Stop Smoking Today And Extend Your Life
Posted On Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at at 1:09 PM by LifeSometimes if you see someone that you love or someone that you know suddenly come across lung cancer or any smoking related cancer it can really give you a big scare. It will either help you stop smoking of give you a good reason to start looking at stopping.
If you're like me and need facts along with a good reason to stop smoking then you should know a few things about your body and the effects prolong smoking can have on your body now and in the future.
Below is a few pointers on some health benefits for people who are planning to quit smoking and it applies to people of ALL ages. Did you know that if you quit smoking it can decrease your overall risk of death (including all possible causes) by almost 50% in 15 years? This is something that already scares me.
Benefits To Your Cardiovascular
When you smoke the nicotine in gets into your blood and it causes your blood to thicken maybe even clot. If you stop smoking the risk of getting a heart attack is reduced by 50% and this is within a 24 hour period of quitting.
And the risk of having a stroke or a brian aneurysm is also decreased by a further 30% to 50% if you stop smoking right now.
Respiratory System Benefits
Your risk of getting lung cancer from prolong smoking is decreased by around 80% to 90% after 15 plus years from the day you quit. So this means that you chances of getting lung cancer is pretty high for the first 10 years. You'll also be glad to know if you stop smoking right now, three months from today your smokers' cough is most likely to disappear.
And if you stop smoking your lungs will stop ageing as fast. This is due to the sensitivity of your lungs and as you age so does your lungs however if you smoke a lot your chances of your lungs age faster is increased.
If you're serious to stop smoking then you'll need to have a really good reason or seek professional help. When you stop smoking you will extend your life almost immediately however some people are lucky enough to live their life smoking all they want and never get lung cancer. But who's going to take that risk. Stop smoking today and save yourself.
Autor: marclindsay
About the Author
At http://www.quitsmokingcritic.com we provide the best information on stop smoking and un-biased reviews of the top stop smoking courses.
Source: Free Articles
Best Quit Smoking Plan
Posted On Sunday, December 16, 2007 at at 2:23 PM by LifeLucky 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.
by: Megan Carter
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 Time To Quit Smoking Is Now
Posted On Saturday, December 15, 2007 at at 6:12 AM by LifeTo most people smoking is a dirty habit that is a waste of time and money. Anyone that does smoke knows that quitting is more than just saying that they are going to quit smoking cold turkey. I know that year after your last cigarettes ago when I smoked I would go to sleep worried that the next day I would get sick. I remember how in long meetings I would think of nothing but when I would be able to get out to have a cigarette. I also remember how I would have to make sure that before going out anywhere I would have to change my clothes to make sure that non smokers would not be able to smell the smoke on me.
Really the whole smoking habit was embarrassing and was a real hit to my self esteem. I was very happy and excited about life the day that I realized that I would not have to smoke anymore, knowing that I had quit smoking for good.
I quit smoking and you can too.
Look at the benefits of quitting smoking and what you can look forward to from the very first hour that you have quit smoking.
20 minutes after your last cigarette
Your blood pressure, pulse rate, and the temperature of your hands and feet will all return to normal.
8 hours after your last cigarette
Your blood oxygen level will have increased to normal and carbon monoxide levels will have dropped to normal.
24 hours after your last cigarette
Your risk of a heart attack will have decreased by 50%.
48 hours after your last cigarette
Damaged nerve endings have started to regrow and your sense of smell and taste are beginning to return to normal.
72 hours after your last cigarette
Your entire body will test 100% nicotine-free and over 90% of all nicotine metabolites will now have passed from your body via your urine. You can also expect the symptoms of chemical withdrawal to have peaked in intensity. Your bronchial tubes are beginning to relax thus making it easier to breathe. Your lung capacity has also started to increase.
10 days to 2 weeks after your last cigarette
Your brain and body have now physically adjusted to again functioning without nicotine and the more than 3,500 chemical particles and 500 gases present in each and every puff.
3 weeks to 3 months after your last cigarette
Your circulation has substantially improved. Walking has become easier. Your chronic cough, if any, has likely disappeared. Your overall lung function has improved up to thirty percent.
1 to 9 months after your last cigarette
Any sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath have decreased. Cilia have regrown in your lungs thereby increasing their ability to handle mucus, keep your lungs clean, and reduce infections. Your body's overall energy has increased.
1 year after your last cigarette
Your excess risk of coronary heart disease has dropped to less than half that of a smoker.
5 to 15 years after your last cigarettes
Your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker.
10 years after your last cigarettes
Your risk of death from lung cancer has declined by almost half if you were an average smoker (one pack per day). Your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus is now half that of a smoker's.
15 years after your last cigarettes
Your risk of coronary heart disease is now that of a person who has never smoked. Your risk of lung cancer has decreased by 80 to 90%. Your overall risk of death has returned to near that of a person who has never smoked.
