Quit Smoking to Save Your Life

Increase in number of people addicted to smoking is alarming. According to National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) conducted in 2006, the estimated number of smokers in US is 47.1 million. Out of which 26.2 million (23.5%) are men and 20.9 million (18.1%) are women. The tobacco in cigarette comprises of more than 4000 chemical compounds, of which 400 are toxic substances. The main toxic substances are tar (carcinogen), nicotine (addictive), carbon monoxide (reduces oxygen in body), and components of gases (which causes COPD). Research has revealed that each cigarette decreases life by about 11 minutes. Thus, smoking reduces life expectancy by seven to eight years.

Harmful effects of smoking:
When a person tries to smoke for first time he suffers from cough, sore throat, nausea and other adverse feelings generated in body, as body knows that smoking is injurious to health.

• Smokers frequently suffer from respiratory infections and several minor complaints such as cough and cold.
• Smokers are sensitive to dreadful diseases such as cancer (lung, pancreas, bladder, kidneys, esophagus, cervical), heart diseases, cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, respiratory problems (asthma) and they can be easily attacked by several other problems related to kidneys, liver and pancreas.
• Excessive smoking also leads to loss of good skin texture.
• Smokers are easily exposed to diseases, as smoking weakens a person and reduces the stamina and immunity (resistance power).
• Two cigarettes a day destroy the entire vitamin C from body. The loss of vitamin C destroys the skin tissues.

Harmful effects on non-smokers:
Kids or babies are likely to get asthma and infections of ear, nose, and chest when they come in contact with people who smoke.

How to get rid of smoking?
Quitting smoking is very difficult, as it is very tough to sustain the withdrawal symptoms. Self-motivation helps in reducing the addiction of smoking. Herbal medicine can be used to stop smoking, which pretend to give the nicotine effect and avoids all the side effects.

Natural sources to quit smoking:
Some of the natural herbs that help in quitting smoking are Oat Straw (Avina sativa), Lobelia (Lobelia inflata), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), and St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum). Also, it is said that natural therapies like Acupuncture and Hypnotherapy helps in quitting smoking.

Techniques to quit Smoking:

• Music is excellent way to divert mind from desire to smoke.
• Meditation helps to get control over mind when a person has urge to smoke.
• Breathing exercises releases out all toxic substances that are concentrated in the body and helps to have control over the desire to smoke.
• If a pinch of rock salt is placed at the tip of tongue, it reduces the feeling of desire to smoke.
• Consumption of vegetable juices (carrots), fruit juices (grape and orange) and celery juice (juice extracted from celery plant) frequently in a day helps in discharging out nicotine and reduces the feeling to smoke.
• In order to reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms, two tablespoons of honey and plenty of water should be taken daily.

Governments are attempting to spread awareness among people about harmful effects of smoking and banned smoking in all indoor places. Quitting smoking has instantaneous and long-term advantages for a person as it improves stamina and energy. There is a saying 'Smokers never become old, because they die younger'.

Stop Smoking Benefits - Health, Sex and Money!

Smoking is a very difficult habit to break. In fact, most people that have quit smoking have tried more than once to get rid of the addiction. This is because nicotine is a very addictive substance that rewires the brain and bends it to its will. So if you are considering quitting, here are a few stop smoking benefits to consider:

- Health 

This is the most obvious of the stop smoking benefits. As soon as you quit, your body will start rebelling, however, it will also go into repair mode. Your blood pressure will drop right away, your sense of smell and taste will return after a few days and your lungs will start to heal themselves. Your risks of cancer to the lungs, throat and mouth will start to decrease and over the years will become comparable to that of a lifelong nonsmoker. Your risk of heart disease will also decrease. Hardened arteries, high blood pressure and cholesterol will become less of a risk factor. You will also have fewer risks of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. So the chances of you being tied to a low volume oxygen tank for the rest of your life will be greatly diminished. There are too many other stop smoking benefits that fall into this category to list here, but you get the point.

- Sex

Smoking affects male and female sexual processes. Smoking has been shown to increase the risk of impotence (erectile dysfunction) by up to 50%. That is correct! Men that smoke have a 50% greater chance of being unable to perform in the bedroom. This addiction has also been shown to cause infertility in men by affecting the sperms directly. Men are not the only ones that are affected by this. Women that smoke are more vulnerable to having problems getting pregnant. Smoking has also been shown to speed up menopause and to cause the loss of eggs. If they smoke while pregnant, they risk miscarriages, low birth weights and increased chances of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). The stop smoking benefits on sexual health are very important. The good news is that smoking cessation has very fast effects when it comes to these issues.

- Money

This is a stop smoking benefit that is almost a no brainer. If you smoke 1 pack a day at $6.75 a pack (cigarette prices in the US range from $5.00 to $8 or $9 in the northeast) then you are wasting around $2450 a year. Multiply that by the amount of years you have been smoking and you get the picture. But there is more to it than just the cost of the cigarettes themselves. If you try to get life insurance, your premiums will be much higher than those of nonsmokers. Your home owners insurance is also higher because of the risk to your home of catching fire. Medical coverage can also be higher because you are a smoker. There are many ways in which smokers pay for their addiction. The financial stop smoking benefits are substantial and immediate. Your wallet WILL be fatter once you quit. There is no question about it!

Hopefully these stop smoking benefits have presented information in a different light than most articles on the subject. You can benefit health wise, sex wise and money wise if you stop smoking. After the initial difficulty of quitting, the stop smoking benefits will be well worth it. Remember all these benefits when you are faced with a particularly tough craving, or when you feel that your resolve is waning. Be strong and good luck!

