Wednesday, April 1, 2009

QUIT SMOKING NOW – YOUR HEALTH AND LONGETIVITY DEPEND ON IT

Smoking strongly associated with diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, strokes, pregnancy complications, and poor health. Because trying to Quit Smoking is one of the most difficult of tasks, many will simply sustain the habit. However, with determination, quit smoking help, and an extensive range of quit smoking drugs, the transition can be made easier.

Many smokers will try a number of times to quit smoking before they are actually successful. This is due to the highly addictive properties. In addition, perceived risks like weight gain, increased stress levels, and the damaging of relationships with fellow smokers, can also limit the motivation to quit, thus resulting in a lower chance of success.

The ability to quit smoking is one of the most important things you will ever acquire for a host of fundamental reasons:

o You will extend your life span
o Your risk for developing heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and stroke will diminish
o Your family will no longer be forced to passive smoke
o Your over -all health will be markedly improved
o You will have improved senses of smell and taste
o You will save money

You will have a better chance of success, if you enlist for quit smoking help such as:

o Gaining the support of family members
o Requesting for close friends and family, who smoke- not to do so around you and not to leave cigarettes lying around
o Identifying the kind of quit smoking help that your local hospital or health care center will provide
o Consulting your doctor
o Resisting temptation
o Setting a new date and recommencing, upon relapse

In addition help when attempting to quit smoking can also be sought in the form of:

o Group therapy: Involves attending meetings and counseling sessions with support groups
o Hypnosis: Through the use of audio tapes or CDs that contain anti-smoking material
o Acupuncture: An ancient Chinese art that involves pricking needles into certain body parts to stimulate nerve endings
o Laser therapy: Working on the basis of acupuncture, low intensity lasers replace the needles
o Quit Smoking Drug: Addresses depression and cravings that go with Quit Smoking
o Cessation shots: serve as a medication but will work in a shorter time frame
o Nicotine gums or patches: Release small doses of nicotine into the body
o Non-tobacco cigarettes: Replace tobacco with other herbs
o Herbal cures: Work to calm the mind and relax the body

How to Quit Smoking Successfully?

Quit Smoking Successfully




Everyone knows that smoking is a deadly, expensive habit. The bad news is that people start it when they are too young to know better, then find themselves with a hard habit to break. The good news is that many people have kicked the habit, and if you really want to, you can, too.

First, it's all right to wean yourself off cigarettes over a period of weeks, but you must decide from the start that your ultimate goal is no smoking at all. If you manage to quit completely for a few weeks and then decide just to have a puff, there is a good chance that all your desire for cigarettes will come back with a vengeance. Once you give them up, hang onto that clean feeling for good!

It might help you to do some journaling about your attitude toward smoking. Just why would you like to quit? There are many reasons. Which ones mean the most to you? Do you want to save money by no longer having to feel compelled to buy cigarettes? Are you more interested in avoiding cancer? Do you want to have stronger lungs for physical activities, so you're not always huffing and puffing? List those reasons and refer to your list often as you battle it out.

It's estimated that the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are usually over by the time you've been off cigarettes for a month. In fact, they might only last a week or two. If you can remember this, you can encourage yourself to tough it out when the symptoms are bad. It won't last forever. Things will get better, and you'll eventually feel great!

Get some support. Maybe you'd like to join an online group that features message boards populated by others who are in the process of kicking the habit. Or maybe you can quit with a friend or family member. Support always helps when trying to change an ingrained habit. You may even be able to find a telephone counseling hotline you can call when you are severely tempted.

It helps to choose a quit date and make it stick. While you are cutting back, there are some definite things you can do to help make the resolution a reality. For one thing, try smoking a different brand of cigarettes. Make yourself smoke a lower tar brand that you don't really like. If you're smoking a brand with less nicotine, make sure you don't just smoke more cigarettes.

Here are a few more tips for quitting smoking. When you've reached your quit day, spend some time in the local library, museum, or other places where you wouldn't be allowed to smoke anyway. Exercising, drinking water, and staying busy are all good ways to stay healthy and distracted. You can fiddle with a pencil or something if you miss having a cigarette to handle.

You can do it! Just don't give up. Watch out for situational smoking cues, like when you sit down with a cup of coffee, or when you've just finished a meal. Change your tactics. Get up and start cleaning the table off instead of lighting up that after dinner smoke. The trial won't last forever and you'll be so glad you joined the ranks of non-smokers.