Quit smoking today and the rest of your life is yours.
Bill Nadraszky is an ex-smoker and is now a health nut. If you need a little help quiting smoking Bill has written a review of a great smoking-right-now-review.html" target=_new>quit smoking support plan.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Nadraszky
How To Quit Smoking - Using Zyban
Posted On at at 1:12 AM by LifeFor many years the standard medical stop-smoking aid was the nicotine patch, which is attached to the skin and releases a steady supply of nicotine to the bloodstream. Fairly recently, though, another approach has become popular: the use of the drug Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride.)
Zyban's development as an anti-smoking aid is a curious one: it was originally designed as an anti-depressant, and during clinical trials of the drug is was discovered that as a side effect, many smokers participating in the trails lost interest in cigarettes and found it very easy to quit. Further research revealed that the drug was an effective stop-smoking aid, and it was approved for use as such in 1997 by the FDA.
Zyban works in a completely different way from the nicotine patch. Instead of supplying nicotine to the bloodstream, Zyban alters brain chemistry in such a way that the desire for smoking is greatly reduced - many people find that cigarettes simply become unappealing after taking the drug. At no point does Zyban supply or regulate nicotine in the bloodstream.
To work effectively, Zyban is usually taken a few weeks before you actually stop smoking. Like all anti-depressants, it takes time for its effects to manifest. Once you've been taking the drug for some time, you stop smoking, and if all goes well you'll find the process much easier than an unaided attempt.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that Zyban is a prescription drug that alters brain chemistry - in fact researchers are not even exactly sure how it works, only that it does for many people. Naturally, you doctor will be consulted in your decision to take Zyban, and it is crucial that Zyban is not taken in combination with other drugs. Make sure you talk to your doctor about the possible side effects of using Zyban to quit smoking: some common side effects include insomnia, dizziness, and dry mouth. In rarer cases, more serious side effects like seizures can occur. You must also discuss with your doctor the situations in which Zyban should not be taken, like if you are abruptly stopping the use of alcohol, or have a history of seizures.
While Zyban should be approached with some caution, as long as it is properly discussed with your doctor, it can be a very effective aid in your battle to quit smoking.
About The Author:
Brandon C. Hall maintains (http://www.freeinfoblog.com) which contains many articles and resources on quitting smoking at (smoking" title="http://www.freeinfoblog.com/category/quit-smoking" target="_blank">http://www.freeinfoblog.com/category/quit-smoking). There is also information on dozens of other topics.
Stop Smoking Aids - Natural Ways to Quit Smoking with the Help of an Herbal Smoking Cessation Product
Posted On at at 12:00 AM by LifeNicotine is one of the most highly addictive controlled substances on the market today. And the price of cigarettes has multiplied exponentially over the past decade, making smoking an even less attractive habit than it already is to many people.
Unfortunately, cigarette smoking hasn't yet fallen out of favor with the youger crowd (15-22 year olds usually) as an acceptable, and even "cool" social habit. Little do these youngsters know, they are greatly jeopardizing their overall mental and physical health just to look cool, fit in, or participate in an accepted socialization tool.
You see, smoking not only gives you bad breath, accelerates the aging process and damages skin, and is bad for your heart and lungs, but it has been proven habitual smokers are more likely to succumb to depression and be subjected to higher levels of anxiety.
After quitting smoking, most people report a renewed sense of vitality, an ability to think more clearly, better health, easier breathing, dramatically reduced incidence of cold and flu and a much more positive outlook on life, including a greater sense of inner peace and tranquility.
Funny thing, most smokers don't want to quit primarily because they view the act of smoking a cigarette as soothing and a great stress reducer when in fact, the act of smoking has been proven to actually increase and perpetuate overall stress levels and anxiety. While that cigarette may seem to be a "quick fix" for anxiety, it is actually the very thing that is causing more severe anxiety to begin with.
What if I Gain Weight From Stopping my Smoking Habit?
Gaining weight from stopping smoking is another common fear of smokers. Many stop smoking aids that are good will help to prevent this from happening by helping to replace the component of nicotine which suppresses the appetite with natural, unharmful and non-addictive natural botanicals. In other words, natural stop smoking aids actually have a natural ingredient which helps stave off hunger so you don't even have to notice your body is without nicotine.
What Can I Expect if I Quit Smoking?
1.) A fatter wallet. At five bucks or more for a pack of cigarettes, expect to have much more expendable cash in your pocket.
2.) A huge increase in mental clarity and focus. This happens right away if you use a natural stop smoking aid, since it relieves the common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal immediately, so you enjoy the benefits of being a non smoker immediately.