Vampire Cigarettes - How Cigarettes Suck Your Blood

Every cigarette you smoke damages your health in many ways. Smoking actually stops your red blood cells carrying precious oxygen around you blood stream. Once the smoking vampire has stopped a red blood cell from carrying oxygen, that cell can never carry oxygen again. Less oxygen means poorer physical performance, reduced mental ability and increased risk of cancer and a reduced immune system. Less oxygen in your blood stream also makes you feel tired and lethargic.

There is some good news. The body has a remarkable ability to heal and rejuvenate itself. Lets look at how smoking damages the cell irreversibly, and how the body can start to repair once you stop smoking.

One of the major health risks associated with smoking is the due to the carbon monoxide you inhale while smoking. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a odorless, tasteless and deadly gas. You inhale around 20mg of CO for each cigarette you smoke. This CO binds to your red blood cells, permanently. These cells primary purpose is to carry oxygen around your body. Once a CO molecule has attached itself to a red blood cell, the cell can never carry oxygen again. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, headaches and death.

The human body an amazing thing. Each cell is replaced every few years. You don't notice this, but it is a continual process of rejuvenation. Red blood cells are replaced every three months. This is the good news. As blood cells live for three months, the minute you stop smoking your bloods ability to carry oxygen starts to increase. You start to feel better and more alive after only a few hours. After three months, all your red blood cells have been replaced. Your skin looks healthier and those stairs don't seem so much of a chore. Your body is getting all the oxygen it needs and you feel better and can concentrate longer and enjoy greater health.

As a "non smoker" who smoked a packet a day for 20 years I know how tough quitting can be. However it can be done and I have written an eBook to help you quit smoking forever. The ideas and strategies worked for me, and a hope they will work for you too.

Discover The Simple Method For Quitting Smoking

A vast majority of people who try to stop smoking find after a short period of time they resume the habit, many are unsuccessful simply because of the method they used to help them stop smoking. There’s real hope for people who seriously want to stop smoking. It seems many people are looking for some easy way to quit smoking or some magical stop smoking aid.

How many times have you said to yourself or to your friends or family that you are going to quit smoking today or tomorrow or even next week with no such luck, or I’m going to join a stop smoking program and never do. It may be difficult to stop smoking, but it is not impossible.

There are a few stop smoking aids that have been proven effective. In the past years, Acupuncture has been used, among other uses, to help people stop smoking.

An analysis by New Scientist Magazine back in 1992, found that hypnosis, in one session, had a success rate of up to 60 per cent in helping people stop smoking. If you want to give it a shot in your efforts to stop smoking, it is advised that you find a therapist with a proven back record of success with helping people stop smoking. Acupuncture is a highly effective quit smoking method for all, and specially for those people who had been unsuccessful with other methods to stop smoking. Acupuncture for stop quit smoking does not involve any “magic” acupuncture points.

Reasons

There is a wide range of ages for smokers today and about as wide a range of reasons they smoke. Knowing the reasons of why you want to quit is an important fist step. These are the 4 reasons of why you should quit smoking.

Fixing a date for quitting and listing out the reasons for the same is the starting point. There are so many different programs on the market today, what works for one may not work for another, and based on reasons for wanting to quit. The reasons you started smoking are probably not around anymore.

Make a list of the reasons that you want to quit smoking. The first thing you should do is spend some time thinking of the reasons you want to quit smoking. So, does the connection between quitting cigarettes and weight gain have to do directly with the cigarettes themselves, or are there other, outside reasons why this happens so often to people who “kick the habit”.

There are a lot of people who smoke out there who, among other reasons, are afraid to try to quit smoking cigarettes for the fear of what they think is inevitable weight gain. If you’re a smoker, chances are you’ve tried to quit many times or deep down inside you’ve felt you should quit for obvious reasons pertaining to your health, but have no idea where to start. You may want to write at the top of the note pad, “My Why Reasons I’m quitting smoking.

Quit smoking help with hypnosis involves consultations and sittings with a hypnotherapist, who generally squeezes out the reasons for one’s smoking and the reasons for wanting to quit. Here's five good reasons for quitting the Centers for Disease Control presents to teen smokers. In order to help you quit smoking, you need to do a self-analysis on the reasons you smoke and the reasons on why you want to quit smoking.

List all the reasons you can remember as to why you started smoking. This is not an easy task for many, but once they’ve listed all the true reasons, and have adopted the mental attitude to replace smoking with other things that will provide better benefits, the task of quitting becomes much easier.

Exercise

Even though I love to exercise and love athletics, I had a problem with smoking. Hypnotism is no ‘quick fix’ and many experts advise that it should only be one tool from the toolbox – including diet, exercise and developing a more positive outlook - that a smoker needs to use to quit the habit.

Consider meditation, yoga or a dance or exercise class. By nature, did you know that our human body needs exercise regularly at least twice a week. Exercise, I cannot emphasize how important this is, exercise is supposed to boost up your energy so that you have better preparation to fight the cravings.

I briefly mentioned exercise in the last paragraph. It may help you to exercise with an unlit cigarette hanging from your mouth. You will not only be smoke-free, but will have gained new life style changes that include healthier eating habits, exercise and increase in stamina and endurance.

Regular Exercise – keeping a regular exercise routine is a key part of healthy living. Lets look at this exercise like a recipe, any good cook will tell you that a recipe can be completed without some of the ingredients called for, however the quality of the finished dish may not be up to par. How about many other health challenges, including weight loss, exercise & fitness, living with & controlling arthritis pain…and many more.

