A Healthy Resolution During the holiday season, we gather to enjoy the company of family and friends and take the time to spread cheer and love to those we care about. A great way to show your loved ones that you care is to quit smoking this holiday season - or if you're a non-smoker, urge your loved ones to quit. Smokers who have decided to quit smoking for the New Year should take special note. Quitting smoking is difficult. More than 70 percent of smokers say they want to quit smoking, but many lack the information and resources to do it successfully. In addition, tobacco-related disease continues to be the nation's number-one preventable cause of death, causing more than 400,000 people in the United States to die from heart disease, cancers, emphysema and stroke each year. While losing weight and increasing physical activity are also positive goals for the New Year, the American Legacy Foundation® recommends that smokers who are contemplating quitting make quitting smoking their sole resolution, and then use resources and planning to approach this difficult task in the most strategic way. Quitting smoking requires you to change your way of life and really look at why and when you smoke. For some, it's after a cup of coffee. For others, it's after a hard day's work, or when they get together with friends. Smokers need to chronicle when and why they smoke, so they can begin to change their patterns and find new ways of doing things. There are three key steps that can help the quitting process: First, a smoker must stop and actually choose to quit. Once they've done that they need to clearly identify their reasons for doing so and they must set a quit date. Second, a smoker should develop a plan and give themselves five days to get ready. Third, stay dedicated. Realize that many smokers who want to quit don't make it the first time, but learn from mistakes and forge ahead. Also, making a plan can help. A good plan will include three things -medication, counseling and social support. Each of these will help you deal with nicotine addiction or with temptations to smoke. Counseling is important because it allows a professional to help you develop a plan and to create ways for a smoker to deal with situations that might cause an urge to smoke. Counselors can let you know what to expect in the days, weeks and months to come. They will talk to you about creating a diary that will help you figure out when and why you smoke. They will walk you through the steps of disassociating your regular routine with smoking. To find a counselor, you can call 1-800-784-8669 for free telephone counseling. Getting social support is also very important; it means that a smoker tells family, friends and co-workers about the plan to quit so that they can help through the stressful times. It also makes the goal public - and makes it less likely that the smoker will back out of the attempt. The American Legacy Foundation hopes that these tips will be passed along to any family or friends that are looking to ting in the New Year with a healthy start by quitting smoking.