Her Experience Opened Her Eyes to Better Health

"When you have a grandchild born, says Anna Ghandour, a recent graduate of The Smoke-Free Life and Transformations programs offered at The St. Helena Center for Health, "you realize you want to stick around for a while."

Anna, who smoked for 45 years, found last year that she couldn't get back up off the floor where she had been playing with her granddaughter, Nia. "I couldn't breath and I would cough all the time."

At age 62, she had tried to quit smoking "hundreds of times, but never lasted longer than three weeks." In hopes that a medically-based, in-hospital program would help her end her seemingly hopeless addiction, her husband Ted signed her up for both programs.

In the seven-day Smoke-Free program, the nicotine replacement therapy, as well as anti-depressants, was extremely helpful to her quitting. "I was monitored daily. The urge to smoke became less and less."

The psychological support supplied by the members of the group was extremely important in her quitting smoking as well. "We had a super group for the Smoke-Free program. We sent emails and cards to each other," she said. "I have a picture of everyone in the group on my mirror. When I feel like having a cigarette, I just look at those pictures."

Once her smoking addiction was diminished, Anna began the 11-day Transformations Weight and Lifestyle Management program. The program taught her to how to eat right and stay fit.

The experience opened her eyes to her eating habits, which had been built around cigarettes. "I never ate breakfast or lunch," she said. "I only ate dinner and I had wine every night. Most of my daily calories came from bad things."

Gradually, as the physical effects of smoking began to leave her system, she was able to eat three meals a day. "Now my ability to taste things has come back and I'm beginning to enjoy healthy food."

She also began to exercise. "I loved the exercise portion as well," she said. "I slept well every night because of it. Exercise and eating nutritious food will become a part of her life," she said. "Ben and Jerry are no longer my best friends.

Both programs offered her expert advice on the physical and psychological aspects of quitting smoking and regaining healthy eating and exercise habits. "The two programs teach you to control your life rather than it controlling you."

Anna found that taking two programs back-to-back gave her the much-needed medical, psychological and educational ammunition to help her change her life and health for the better. "I would urge those that are considering The Smoke-Free Life program to consider the Transformations program as well," she said. "Once you think you have quit tobacco, the Transformations program will give you the self-confidence to go through the rest of you life without smoking."

For more information, please Request Information about Transformations or Smoke-Free Life, or call 1-800-358-9195.