As far as exercises are concerned, obviously any exercise at all is great; but exercises that concentrate on the lungs are excellent. Exercise relieves stress and helps your body recover from years of damage from cigarettes. The exercise combines traditional self hypnosis with NPL or Neuro Linguistic Programming.

Stop Smoking Laser

Many have tried to quit smoking but it is cumbersome. With a strong desire, and determination to quit this obnoxious behaviour that have caused lives of thousands of lives, stop smoking laser is a relief, but only to the determined and those who want to cut expenses and care for their lives.

Stopping smoking using laser treatment is now affordable and available in most countries. The technique, widely used in United States and Europe, has found its ways to developing countries. This hi-tech treatment uses a beam of light that target specific cells along joints to boost their activity to produce larger amounts of endorphins.

Once the smoker decides to kick the habit, and opts for laser stop smoking program, laser is applied on wrists, hands, ears and the side of the nose so as the light penetrates to the cells that produce the hormones.

Endorphins are enzymes produced by the body cells to reduce the craving for nicotine and relax the body systems hence reducing withdrawal symptoms. Moreover, the laser stimulates and boosts the body’s ability to detoxify nicotine, hence dropping the amount of nicotine absorbed in the body.

Laser treatment is not as easy as other programs that involve herbal concoctions and pills. Stop smoking laser program is administered mostly in hospitals; by a consultant or medical doctor, nurse, or radiologist hence the patient/smoker safety are guaranteed. Besides, the smoker undertakes counselling sessions to keep their decision packed and not reverting to their previous smoking habit.

Kicking the habit is challenging, but laser therapy has had a good help to all those who like to quit. Though the package is a bit expensive as compared to other programs where the smoker can buy and use it at home, laser treatment has proved effective. The therapy takes less than thirty minutes, and it is administered once.

Using laser treatment to quit smoking has helped a great number of smokers worldwide. According to clinical trials, and surveys, laser therapy rates as the best program to help quit smoking, in terms of its effectiveness. Laser treatment has also being used in weight loss programs.

Since laser stop smoking treatment is natural, there are few side effects to all or some patients. The treatment does not complicate with persons taking other prescriptions and is far much affordable as compared to spending hundreds of cash buying cigarettes and treating nicotine related diseases like lung cancer.

The program has been applicable since 1960s in Canada, and now widely employed in United States and other parts of the country. Due to its high success rate, the treatment rates high compared to other programs. The counselling to reduce and control stress associated with quitting smoking.

For reasons, if you want to quit smoking, laser therapy as commonly known, is a new program to help you kick the habit within one day, with no known side effects. What you need is determination, the will to make your stand and escape from cancer, tuberculosis and heart diseases.

Why quit smoking seems so hard

The pleasures of smoking

It’s not easy to let go of something that’s been such an integral part of your life for so long. That little stick of tobacco has stuck with you through thick or thin, rain or shine, day or night. With minimal effort it has provided hours of comfort and activated the pleasure centers in your brain. No wonder the thought of quitting seems so daunting. Who wants to give up something that can temporarily make sadness, stress, and boredom evaporate into thin air? Just thinking about it can stop you in your tracks. But that’s exactly what’s needed. Stop for a moment and think about why smoking is in your life. What purpose does it serve?

How to get your smoking needs met without smoking

Whatever your reasons are for having smoking in your life, there is an alternative behavior you can substitute in place of smoking which will achieve the same result in the end. Only you can determine what will work for you. Some examples include:

Purpose of Smoking	Sample Substitute Behaviors
Relaxation or stress reduction	Deep breathing exercises, meditation, massage or exercise
Boredom or Loneliness	Find something you’re passionate about such as art, music, or literature
To feel more comfortable in social situations	Counseling, enroll in a public speaking class, join a support group or splurge on a makeover
A meal doesn’t feel quite complete without a cigarette	Eat a healthy meal and then top it off with a delicious dessert

Finding help to quit smoking

Finding the right combination of things to help you stop smoking is as individual as you are. Medication can provide support in your effort to stop smoking by easing withdrawal symptoms, reducing cravings, and improving your chances of successfully quitting.

Medication therapy

Smoking cessation medications are most effective when used as part of a comprehensive stop smoking program monitored by your physician. Talk to your doctor about your options and whether an anti-smoking medication is right for you. U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved options are:

- Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine replacement therapy involves "replacing" cigarettes with other nicotine substitutes, such as nicotine gum or a nicotine patch. It works by delivering “small and steady doses” of nicotine into the body to relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms without the tars and poisonous gases found in cigarettes. This type of treatment helps smokers focus on breaking their psychological addiction and makes it easier to concentrate on learning new behaviors and coping skills.

- Non-Nicotine Medication

Non-nicotine medications help you stop smoking by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Currently, bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix) are the only two medications that don’t contain nicotine which are approved as smoking cessation aids. These anti-smoking pills are intended for short-term use.

Non-medication therapies

There are several things you can do to stop smoking that don’t involve nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medications:

- Hypnosis

A popular option that has good results. Hypnosis works by getting you into a deeply relaxed state where you are open to suggestions that strengthen your resolve to quit smoking and increase your negative feelings toward cigarettes. Ask your doctor to recommend a qualified smoking cessation hypnotherapist in your area.

- Acupuncture

One of the oldest known medical techniques. Acupuncture is believed to work by triggering the release of endorphins (natural pain relievers) that allow the body to relax. As a smoking cessation aid, acupuncture can be helpful in managing smoking withdrawal symptoms.

