by: Pradeep Aggarwal
You have to select a quiet, comfortable place to practice this exercise once you've chosen the place, you need to find a relaxed position. Some people prefer lying down, while others may chose to relax upright in a chair. It's up to you.
After you've found your favorite spot, the lights are subdued, and you've settled into a comfortable lounge chair, close your eyes, take a deep breath, breathing in through your nose...hold it for three seconds...and slowly exhale through your mouth over a six-second period. Inhale...hold it...exhale...inhale...hold it...exhale. Do this for two minutes. Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing helps you to relax. Imagine your tensions flowing out of you with every bit of air you release.
In this tranquil state, you're ready for your self-hypnosis induction, you've already finished the first: relaxation. The following script is the induction process, for stop smoking, finishing up with the awakening technique.
I suggest you tape record the script, or have someone with a calm and serene voice tape it for you, to be played back at each session.
Induction Process…
"You're here to take a nap. You're resting comfortably. You're happy to do what you do when you take a nap...forget the rest of the world. Give up the world, and drift off to sleep without care or concern...There is no effort here, it's just comfort and ease...
"There is no trying to take a nap. It's just permission. Permit yourself some calmness, patience, pleasantness, and gentleness. Don't try hard for these things. Permit them in a passing way...
"A second or two of calmness...a second or two of pleasantness...a second or two of gentleness...
"There is no effort or strain involved in these things. Give permission for calmness...give permission for patience...give permission for gentleness...give permission for gentle resolve to feel the feelings I describe to you...
"It's a real good thing we do here today, so let us be pleasant in advance...be patient with me and with yourself...and I will be eternally patient with you...Be gently resolved to feel the feelings I describe to you...
"Those words, 'gently resolved,' are so soft, they're like light' puffy white clouds..."Also, I would like you to pretend and imagine and make believe. These are not false nor are they false feelings...
"I'm happy to tell you that from this moment on, you'll never need to smoke again in your entire life...you cannot be bothered to smoke...It doesn't matter now in what way you formerly smoked...if you smoked when you were driving...or after you ate...when you were on the phone...when you woke up...while you were reading...or at any time, that no longer applies...
You see, instead of the habit of smoking, you now have the good habit of not smoking...of a calmness and self-control whenever and wherever you need it...it doesn't matter who offers you a cigarette or blows smoke in your face...you will not feel tempted or threatened, and you'll respond with something like, 'No thank you, I don't smoke anymore,' demonstrating that you now have control of your mind to make the decision and the will-power to carry it through...
"With each cigarette you no longer smoke, you're more and more reinforced in your new habit not to smoke...Also there will be no substitution of any other habit on the physical level...you will not substitute eating for smoking... In fact, it is your desire to maintain your weight, or if you wish to lose weight, you'll be able to do so even now...now that you've stopped your smoking...
"The same new-found willpower you have acquired in no longer wanting to smoke is there for you in dieting and proper eating...You'll enjoy greater health in ways you may not expect to find...In a few days, your blood will clear and the effects of nicotine will be mainly gone...over a period of weeks and even months, the tars in your lungs will gradually diminish and leave your body...you will enjoy an energy level of unbelievable proportion...
"This is true because you will no longer be inhaling carbon monoxide from cigarettes. That carbon monoxide has been displacing oxygen in your blood...oxygen that should be finding its way to the far reaches of your body...instead, you have been deprived...deprived of oxygen, and instead, circulating poisons...but now, your body will be carrying rich, plentiful oxygen to the far reaches of your body...and your energy level will surge...you'll notice it in only a few days...
"You can use this new energy for many things...plan on doing extra things in business...family...sports...hobbies...in enjoying your life...in increased good health...
"It doesn't matter if, in the past, you had stopped smoking and started again...even repeatedly...no triggers, no emotions, no carelessness, or irresponsible decision-making will ever be a part of, or instrumental in, your returning to smoking...I'm happy to tell you that you'll never have to smoke again in your entire life...and each minute, hour, day, week, month, and year that passes, reinforces this wonderful habit you have NOT to smoke."
The Awakening Process
"I Know that benefit I get from this experience is a positive, healthy experience, and any time I wish to enter this state of ease again, all I need to do is relax in a comfortable position, take several deep breaths, and imagine myself on a wonderful adventure to my special place. Whenever I take several deep breaths and imagine this place, I will notice that I can quickly and easily return to the deep level of relaxation and comfort...
"You will now awaken yourself from this nap by counting backwards from four...and by the time l say 'one' and 'AWAKE,' you will be fully, fully, fully, totally, totally awake...FOUR...you're starting to AWAKE
you are wide
awake and feeling great!"
Practicing this exercise twice in a day regularly will help you cure your fears, stress and anxiety.
How can it take just 1 hour to stop your smoking, forever - no matter how long you've been smoking? The solution is an expertly designed online booklet and audio file you get right here - plus some simple breathing exercises you do for a few days.
The best technique to quit smoking is here…
Not only will you lose all cravings in 1 hour, you will not relapse as you've experienced with other stop-smoking methods. Indeed, 94% of everyone who starts actually becomes a non-smoker after just 1 hour!
Imagine how good it will feel to be able to say: “I am a non smoker” and know that this time it is for real.
I strongly recommend this wonderful program.
Are you ready to quit smoking? Go here NOW!
About The Author
Pradeep Aggarwal is a world renowned hypnosis guru. He offer free 15 part free ecourse on How to Become a Master Hypnotist. Go and register here now at http://www.hypnosisglobal.com. He also offers articles, books, audio tapes at http://www.pradeepaggarwal.com.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Is Smoking Adversely Affecting Your Skin?
by: Kamau Austin
While it is well known that smoking is generally harmful to your overall health, some people still consider the habit cool or sexy. This is certainly the image cigarette companies project to their target customers. But could smokers actually be making themselves look less attractive and desirable? Today let's look at how smoking affects the attractiveness of your largest organ—the skin.
You build the cable of a habit one thread at a time. Every day you make choices that lead to habits. It can be hard to break the cycle of those choices. What starts as a pastime stays on to take its toll on your health.
Can you justify smoking?
Smokers justify their habit with the following reasons:
* Smoking gives them pleasure
* Smoking relieves their depression and makes them feel lighter
* People in their social circle smoke
Most people began as occasional, light smokers. They may have failed to realize that one day, they would become dependant on this "occasional" habit.
The situation is beginning to change. People have begun to think twice before lighting up. This awareness certainly comes from the proven health hazards of smoking.
How smoking affects your skin
You need to be aware of the affects of smoking on your skin and overall looks. This is what smoking does to your skin.
The beauty and youthful look of your skin is largely determined by adequate moisture and oxygen content. Smoking denies an adequate supply of oxygen to your skin and dehydrates it.
* While you are enjoying puffs from your cigarette, you are inviting trouble into your system. Your lungs are the first victims. In just one puff, more than a trillion free radicals are created in your lungs. These free radicals, in turn, induce an inflammatory reaction that gets circulated throughout the whole body.
* Smoking causes the same appearance in your skin as sun damage. The nicotine present in cigarettes is the cause of this effect. It makes you look much older than you are.
* Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 toxins that enter your bloodstream directly and effect your skin's appearance. The top layers of the skin constrict; this reduces your blood's oxygen content and substitutes it with carbon monoxide. With less oxygen in the blood, toxins and other wastes remain in your system, aging it prematurely. Generally, smoking causes your skin to look pale and grey. In addition, the collagen level of your skin is greatly reduced when you smoke, making your skin more wrinkled and less youthful looking.
* Smoking causes heavy damages to a woman's system by creating an imbalance in her hormone levels and dramatically altering her body shape. This is caused by a disturbance in the endocrinal glands. A research report says that if a woman smokes a pack per day for 40 years, it can accelerate her aging by 7.4 years.
To emphasize the ill effects of smoking on your skin, the term "smoker's face" was added to the medical dictionary. This condition is caused when the skin in your face shows the lines and wrinkles—which make you look older—all due to smoking! The smoker's features are thin and gaunt. There are clear signs of premature aging, induced by poor blood circulation. Evidences show that a smoker's skin is more than 40% thinner than a non-smoker.
When you smoke, you are introducing stimulants into your system that affect your blood vessels.
It has also been suggested that smoking causes certain types of skin cancer. Further research is being undertaken to study the cosmetic effects that smoking has on your skin. For example, smoking dries your skin, especially in the areas affected by the nicotine smoke. Nicotine is also a diuretic and can reduce vitamin A in your body.
If you smoke, I hope I have given you food for thought. By all means, try to stop. Smoking not only ages you through general health deterioration but probably makes you look less attractive. Your family and loved ones need you. So, I caution you to stop right now.
Once you begin to seek treatment to stop, there are also skin solutions that can help you get back to a more vibrant and beautiful you. There is a product we hear that can help you restore your skin to a more youthful glow.
To take extra good care of your skin suffering from the sun-like damage associated with smoking consider using a topical cream like Lumnaderm(tm). This product can offer significant help to those concerned about the appearance of skin which may have been damaged by the sun, free radicals, or other skin problems. Lumnaderm(tm) is available from fine online stores like Amazon and the BODeStore.com (http://www.bodestore.com).
About The Author
Written by the V-Team, courtesy of Kamau Austin, publisher. The V-Team writes articles for the health and fitness enthusiast. Their timeless health and fitness tips are at the Fit After Forty Blog. See more useful news and tips about skin careat http://www.healthandfitnessvitality.com/blogs/fitnessblog.htm.
While it is well known that smoking is generally harmful to your overall health, some people still consider the habit cool or sexy. This is certainly the image cigarette companies project to their target customers. But could smokers actually be making themselves look less attractive and desirable? Today let's look at how smoking affects the attractiveness of your largest organ—the skin.
You build the cable of a habit one thread at a time. Every day you make choices that lead to habits. It can be hard to break the cycle of those choices. What starts as a pastime stays on to take its toll on your health.
Can you justify smoking?
Smokers justify their habit with the following reasons:
* Smoking gives them pleasure
* Smoking relieves their depression and makes them feel lighter
* People in their social circle smoke
Most people began as occasional, light smokers. They may have failed to realize that one day, they would become dependant on this "occasional" habit.
The situation is beginning to change. People have begun to think twice before lighting up. This awareness certainly comes from the proven health hazards of smoking.
How smoking affects your skin
You need to be aware of the affects of smoking on your skin and overall looks. This is what smoking does to your skin.
The beauty and youthful look of your skin is largely determined by adequate moisture and oxygen content. Smoking denies an adequate supply of oxygen to your skin and dehydrates it.
* While you are enjoying puffs from your cigarette, you are inviting trouble into your system. Your lungs are the first victims. In just one puff, more than a trillion free radicals are created in your lungs. These free radicals, in turn, induce an inflammatory reaction that gets circulated throughout the whole body.
* Smoking causes the same appearance in your skin as sun damage. The nicotine present in cigarettes is the cause of this effect. It makes you look much older than you are.
* Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 toxins that enter your bloodstream directly and effect your skin's appearance. The top layers of the skin constrict; this reduces your blood's oxygen content and substitutes it with carbon monoxide. With less oxygen in the blood, toxins and other wastes remain in your system, aging it prematurely. Generally, smoking causes your skin to look pale and grey. In addition, the collagen level of your skin is greatly reduced when you smoke, making your skin more wrinkled and less youthful looking.
* Smoking causes heavy damages to a woman's system by creating an imbalance in her hormone levels and dramatically altering her body shape. This is caused by a disturbance in the endocrinal glands. A research report says that if a woman smokes a pack per day for 40 years, it can accelerate her aging by 7.4 years.
To emphasize the ill effects of smoking on your skin, the term "smoker's face" was added to the medical dictionary. This condition is caused when the skin in your face shows the lines and wrinkles—which make you look older—all due to smoking! The smoker's features are thin and gaunt. There are clear signs of premature aging, induced by poor blood circulation. Evidences show that a smoker's skin is more than 40% thinner than a non-smoker.
When you smoke, you are introducing stimulants into your system that affect your blood vessels.
It has also been suggested that smoking causes certain types of skin cancer. Further research is being undertaken to study the cosmetic effects that smoking has on your skin. For example, smoking dries your skin, especially in the areas affected by the nicotine smoke. Nicotine is also a diuretic and can reduce vitamin A in your body.
If you smoke, I hope I have given you food for thought. By all means, try to stop. Smoking not only ages you through general health deterioration but probably makes you look less attractive. Your family and loved ones need you. So, I caution you to stop right now.
Once you begin to seek treatment to stop, there are also skin solutions that can help you get back to a more vibrant and beautiful you. There is a product we hear that can help you restore your skin to a more youthful glow.
To take extra good care of your skin suffering from the sun-like damage associated with smoking consider using a topical cream like Lumnaderm(tm). This product can offer significant help to those concerned about the appearance of skin which may have been damaged by the sun, free radicals, or other skin problems. Lumnaderm(tm) is available from fine online stores like Amazon and the BODeStore.com (http://www.bodestore.com).
About The Author
Written by the V-Team, courtesy of Kamau Austin, publisher. The V-Team writes articles for the health and fitness enthusiast. Their timeless health and fitness tips are at the Fit After Forty Blog. See more useful news and tips about skin careat http://www.healthandfitnessvitality.com/blogs/fitnessblog.htm.
