Dr. Hurt's Page

Sometimes it helps to choose a special day to stop smoking. Some people pick holidays, others pick birthdays. Some people even pick Halloween. Why Halloween? Well, over the past ten years Halloween has taken on a life of its own with sales of Halloween items skyrocketing. It has become a time for some people to express their individuality in how they decorate, the kind of candies they give away to trick-or-treaters, and most importantly in the costume they choose. Halloween can be a great oppor… Continue

There are increased risks associated with smoking in individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Smoking and diabetes can cause a substantial increase in hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. If you have Type 2 Diabetes, you are aware that you have increased risk for all-cause mortality. By smoking you increase that risk even higher and have greater potential for developing heart disease. Evidence suggests that the risk increases with the amount of tobacco used by the diabetic. That means… Continue

Remember, by stopping smoking you will improve your health and self-image. An increase in self-esteem can offer more energy to daily challenges. A helpful stress management approach is regular exercise, such as walking, or any activity you enjoy. Also, talking with a friend can improve your feelings or approach to problems. Once approach is to recognize if a stress or is something you can or cannot control. One idea is to apply the "4 A's". Perhaps a level of acceptance can be achieved if… Continue

It is one year since your last cigarette. Wow! Congratulations. You've done more good for your health and wellness by stopping smoking than any other one thing you could have done. Below are a few things that you can do now to continue on the path to remain tobacco-free. Use the questions below to review where you are and write out a brief plan for you to continue into a healthier and happier second year of not smoking. First of all, review how things have changed since you stopped smoking. • I… Continue

Many people don't know if they can handle stress if they quit smoking. Some feel quitting will increase stress. Both are normal feelings. Actually stress is a normal part of life, regardless if a person is smoking or not. If you have found smoking accompanies to reaction to stress, this can be very difficult to overcome. However, many people already handle stress at times without smoking and lived through it. Stress comes in different flavors: short term (unexpected situations, such as waking u… Continue