- Behavioral Therapy

Nicotine addiction is related to the habitual behaviors (the “rituals”) involved in smoking. Behavior therapy focuses on learning new coping skills and breaking those habits. The American Lung Association offers a free online smoking cessation program that focuses on behavioral change.

- Motivational Therapies

Self-help books and websites can provide a number of ways to motivate yourself to quit smoking. One well known example is calculating the monetary savings. Some people have been able to find the motivation to quit just by calculating how much money they will save after they quit. One person saved enough money to pay his annual car insurance premiums.

Quitting smoking didn’t work, now what?

Two steps forward, one step back is a common pattern when you’re trying to replace unwanted habits with new positive ones. Having a small setback doesn’t mean you’re a smoker again. Most people try to quit smoking several times before they kick the habit for good, so don’t beat yourself up if you start smoking again. Turn the relapse into a rebound by learning from your mistakes. Identify the triggers or trouble spots you ran into and create a new and improved stop smoking plan.  

• 
  You’re not a failure if you slip up. It doesn't mean you can't quit for good.
• Don’t let a slip become a mudslide. Throw out the rest of the pack. It's important to get back on the non-smoking track now. Remember, your goal is no cigarettes - not even one puff.
• Look back at your quit log and feel good about the time you went without smoking.
• Find the trigger. Exactly what was it that made you smoke again? Decide how you will cope with that issue the next time it comes up.
• Learn from your experience. What has been most helpful? What didn’t work?  
• Find a quit buddy. You can quit smoking together and gain strength from each other.
• Are you using a medicine to help you quit? Call your doctor if you start smoking again.
• Some medicines cannot be used if you are smoking at the same time.
  

BAD BREATH AND SMOKING

When you smoke, nicotine will build up on your teeth, gums, tongue and it has a drying effect in your mouth, the moisture decrease in your mouth will limit the washing effect of the saliva as it acts as a natural mouthwash on oral bacteria.

There are many sources and causes of bad breath other than smoking, the most common cases of bad breath is caused by problems coming from within the mouth, for instance poor oral hygiene or even gum diseases.

There are people that have some degree of bad breath after they sleep, it is commonly referred to as morning bad breath. This case of bad breath is normal since the mouth stagnates and gets dry overnight. However this bad breath will clear away when the flow of saliva is restored, most likely after taking breakfast.

Also drinks, foods or medicines can lead to bad breath; the chemicals in the food can get into the blood streams and will then be breathed out from the person’s lungs. The most commonly know is the smell of garlic or other spicy foods and also alcoholic drinks. This bad breath is temporary as the smell will wear off after some time.

What will also cause bad breath is the deposition of food debris, plaque and also gum diseases. The smell of the already smoked cigarette is in itself bad breath.

It is normal that the more you stimulate less saliva production you are also increasing your chances of having bad breath, additionally when you have periodontal or dental problems you will have bad breath, smoking contributes to a lot of these damages for instance mouth ulcerations or other mouth diseases caused by smoking or deposition of nicotine.

To keep yourself free from bad breath due to smoking, it is advised that you note that cigarettes or cigars contain tar and nicotine that will build up on tongues, teeth or even the cheeks, aside from that it should be noted that smoking irritates the tissues of your mouth, this will tend to dry your mouth as saliva is inhibited, this in turn will increase the growth and build up of bacteria.

If you cannot quit smoking, it is good to observe good oral hygiene to get rid of the bad breath. After smoking it is advisable that you use mouthwashes that will get rid of the bad breath.

Since smoking inhibits saliva production, a smoker should drink plenty of water so that the mouth will not be left dry. A dry mouth is a favorite place for odor-causing bacteria.

A permanent solution to getting rid of bad breath is to totally quit smoking; this cannot be done once thus you should do it step by step. This should however not make you live with the bad breath, there are these solutions: regularly brush your teeth, always clean your tongue, use antiseptic mouth washes and floss your teeth to get rid of the food debris that will decompose and lead to bad breath.

Health Risk : Smoking and Heart Diseases

There are several causes of heart disease and smoking is one of them. And, there are many diseases which can develop from smoking and heart disease is one of them. Cigarette smoking is actually a major cause of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.

Peripheral vascular disease refers to a range of abnormal conditions that affect the veins outside your heart, generally obstructing flow of blood in arteries. Smoking is very famous like a celebrity star, in different ways. In exchange from the pleasure of smoking, your life is the price you pay.

Types Of Heart Diseases

There are several types of heart disease, but the major ones are the atherosclerosis, coronary, rheumatic, congenital, myocarditis, angina, and arrythmia heart disease. Although heart disease can be deadly, it is also preventable.

The most basic and simple ways to prevent heart disease is to exercise regularly, eat heart-healthy diet, maintain healthy weight, avoid smoking, and have regular health screenings. It is never too late for anybody to change lifestyles and practice healthy habits for the betterment ones welfare.

Smoking and heart disease may not come hand in hand because not everyone with heart disease used to smoke, but we can’t ignore the fact that smokers may develop heart disease in a latter time or any other serious disease for that matter.

Chemicals In Tobacco Smoke Are The Main Culprits

Smoking kills more and more people each year and almost 40 % of those who died from smoking die from heart and blood vessel disease. Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemicals in which many of them are poisonous.

Nicotine in tobacco smoke can increase blood pressure causing the heart to work harder. Carbon monoxide replaces oxygen in your blood. Smoking adds to the obstruction of the arteries which can lead to heart attack and other heart-related conditions.