Is It Possible To Quit Smoking with NLP?
by: Paolo Basauri
We all know how smoking can be a hard to quit habit for thousands, if not millions, of people across the globe. Yeah, smoking sucks and you may be in the situation when smoking is more like a drug for you. Unfortunately for you, smoking can kill you, so it is best to quit as soon as possible. But... is NLP the answer?
According to studies, NLP has proven to be an effective method to quit smoking forever. However is not as simple as going through a session and Voila!! Problem solved.
Certains conditions must be met in order to NLP treatment to work. Let's go over this conditions:
1. A true desire to quit smoking. This is crucial, but is often overlooked, you have to get in touch with yourself and make a true decision. This means you have to think for yourself also. If you're being caried to a treatment, well..then it won't work. Because it is not YOUR desire. Maybe you should read about all the real dangers of smoking, I'm sure then you will have a real reason to stop smoking.
2. External support. That's right the first condition involved the inner world, but sometimes the outside world works against us. First and foremost your family and/or immediate surroundings must be supportive, this means that they will understand you and avoid any temptation to you. It is important for them not to mistake support with censorship. When we are told not to do something we crave for doing it.
An NLP treatment with those 2 conditions met, is very powerful. But is also very important to use a proper trained NLP practicioner that can truly help you. A lot of people get caught on prices, but price most of the time comes with quality. Ask all the questions you have to ask, and seek the best resource. A healthy mind and body is priceless, and once you become aware that is possible to quit smoking using NLP, you will find that everything is possible.
About The Author
Paolo Basauri is an expert author who writes for http://thenlpblog.blogspot.com at The NLP Blog.
We all know how smoking can be a hard to quit habit for thousands, if not millions, of people across the globe. Yeah, smoking sucks and you may be in the situation when smoking is more like a drug for you. Unfortunately for you, smoking can kill you, so it is best to quit as soon as possible. But... is NLP the answer?
According to studies, NLP has proven to be an effective method to quit smoking forever. However is not as simple as going through a session and Voila!! Problem solved.
Certains conditions must be met in order to NLP treatment to work. Let's go over this conditions:
1. A true desire to quit smoking. This is crucial, but is often overlooked, you have to get in touch with yourself and make a true decision. This means you have to think for yourself also. If you're being caried to a treatment, well..then it won't work. Because it is not YOUR desire. Maybe you should read about all the real dangers of smoking, I'm sure then you will have a real reason to stop smoking.
2. External support. That's right the first condition involved the inner world, but sometimes the outside world works against us. First and foremost your family and/or immediate surroundings must be supportive, this means that they will understand you and avoid any temptation to you. It is important for them not to mistake support with censorship. When we are told not to do something we crave for doing it.
An NLP treatment with those 2 conditions met, is very powerful. But is also very important to use a proper trained NLP practicioner that can truly help you. A lot of people get caught on prices, but price most of the time comes with quality. Ask all the questions you have to ask, and seek the best resource. A healthy mind and body is priceless, and once you become aware that is possible to quit smoking using NLP, you will find that everything is possible.
About The Author
Paolo Basauri is an expert author who writes for http://thenlpblog.blogspot.com at The NLP Blog.
Stop Smoking - Overcoming this Physical and Psychological Addiction
by: Carol Stack
Simply wanting to stop smoking is a large part of the battle to succeeding. Often knowing that cigarettes are destroying your health is not enough incentive. You don't want to think about all the health problems that smoking can cause.
After all, between the physical addiction to nicotine and the psychological addiction, the whole person, mind and body, is craving the next cigarette. With that strong pull encouraging you to the next smoke, the thought of getting cancer, having a heart attack, or hurting your unborn baby might not be enough to make you decide to stop smoking.
That your health doesn't deteriorate with the first cigarette encourages you to believe that smoking is not dangerous. Tobacco takes twenty to fifty years to damage your body with cancer or heart disease.
For a young person who is encouraged to start smoking at fifteen or seventeen that seems like a lifetime away. The sad thing is, by the time the damage is done it can be too late to quit smoking. They can end up dead of a heart attack at forty-five or dying of lung cancer at fifty.
How does one succeed in stopping the mind and body from continuing this addiction? You must deal with the body and the mind separately but at the same time. In other words, deal with the physical addiction with one technique and the psychological addiction with another technique all at the same time.
It's actually easier to deal with the physical addiction. There are patches, pills, and gums that you can use if you need them. Your doctor will be able to help you in this area by recommending products that can help your body lose the desire for a cigarette.
The psychological addiction is more complicated to overcome. Everyone would rather experience pleasure than pain, and trying to stop smoking will produce pain. To the smoker, cigarettes produce pleasure.
Some smoke to have something to do, or because they believe it will calm their nerves. They might associate smoking with a pleasurable experience, such as smoking with friends at the bar or while they play poker. They aren't smoking because they feel the need for the nicotine, but because they associate smoking with a good time.
So how does one overcome the psychological addiction? Some professionals suggest filling up the time you would normally be smoking with some other activity. The activity needs to be a positive one or it won't work.
Have the activities planned out. Know exactly what you are going to do in place of smoking and be prepared for it.
Include times of regular exercise, meditation and breathing exercises. Believe you can stop smoking and surround yourself with people who will encourage you to succeed.
Most importantly, get rid of the idea that life isn't worth living without cigarettes. That thought must not be allowed. Change that thought to "life is worth living without cigarettes." Instead of thinking that cigarettes are good, replace the thought with something like "cigarettes are killing me."
By changing your thoughts about cigarettes from positive to negative you will change your beliefs about them. When your beliefs change, then you lose the psychological craving for them and it's easier to stop smoking.
About The Author
Carol Stack enjoys writing. She lives with her husband, children, and various dogs and cats in the United States. She has a web site dedicated to her grandmother who smoked for over 45 years before quitting. The site is located at http://www.onlinestopsmokingtips.com where she encourages people who want to stop smoking.
Simply wanting to stop smoking is a large part of the battle to succeeding. Often knowing that cigarettes are destroying your health is not enough incentive. You don't want to think about all the health problems that smoking can cause.
After all, between the physical addiction to nicotine and the psychological addiction, the whole person, mind and body, is craving the next cigarette. With that strong pull encouraging you to the next smoke, the thought of getting cancer, having a heart attack, or hurting your unborn baby might not be enough to make you decide to stop smoking.
That your health doesn't deteriorate with the first cigarette encourages you to believe that smoking is not dangerous. Tobacco takes twenty to fifty years to damage your body with cancer or heart disease.
For a young person who is encouraged to start smoking at fifteen or seventeen that seems like a lifetime away. The sad thing is, by the time the damage is done it can be too late to quit smoking. They can end up dead of a heart attack at forty-five or dying of lung cancer at fifty.
How does one succeed in stopping the mind and body from continuing this addiction? You must deal with the body and the mind separately but at the same time. In other words, deal with the physical addiction with one technique and the psychological addiction with another technique all at the same time.
It's actually easier to deal with the physical addiction. There are patches, pills, and gums that you can use if you need them. Your doctor will be able to help you in this area by recommending products that can help your body lose the desire for a cigarette.
The psychological addiction is more complicated to overcome. Everyone would rather experience pleasure than pain, and trying to stop smoking will produce pain. To the smoker, cigarettes produce pleasure.
Some smoke to have something to do, or because they believe it will calm their nerves. They might associate smoking with a pleasurable experience, such as smoking with friends at the bar or while they play poker. They aren't smoking because they feel the need for the nicotine, but because they associate smoking with a good time.
So how does one overcome the psychological addiction? Some professionals suggest filling up the time you would normally be smoking with some other activity. The activity needs to be a positive one or it won't work.
Have the activities planned out. Know exactly what you are going to do in place of smoking and be prepared for it.
Include times of regular exercise, meditation and breathing exercises. Believe you can stop smoking and surround yourself with people who will encourage you to succeed.
Most importantly, get rid of the idea that life isn't worth living without cigarettes. That thought must not be allowed. Change that thought to "life is worth living without cigarettes." Instead of thinking that cigarettes are good, replace the thought with something like "cigarettes are killing me."
By changing your thoughts about cigarettes from positive to negative you will change your beliefs about them. When your beliefs change, then you lose the psychological craving for them and it's easier to stop smoking.
About The Author
Carol Stack enjoys writing. She lives with her husband, children, and various dogs and cats in the United States. She has a web site dedicated to her grandmother who smoked for over 45 years before quitting. The site is located at http://www.onlinestopsmokingtips.com where she encourages people who want to stop smoking.
How to Finally Quit Smoking
by: Chris Chenoweth
More than four hundred and forty thousand people die in the United States each year from smoking. Smoking is directly responsible for causing lung cancer, heart disease, strokes, and pregnancy complications, not to mention contributing to overall poorer health. So why do so many people still smoke? Because trying to quit is one of the most difficult things to do. However, you CAN do it with a little help and determination.
If you smoke and have tried to quit, you know how difficult and painful it can be. Many people actually try a number of times before they are successful. What makes it so difficult is the fact that nicotine is an incredibly addictive drug, on the same level as cocaine or heroin.
Switching to low-tar and/or low-nicotine cigarettes is a tactic that many people try, thinking that it will be less harmful. However, because nicotine is so addicting, switching will only make you puff harder and more often on each cigarette. Your only choice for your body’s health is to quit completely.
In spite of the many risks associated with smoking, some smokers, particularly women, believe there are also risks associated with quitting. These perceived risks, gaining weight, increased stress, and damaging relationships with friends who do smoke, can reduce a smoker’s motivation to quit resulting in a lower chance of success.
What can help motivate a smoker to quit? Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you will ever do. Consider the following:
REASONS FOR QUITTING
*First and foremost, you will live longer and you will live a healthier life.
*Your risk for developing heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke and other health conditions will diminish significantly.
*Your family will no longer be subjected to breathing in your smoke. Secondhand smoke kills!
*If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, stopping smoking will improve your baby’s chances of being healthy.
*You will be amazed at how much better you will feel and how much better you will be able to taste and smell.
*You will save money. (The price of cigarettes today means you will save a lot of money!)
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE READY
When you are ready to quit, follow the steps below. They will increase your chances of success and help you kick the habit for good.
*Set a quit date and stick to it. Period.
*Change your environment. You MUST do this to succeed.
1. Get rid of every ashtray you have, in your home, your car, your office, everywhere.
2. Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home, ever.
3. If you associate any particular item or event with smoking, such as having a cup of coffee, eliminate those things for a period of at least a couple of months.
*Change your behaviors.
1. When you have the urge to smoke, participate in activities that will distract you like going for a long, leisurely walk with a friend or family member, clean house, play with your kids, call a support person to talk you through the tough time.
2. Change your routine. Drink hot tea instead of coffee, instead of eating in front of the TV, eat at the kitchen table with your family.
3. Try some soothing stress reducers like taking a long hot bath, starting an exercise regimen, or reading a good book.
4. Plan something different or enjoyable every day, whether it is a solitary activity or something to do with family or friends.
*If you have made previous attempts to quit and failed, analyze those attempts and try to deduce why they did not work.
*You will have a better chance of success, if you enlist the support of others.
1. Tell everyone you know, your family, friends, and co-workers that you are going to quit and ask for their support.
2. Ask them not to smoke around you and not to leave cigarettes laying around.
3. Find out what kind of support programs your local hospital or health care center offer.
4. There are medications that can double your chances of success. Ask your doctor for advice.
*Drink lots of water to help flush the toxins out of your body. Drinking a lot of water will also help fill you up so you will not be so inclined to overeat.
*Once you quit, DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER PUFF, EVER! Keep yourself away from as much temptation as possible.
BE PREPARED FOR DIFFICULTIES
Many people have relapses within the first couple of months after quitting and many people try to quit several times before they are successful at it. Do not be discouraged and give up if this happens. Set a new date and start over but DO NOT GIVE UP! Below are situations that may challenge you:
*DO NOT BE AROUND OTHER SMOKERS unless you have to. Being around other people who are smoking when you are trying to quit can be an agonizing experience.
*DO NOT GET DEPRESSED. There are many ways to uplift your spirits. Count your blessings, congratulate yourself for quitting, and find something to do that you enjoy.
*AVOID DRINKING ALCOHOL. It can lower your chance of success.
*DO NOT WORRY ABOUT WEIGHT GAIN. The most common concern for many people who are considering giving up smoking is weight gain. Do not ever use this as an excuse.
While most people usually gain around 10 pounds after they quit smoking, there is no reason you have to. Follow a healthy eating plan and get 20 minutes of physical activity every day.
Follow the tips above. You CAN quit smoking!
About The Author
Chris Chenoweth is the author of the DO-IT-YOURSELF HOME, HEALTH & MONEY GUIDE, 500 pages of household tips, home remedies, diet and nutrition information, health issues and thousands of recipes! http://www.money-home-biz.com.
More than four hundred and forty thousand people die in the United States each year from smoking. Smoking is directly responsible for causing lung cancer, heart disease, strokes, and pregnancy complications, not to mention contributing to overall poorer health. So why do so many people still smoke? Because trying to quit is one of the most difficult things to do. However, you CAN do it with a little help and determination.
If you smoke and have tried to quit, you know how difficult and painful it can be. Many people actually try a number of times before they are successful. What makes it so difficult is the fact that nicotine is an incredibly addictive drug, on the same level as cocaine or heroin.
