – British Columbia, shares her knowledge about indoor air quality. Like most soon-to-be parents, my husband and I couldn’t wait to set up our baby’s room. We spent weeks looking for the perfect crib and matching dresser, material for sewing curtains, and of course, a new colour for all the walls. The bedding was new, the furniture was new
Breathing: More than gas delivery
Five added benefits of controlled breathing Breathing is a fascinating process that, unlike many other natural processes in the body, can be done voluntarily or involuntarily and can be done with one of two body parts. You can breathe through the mouth (this is a great alternative to breathing through the nose when unpleasant smells surround your area or when you want to win a bet by pretending
Tips for Healthy Breathing
Our lungs allow us to live and breathe. Each day we breathe about 22,000 times. We often do not think about our lungs until something takes our breath away. That’s why it is important to make lung health a priority. Be smoke-free. Did you know that quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health? Cigarette smoking is the major cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary
Life as a Quit Coach – Kelli’s story
Every time you call the QuitNow phone line, type a question into Live Chat or even interact on Facebook, an amazing, qualified Quit Coach is there to help you, support your quit, and answer any questions you may have along the way. Kelli is one of those Quit Coaches. Kelli’s story Even before beginning her nearly five years as a Quit Coach, Kelli was no stranger to helping those in need. Having
When quitting runs in the family: Darlene & Verla
In families where smoking is prevalent, it can be difficult to break the cycle of addiction. Darlene and Verla know this all too well, as both have struggled to quit at different times in their lives. When we first met Darlene (right), she was ready to give up on her most recent quit attempt of one week. Cigarettes had formed an incredible hold on her after smoking for 45 years, and because it was
QuitNow in the Community – Nancy Viney, Regional Nursing Lead: Tobacco Reduction for Northern Health
At QuitNow, we help British Columbians quit smoking, but we couldn’t do it all on our own. In fact, much of our success relies on community partners. One of these partners is Nancy Viney, who has dedicated the last eight years of her career to decreasing tobacco use and increasing smoke-free spaces in Northern British Columbia As a registered nurse, Nancy has witnessed firsthand both the physical
A Mother’s Love: Stephaine’s Story
In August 2016, Stephaine celebrated two years as a non-smoker. She had been addicted to cigarettes for 34 years and hated it, but felt completely helpless to quit. Nothing seemed to help her succeed, including medications, meditation, and changing her routine – until she found a reason that motivated her more than ever before. When Stephaine’s daughter’s spouse passed away, the impact was
QuitNow in the Community – Health Promoter Andrea
t QuitNow, we offer free one-on-one quit coaching, personalized quit planning, daily motivation and community support to help British Columbians quit smoking. To spread the word about our services, we rely in no small part on our team of regional health promoters – including Andrea. A passion for public health and disease prevention Andrea has a Master’s Degree in Cardiovascular and Respiratory