And, smokers have greater risk of death from coronary heart disease compare to non-smokers. Aren’t these reasons enough for you to quit smoking? If at earlier time you stop smoking and heart disease is what you want to evade from, then, you must value your life so much.

How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System

Can nicotine be constituted as a drug? In my opinion, Yes! And that is simply for the reason being that it is a highly addictive substance, one which causes the brain chemicals to react and change making smokers feel drawn to it with out any resistance. Nicotine has a close relation to any other addiction being that it creates good moods and bad ones when smoking or going through a small withdrawal state.

The Process of nicotine and how long it stays in your system:

When the chemicals of nicotine enter your bloodstream, the body is sent into over drive trying to compensate for the damage being done to the body. As this process is taking place the chemical reaction causes a rapid blood flow from the heart, creating a chain reaction in which blood pressure rises and the heart rate increases causing the arteries to tighten and become narrower.

It is known that carbon monoxide in association with smoking and its effect on the body causes a decrease in the oxygen level that is carried to the blood. When all effects of nicotine and this are put together, the body becomes deprived in search of more oxygen supply for both the blood itself and cells in the body.

Once nicotine has entered the body, it is transformed and turned into a substance called cotinine. The time it actually takes for cotinine to rid itself from the body varies and can be a quicker process for those with a high metabolism.

It can usually take several days or up to a week plus for it to clear your system being that you steer clear from smoking including second hand smoking.

Is there a solution?

The obvious answer here is to completely quit smoking! That is in the best interest of your own health and well being. The best possible answer here is to drink plenty of water and or to sweat out the toxins. By doing both you can eliminate or speed up the process of traces of nicotine within your bloodstream

Why Do People Smoke?

Several findings have showed that smoking harms nearly every organ of the human body, causing a wide range of diseases. Despite the knowledge of the health consequences of cigarette smoking, still a tremendous number of people continue to smoke worldwide. Smoking is often described as been the leading avoidable cause of mortality and one of the most important modifiable causes of premature death.

Cigarette manufactures have been required to put warnings on all their packages of cigarettes to tell smokers that cigarette smoking is dangerous to health. But still people smoke. Why do they want to put something into their mouth and suck on it till addictive toxins go inside lungs and do damage? People who smoke claim that cigarettes really have a calming effect when we feel stressed. This is due to nicotine delivered from tobacco by smoking. The very rapid absorption of nicotine (nicotine takes just ten seconds to reach the brain once smoke entered the lungs) and the high blood pressure levels that result, promote rapid and strong behavioral reinforcement from smoking.

The advantages of smoking are immediate and true whereas the disadvantages are delayed and likely. The positive consequences of smoking include reduced irritability, induced relaxation, increased sense of control, sensory stimulation, and maintain group affiliation etc. Nicotine once enter the brain act as a tranquilizer thus makes the smoker experience relax though for few minutes but in fact smoking cause more stress internally. Thinking that smoking reduces stress and makes calm is really a great time waste says Mitchell.

There are many negative consequences. First cigarettes are legal drugs. Smoking is unnecessarily a waste of money. Cigarettes are the most addictive and destructive over-the-counter drug known to man. Cigarette smoking is equivocal to lung cancer. Researches have shown that depression is twice as common to people who smoke against those who do not smoke. Apart from nicotine, tobacco contains cyanide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide, all of which are harmful chemicals and are used as poison.

Health Effects of Smoking

"Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 438,000 American lives each year, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and victims of “secondhand” exposure to tobacco’s carcinogens..."

Let’s take a look at the health effects of smoking i.e. what actually happens inside your body each time you light up. Think about how quickly tobacco smoke can produce harmful effects. The following are some of the health risk of smoking.

Your Eyes, Nose, & Throat

The health effects of smoking can be found on your eyes, nose and throat. Within a few seconds of your first puff, irritating gases such as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and others begin to work on sensitive membranes of your eyes, nose, and throat.

Your eyes water, your nose runs, and your throat is irritated. If you continue smoking, these irritating gases will contribute to your smoker’s cough. Continued smoking produces abnormal thickening in the membranes lining your throat, accompanied by cellular changes that resemble those that occur in throat cancer.

Lungs

The health effects of smoking are very dangerous with regards to lungs. Continued exposure can entirely paralyze the lungs’ natural cleansing process. (Smoking and Lung Cancer)

• Your respiratory rate increases, forcing your lungs to work harder.
• Irritating gases produce chemical injury to the tissues of your lungs. This speeds up the production of mucus and leads to an increased tendency to cough up sputum.
• Excess mucus serves as a breeding ground for a variety of bacteria and viruses. You become more prone to colds, flu, bronchitis, and other respiratory infections. And if you do come down with an infection, your body is less able to fight it, because smoking impairs the ability of the white blood cells to fight invading organisms.
• The lining of your bronchi begins to thicken, predisposing you to cancer. Most lung cancers arise in the bronchial lining.
• Smoke weakens the free-roving scavenger cells that remove foreign particles from the air sacs of the lungs. Continued smoke exposure adversely affects elastin, which is the enzyme that keeps your lungs flexible, predisposing you to emphysema.
• Many of the compounds you inhale are deposited as a layer of sticky tar on the lining of your throat and bronchi and in the delicate air sacs of your lungs. A pack-a-day smoker pours about a pint - 16 ounces - of tar into his or her lungs each year. This tar is rich in cancer producing chemicals.

Quit Smoking Motivation Tips

"He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality..."
~Anwar Sadat~

Does quit smoking was one of your New Years Resolutions? What motivates you to quit smoking? Nagging by your spouse is rarely a motivation to quit smoking. It takes a lot of resolve to stop smoking habit and it isn’t easy.