Switching to low-tar and/or low-nicotine cigarettes is a tactic that many people try, thinking that it will be less harmful. However, because nicotine is so addicting, switching will only make you puff harder and more often on each cigarette. Your only choice for your body’s health is to quit completely.
In spite of the many risks associated with smoking, some smokers, particularly women, believe there are also risks associated with quitting. These perceived risks, gaining weight, increased stress, and damaging relationships with friends who do smoke, can reduce a smoker’s motivation to quit resulting in a lower chance of success.
What can help motivate a smoker to quit? Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you will ever do. Consider the following:
REASONS FOR QUITTING
*First and foremost, you will live longer and you will live a healthier life.
*Your risk for developing heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke and other health conditions will diminish significantly.
*Your family will no longer be subjected to breathing in your smoke. Secondhand smoke kills!
*If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, stopping smoking will improve your baby’s chances of being healthy.
*You will be amazed at how much better you will feel and how much better you will be able to taste and smell.
*You will save money. (The price of cigarettes today means you will save a lot of money!)
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE READY
When you are ready to quit, follow the steps below. They will increase your chances of success and help you kick the habit for good.
*Set a quit date and stick to it. Period.
*Change your environment. You MUST do this to succeed.
1. Get rid of every ashtray you have, in your home, your car, your office, everywhere.
2. Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home, ever.
3. If you associate any particular item or event with smoking, such as having a cup of coffee, eliminate those things for a period of at least a couple of months.
*Change your behaviors.
1. When you have the urge to smoke, participate in activities that will distract you like going for a long, leisurely walk with a friend or family member, clean house, play with your kids, call a support person to talk you through the tough time.
2. Change your routine. Drink hot tea instead of coffee, instead of eating in front of the TV, eat at the kitchen table with your family.
3. Try some soothing stress reducers like taking a long hot bath, starting an exercise regimen, or reading a good book.
4. Plan something different or enjoyable every day, whether it is a solitary activity or something to do with family or friends.
*If you have made previous attempts to quit and failed, analyze those attempts and try to deduce why they did not work.
*You will have a better chance of success, if you enlist the support of others.
1. Tell everyone you know, your family, friends, and co-workers that you are going to quit and ask for their support.
2. Ask them not to smoke around you and not to leave cigarettes laying around.
3. Find out what kind of support programs your local hospital or health care center offer.
4. There are medications that can double your chances of success. Ask your doctor for advice.
*Drink lots of water to help flush the toxins out of your body. Drinking a lot of water will also help fill you up so you will not be so inclined to overeat.
*Once you quit, DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER PUFF, EVER! Keep yourself away from as much temptation as possible.
BE PREPARED FOR DIFFICULTIES
Many people have relapses within the first couple of months after quitting and many people try to quit several times before they are successful at it. Do not be discouraged and give up if this happens. Set a new date and start over but DO NOT GIVE UP! Below are situations that may challenge you:
*DO NOT BE AROUND OTHER SMOKERS unless you have to. Being around other people who are smoking when you are trying to quit can be an agonizing experience.
*DO NOT GET DEPRESSED. There are many ways to uplift your spirits. Count your blessings, congratulate yourself for quitting, and find something to do that you enjoy.
*AVOID DRINKING ALCOHOL. It can lower your chance of success.
*DO NOT WORRY ABOUT WEIGHT GAIN. The most common concern for many people who are considering giving up smoking is weight gain. Do not ever use this as an excuse.
While most people usually gain around 10 pounds after they quit smoking, there is no reason you have to. Follow a healthy eating plan and get 20 minutes of physical activity every day.
Follow the tips above. You CAN quit smoking!
About The Author
Chris Chenoweth is the author of the DO-IT-YOURSELF HOME, HEALTH & MONEY GUIDE, 500 pages of household tips, home remedies, diet and nutrition information, health issues and thousands of recipes! http://www.money-home-biz.com.
Solutions For Smoking In Public Places
by: Neil MacLeod
“Smoking kills!” – Do you know all the cigarette and other cigar packets have got this printed in bold either on the front or at the back side of their covers? But do you know how many smokers have noticed this and never regarded this as a serious warning to their health.
We all know smoking is such an addiction which would not go away easily amongst majority of the world population and no such country could stop or prevent the smokers to easily quit smoking by enforcing any laws. Still enforcing a smoking ban in public areas has shed new light amongst those who have been regularly advising others on the discomforts and ill effects of smoking.
As a matter of fact, ban of smoking in public areas can still be safeguarded by introducing smoking shelters which can be used for smoking, keeping rest of the environment smoke free. All the public areas have now being relieved from the smoke and smokers. If you are a smoker, then the only place where you can entertain your smoking pleasure is a smoking shelter which is located either outside the bars, restaurants, shopping malls etc, built in open air or are built inside the building in a form of semi-closed smoking shelter, thoroughly ventilated and properly recycled.
More and more people who are concerned about their and public health would appreciate the introduction of smoking bans and smoking shelters. Those people who were allergic to smoke or were not visiting pubs due to its environment, would now be more interested in going to bars and discos increasing the sales with both smokers and non-smokers looking for entertainment. All the smokers who would want to smoke can move into the smoking shelters leaving the rest of the place smoke free. Therefore, get the smoking shelters to compete and live up to the standards defined by the government.
These shelters are a good way to get rid of the dangerous cigarette fumes which has caused several issues in peoples through out the world. You can pick any form of smoking shelters as there are plenty with different style and design available in market today. They can be constructed with good quality material and absolutely no maintenance.
These smoking shelters are constructed in almost every block, the only place for a smoker to visit and fulfill his/her smoking desires. These shelters are mostly standing shelters where you visit for a minute or two, smoke cigarettes and crush the cigarette butts inside the trash bins or vertical trash columns and leave.
You can also get to look at some medium to big sized smoking shelters with people sitting and chatting for long time. Well there is no ban on the time a smoker spends inside a smoking shelter. Though smoking shelters have given new life to smokers, its has at the same time restricted the usage of cigarettes, motivating smokers to reduce their smoking habit on large scale in public places keeping the atmosphere clean with a new hope of having a healthier nation.
The biggest advantage of smoking shelters is its structure. It has a roof top to protect against any climatic conditions, with one side completely open and a decent seating arrangement along with trash bins to throw smoking litter. Most of these smoking shelters have been designed using curved shaped nice looking state-of-art builds and are placed away from any public entry or exit place. They also have smoking signs to identify its existence to any smoker. Most of these shelters have been built in public parking lots where most of the smokers assemble to puff.
Use smoking shelters – a last resort for public smoking…
About The Author
NIM Ltd Engineering, http://www.nimltdengineering.com, provide worldwide distribution of smoking shelters. Now's the time to act with many countries bringing out bans on smoking in public places, ensuring that your business caters for smokers and non-smokers alike.
“Smoking kills!” – Do you know all the cigarette and other cigar packets have got this printed in bold either on the front or at the back side of their covers? But do you know how many smokers have noticed this and never regarded this as a serious warning to their health.
We all know smoking is such an addiction which would not go away easily amongst majority of the world population and no such country could stop or prevent the smokers to easily quit smoking by enforcing any laws. Still enforcing a smoking ban in public areas has shed new light amongst those who have been regularly advising others on the discomforts and ill effects of smoking.
As a matter of fact, ban of smoking in public areas can still be safeguarded by introducing smoking shelters which can be used for smoking, keeping rest of the environment smoke free. All the public areas have now being relieved from the smoke and smokers. If you are a smoker, then the only place where you can entertain your smoking pleasure is a smoking shelter which is located either outside the bars, restaurants, shopping malls etc, built in open air or are built inside the building in a form of semi-closed smoking shelter, thoroughly ventilated and properly recycled.
More and more people who are concerned about their and public health would appreciate the introduction of smoking bans and smoking shelters. Those people who were allergic to smoke or were not visiting pubs due to its environment, would now be more interested in going to bars and discos increasing the sales with both smokers and non-smokers looking for entertainment. All the smokers who would want to smoke can move into the smoking shelters leaving the rest of the place smoke free. Therefore, get the smoking shelters to compete and live up to the standards defined by the government.
These shelters are a good way to get rid of the dangerous cigarette fumes which has caused several issues in peoples through out the world. You can pick any form of smoking shelters as there are plenty with different style and design available in market today. They can be constructed with good quality material and absolutely no maintenance.
These smoking shelters are constructed in almost every block, the only place for a smoker to visit and fulfill his/her smoking desires. These shelters are mostly standing shelters where you visit for a minute or two, smoke cigarettes and crush the cigarette butts inside the trash bins or vertical trash columns and leave.
You can also get to look at some medium to big sized smoking shelters with people sitting and chatting for long time. Well there is no ban on the time a smoker spends inside a smoking shelter. Though smoking shelters have given new life to smokers, its has at the same time restricted the usage of cigarettes, motivating smokers to reduce their smoking habit on large scale in public places keeping the atmosphere clean with a new hope of having a healthier nation.
The biggest advantage of smoking shelters is its structure. It has a roof top to protect against any climatic conditions, with one side completely open and a decent seating arrangement along with trash bins to throw smoking litter. Most of these smoking shelters have been designed using curved shaped nice looking state-of-art builds and are placed away from any public entry or exit place. They also have smoking signs to identify its existence to any smoker. Most of these shelters have been built in public parking lots where most of the smokers assemble to puff.
Use smoking shelters – a last resort for public smoking…
About The Author
NIM Ltd Engineering, http://www.nimltdengineering.com, provide worldwide distribution of smoking shelters. Now's the time to act with many countries bringing out bans on smoking in public places, ensuring that your business caters for smokers and non-smokers alike.
Stop smoking: Is it really worth it to stop smoking?
by: Sig Kabai
You have been thinking that it’s time to quit smoking. But maybe you’ve been thinking that its time to quit smoking ever since you started and you are still smoking. You know that the health benefits of quitting are incredible. Still, you are smoking a cigarette or thinking of smoking one right now. Have you examined your reasons for not quitting? Maybe you think you can’t handle the withdrawal symptoms.
Try looking at it this way: Smoking cigarettes is like pointing a gun at your head. The gun won’t go off until ten or twenty years have passed. The thing is that the gun will go off eventually. How many years have you been smoking? Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, forty? However long it’s been, the time to quit smoking is now. Really, it was yesterday, but now will have to do. Put that gun down. Stop embarrassing yourself in public. When nonsmokers see someone smoking, they make judgments about it. Stop giving them a reason to judge you.
Not only is there an increasing social stigma attached to smokers, but the health benefits of quitting are endless. Do it now. Don’t keep putting it off. You know that your body can’t handle smoking without taxing years off of your life. If the financial cost hasn’t caused you to stop smoking, then quit for the sake of the health benefits from quitting.
No one thinks that it is easy to stop smoking, but it is worth it to quit smoking and quit committing slow and painful suicide.
• If you stop smoking, you will also eliminate over four thousand different poisonous chemicals from your body.
• If you quit smoking, you will be able to eat comfortably in any restaurant whether they allow smoking or not. You will also not have to wait for a seat in the smoking section if the state or country you are in allows for smoking in public eateries.
• If you stop smoking, you will be able to save a percentage of your income. You can put the money that you have been spending on smoking into a jar or a savings account. At the end of a year, you will probably have enough money to make a very nice purchase or go on vacation.
• If you quit smoking, you will not repel nonsmokers who see you smoking or smell the smoke on your clothes and skin. Smoking is such a stigmatized habit now that you will surely see a difference in the way that the world interacts with you if you stop smoking.
• If you’ve been smoking for many years, imagine what you have been missing out on in fragrances and foods. Maybe you don’t really know what different spices taste like because your taste buds and sense of smell are overloaded with the many different poisons that are in tobacco products. If you stop smoking, you will find out what fragrances you have been missing out on.
The health benefits of quitting are important. The social and financial benefits are also important. Quitting is important, but it is not easy. You will not only face the psychological struggle when you quit smoking. You will also face some physical challenges. Some of these common physical and psychological challenges are listed below.
• When you stop smoking, you might find yourself feeling depressed.
• When you quit smoking, you might find that you are struggling with insomnia or changes in your sleep patterns.
• You might find that you are cranky, frustrated or irritable when you stop smoking.
• You might find that your appetite is greatly increased, and this could lead to some weight gain when you quit smoking.
If you really think that you cannot handle the physical and psychological challenges, there are various methods that people have found to be very helpful when it was time to quit smoking. Research a bit on the new and powerful methods to stop smoking.
About The Author
Sig Kabai researches the best ways to stop smoking. He has found a powerful and effective way to stop smoking that is stress free and easy to implement. For more information visit: http://endthehabitnow.com
You have been thinking that it’s time to quit smoking. But maybe you’ve been thinking that its time to quit smoking ever since you started and you are still smoking. You know that the health benefits of quitting are incredible. Still, you are smoking a cigarette or thinking of smoking one right now. Have you examined your reasons for not quitting? Maybe you think you can’t handle the withdrawal symptoms.
Try looking at it this way: Smoking cigarettes is like pointing a gun at your head. The gun won’t go off until ten or twenty years have passed. The thing is that the gun will go off eventually. How many years have you been smoking? Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, forty? However long it’s been, the time to quit smoking is now. Really, it was yesterday, but now will have to do. Put that gun down. Stop embarrassing yourself in public. When nonsmokers see someone smoking, they make judgments about it. Stop giving them a reason to judge you.
