The heart of Free & Clear’s mission has always been to address chronic disease through health behavior change. As a national leader in tobacco cessation, our goal for the last 20 years has been to help employers build a healthier, more productive and cost-effective workforce by teaching individuals how to overcome addiction to tobacco use.

As the number one cause of preventable death and disease, tobacco cessation has been an obvious battle to fight. Tobacco smoke, whether first- or secondhand, is responsible for an estimated 8.6 million cases of serious illness and 440,000 deaths each year. Free & Clear’s Quit For Life™ Program teaches individuals how to surmount the physical, behavioral and psychological obstacles that stand in the way of overcoming addiction. By engaging participants with knowledge and teaching them new behaviors and cognitive skills, Free & Clear teaches people that they can achieve long-term health. Equipping people with the skills necessary to live a tobacco-free life is one major step in the direction of addressing chronic disease at its roots.

Yet there is more work to be done. Another epidemic is close on tobacco’s heels. Currently two-thirds of America’s workforce is either overweight or obese, conditions that greatly contribute to increased cardio-metabolic risk (which can potentially lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and in some cases, premature death). Today, 80 million people have diabetes or pre-diabetes, which is a 61% increase since 1991. The irony is that Americans spend $40 billion on weight loss programs each year. People want to live longer, healthier lives, but the programs available don’t provide adequate solutions. Deprivation dieting and unsustainable exercise regimes do not teach life-long skills for nutritious eating, physical activity and stress maintenance in an environment that promotes poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles and chronic stress.

We know that there is no quick fix to healthy living. Overcoming addiction to tobacco is not as easy as slapping on a nicotine patch. Obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight is not as easy as cutting calories.

As of September 2008, Free & Clear, Inc. has broadened its reach beyond the Quit For Life Program to introduce the Mind & Body™ Program, establishing itself as the healthy behaviors company.

Free & Clear understands that like quitting tobacco, achieving long-term health and effective weight management require embarking on a journey of knowledge, cognitive skill development and behavioral re-learning.

As the healthy behaviors company, Free & Clear is committed to guiding and engaging people in this journey. With the proper tools, people can change their thoughts and behaviors to align more closely with their genetic, biological and psychological make-up, learning and understanding how to live healthy, for life.