You not only miss the effects of the nicotine, but the habit is there and if you’ve smoked for a long time, it’s well fixed in both body and mind. No matter why you have decided to quit smoking, you will probably need help.

Quit Smoking Products

Several products on the market can help you kick the habit. You can pick up at most any drugstore patches, gum, and mints. You may substitute hard candy when the desire to smoke hits you.

If you’re worried about weight gain, try sugarless candy or fresh veggies. It’s important to fill your hands and mouth with something to help you not reach for that cigarette.

Motivation

Motivation is significant if you want to quit smoking. Your motivation might be a new baby in the home, being pregnant and wanting a healthy baby, early signs of lung cancer (Smoking and Lung Cancer), or the onset of heart disease are all good physical motivational reasons. Maybe you just don’t want to smell like an old ashtray all the time.

Quick Tips to Help You Quit Smoking and Keep It

20 Quick Tips to Help You Quit Smoking
By Fred H. Kelley

1. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can quit. Think about some of the most difficult things you have done in your life and realize that you have the guts and determination to quit smoking. It's up to you.

2. After reading this list, sit down and write your own list, customized to your personality and way of doing things. Create you own plan for quitting.

3. Write down why you want to quit (the benefits of quitting): live longer, feel better, for your family, save money, smell better, find a mate more easily, etc. You know what's bad about smoking and you know what you'll get by quitting. Put it on paper and read it daily.

4. Ask your family and friends to support your decision to quit. Ask them to be completely supportive and non-judgmental. Let them know ahead of time that you will probably be irritable and even irrational while you withdraw from your smoking habit.

5. Set a quit date. Decide what day you will extinguish your cigarettes forever. Write it down. Plan for it. Prepare your mind for the "first day of the rest of your life". You might even hold a small ceremony when you smoke you last cigarette, or on the morning of the quit date.

6. Talk with your doctor about quitting. Support and guidance from a physician is a proven way to better your chances to quit.

7. Begin an exercise program. Exercise is simply incompatible with smoking. Exercise relieves stress and helps your body recover from years of damage from cigarettes. If necessary, start slow, with a short walk once or twice per day. Build up to 30 to 40 minutes of rigorous activity, 3 or 4 times per week. Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.

8. Do some deep breathing each day for 3 to 5 minutes. Breathe in through your nose very slowly, hold the breath for a few seconds, and exhale very slowly through your mouth. Try doing
your breathing with your eyes closed and go to step 9.

9. Visualize your way to becoming a non-smoker. While doing your deep breathing in step 8, you can close your eyes and begin to imagine yourself as a non-smoker. See yourself enjoying your exercise in step 7. See yourself turning down a cigarette that someone offers you. See yourself throwing all your cigarettes away, and winning a gold medal for doing so. Develop your own
creative visualizations. Visualization works.

10. Cut back on cigarettes gradually (if you cut back gradually, be sure to set a quit date on which you WILL quit). Ways to cut back gradually include: plan how many cigarettes you will smoke each day until your quit date, making the number you smoke smaller each day; buy only one pack at a time; change brands so you don't enjoy smoking as much; give your cigarettes to someone else, so that you have to ask for them each time you want to smoke.

11. Quit smoking "cold turkey". Many smokers find that the only way they can truly quit once and for all is to just quit abruptly without trying to slowly taper off. Find the method that works best for you: gradually quitting or cold turkey. If one way doesn't work do the other.

12. Find another smoker who is trying to quit, and help each other with positive words and by lending an ear when quitting becomes difficult. Visit this Bulletin Board and this Chat Room to find a "quit buddy."

13. Have your teeth cleaned. Enjoy the way your teeth look and feel and plan to keep them that way.

14. After you quit, plan to celebrate the milestones in your journey to becoming a non-smoker. After two weeks of being smoke-free, see a movie. After a month, go to a fancy restaurant (be sure to sit in the non-smoking section). After three months, go for a long weekend to a favorite get-away. After six months, buy yourself something frivolous. After a year, have a party for yourself. Invite your family and friends to your "birthday" party and celebrate your new chance at a long, healthy life.

15. Drink lots of water. Water is good for you anyway, and most people don't get enough. It will help flush the nicotine and other chemicals out of your body, plus it can help reduce cravings by fulfilling the "oral desires" that you may have.

16. Learn what triggers your desire for a cigarette, such as stress, the end of a meal, arrival at work, entering a bar, etc. Avoid these triggers or if that's impossible, plan alternative ways to deal with the triggers.

17. Find something to hold in your hand and mouth, to replace cigarettes. Consider drinking straws or you might try an artificial cigarette called E-Z Quit found here: http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezquit.htm

18. Write yourself an inspirational song or poem about quitting, cigarettes, and what it means to you to quit. Read it daily.

19. Keep a picture of your family or someone very important to you with you at all times. On a piece of paper, write the words "I'm quitting for myself and for you (or "them")". Tape your written message to the picture. Whenever you have the urge to smoke, look at the picture and read the message.

20. Whenever you have a craving for a cigarette, instead of lighting up, write down your feelings or whatever is on your mind. Keep this "journal" with you at all times.

Good luck in your efforts to quit smoking. It's worth it!

What Are the Risks of Cigarette Smoking

There are many risks of smoking and the purpose of this page is to outline the specific risks that are associated with smoking.