Not only is there an increasing social stigma attached to smokers, but the health benefits of quitting are endless. Do it now. Don’t keep putting it off. You know that your body can’t handle smoking without taxing years off of your life. If the financial cost hasn’t caused you to stop smoking, then quit for the sake of the health benefits from quitting.
No one thinks that it is easy to stop smoking, but it is worth it to quit smoking and quit committing slow and painful suicide.
• If you stop smoking, you will also eliminate over four thousand different poisonous chemicals from your body.
• If you quit smoking, you will be able to eat comfortably in any restaurant whether they allow smoking or not. You will also not have to wait for a seat in the smoking section if the state or country you are in allows for smoking in public eateries.
• If you stop smoking, you will be able to save a percentage of your income. You can put the money that you have been spending on smoking into a jar or a savings account. At the end of a year, you will probably have enough money to make a very nice purchase or go on vacation.
• If you quit smoking, you will not repel nonsmokers who see you smoking or smell the smoke on your clothes and skin. Smoking is such a stigmatized habit now that you will surely see a difference in the way that the world interacts with you if you stop smoking.
• If you’ve been smoking for many years, imagine what you have been missing out on in fragrances and foods. Maybe you don’t really know what different spices taste like because your taste buds and sense of smell are overloaded with the many different poisons that are in tobacco products. If you stop smoking, you will find out what fragrances you have been missing out on.
The health benefits of quitting are important. The social and financial benefits are also important. Quitting is important, but it is not easy. You will not only face the psychological struggle when you quit smoking. You will also face some physical challenges. Some of these common physical and psychological challenges are listed below.
• When you stop smoking, you might find yourself feeling depressed.
• When you quit smoking, you might find that you are struggling with insomnia or changes in your sleep patterns.
• You might find that you are cranky, frustrated or irritable when you stop smoking.
• You might find that your appetite is greatly increased, and this could lead to some weight gain when you quit smoking.
If you really think that you cannot handle the physical and psychological challenges, there are various methods that people have found to be very helpful when it was time to quit smoking. Research a bit on the new and powerful methods to stop smoking.
About The Author
Sig Kabai researches the best ways to stop smoking. He has found a powerful and effective way to stop smoking that is stress free and easy to implement. For more information visit: http://endthehabitnow.com
Quit Smoking: Are You Sure You Want To Quit Smoking?
by: Sig Kabai
You know you really want to stop smoking. You are also aware that you have one excuse after another. You might think that you have too much going on at work to stop smoking right now. Or you might rationalize that you’ll keep looking for the perfect cure for you to stop smoking. Maybe you’ve tried to quit smoking several times, and you always failed. Whatever your excuse is, the fact remains that you are still smoking. You must quit this deadly habit. Do it for yourself. You deserve the health benefits of quitting. You deserve the financial gain from not spending money on cigarettes. You deserve to be able to go to a party and smell like cologne or perfume rather than an ashtray.
The health benefits of quitting smoking are plentiful. As a result of more and more evidence to support the benefits of quitting, people are beginning to change their lives. They are quitting in large numbers. Smoking tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars is a habit that many people are letting go. If you are a smoker, maybe you are considering quitting smoking. Did you also know that if you quit smoking, these health benefits of quitting for your body would begin to happen almost immediately?
• 20 minutes after you quit smoking your blood pressure and pulse return to normal.
• 8 hours after you stop smoking, the nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood are reduced by fifty percent. Oxygen levels in your body return to normal after you stop smoking.
• 24 hours after you quit smoking, your body rids itself of carbon monoxide. The lungs begin to clear out mucus and smoking debris after you quit smoking.
• 48 hours after you stop smoking, you will not have any nicotine in your body. Your sense of taste and smell will be much stronger after you stop smoking.
• 72 hours after you quit smoking, you will be able to breathe much easier. Your bronchial tubes will start to relax. Your energy level will increase after you have quit smoking for only 72 hours.
• 2 to 12 weeks after you stop smoking, the circulation in your body increases.
• 3 to 9 months after you quit smoking, any breathing problems, coughs, and wheezing will improve. Your lung capacity will be increased by 10% in 3 to 9 months after you stop smoking.
• 5 years after you stop smoking, your risk of a heart attack is going to be half the risk of a smoker’s.
• 10 years after you quit smoking, your risk of a heart attack will be the same as someone who never smoked. Your risk of lung cancer is going to be half of that of a smoker’s. The health benefits of quitting smoking are very important as you can see here.
When you stop smoking, you will change the course of your life. The health benefits of quitting smoking start immediately. However, it will take time for your body to heal all the way back to normal. The health benefits of quitting are immense. However, health is only one of the reasons to quit smoking. In fact, there are many other reasons to quit smoking such as the ability to taste food better, fewer sore throats and better looking skin and teeth.
Before you look at the challenges and think that you cannot meet them, ask yourself if you are really willing to choose lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease over a little crankiness or the blues. You are not going to choose cancer over a little stress, are you? The health benefits of quitting are going to last you a lifetime. The challenges will ease up within a few weeks.
About The Author
Sig Kabai successfully quit smoking and has not touched a cigarette since. Learn more about the surprisingly easy way you can quit smoking for ever at http://endthehabitnow.com
You know you really want to stop smoking. You are also aware that you have one excuse after another. You might think that you have too much going on at work to stop smoking right now. Or you might rationalize that you’ll keep looking for the perfect cure for you to stop smoking. Maybe you’ve tried to quit smoking several times, and you always failed. Whatever your excuse is, the fact remains that you are still smoking. You must quit this deadly habit. Do it for yourself. You deserve the health benefits of quitting. You deserve the financial gain from not spending money on cigarettes. You deserve to be able to go to a party and smell like cologne or perfume rather than an ashtray.
The health benefits of quitting smoking are plentiful. As a result of more and more evidence to support the benefits of quitting, people are beginning to change their lives. They are quitting in large numbers. Smoking tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars is a habit that many people are letting go. If you are a smoker, maybe you are considering quitting smoking. Did you also know that if you quit smoking, these health benefits of quitting for your body would begin to happen almost immediately?
• 20 minutes after you quit smoking your blood pressure and pulse return to normal.
• 8 hours after you stop smoking, the nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood are reduced by fifty percent. Oxygen levels in your body return to normal after you stop smoking.
• 24 hours after you quit smoking, your body rids itself of carbon monoxide. The lungs begin to clear out mucus and smoking debris after you quit smoking.
• 48 hours after you stop smoking, you will not have any nicotine in your body. Your sense of taste and smell will be much stronger after you stop smoking.
• 72 hours after you quit smoking, you will be able to breathe much easier. Your bronchial tubes will start to relax. Your energy level will increase after you have quit smoking for only 72 hours.
• 2 to 12 weeks after you stop smoking, the circulation in your body increases.
• 3 to 9 months after you quit smoking, any breathing problems, coughs, and wheezing will improve. Your lung capacity will be increased by 10% in 3 to 9 months after you stop smoking.
• 5 years after you stop smoking, your risk of a heart attack is going to be half the risk of a smoker’s.
• 10 years after you quit smoking, your risk of a heart attack will be the same as someone who never smoked. Your risk of lung cancer is going to be half of that of a smoker’s. The health benefits of quitting smoking are very important as you can see here.
When you stop smoking, you will change the course of your life. The health benefits of quitting smoking start immediately. However, it will take time for your body to heal all the way back to normal. The health benefits of quitting are immense. However, health is only one of the reasons to quit smoking. In fact, there are many other reasons to quit smoking such as the ability to taste food better, fewer sore throats and better looking skin and teeth.
Before you look at the challenges and think that you cannot meet them, ask yourself if you are really willing to choose lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease over a little crankiness or the blues. You are not going to choose cancer over a little stress, are you? The health benefits of quitting are going to last you a lifetime. The challenges will ease up within a few weeks.
About The Author
Sig Kabai successfully quit smoking and has not touched a cigarette since. Learn more about the surprisingly easy way you can quit smoking for ever at http://endthehabitnow.com
Best Quit Smoking Plan
by: Megan Carter
The best quit smoking plan is to use your noggin!
Lucky you if you're quitting smoking and decided not to waste your time and money on drugs, but opted to deal with your psychological habit as well as the physical nicotine addiction.
It's a myth that nicotine is the big problem—it is a problem all right, but more a temporary darn nuisance. The best quit smoking plan is to concentrate on overcoming your habitual and emotional addiction, which is the secret to serious and lasting success.
Clear your mind of any worry that nicotine has you in its grip.
Yes it's nasty stuff, but it's out of your bloodstream in 48-72 hours, even for the heaviest smokers.
However, there's a billion dollar drug industry out there, pandering to the human desire for quick fixes, and fortunes are being made by promoting a lengthy withdrawal of nicotine with drugs for temporarily controlling the desire for a smoke. But recognize the medical truth, the facts when quitting smoking…
Nicotine withdrawal lasts 48-72 hours maximum and like going off many drugs including coffee, it may cause various degrees of short term irritability, lack of concentration, stomach ache, headache, and mild depression.
Of course SOME smokers looking for the best quit smoking plan WILL quit using any one of the various techniques available; because they believe what they are using will work. Their belief is due to faith in advertising, doctors and pharmaceutical products, recommendations, some new clever gimmick trumpeted by press releases, and so on.
But mostly these people can thank the power of their mind—their BELIEF that they can quit.
Yes, once someone has made a decision to quit, and paid money—if the method says bang your head against the wall 3 times a day, or drink this purple liquid, then one out of 10-20 people will quit. As Woody Allan said, "80% of success is in your decision, 20% in your actions."
Whatever reasons you started to smoke (maybe peer pressure, the cool or grown-up factor, trauma, stress, or your mother told you not to), the stimulant drug, nicotine, then usually steps in and you are hooked.
Possibly you've discovered by now that due to the simple chemical effects of nicotine on the brain, it helps you avoid dealing with unpleasant emotions.
Simply put, the brain chemical dopamine is released, which produces feelings of satisfaction and pleasure. After a while the ritual becomes important and your habit is fed by triggers.
These triggers feed your subconscious and tell you mentally when it's smoko time, as well as the nicotine physically telling you it's top up time.
Smoking may be a coping mechanism when you're upset, sad, anxious, bored or a signal to take a break from work, walk the dog, drink etc.
Cigarettes become your friend to turn to in need, and hey, we all need our friends.
Consider this: Dan has a heart attack, is rushed to hospital and with modern methods is saved and finally after 2 weeks is allowed home. Do you think Dan, a smoker, was allowed to smoke in hospital—no way José.
So he's got no physical nicotine addiction now, but he gets home and the phone rings. It's Mick, so he reaches into his pocket for his smokes because he always used to sit back and have a nice yarn on the phone to Mick—and a smoke. Oops, back to the old habit! That's just one of the many cues Dan has to un-learn or re-program in his mind if he wants to stop smoking permanently.
If you are quitting smoking, the best quit smoking plan for you is to recognize the facts—do you want to spend months trying out a drug, or do you want to quit quickly and permanently using your own noggin.
About The Author
Megan Carter's website, The Ultimate Quit Smoking Guide, http://www.quitguide.com is right up-to-date with information to make quitting smoking a breeze.
The best quit smoking plan is to use your noggin!
Lucky you if you're quitting smoking and decided not to waste your time and money on drugs, but opted to deal with your psychological habit as well as the physical nicotine addiction.
It's a myth that nicotine is the big problem—it is a problem all right, but more a temporary darn nuisance. The best quit smoking plan is to concentrate on overcoming your habitual and emotional addiction, which is the secret to serious and lasting success.
Clear your mind of any worry that nicotine has you in its grip.
Yes it's nasty stuff, but it's out of your bloodstream in 48-72 hours, even for the heaviest smokers.
However, there's a billion dollar drug industry out there, pandering to the human desire for quick fixes, and fortunes are being made by promoting a lengthy withdrawal of nicotine with drugs for temporarily controlling the desire for a smoke. But recognize the medical truth, the facts when quitting smoking…
Nicotine withdrawal lasts 48-72 hours maximum and like going off many drugs including coffee, it may cause various degrees of short term irritability, lack of concentration, stomach ache, headache, and mild depression.
Of course SOME smokers looking for the best quit smoking plan WILL quit using any one of the various techniques available; because they believe what they are using will work. Their belief is due to faith in advertising, doctors and pharmaceutical products, recommendations, some new clever gimmick trumpeted by press releases, and so on.
But mostly these people can thank the power of their mind—their BELIEF that they can quit.
Yes, once someone has made a decision to quit, and paid money—if the method says bang your head against the wall 3 times a day, or drink this purple liquid, then one out of 10-20 people will quit. As Woody Allan said, "80% of success is in your decision, 20% in your actions."
Whatever reasons you started to smoke (maybe peer pressure, the cool or grown-up factor, trauma, stress, or your mother told you not to), the stimulant drug, nicotine, then usually steps in and you are hooked.
Possibly you've discovered by now that due to the simple chemical effects of nicotine on the brain, it helps you avoid dealing with unpleasant emotions.
Simply put, the brain chemical dopamine is released, which produces feelings of satisfaction and pleasure. After a while the ritual becomes important and your habit is fed by triggers.
These triggers feed your subconscious and tell you mentally when it's smoko time, as well as the nicotine physically telling you it's top up time.
Smoking may be a coping mechanism when you're upset, sad, anxious, bored or a signal to take a break from work, walk the dog, drink etc.
