If you’re quitting Here are some tips

Breaking a nicotine habit is hard, but there are small ways to make it easier. Take it a day at a time, and try some of these tips:

Keep busy. When Tom Black, 29, of Hermitage, Pa., quit, he made it a point to find a lot of chores to do around the house.

Get rid of ashtrays, cigarettes and lighters. Black kept a pack of cigarettes and a lighter on his dresser for two weeks after he quit, but he may be the exception to the rule. Pam Nock, a therapist who helps people break the habit, recommends tossing out those reminders right away.

Limit caffeine, alcohol and fried foods. Eat fruits, vegetables and dairy products, and drink juice and water. Citrus products appear to be especially helpful in curbing cravings, Nock said.

Change your routines. If you do have a cup of coffee or a beer, drink in a different room, or switch hands from the one you normally use. Remember that alcohol is the No. 1 reason people relapse, Nock said. It lowers inhibitions and affects judgment.

Keep your hands busy. Use whatever tool works for you, whether it’s gum or a coffee stirrer to hold in your hand, Nock said. You’ll need the tool especially in a high-risk setting, such as a party, she said. It helps to use something that satisfies the hand-to-mouth motion, such as a bottle of water, she said.

Nicotine replacement products are available and include gum, patches and inhalers.

Save your money. Set aside the money you’d have spent on cigarettes and use it to treat your family to a pizza and a DVD once a week, Nock suggests. That way, you get a reward and your family’s support.

Get stubborn. Don’t kid yourself, says Black. “Don’t quit for a day. Be ready to do it.”

Want some help? Call the Humility of Mary Health Partners Regional Tobacco Treatment Center at (330) 306-5010, ext. 101.