Smoking kills over 400,000 people a year -- more than one in six people in the United States -- making it more lethal than AIDS, automobile accidents, homicides, suicides, drug overdoses, and fires combined. It is estimated that the U.S. spends an astounding $50 billion each year on smoking-related health costs. Smoking may be even more dangerous now than 30 years ago, most likely because the lower tar and nicotine levels in most cigarette brands cause people to inhale more deeply. In one study only 42% of male lifelong smokers reached the age of 73 compared to 78% of nonsmokers.

People who are exposed to second-hand or side-stream smoke are also at risk. Smoke that is exhaled not only contains the same dangerous contaminants as inhaled smoke, but the exhaled smoke particles are smaller, so that they can reach distant sites in the lungs of involuntary or passive smokers and do great harm.

Does Smoking Affect Blood Pressure?

Smoking a cigarette raises the blood pressure by 5-10 mm Hg for about 30 minutes. If this is combined with drinking a cup of coffee, the effects are bigger and last longer.

Despite this, numerous epidemiological studies have found that people with hypertension are not more likely to be smokers than those with normal blood pressure, and conversely, that smokers are not more likely to be hypertensive than non-smokers. One possible explanation for this might be that smokers tend to weigh less than non-smokers, and that the effects of obesity and smoking on blood pressure cancel each other out. But even when smokers and non-smokers of the same body weight are compared their blood pressures are the same. This is probably because the blood pressure measurements are usually made when people are not smoking. If you smoke a pack a day, it will raise your average daytime pressure by about 5 mm Hg, even though your doctor may not detect this during an office visit.

The important thing about smoking is not what it does to your blood pressure, but that it greatly increases your risk of heart disease.

WHO - Smoking is a greater cause of death and disability that any single disease

According to their figures, it is responsible for approximately 3.5 million deaths worldwide every year - or about 7% of all deaths. Tobacco smoking is a known or probable cause of approximately 25 diseases, and even the WHO says that its impact on world health is not fully assessed.

Heart attack and stroke

UK studies show that smokers in their 30s and 40s are five times more likely to have a heart attack than non-smokers. Tobacco contributes to the hardening of the arteries, which can then become blocked and starve the heart of bloodflow, causing the attack. Often, smokers who develop this will require complex and risky heart bypass surgery. If you smoke for a lifetime, there is a 50% chance that your eventual death will be smoking-related - half of all these deaths will be in middle age. Smoking also increases the risk of having a stroke.

Lung problems

Another primary health risk associated with smoking are lung cancer, which kills more than 20,000 people in the UK every year. US studies have shown that men who smoke increase their chances of dying from the disease by more than 22 times. Women who smoke increase this risk by nearly 12 times. Lung cancer is a difficult cancer to treat - long term survival rates are poor. Smoking also increases the risk of oral, uterine, liver, kidney, bladder, stomach, and cervical cancers, and leukaemia. Another health problem associated with tobacco is emphysema, which, when combined with chronic bronchitis, produces chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The lung damage which causes emphysema is irreversible, and makes it extremely difficult to breathe.

Harm to children

Smoking in pregnancy greatly increases the risk of miscarriage, is associated with lower birthweight babies, and inhibited child development. Smoking by parents following the birth is linked to sudden infant death syndrome, or cot death, and higher rates of infant respiratory illness, such as bronchitis, colds, and pneumonia. Nicotine, an ingredient of tobacco, is listed as an addictive substance by the US authorities. Although the health risks of smoking are culmulative, giving up can yield health benefits regardless of the age of the patient, or the length of time they have been smoking.

Future impact

By 2020, the WHO expects the worldwide death toll to reach 10 million, causing 17.7% of all deaths in developed countries. There are believed to be 1.1 billion smokers in the world, 800,000 of them in developing countries.

Quit smoking - Why and How?

They're raising taxes on tobacco again, this time to cover for even more administrative follies that smokers did not cause. And at the same time, smoking is still becoming more of a target of political correctness! How can both things be true? Because nobody ever said it had to make sense.

Most smokers agree; it would have been better not to start, than to feel helpless and want to quit smoking. Unfortunately, moderation is not an option for most people. Once the subconscious gets a taste of that nicotine rush and makes it a clear habit, it wants it all the time. Then you are not the boss any more. Some people can smoke occasionally, but those folks, like their smokes, are few and far between. Yes, it is a good time to get rid of the habit. It will be better to get your jollies from something else anyhow, such as accomplishment, making money, reading or artwork, for example. That way you won't have to gamble on poor circulation or respiratory problems from the smoke, either. And everything will be cleaner.

Face it - however painful, becoming free from cigarettes is an attractive thing. You can be relaxed anywhere, not merely 'waiting' for the next opportunity to smoke. And the money! Taxes have made the cost of tobacco completely ridiculous. So, say you have decided to quit, and the only problem is the difficulty and how to go about stopping.

The answer is right there in that last sentence: Decided! We are talking 100%, no ifs and or BUTTS decided. You can handle a few days of the heebie-jeebies with a little help from some clever tools. Not the patch, or the gum, mind you, those are just more nicotine to prolong the agony. You want to be free from all of that stuff. Be aware, though, your subconscious is going to try to trick you, and it is very good at it.

Guess what? You can trick it right back, using subliminal and/or hypnosis audio. The subconscious is ALWAYS listening! And those things are very inexpensive, maybe the price of only two packs of cigarettes or so. But you have to be determined and actually use them. You can get a subliminal .mp3 download or hypnosis from anywhere. You can play the silent subliminal one anywhere with anything else going on, and it will help.