Cigarettes become your friend to turn to in need, and hey, we all need our friends.
Consider this: Dan has a heart attack, is rushed to hospital and with modern methods is saved and finally after 2 weeks is allowed home. Do you think Dan, a smoker, was allowed to smoke in hospital—no way José.
So he's got no physical nicotine addiction now, but he gets home and the phone rings. It's Mick, so he reaches into his pocket for his smokes because he always used to sit back and have a nice yarn on the phone to Mick—and a smoke. Oops, back to the old habit! That's just one of the many cues Dan has to un-learn or re-program in his mind if he wants to stop smoking permanently.
If you are quitting smoking, the best quit smoking plan for you is to recognize the facts—do you want to spend months trying out a drug, or do you want to quit quickly and permanently using your own noggin.
About The Author
Megan Carter's website, The Ultimate Quit Smoking Guide, http://www.quitguide.com is right up-to-date with information to make quitting smoking a breeze.
Pregnancy and Smoking and First Trimester Dangers
by: Shalene Chamings
Did you know that if women quit smoking when they were pregnant that infant deaths could be reduced by up to 10 percent? Pregnancy and smoking and first trimester are not words that go together. The good news is that no can report that a woman who has smoked prior to her pregnancy is putting her baby at risk. However, smoking during pregnancy is very hazardous to an unborn baby.
Pregnancy and smoking and first trimester have been linked to 100,000+ miscarriages and 5,500+ infant deaths per year. Smoking also puts an expectant mother at risk for complications such as vaginal bleeding, premature rupture of the membranes, early delivery and more. Evidence is showing that a pregnant mother who smokes may have a baby who has a low birth weight. Low birth weight and being born too small is a major cause of infant illness and perinatal death.
If you are pregnant and a smoker you should know that the best time to quit is during the first trimester. Pregnancy and smoking and first trimester are not words that go together. Here are some tips that will help you get started on breaking the smoking habit.
Find out what motivates you to smoke. Is it the stimulation? Maybe you do it to relax? Do you use smoking as a way to relieve tension and stress? Maybe you smoke simply out of habit? Are you even aware of when you light up a cigarette or do you find yourself smoking out of habit? If you are able to find out what motivates you to smoke you can find a substitute to replace the smoking.
Find something that will motivate you to quit smoking. This is very easy for a pregnant woman. Your motivation is to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Find a method that will help you to quit smoking. Talk with your OB/GYN and find a way that you can quit together. Many expectant mothers chose to quit smoking cold turkey. Others wean themselves off of cigarettes during the first trimester simply because smoking makes them feel ill.
If you like smoking because it keeps your hands busy, try to do something else with your hands. You can suck on a lollipop, play with a pencil, knit, play a musical instrument, paint your fingernails and more.
If you smoke for the oral gratification, find something to replace it. This can include chewing on gum, veggies, popcorn, or simply placing a toothpick in your mouth.
If you smoke because it stimulates you, why not walk instead? Walking can give you an energy boost and help clear your head when you are feeling tired.
If you simply smoke because it is a habit, try to develop a new habit to take its place. Every time you feel like smoking you can go brush your teeth or go to a certain area in your home to relax and listen to music. If you smoke in certain situations or when you eat or drink certain foods, avoid those situations, foods and drinks for a while.
Pregnancy and smoking and first trimester are simply words that do not fit together. Not only do they sound strange on paper, but they are dangerous words to put together in life. Remember, if you can get past the first few days of withdrawal they will be worth it. Not only will your baby be healthier, but you will be healthier.
About The Author
Shalene Chamings
I am a mother of four beautiful girls who greatly enjoys motherhood.
http://www.anewbornbaby.com/blog/
Did you know that if women quit smoking when they were pregnant that infant deaths could be reduced by up to 10 percent? Pregnancy and smoking and first trimester are not words that go together. The good news is that no can report that a woman who has smoked prior to her pregnancy is putting her baby at risk. However, smoking during pregnancy is very hazardous to an unborn baby.
Pregnancy and smoking and first trimester have been linked to 100,000+ miscarriages and 5,500+ infant deaths per year. Smoking also puts an expectant mother at risk for complications such as vaginal bleeding, premature rupture of the membranes, early delivery and more. Evidence is showing that a pregnant mother who smokes may have a baby who has a low birth weight. Low birth weight and being born too small is a major cause of infant illness and perinatal death.
If you are pregnant and a smoker you should know that the best time to quit is during the first trimester. Pregnancy and smoking and first trimester are not words that go together. Here are some tips that will help you get started on breaking the smoking habit.
Find out what motivates you to smoke. Is it the stimulation? Maybe you do it to relax? Do you use smoking as a way to relieve tension and stress? Maybe you smoke simply out of habit? Are you even aware of when you light up a cigarette or do you find yourself smoking out of habit? If you are able to find out what motivates you to smoke you can find a substitute to replace the smoking.
Find something that will motivate you to quit smoking. This is very easy for a pregnant woman. Your motivation is to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Find a method that will help you to quit smoking. Talk with your OB/GYN and find a way that you can quit together. Many expectant mothers chose to quit smoking cold turkey. Others wean themselves off of cigarettes during the first trimester simply because smoking makes them feel ill.
If you like smoking because it keeps your hands busy, try to do something else with your hands. You can suck on a lollipop, play with a pencil, knit, play a musical instrument, paint your fingernails and more.
If you smoke for the oral gratification, find something to replace it. This can include chewing on gum, veggies, popcorn, or simply placing a toothpick in your mouth.
If you smoke because it stimulates you, why not walk instead? Walking can give you an energy boost and help clear your head when you are feeling tired.
If you simply smoke because it is a habit, try to develop a new habit to take its place. Every time you feel like smoking you can go brush your teeth or go to a certain area in your home to relax and listen to music. If you smoke in certain situations or when you eat or drink certain foods, avoid those situations, foods and drinks for a while.
Pregnancy and smoking and first trimester are simply words that do not fit together. Not only do they sound strange on paper, but they are dangerous words to put together in life. Remember, if you can get past the first few days of withdrawal they will be worth it. Not only will your baby be healthier, but you will be healthier.
About The Author
Shalene Chamings
I am a mother of four beautiful girls who greatly enjoys motherhood.
http://www.anewbornbaby.com/blog/
Information about the Smoking Ban in the UK
by: Chris Tyrrell
Millions and millions of people all across the world smoke cigarettes for one reason or another. They are highly addictive and extremely dangerous to one´s health. Yet with all the known negative effects, cigarettes are one of the most bought products in the market today. This is a terrible thing for non-smokers because second hand smoke can be just as deadly as smoking the cigarettes themselves. This is why many states and countries have banned smoking cigarettes in public places to help safeguard civilians who don´t smoke. The latest place to ban smoking in public places is in the United Kingdom.
In July of 2007, England banned smoking in public places with the “Smoke Free England” campaign. Second hand smoke causes numerous diseases such as heart disease, lung cancer, and SIDS. It really is unfair to those nonsmokers who are trying to stay safe from the effects of cigarettes when people smoke around them. This campaign is driven by the Health Department to keep these innocent people safe. While the campaign is being enforced, many businesses and public places are being slightly affected by this new ban.
For those people that smoke, it is a luxury to be able to go to a restaurant and smoke while enjoying a meal. This is no longer allowed in open spaces. Businesses such as restaurant, bars, and cafe´s are losing business because the people that use to come to these places who smoke no longer come. This in turn leads to loss of productivity as far as annual revenue. These businesses who are losing money right now will rebound though. With the ban of smoking in these locations, more non smokers are beginning to fill these spots, thus making up for the people who use to come that smoked.
All is not lost for people who smoke cigarettes however. There are still designated areas where people can smoke while still being in public. The Health Department has set up what is called smoking shelters where people are allowed to smoke. Many of these areas are set up with chairs and tables. Although many businesses will be able to recover from the “Smoke Free England” campaign, many UK businesses are not. This is why the Health Department set up the designated smoking areas to help businesses who lost a substantial amount of business. For companies who were badly affected by the ban, they are able to attach these smoking shelters in order to keep some of their regular customers.
There are a few different types of shelters a business owner can choose from to accommodate their customers. The most popular designated smoking spot would be the “Free Standing Smoking Shelter.” This is usually a spot connected to the place of business, where five to seven people can comfortably enjoy a cigarette. Another type of shelter is the economical friendly “Wall Mounted Smoking Shelter.” This is basically a makeshift barrier between the business and the smoking area. The only requirement for this is that no more than fifty percent of the smoke infiltrates the company. Lastly there are smoking shelters that can be custom built. For example, a business owner can build an entire separate room with tables and chairs so customers can conveniently smoke. Regardless of what type of smoking shelter it is, the shelter itself can help a business retain their customers
The United Kingdom is again the latest place to enforce this ban on smoking in public places. The public places that are the most effected by this is restaurant and bars. For those people who used to enjoy going out to the bar and smoking and having a good time can no longer do this. This ban is set to help improve people´s safety. Many people are considered social smokers, so with this “Smoke Free England “ campaign, the Health Department is hoping that some of these casual smokers will quit altogether. With less people that smoke, the fewer amount of people that will be affected by this ban. This in turn leads to businesses being less affected as well. The whole idea of this smoke free concept is to detour people away from the deadly addiction and help protect those from the people that just can´t quit.
Smoking cigarettes and second hand smoke is one of the biggest causes of people´s death every year. The worst part about them is what is called “Nicotine.” Nicotine is super addictive and very deadly. When an individual smokes a lot, their body develops a dependency to this said substance, which becomes harder to break overtime. This it turn leads to a countless list of medical dangers that can eventually lead to one´s demise. The same can be said with second hand smoke. After inhaling enough of it overtime, one can be so badly damaged by it, a whole crop of disease can pop up leading to an untimely death. The smoke free ban is being enforced to reduce this occurrence.
So when the “Smoke Free England” campaign launched and began to be enforced in July of 2007, a number of things began to happen. Many businesses were affected both in good ways and in bad ways. For those companies who took the biggest hit, the Health Department came up with an idea about the smoking shelters. This allows places like restaurant and bars to still accommodate those people who smoke while not breaking any new laws about smoking in public places. Those other businesses that were only mildly affected by the ban, will recover because more non smoking people will make up for the absence of the people that use to come and smoke. In addition, both adults and children are able to go out and enjoy themselves in an environment not deadly to their health. Hopefully for those social smokers, they will just quit entirely because of they will not have the urge to smoke while being out. The “Smoke Free England” campaign is now being enforced and is now beginning to have countless positive affects in a number of different ways.
About The Author
Chris Tyrrell writes for NIMLtd Engineering, you can learn more about their smoking shelters and other smoking control products by visiting their website at www.nimltd-smokingshelters.co.uk
Millions and millions of people all across the world smoke cigarettes for one reason or another. They are highly addictive and extremely dangerous to one´s health. Yet with all the known negative effects, cigarettes are one of the most bought products in the market today. This is a terrible thing for non-smokers because second hand smoke can be just as deadly as smoking the cigarettes themselves. This is why many states and countries have banned smoking cigarettes in public places to help safeguard civilians who don´t smoke. The latest place to ban smoking in public places is in the United Kingdom.
In July of 2007, England banned smoking in public places with the “Smoke Free England” campaign. Second hand smoke causes numerous diseases such as heart disease, lung cancer, and SIDS. It really is unfair to those nonsmokers who are trying to stay safe from the effects of cigarettes when people smoke around them. This campaign is driven by the Health Department to keep these innocent people safe. While the campaign is being enforced, many businesses and public places are being slightly affected by this new ban.
For those people that smoke, it is a luxury to be able to go to a restaurant and smoke while enjoying a meal. This is no longer allowed in open spaces. Businesses such as restaurant, bars, and cafe´s are losing business because the people that use to come to these places who smoke no longer come. This in turn leads to loss of productivity as far as annual revenue. These businesses who are losing money right now will rebound though. With the ban of smoking in these locations, more non smokers are beginning to fill these spots, thus making up for the people who use to come that smoked.
All is not lost for people who smoke cigarettes however. There are still designated areas where people can smoke while still being in public. The Health Department has set up what is called smoking shelters where people are allowed to smoke. Many of these areas are set up with chairs and tables. Although many businesses will be able to recover from the “Smoke Free England” campaign, many UK businesses are not. This is why the Health Department set up the designated smoking areas to help businesses who lost a substantial amount of business. For companies who were badly affected by the ban, they are able to attach these smoking shelters in order to keep some of their regular customers.
There are a few different types of shelters a business owner can choose from to accommodate their customers. The most popular designated smoking spot would be the “Free Standing Smoking Shelter.” This is usually a spot connected to the place of business, where five to seven people can comfortably enjoy a cigarette. Another type of shelter is the economical friendly “Wall Mounted Smoking Shelter.” This is basically a makeshift barrier between the business and the smoking area. The only requirement for this is that no more than fifty percent of the smoke infiltrates the company. Lastly there are smoking shelters that can be custom built. For example, a business owner can build an entire separate room with tables and chairs so customers can conveniently smoke. Regardless of what type of smoking shelter it is, the shelter itself can help a business retain their customers
The United Kingdom is again the latest place to enforce this ban on smoking in public places. The public places that are the most effected by this is restaurant and bars. For those people who used to enjoy going out to the bar and smoking and having a good time can no longer do this. This ban is set to help improve people´s safety. Many people are considered social smokers, so with this “Smoke Free England “ campaign, the Health Department is hoping that some of these casual smokers will quit altogether. With less people that smoke, the fewer amount of people that will be affected by this ban. This in turn leads to businesses being less affected as well. The whole idea of this smoke free concept is to detour people away from the deadly addiction and help protect those from the people that just can´t quit.
