Alfred sa pagtigil sa paninigarilyo — to live longer, healthier and happier for my family, I want to see my children graduate

SHOWBIZ KONEK
ni Maricris Valdez Nicasio

HINDI madaling umiwas sa bisyo lalo’t stress at nakasanayan na. Pero kay Alfred Vargas, mabilis niyang napagtagumpayan ang itigil ang bisyong paninigarilyo lalo’t para sa kanyang pamilya.

Ang mga anak at asawa ni Konsehal Alfred ang naging motibasyon niya para ang ‘ika nga’y masamang bisyo ay kalimutan at iwaglit.

Naibahagi ng public servant sa pakikipagkuwentuhan namin sa kanya minsan na nagsimula siyang mag-quit sa pagyoyosi noong August, 2003 at mula noon, hindi na siya nagtangka pang bumalik sa kanyang bisyo.

Ibinahagi rin niya ito sa kanyang X account (dating Twitter) at inamin l na hindi naging madali ang mga unang buwan ng pagtigil sa paninigarilyo.

“It’s my 20th year free from it! For me, going cold turkey and holding the line is the best way to quit.

“I remember 3 months of hell during withdrawal. But here I am today, 2 decades after, still fighting the fight everyday. Ayus naman. Kaya!” ani Alfred.

“I was in HS when I first tried. Nadala ako sa peer pressure. Coming of age time. Nagbibinata and trying to discover things. Start ng mga gimik, soiree and barkadahan,” panimulang kuwento ng award-winning actor at movie producer.

“I’ve always wanted to quit from the start. Hindi ko lang napansin na naging habit ko na before. My dad was a chainsmoker I didn’t want to be like that. 

“Noong nag-aartista na ako and making a living na, I told myself that ayokong tumandang naninigarilyo. It’s for my health and well-being, not for anything else,” sabi pa ni Alfred.

At sa simula ng kanyang pag-iwas sa pagyo-yosi, “I experienced a two-month extreme withdrawal. Nagkasakit ako. I got so hot-headed and easily irritated. I lost focus in everything I did I couldn’t even read properly. 

“I didn’t go out at all during this time because I wanted to avoid temptations. I sacrificed my short-term fun for my long-term goal of really being healthy. I lost some friends along the way coz hindi raw ako marunong makisama at KJ (kill joy) na raw ako.”

At malaking factor sa pagtigil niya sa paninigarilyo ang kanyang pamilya. “Right now, I have this burning desire to try my best to live longer, healthier and happier for my family. 

“I want to see my children graduate, have successful careers of their own, meet my grandchildren and spend time with them. I want to travel the world further with my wifey and family. 

“My mother died of cancer kasi. And so did several of my relatives. Natatakot ako sa cancer coz of this family history. And the best way to minimize my chances is to live a healthy life and stay away from stress,” aniya.

Advice ni Alfred sa lahat ng smokers na gustong mag-quit, “Do it now. There’s no perfect time for quitting but NOW. You can do it. 

“The way I did it was through cold turkey. I stopped instantly. I remember distinctly that on the night of August 23, 2003, twenty years ago, I smoked my last pack. 

“It’s not easy. The first few days of quitting are manageable but it becomes more difficult as time passes. Hangout with people who don’t smoke. With people who have the same life goals and health goals as you.”

At ngayong non-smoker na siya aniya, “Mayroon ng healthy body and a sharp mind. I was able to lift heavier weights, run longer, sleep better, good state of mind, better mood, and I had a lot more energy after quitting smoking.”

At kapag nate-tempt siyang magyosi, “I tell myself, ‘been there, done that, and I don’t want to be that old self of mine anymore.’

“It remains a challenge until today. But it’s a battle I intend to win every time. And so far, 20 years down the road, so far, so good.”