Cold turkey, while not the "easiest," is by far the best and most effective way to stop smoking cigarettes. As if there was an easy way. For some people it's the only way, but since we are all so different, for some people cold turkey is not even an option. The cravings are just too overwhelming, and the will power beats the won't power. So just know yourself and decide. Decide at the deepest level possible, the unconscious mind. It is easy to say it, and 'decide' at the conscious level, but convincing the deeper self is another story. But you can do it. Lots of people prove this all the time. If yours is a tough nut to crack, you'll need stronger crutches. But just don't give up on giving it up; be strong, and decide your way to freedom!

By : Dave Asprooth (http://www.sprudio.net)

Yes, You Can Quit Smoking Easily

A question that most smokers who are considering quitting smoking ask is "What is the best way to quit smoking?" or if there are more than one ways "What are the best ways to quit smoking?" There are several ways and several techniques out there that can help you quit smoking. Different people will have different preferences, so the answer to the above question will be different for different people.

To start with, you have to put everything in proper perspective. You need to analyze the situation seriously. So, sit down somewhere and write down the situations where you like to smoke best. I am sure you know these situations very well because usually these are the same for most people. It is usually when you are having a good time with friends or colleagues or when you are stressed out. Once you identify those situations, you need to think of a solution for how you want to deal with that situation. Try to remove or avoid everything that reminds you of smoking.

Next, think about and decide the day you will stop. It can be immediately or after some time when a more favorable or important moment comes. A word of warning, don't use this as an excuse to procrastinate.

Let people know that you are going to quit. Give them the impression that you are taking this as a challenge. Then take it as a challenge. The social admiration might possibly be the reason for never going back to smoking.

Watch over your eating and drinking habits. Drink lots of water, and eat lots of fresh fruits. Avoid excessive tea and coffee.

Make sure you get enough physical relaxation and also balance it with physical exercise like walking or swimming.

Give an incentive to yourself. Keep a goal and reward yourself when you achieve that goal. The goal can be no smoking for 3 weeks and don't reward yourself with a cigarette after that period. Instead, you can treat yourself with a trip to your favorite restaurant and give yourself something like CD or cloths.

Try to stop immediately instead of gradually as that will never happen. If you fail, don't give up. Instead analyze the situation, find out the when, where and how and try to avoid that next time.

One of the biggest problems that you will face after you decide to quit smoking is what the professionals call withdrawal symptoms. You will get strong desire to smoke. You need to be strong against that desire. Don't worry, this desire will not stay forever, it will go after a while. Try to distract yourself with something interesting while it lasts.

Stop Smoking To Save Lots of Money

In the last year the cost of living has gone up tremendously. In our area electricity, water and food all cost more than one year ago. And if gas prices rise to where they were last summer, it will hurt our budget even more.

So if you, like our family, are trying to find ways to reduce spending, here is one way you could save thousands of dollars each year: stop smoking.

If you are trying to quit smoking it is often necessary to really look at your overall budget to get a real reason to quit. Simply trying to stop smoking for your health sometimes is just not enough. You need to really open your eyes at times to see how much smoking really is costing you each year that you smoke. Additionally, this can also be impacted if you require a great amount of health care due to smoking related complications. However, at a minimum the costs that you can count on for certain will include the costs of the cigarettes themselves.

If you have ever stopped to think about how much you are spending a week on cigarettes you have surely noticed that it is a rather significant amount. Prices are climbing higher than ever before, and this is largely due to the fact that many states as well as the federal government are imposing extremely costly taxes on cigarettes to help offset many of the increased health problems that are created.

On average, all around the country cigarettes can cost as much as $5 per pack. If you have a habit of smoking that consists of only a single pack per day, you are smoking seven packs in a single week. This might not seem like much, but if you consider that each week, you are spending $35 on cigarettes, it can add up quickly. In a single week if each pack costs $5 you will have spent as much as $35 on your cigarettes! For many people this is a tank of gas, a trip to a movie theater, or even a new outfit if you know how to shop right. You could even put the money in a savings account and start to find how your money could actually grow, rather than be burned.

As much as the idea of $35 might seem like a lot of money, to many people it is just a minor price to pay for something that they thoroughly enjoy. If we consider that the average month has 30 days, and each day you are smoking a $5 pack of cigarettes the monthly price will jump up to approximately $150. This is a rather substantial amount and could easily cover most people’s gas bills, power bills, water bill, phone bill or even a great night out on the town occasionally. If you really want to see the overall impact of smoking each year, consider that each year you are smoking 365 packs of cigarettes. This multiplied by 20 comes up to 7,300 cigarettes each year, which comes up to an astonishing $1,825 dollars each year! Talk about a huge amount of money spent on smoking.

Remember, though, this is just the price of a single pack a day habit, and it is assuming that you are paying only $5 per pack. Many states have higher prices, while others are a bit cheaper. If you actually smoke more than a single pack a day, you would be looking at $3,650 a year for a two pack a day smoking habit as well as 14,600 cigarettes each year that you smoke!

The sheer price of cigarettes when added up in a single year is horrific. If you consider that you would probably be smoking for a period of 5 years you are looking at a total cost of $9,125 for a single pack a day habit and a striking $18,250 for a two pack a day habit. The amount of money that can be saved by not purchasing cigarettes is absolutely enormous.

If the idea of just improving your health is not enough to get you to quit smoking, you may have a sudden desire to quit after you see exactly what it is costing you each year to smoke. The prices of cigarettes are continuing to rise, and this combined with increased living expenses makes it extremely hard for families to make ends meet.

Saving money any way possible is a huge help, and even the expense of pricey stop smoking aids is significantly cheaper than the cost of actually continuing to smoke.