Smoking cigarettes and second hand smoke is one of the biggest causes of people´s death every year. The worst part about them is what is called “Nicotine.” Nicotine is super addictive and very deadly. When an individual smokes a lot, their body develops a dependency to this said substance, which becomes harder to break overtime. This it turn leads to a countless list of medical dangers that can eventually lead to one´s demise. The same can be said with second hand smoke. After inhaling enough of it overtime, one can be so badly damaged by it, a whole crop of disease can pop up leading to an untimely death. The smoke free ban is being enforced to reduce this occurrence.
So when the “Smoke Free England” campaign launched and began to be enforced in July of 2007, a number of things began to happen. Many businesses were affected both in good ways and in bad ways. For those companies who took the biggest hit, the Health Department came up with an idea about the smoking shelters. This allows places like restaurant and bars to still accommodate those people who smoke while not breaking any new laws about smoking in public places. Those other businesses that were only mildly affected by the ban, will recover because more non smoking people will make up for the absence of the people that use to come and smoke. In addition, both adults and children are able to go out and enjoy themselves in an environment not deadly to their health. Hopefully for those social smokers, they will just quit entirely because of they will not have the urge to smoke while being out. The “Smoke Free England” campaign is now being enforced and is now beginning to have countless positive affects in a number of different ways.
About The Author
Chris Tyrrell writes for NIMLtd Engineering, you can learn more about their smoking shelters and other smoking control products by visiting their website at www.nimltd-smokingshelters.co.uk
Does The “Smoker Personality” Resist Common Stop-Smoking Approaches?
by: Wendy N. Lapidus-Saltz
If you’re a smoker, and people around you know it, you’re probably barraged by demands to stop. Some are caring and kindly. Others abrasive, even disgusted. Do the people you love quote scary facts and figures at you? Does it make you want to stop? No? Thought so.
Or maybe you yourself want to stop smoking. You may even be heard to say that you desperately want to stop smoking. Uh-oh. Desperation may make it harder to stop.
So is there no way out? Nothing you can do? There is something. And it’s startlingly simple. Here it is: Let smoking cessation be a desire for you. Something you want—and choose—to do.
Even if your doctor, your spouse, and your best buddies say “You absolutely must stop smoking!” make it that you want to stop smoking. It’s a desire. Desires are more compelling than orders, aren’t they? That’s because orders make you angry and you want to ignore them.
Give an adult an order and he or she quickly reverts to a willful five-year-old. “I will NOT!” The voice may have gotten deeper but the attitude stays the same.
What if you were ordered to eat your favorite cake? Maybe you’d eat it. Maybe not. But most certainly it wouldn’t be as fun as choosing to eat your favorite cake.
Desires, rather than orders, threats, or commands, are alluring. Desirable. Seductive.
They invite you to do something, and let you know it’s what you’ve wanted to do all along. So invite yourself to be a nonsmoker, the way you’d invite someone special to a lovely dinner party. How to do that?
First, think of what it would be like to be a nonsmoker. Might your hair smell fresher? What about your breath and clothes? Might your teeth look whiter without nicotine to stain them yellow and, eventually, brown? Would you prefer to keep your teeth as you get older instead of succumbing to gum disease and tooth loss, as many smokers eventually do?
How about fewer trips to the dry cleaners to keep your clothes odor-free? What would you do with the savings? After some years, they could be substantial. And would you enjoy having fewer age lines, and fresher, clearer skin as you age? Does improved breathing sound good to you? It should because it can mean appearing younger, walking and running easily, and having more stamina for most activities, including sex.
Here’s another benefit you might enjoy: lower insurance costs. Extra money to put toward a vacation or your next shiny, new car. Why lower insurance costs? That’s because many insurance companies penalize smokers because they’re statistically likely to run up higher health-care bills. And if we’re talking about life insurance, nonsmokers tend to live longer and healthier.
But if you’re considering just lying about being a nonsmoker, beware. Yes, beware. Because if your insurance company were to discover that your illness was caused or exacerbated by your smoking, and their records show you claimed to be a nonsmoker, they might choose to fight against paying health care costs. Is it really worth all that just to put a white stick between your lips and inhale tar and other poisons?
But that white stick seemed to do something for you that we haven’t taken into account yet. Fair is fair, so let’s make a list.
It gave you something to do.
It made you look like you were doing something so you didn’t seem lonely.
It helped you avoid snacking, so you think it kept your weight down.
It let you disconnect from others when you wanted to.
It helped you connect with others. Other smokers. You hung out together outside once
no-smoking laws forbade you to smoking indoors.
Fair enough.
The important question is: do you prefer to avoid early aging, smelly hair, yellow, brown or missing teeth, not to mention the serious illnesses caused or made worse by smoking— or do you prefer to smoke?
Another good question is: Can you get something to do, look like you’re doing something, choose healthier, low calorie snacking to stay lean, and find other ways to connect and disconnect from others as you choose? If you can, you simply don’t need to smoke.
But smokers like to smoke because when they were young, they learned to connect it with independence. The Marlboro Man looked pretty independent, didn’t he? Maybe, but not as much when he was hooked up to oxygen so he could breathe.
So if you love independence and doing what you want to do instead of being told, the answer is simple. You can choose independence from cigarette companies, restaurants that ban smoking, friends who urge you to smoke with them and friends who nag you to stop smoking. You can just choose to quit smoking. Simply because you—and nobody else—said so. And that’s that. Feels pretty powerful, independent, and freeing—doesn’t it? Copyright 2007 by Wendy Lapidus-Saltz. All rights reserved.
About The Author
Wendy Lapidus-Saltz is a mind coach who helps people break unproductive habits and create new, productive habits. Based in Chicago, she specializes in smoking cessation and women’s issues. For more info, call 312-640-1484 or visit http://www.nonsmoker4life.com and http://www.hypno-attraction.com
If you’re a smoker, and people around you know it, you’re probably barraged by demands to stop. Some are caring and kindly. Others abrasive, even disgusted. Do the people you love quote scary facts and figures at you? Does it make you want to stop? No? Thought so.
Or maybe you yourself want to stop smoking. You may even be heard to say that you desperately want to stop smoking. Uh-oh. Desperation may make it harder to stop.
So is there no way out? Nothing you can do? There is something. And it’s startlingly simple. Here it is: Let smoking cessation be a desire for you. Something you want—and choose—to do.
Even if your doctor, your spouse, and your best buddies say “You absolutely must stop smoking!” make it that you want to stop smoking. It’s a desire. Desires are more compelling than orders, aren’t they? That’s because orders make you angry and you want to ignore them.
Give an adult an order and he or she quickly reverts to a willful five-year-old. “I will NOT!” The voice may have gotten deeper but the attitude stays the same.
What if you were ordered to eat your favorite cake? Maybe you’d eat it. Maybe not. But most certainly it wouldn’t be as fun as choosing to eat your favorite cake.
Desires, rather than orders, threats, or commands, are alluring. Desirable. Seductive.
They invite you to do something, and let you know it’s what you’ve wanted to do all along. So invite yourself to be a nonsmoker, the way you’d invite someone special to a lovely dinner party. How to do that?
First, think of what it would be like to be a nonsmoker. Might your hair smell fresher? What about your breath and clothes? Might your teeth look whiter without nicotine to stain them yellow and, eventually, brown? Would you prefer to keep your teeth as you get older instead of succumbing to gum disease and tooth loss, as many smokers eventually do?
How about fewer trips to the dry cleaners to keep your clothes odor-free? What would you do with the savings? After some years, they could be substantial. And would you enjoy having fewer age lines, and fresher, clearer skin as you age? Does improved breathing sound good to you? It should because it can mean appearing younger, walking and running easily, and having more stamina for most activities, including sex.
Here’s another benefit you might enjoy: lower insurance costs. Extra money to put toward a vacation or your next shiny, new car. Why lower insurance costs? That’s because many insurance companies penalize smokers because they’re statistically likely to run up higher health-care bills. And if we’re talking about life insurance, nonsmokers tend to live longer and healthier.
But if you’re considering just lying about being a nonsmoker, beware. Yes, beware. Because if your insurance company were to discover that your illness was caused or exacerbated by your smoking, and their records show you claimed to be a nonsmoker, they might choose to fight against paying health care costs. Is it really worth all that just to put a white stick between your lips and inhale tar and other poisons?
But that white stick seemed to do something for you that we haven’t taken into account yet. Fair is fair, so let’s make a list.
It gave you something to do.
It made you look like you were doing something so you didn’t seem lonely.
It helped you avoid snacking, so you think it kept your weight down.
It let you disconnect from others when you wanted to.
It helped you connect with others. Other smokers. You hung out together outside once
no-smoking laws forbade you to smoking indoors.
Fair enough.
The important question is: do you prefer to avoid early aging, smelly hair, yellow, brown or missing teeth, not to mention the serious illnesses caused or made worse by smoking— or do you prefer to smoke?
Another good question is: Can you get something to do, look like you’re doing something, choose healthier, low calorie snacking to stay lean, and find other ways to connect and disconnect from others as you choose? If you can, you simply don’t need to smoke.
But smokers like to smoke because when they were young, they learned to connect it with independence. The Marlboro Man looked pretty independent, didn’t he? Maybe, but not as much when he was hooked up to oxygen so he could breathe.
So if you love independence and doing what you want to do instead of being told, the answer is simple. You can choose independence from cigarette companies, restaurants that ban smoking, friends who urge you to smoke with them and friends who nag you to stop smoking. You can just choose to quit smoking. Simply because you—and nobody else—said so. And that’s that. Feels pretty powerful, independent, and freeing—doesn’t it? Copyright 2007 by Wendy Lapidus-Saltz. All rights reserved.
About The Author
Wendy Lapidus-Saltz is a mind coach who helps people break unproductive habits and create new, productive habits. Based in Chicago, she specializes in smoking cessation and women’s issues. For more info, call 312-640-1484 or visit http://www.nonsmoker4life.com and http://www.hypno-attraction.com
How To Get A Man To Quit Smoking
by: Wendy N. Lapidus-Saltz
It’s my job to hypnotize people to stop smoking. I also hypnotize people to create outrageous new possibilities in their lives. But helping people rid themselves of a life-threatening, debilitating habit is what makes me jump out of bed in the morning.
So if you’d like to know how to help a man make the decision and take the actions to stop smoking, you’re in the right place. But you need to understand some things first:
1. Men Vs. Women Smokers
Many of my smoking cessation clients are women. They awaken one day with this feeling inside and say: I’m going to stop smoking!
Sometimes it’s because they want to get pregnant. Or because they worry about the link between smoking and various cancers, heart conditions, or other diseases that affect women. Sometimes it’s because they know they smell like smoke, or they’re wasting money, or it’s getting harder to breathe when they exercise.
Sometimes it’s because a cute little girl said, “Mommy, I wanna smoke, just like you.”
So they make the decision, and then call me and ask how soon they can come in. If I said, “Five minutes from now,” they’d manage to arrive on time, no matter how far away they live. That’s how women smokers act when they quit for good. But men? Well…
2. Men Are Different And What That Means
I’m going to be doing some generalizing here, so buckle your seatbelt and know that I’m trying to make important points that apply to many male smokers, if not all. Mea culpa, but I believe it’s important.
To a man, smoking means something different than to a woman.
To a woman (alert: I’m generalizing again), it’s a way to hang out with her smoking friends; something to do with her hands; an ill-advised method for keeping her weight down (she believes) and a way to create some smoke curls that (she believes) make her look elegant, graceful, and interesting.
To a man, though he won’t admit it, it’s tied up with his manhood.
It doesn’t really matter how, when or why he began smoking, but here are the favorites:
he learned at his father’s knee
he tried his first cigarette with a crowd of other boys
he took it up because John Wayne smoked
he wanted to rebel
he wanted to feel okay as a loner
he’ll look like he’s doing something so the woman he loves will leave him alone
he smokes outside his office building so he can bond with his boss
he started (again) because George Clooney looked so cool smoking in Good Night and Good Luck (substitute any hot male star in any noteworthy film)
Regardless which scenario, it’s about masculinity and what that means to him.
3. Ways To Encourage A Man To Stop Smoking
There are four or five solid ways to get a guy to stop smoking. And a hundred ways to make him smoke more in your attempt to get him to stop. If you’re a woman who loves a man who smokes, you know many of the hundred. When I retire, I may compile them all. In the meantime, here are some of the ways that have been tried.
4. Worst Ways
nagging him
getting his mother to nag him
showing him articles that say smoking = death
showing him articles that say smoking leads to a long list of horrible diseases
asking his doctor to tell him, especially if he finds out you did
saying he stinks, literally
saying you won’t have sex with him if he continues to smoke
saying his cough sounds symptomatic of something horrible
reminding him he swore he would stop
naming friends, relatives and celebrities who are ill or dead due to smoking
These don’t work because for most men because every time you make the argument, it will trigger an answer that proves it’s not true for him. Remind him that so-and-so died of lung cancer, and he’ll remember that so-and-so smoked filterless cigarettes, smoked more often and longer.
Every time you nag, he’ll offer himself a counter-example. Every time you demonstrate why he shouldn’t smoke, he’ll see how his situation is different.
Soon he may tune out your voice entirely when he knows a stop-smoking argument is coming.
5. Best Ways
A. He discovers for himself—physical effects in his own body, or stories about a close friend who is very sick, or news stories, or a very smart doctor who knows how to talk to men directly without being an alarmist. He makes the decision.
B. A child tells him, innocently and disingenuously. Kids say the darnedest things. And spoken with such innocence, it could make a stone cry. Especially if the child is the man’s own blood. (Bribery is okay for this good cause; just make sure the kid stays quiet.)
C. He reads an article that hits so close to home, he can’t ignore it. He just “happened” to find this article in the house.
D. He hears from his wife or a beloved daughter these words: “I’m having a baby!” A first (grand)child or a late-in-life baby are especially compelling.
E. A combination of any of the above.
6. What To Say When A Man Tells You He Is Stopping Smoking
Be pleasantly surprised, even if you were prepping this for months. Be pleased, and don’t offer to help. Let him ask.
Avoid saying “It’s about time” or “I told you you’d better.” Instead try “That’s great.” Then stop. If he looks like he is trusting you not to nag, you might quietly add “Can I do anything?” but if you’ve been a nag, steer clear of even that.
Don’t ask about his progress, let him tell you. If he chooses to talk, be supportive and proud of him, as if the idea was all his. Because, truthfully, it was.
Enjoy knowing you got what you wanted. Keep this enjoyment private. © 2007 by Wendy Lapidus-Saltz. All rights reserved.
About The Author
Wendy Lapidus-Saltz is a mind coach who uses hypnosis and other techniques to help people break unproductive habits and create productive ones. Based in Chicago, she specializes in smoking-cessation and career fulfillment. For more info, visit http://www.nonsmoker4life.com and http://www.hypno-attraction.com or call 312-640-1584.
It’s my job to hypnotize people to stop smoking. I also hypnotize people to create outrageous new possibilities in their lives. But helping people rid themselves of a life-threatening, debilitating habit is what makes me jump out of bed in the morning.
So if you’d like to know how to help a man make the decision and take the actions to stop smoking, you’re in the right place. But you need to understand some things first:
1. Men Vs. Women Smokers
Many of my smoking cessation clients are women. They awaken one day with this feeling inside and say: I’m going to stop smoking!
Sometimes it’s because they want to get pregnant. Or because they worry about the link between smoking and various cancers, heart conditions, or other diseases that affect women. Sometimes it’s because they know they smell like smoke, or they’re wasting money, or it’s getting harder to breathe when they exercise.
Sometimes it’s because a cute little girl said, “Mommy, I wanna smoke, just like you.”
So they make the decision, and then call me and ask how soon they can come in. If I said, “Five minutes from now,” they’d manage to arrive on time, no matter how far away they live. That’s how women smokers act when they quit for good. But men? Well…
2. Men Are Different And What That Means
I’m going to be doing some generalizing here, so buckle your seatbelt and know that I’m trying to make important points that apply to many male smokers, if not all. Mea culpa, but I believe it’s important.
To a man, smoking means something different than to a woman.
To a woman (alert: I’m generalizing again), it’s a way to hang out with her smoking friends; something to do with her hands; an ill-advised method for keeping her weight down (she believes) and a way to create some smoke curls that (she believes) make her look elegant, graceful, and interesting.
To a man, though he won’t admit it, it’s tied up with his manhood.
It doesn’t really matter how, when or why he began smoking, but here are the favorites:
he learned at his father’s knee
he tried his first cigarette with a crowd of other boys
he took it up because John Wayne smoked
he wanted to rebel
he wanted to feel okay as a loner
he’ll look like he’s doing something so the woman he loves will leave him alone
he smokes outside his office building so he can bond with his boss
he started (again) because George Clooney looked so cool smoking in Good Night and Good Luck (substitute any hot male star in any noteworthy film)
Regardless which scenario, it’s about masculinity and what that means to him.
3. Ways To Encourage A Man To Stop Smoking
There are four or five solid ways to get a guy to stop smoking. And a hundred ways to make him smoke more in your attempt to get him to stop. If you’re a woman who loves a man who smokes, you know many of the hundred. When I retire, I may compile them all. In the meantime, here are some of the ways that have been tried.
4. Worst Ways
nagging him
getting his mother to nag him
showing him articles that say smoking = death
showing him articles that say smoking leads to a long list of horrible diseases
asking his doctor to tell him, especially if he finds out you did
saying he stinks, literally
saying you won’t have sex with him if he continues to smoke
saying his cough sounds symptomatic of something horrible
reminding him he swore he would stop
naming friends, relatives and celebrities who are ill or dead due to smoking
These don’t work because for most men because every time you make the argument, it will trigger an answer that proves it’s not true for him. Remind him that so-and-so died of lung cancer, and he’ll remember that so-and-so smoked filterless cigarettes, smoked more often and longer.
Every time you nag, he’ll offer himself a counter-example. Every time you demonstrate why he shouldn’t smoke, he’ll see how his situation is different.
Soon he may tune out your voice entirely when he knows a stop-smoking argument is coming.
5. Best Ways
A. He discovers for himself—physical effects in his own body, or stories about a close friend who is very sick, or news stories, or a very smart doctor who knows how to talk to men directly without being an alarmist. He makes the decision.
B. A child tells him, innocently and disingenuously. Kids say the darnedest things. And spoken with such innocence, it could make a stone cry. Especially if the child is the man’s own blood. (Bribery is okay for this good cause; just make sure the kid stays quiet.)
C. He reads an article that hits so close to home, he can’t ignore it. He just “happened” to find this article in the house.
D. He hears from his wife or a beloved daughter these words: “I’m having a baby!” A first (grand)child or a late-in-life baby are especially compelling.
E. A combination of any of the above.
6. What To Say When A Man Tells You He Is Stopping Smoking
Be pleasantly surprised, even if you were prepping this for months. Be pleased, and don’t offer to help. Let him ask.
Avoid saying “It’s about time” or “I told you you’d better.” Instead try “That’s great.” Then stop. If he looks like he is trusting you not to nag, you might quietly add “Can I do anything?” but if you’ve been a nag, steer clear of even that.
Don’t ask about his progress, let him tell you. If he chooses to talk, be supportive and proud of him, as if the idea was all his. Because, truthfully, it was.
Enjoy knowing you got what you wanted. Keep this enjoyment private. © 2007 by Wendy Lapidus-Saltz. All rights reserved.
About The Author
Wendy Lapidus-Saltz is a mind coach who uses hypnosis and other techniques to help people break unproductive habits and create productive ones. Based in Chicago, she specializes in smoking-cessation and career fulfillment. For more info, visit http://www.nonsmoker4life.com and http://www.hypno-attraction.com or call 312-640-1584.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Quitting Smoking – The Nicotine Substitute Method
By: Darren O Connell
"It's not the nicotine in cigarettes that's harmful. It's the smoke."
That was the tag line provided by a manufacturer of nicotine gum during the famous debut of their product's commercials a decade ago. While not an entirely accurate statement (will discuss that later) it did strike a nerve with millions of smokers and led them to a rush to purchase nicotine gum. Unlike many other products of the past which promised a lot and delivered little, nicotine transmission products such as gum, patches, sprays et al turned out to work quite well.
This was a veritable godsend! For many years people struggled to discover reliable cures for the pain of nicotine and cigarette addiction but they all were of no avail. Yes, many people were able to quit smoking cold turkey or through other means but with the advent of nicotine transmission substitutes such as nicotine gum and nicotine patches the ability to kick the habit was made far easier than ever before. Because of this, sales of these products boomed to a degree far greater than anyone ever expected.
Whether one is taking nicotine gum, a lozenge or a patch all of these methods serve the same purpose: to deliver nicotine in much smaller doses than what is found in cigarettes and also with the added benefit of not having to inhale dangerous smoke into one's lungs. Of course, different people react differently to different methods and it may take a little trial and error before finding which particular product works for you. So, if one method doesn't work there is no reason to feel despondent. Simply try another method/product and see if better results will occur.
Of course, one must never lose sight of the fact that you should not be puffing away while also chewing your nicotine gum! When you are taking one of these cigarette substitutes it is critical to stop smoking when taking the product. There are many people who use these products as a means of cutting back on the number of cigarettes they smoke per day with the eventual goal of smoking none. While this may seem like a decent plan it is NOT the suggested method promoted by the actual product. The reason for this is that if one were to chew nicotine gum and smoke at the same time the sheer volume of nicotine one would ingest performing such "double duty" would be far too much and certainly not healthy.
It needs to be pointed out that nicotine is harmful and it is not just the smoke that can harm you. In fact, nicotine in high doses can be poisonous! Also, no matter what form you ingest nicotine it still remains a highly addictive substance so when you chew nicotine gum there comes the potential to being addicted to the gum as well. Now, this is not stated as a means of scaring people into avoiding nicotine gums, patches, etc but rather it is a method of presenting certain warnings regarding continued use of these products. They are designed to wean you off the drug not replace one transmission method with another.
About the Author:
Darren O Connell - How to stop smoking naturally without patches pills or drugs http://www.quit-smoking-2day.com and how to stop smoking in less than 3 hours http://www.quitfast.quit-smoking-2day.com
"It's not the nicotine in cigarettes that's harmful. It's the smoke."
That was the tag line provided by a manufacturer of nicotine gum during the famous debut of their product's commercials a decade ago. While not an entirely accurate statement (will discuss that later) it did strike a nerve with millions of smokers and led them to a rush to purchase nicotine gum. Unlike many other products of the past which promised a lot and delivered little, nicotine transmission products such as gum, patches, sprays et al turned out to work quite well.
This was a veritable godsend! For many years people struggled to discover reliable cures for the pain of nicotine and cigarette addiction but they all were of no avail. Yes, many people were able to quit smoking cold turkey or through other means but with the advent of nicotine transmission substitutes such as nicotine gum and nicotine patches the ability to kick the habit was made far easier than ever before. Because of this, sales of these products boomed to a degree far greater than anyone ever expected.
Whether one is taking nicotine gum, a lozenge or a patch all of these methods serve the same purpose: to deliver nicotine in much smaller doses than what is found in cigarettes and also with the added benefit of not having to inhale dangerous smoke into one's lungs. Of course, different people react differently to different methods and it may take a little trial and error before finding which particular product works for you. So, if one method doesn't work there is no reason to feel despondent. Simply try another method/product and see if better results will occur.
Of course, one must never lose sight of the fact that you should not be puffing away while also chewing your nicotine gum! When you are taking one of these cigarette substitutes it is critical to stop smoking when taking the product. There are many people who use these products as a means of cutting back on the number of cigarettes they smoke per day with the eventual goal of smoking none. While this may seem like a decent plan it is NOT the suggested method promoted by the actual product. The reason for this is that if one were to chew nicotine gum and smoke at the same time the sheer volume of nicotine one would ingest performing such "double duty" would be far too much and certainly not healthy.
It needs to be pointed out that nicotine is harmful and it is not just the smoke that can harm you. In fact, nicotine in high doses can be poisonous! Also, no matter what form you ingest nicotine it still remains a highly addictive substance so when you chew nicotine gum there comes the potential to being addicted to the gum as well. Now, this is not stated as a means of scaring people into avoiding nicotine gums, patches, etc but rather it is a method of presenting certain warnings regarding continued use of these products. They are designed to wean you off the drug not replace one transmission method with another.
About the Author:
Darren O Connell - How to stop smoking naturally without patches pills or drugs http://www.quit-smoking-2day.com and how to stop smoking in less than 3 hours http://www.quitfast.quit-smoking-2day.com
Quitting Smoking And Understanding How Nicotine Affects The Body
by: Libby Sustachek
This is the time of year when we make New Year’s resolutions. One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to quit smoking. It is important to understand why you are addicted before you start any program. Understanding how nicotine affects the body is the fist step in quitting smoking. The second step is picking the right program for you to help you achieve your goal of becoming a non-smoker.
Nicotine is a type of chemical called an alkaloid. Many plants containing alkaloids are poisonous and produce a bitter taste when eaten. Nicotine is found in cigarettes, but it has other uses as well. Weed killers and insecticides also contain nicotine. Nicotine is extremely potent. A person would die if the nicotine found in 2.5 cigarettes were directly injected into a person’s bloodstream.
Nicotine enters the bloodstream through the lungs. It quickly reaches the brain, where it affects certain chemicals that change the way you feel. Eventually the brain becomes dependent on nicotine to control these chemicals that make you feel “normal.”
Nicotine is more addictive than heroine is. As smokers become addicted to nicotine, they will develop a tolerance to nicotine- meaning that they need to smoke more cigarettes in order to feel the same effects they did when they first started.
Nicotine can have different effects on people. Some say nicotine relaxes them when they are upset. Others say that it energizes them and raises alertness when they are tired. The affects vary according to each person and how much they have inhaled. Nicotine also causes the heart to beat faster, veins to constrict, blood pressure to rise, and the adrenal glands to pump out adrenaline that raises the metabolism and suppresses hunger.
Nicotine interferes with the transmission of information between the nerve cells. It also affects sections of the brain that regulate pleasurable feelings, called “reward circuits.” The neurotransmitter dopamine is one chemical affected by smoking; nicotine raises the level of dopamine in the brain’s reward circuits, causing the smoker to experience pleasure. Other chemicals impacted by nicotine are serotonin, which controls mood, norepinephrine, which affects arousal and appetite, and beta-endorphin, which reduces anxiety.
Remember that every year the tobacco companies pour millions of dollars into research to keep you addicted! The time is right to stop smoking and get healthy. For more information on quitting smoking you can go to my website at www.healthsolutionsandyou.com
About The Author
Libby Sustacheck has over twenty years of experience in the healthcare field working with such industry giants as Kaiser Permanente and Aetna. She has assisted many organizations with their wellness programs.
libbys@libbyshealthsolutions.com
This is the time of year when we make New Year’s resolutions. One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to quit smoking. It is important to understand why you are addicted before you start any program. Understanding how nicotine affects the body is the fist step in quitting smoking. The second step is picking the right program for you to help you achieve your goal of becoming a non-smoker.
Nicotine is a type of chemical called an alkaloid. Many plants containing alkaloids are poisonous and produce a bitter taste when eaten. Nicotine is found in cigarettes, but it has other uses as well. Weed killers and insecticides also contain nicotine. Nicotine is extremely potent. A person would die if the nicotine found in 2.5 cigarettes were directly injected into a person’s bloodstream.
Nicotine enters the bloodstream through the lungs. It quickly reaches the brain, where it affects certain chemicals that change the way you feel. Eventually the brain becomes dependent on nicotine to control these chemicals that make you feel “normal.”
Nicotine is more addictive than heroine is. As smokers become addicted to nicotine, they will develop a tolerance to nicotine- meaning that they need to smoke more cigarettes in order to feel the same effects they did when they first started.
Nicotine can have different effects on people. Some say nicotine relaxes them when they are upset. Others say that it energizes them and raises alertness when they are tired. The affects vary according to each person and how much they have inhaled. Nicotine also causes the heart to beat faster, veins to constrict, blood pressure to rise, and the adrenal glands to pump out adrenaline that raises the metabolism and suppresses hunger.
Nicotine interferes with the transmission of information between the nerve cells. It also affects sections of the brain that regulate pleasurable feelings, called “reward circuits.” The neurotransmitter dopamine is one chemical affected by smoking; nicotine raises the level of dopamine in the brain’s reward circuits, causing the smoker to experience pleasure. Other chemicals impacted by nicotine are serotonin, which controls mood, norepinephrine, which affects arousal and appetite, and beta-endorphin, which reduces anxiety.
Remember that every year the tobacco companies pour millions of dollars into research to keep you addicted! The time is right to stop smoking and get healthy. For more information on quitting smoking you can go to my website at www.healthsolutionsandyou.com
About The Author
Libby Sustacheck has over twenty years of experience in the healthcare field working with such industry giants as Kaiser Permanente and Aetna. She has assisted many organizations with their wellness programs.
libbys@libbyshealthsolutions.com
How To Quit Smoking - The Nicotine Patch
by: Brandon C. Hall
Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known. Study after study shows that one can get addicted to nicotine as quickly as cocaine and other illegal drugs that we generally associate with crippling addictions. It is for this reason, of course, that is can be so difficult to quit smoking. One top of this physical addiction - that is, the body's craving of nicotine - there is a psychological component: because smoking is both legal and socially acceptable in many situations, it can be difficult to avoid it completely. Any attempt to quit smoking, therefore, should involve a comprehensive plan that deals with both the physical and psychological side of the addiction. One way to address the physical addition to nicotine, to leave yourself free to concentrate on the psychological aspects of your addiction, is to use a nicotine patch.
The nicotine patch is one of the oldest, and certainly best-known, medical aids to quitting smoking. Patches are placed on the skin, and work by releasing a slow and steady supply of nicotine into the bloodstream. The idea is that the patch helps wean your body off nicotine - instead of nicotine being immediately absent from your system when you quit smoking, it is gradually reduced.
The way the patch works is to break your body's desire for nicotine "spikes." When you smoke a cigarette, your body receives an immidiete spike in its nicotine levels. As the level of nicotine slowly dissipates after the spike, it will eventually drop to a point where you desire to have it "topped up" again - the need for another cigarette. If you picture a graph of your body's nicotine levels when you smoke, you would see a steady series of peaks and valleys - the peaks corresponding to the spike in nicotine levels when you smoke a cigarette. A graph of your nicotine levels when wearing the patch, on the other hand, would show a steady line: the line wouldn't be as high as your peaks, but it wouldn't be as low as your valleys either. The idea is that the patch goes for the middle ground, and your body slowly adjusts to not having spikes in its nicotine levels.
As you become more and more used to lower levels of nicotine in your system, you can reduce the dosage of the patches you wear, until eventually your body is nicotine free. Another good thing about the patch is that it is an extremely strong deterrent against smoking: if you smoke while you're on the patch, your levels of nicotine will become too high and you could suffer from a nicotine overdose, which can result in sickness and even death.
The patch is a very effective stop smoking aid. It does, however, have some disadvantages: it is fairly expensive, and at the early stages of quitting it can often cost more than cigarettes did. The patch can also cause problems with sleeping if you wear it to bed - and at the same time if you don't you will wake up with no nicotine in your system, and feel pretty bad until you put on a morning patch and it starts working. Despite these drawbacks, the patch remains the medical aid of choice for people dealing with serious nicotine addictions.
About The Author
Brandon C. Hall maintains (www.freeinfoblog.com) which contains many articles and resources on quitting smoking at (www.freeinfoblog.com/category/quit-smoking). There is also information on dozens of other topics.
Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known. Study after study shows that one can get addicted to nicotine as quickly as cocaine and other illegal drugs that we generally associate with crippling addictions. It is for this reason, of course, that is can be so difficult to quit smoking. One top of this physical addiction - that is, the body's craving of nicotine - there is a psychological component: because smoking is both legal and socially acceptable in many situations, it can be difficult to avoid it completely. Any attempt to quit smoking, therefore, should involve a comprehensive plan that deals with both the physical and psychological side of the addiction. One way to address the physical addition to nicotine, to leave yourself free to concentrate on the psychological aspects of your addiction, is to use a nicotine patch.
The nicotine patch is one of the oldest, and certainly best-known, medical aids to quitting smoking. Patches are placed on the skin, and work by releasing a slow and steady supply of nicotine into the bloodstream. The idea is that the patch helps wean your body off nicotine - instead of nicotine being immediately absent from your system when you quit smoking, it is gradually reduced.
The way the patch works is to break your body's desire for nicotine "spikes." When you smoke a cigarette, your body receives an immidiete spike in its nicotine levels. As the level of nicotine slowly dissipates after the spike, it will eventually drop to a point where you desire to have it "topped up" again - the need for another cigarette. If you picture a graph of your body's nicotine levels when you smoke, you would see a steady series of peaks and valleys - the peaks corresponding to the spike in nicotine levels when you smoke a cigarette. A graph of your nicotine levels when wearing the patch, on the other hand, would show a steady line: the line wouldn't be as high as your peaks, but it wouldn't be as low as your valleys either. The idea is that the patch goes for the middle ground, and your body slowly adjusts to not having spikes in its nicotine levels.
As you become more and more used to lower levels of nicotine in your system, you can reduce the dosage of the patches you wear, until eventually your body is nicotine free. Another good thing about the patch is that it is an extremely strong deterrent against smoking: if you smoke while you're on the patch, your levels of nicotine will become too high and you could suffer from a nicotine overdose, which can result in sickness and even death.
The patch is a very effective stop smoking aid. It does, however, have some disadvantages: it is fairly expensive, and at the early stages of quitting it can often cost more than cigarettes did. The patch can also cause problems with sleeping if you wear it to bed - and at the same time if you don't you will wake up with no nicotine in your system, and feel pretty bad until you put on a morning patch and it starts working. Despite these drawbacks, the patch remains the medical aid of choice for people dealing with serious nicotine addictions.
About The Author
Brandon C. Hall maintains (www.freeinfoblog.com) which contains many articles and resources on quitting smoking at (www.freeinfoblog.com/category/quit-smoking). There is also information on dozens of other topics.
Using Nicotine Gum To Quit Smoking
by: Brandon C. Hall
An addiction to nicotine is a serious one indeed. Many studies have shown that it is one of the most addictive substances known, and most people will gain a dependency to it soon after they start smoking regularly. When you smoke a cigarette, you body receives an instant rush of nicotine - there is a spike in your nicotine levels which slowly dissipates, and when your nicotine levels drop below a certain point you will crave another spike, in the form of another cigarette.
As a smoker, part of your body's physical addition to nicotine has to do with relieving it in these "hits," and it is for this reason that an attempt to quit smoking can be so difficult. The most important thing in any attempt to quit smoking is willpower, and the chances that you will succeed in staying smoke free without the use of willpower are extremely slim. In same cases, however, you can benefit from using a medical aid in addition to your willpower. The most common and well known aids to quitting smoking are those that supply and regulate nicotine in the bloodstream.
A popular choice is nicotine gum. This is gum that resembles ordinary chewing gum, but of course it contains nicotine. The reason nicotine gum can be effective is because is can replicate nicotine spikes in your bloodstream without the need for cigarettes. The problem that some people run into with the nicotine patch - the other popular nicotine supplier - is that a nicotine patch supplies a steady amount of nicotine into your bloodstream. There is no spike, or "hit", with a patch, and for this reason some people still find themselves craving cigarettes when they use the patch: even though the body is receiving nicotine, it desires the hit that the cigarette provides.
With nicotine gum, you can attempt to replicate this hit without a cigarette. The gum is not chewed like normal gum -- rather you hold in your mouth without chewing it for long periods of time, and then give it a few chews when you want a release of nicotine, much as you would take a drag on a cigarette for a quick nicotine hit. A typical guideline for nicotine gum would be to chew it 3-4 times, until you feel a tingling sensation, at which point you should flatten it and place it between your cheek and gum. Repeat the brief chewing process at occasional intervals as necessary. Under no circumstances should nicotine gum be chewed like ordinary gum, as too much nicotine will be released into your bloodstream.
Nicotine Gum comes in 2mg and 4mg strengths (the 4mg is recommended if you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day.) It is recommended that you use the gum every 1-2 hours throughout the day, for a period of up to 3 months. The only drawback of nicotine gum is that you cannot drink anything except water for 15 minutes before and during chewing. For this reason nicotine gum isn't helpful at a bar, which is where many ex-smokers need the most help. Despite this, nicotine gum can be an effective tool -- when combined with your willpower -- in an attempt to quit smoking.
About The Author
Brandon C. Hall maintains (www.freeinfoblog.com) which contains many articles and resources on quitting smoking at (www.freeinfoblog.com/category/quit-smoking). There is also information on dozens of other topics.
An addiction to nicotine is a serious one indeed. Many studies have shown that it is one of the most addictive substances known, and most people will gain a dependency to it soon after they start smoking regularly. When you smoke a cigarette, you body receives an instant rush of nicotine - there is a spike in your nicotine levels which slowly dissipates, and when your nicotine levels drop below a certain point you will crave another spike, in the form of another cigarette.
As a smoker, part of your body's physical addition to nicotine has to do with relieving it in these "hits," and it is for this reason that an attempt to quit smoking can be so difficult. The most important thing in any attempt to quit smoking is willpower, and the chances that you will succeed in staying smoke free without the use of willpower are extremely slim. In same cases, however, you can benefit from using a medical aid in addition to your willpower. The most common and well known aids to quitting smoking are those that supply and regulate nicotine in the bloodstream.
A popular choice is nicotine gum. This is gum that resembles ordinary chewing gum, but of course it contains nicotine. The reason nicotine gum can be effective is because is can replicate nicotine spikes in your bloodstream without the need for cigarettes. The problem that some people run into with the nicotine patch - the other popular nicotine supplier - is that a nicotine patch supplies a steady amount of nicotine into your bloodstream. There is no spike, or "hit", with a patch, and for this reason some people still find themselves craving cigarettes when they use the patch: even though the body is receiving nicotine, it desires the hit that the cigarette provides.
With nicotine gum, you can attempt to replicate this hit without a cigarette. The gum is not chewed like normal gum -- rather you hold in your mouth without chewing it for long periods of time, and then give it a few chews when you want a release of nicotine, much as you would take a drag on a cigarette for a quick nicotine hit. A typical guideline for nicotine gum would be to chew it 3-4 times, until you feel a tingling sensation, at which point you should flatten it and place it between your cheek and gum. Repeat the brief chewing process at occasional intervals as necessary. Under no circumstances should nicotine gum be chewed like ordinary gum, as too much nicotine will be released into your bloodstream.
Nicotine Gum comes in 2mg and 4mg strengths (the 4mg is recommended if you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day.) It is recommended that you use the gum every 1-2 hours throughout the day, for a period of up to 3 months. The only drawback of nicotine gum is that you cannot drink anything except water for 15 minutes before and during chewing. For this reason nicotine gum isn't helpful at a bar, which is where many ex-smokers need the most help. Despite this, nicotine gum can be an effective tool -- when combined with your willpower -- in an attempt to quit smoking.
About The Author
Brandon C. Hall maintains (www.freeinfoblog.com) which contains many articles and resources on quitting smoking at (www.freeinfoblog.com/category/quit-smoking). There is also information on dozens of other topics.
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