3.) Decreased depression and anxiety - especially once your body had adjusted and gotten rid of all the built up toxins caused by the cigarette smoking. Natural smoking aids will also help clear the toxins out super fast by giving your body an extra shot of antioxidant power, and cleaning you whole system from the inside out.
4.) Healthy lungs. The lungs repair themselves pretty quickly. Expect to breathe easier, and cough less.
5.) Get sick less often. Reason enough to quit.
6.) Look younger and have better, brighter skin almost immediately.
7.) Whiter teeth and a fresher mouth.
8.) Sleep better, longer and more deeply.
9.) Have more energy and lung capacity to be able to walk up those steps that used to make you huff and puff.
Visit stop-smoking-aids.html" target=_new>Stop Smoking Aids - Stop Smoking Naturally for more information on the natural stop smoking aid mentioned in this article. Danna Schneider is the webmaster of the Herbal and Natural Remedy site Herbal-Therapeutics.com
By Danna Schneider
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danna_Schneider
Aids To Quit Smoking
Posted On Friday, December 14, 2007 at at 3:48 AM by LifeAs a fact, there are quite a number of ways available to help you quit smoking. Each method has a different effect on everybody. While one method works for one person, it may not work on another.
Here are a few popular methods to help you:
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
Nicotine is a very addictive drug and for a person who has had developed a dependence to it, it really is very difficult for one to withdraw this very familiar drug from his system. To somehow control the physical withdrawal symptoms, there is a need for a steady dose of nicotine for the body. NRT includes lozenges, patches, gums and inhalers that take the form of a cigarette.
False Cigarettes
Your body may be anxious on the fact of not being able to hold on to a cigarette anymore when you started to quit smoking. This "therapy" substitutes the action or the physical sensation of having to hold onto a cigarette without having to take in all the chemicals involved in smoking.
Eye Openers
These may involve events that could cause a smoker to decide to be a non-smoker. For some people a certain form of shock will open their eyes on the odds of smoking and would cause them to finally quit smoking. These eye openers could be the information he may have gained about some smoking related illness such as cancer or it may be the loss of a close friend or a family member. Either way it allows the smoker to think of his own mortality and fragility and be conscious about his lifestyle. He may then decide to live a healthier life. But these eye openers could work for a while. There is a possibility that the fears he once had on smoking would eventually subside and the once non-smoker would once again feel comfortable with smoking.
Zyban (or Bupropion)
This is a prescribed antidepressant drug that helps the brain fight those nicotine-craving chemicals in the body. There may be also side effects to the body so it is important that one should consult a general physician before taking in the drug.
Acupuncture
This is an ancient Chinese form of medication which involves inserting thin needles into various yet specific acupuncture points of the body. This kind of quit smoking program should result to reduced urges and controlled levels of withdrawal symptoms.
Meditation
This involves deep breathing exercises and guided imagery to calm the senses and promote a sense of inner serenity and well-being. One form of meditation would involve a repetition of a chant or mantra while another would just involve emptying one's thoughts. This method is useful as it could help you relax and calm yourself especially when one is experiencing certain withdrawal symptoms.
Hypnotherapy
One not only has to convince his conscious mind to quit smoking. He/she also has to work with the subconscious, which is also believed to be the stronger part of the mind. This method of using suggestions can be learned or self-taught. One could use relaxation tapes or techniques to help calm your mind and free it from any worries.
Though there may be numerous methods available, the most important asset one could have is the will power to quit and stay quit.
Author: James Brown
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/aids-to-quit-smoking-268655.html
Insights Into Stop Smoking Hypnosis Therapy
Posted On at at 12:10 AM by LifeAll things considered...
Stop smoking hypnosis treatment involves the patient participating in a string of sessions during which the hypnotherapist guides the patient be means of a series of relaxation exercises, leading him or her into a extensive state of consciousness. During this period of deep relaxation, the patient is in a highly suggestible condition. The therapist uses this state to form suggestions regarding quitting smoking. The procedure may involve echoing phrases or reading statements that have been prepared for the session. These suggestions become a part of the patient’s psyche, making him or her less liable to smoke during the day.
As a general rule...
Various stop smoking hypnosis therapists use relaxation rather than suggestion to assist patients stop smoking. They claim that the act of relaxation during the sessions allows the patient to better make do with the stresses of quitting smoking. Because many individuals turn to cigarettes when they experience pressure or irritability, this claim may in truth be true. However, there is still much controversy surrounding hypnosis stop smoking methods. Research has shown that hypnosis stop smoking support does seem to retain people from smoking for a restricted amount of time. Nevertheless, the staying power of the therapy is not as powerful as other stop smoking aids.
As it has been noted...
Numerous people recommend that stop smoking hypnosis therapy be used in conjunction with other stop smoking methods such as nicotine replacement stop smoking products like the patch or nicotine gum. That way, whatever is learned in the hypnosis session can be reinforced during the day. For people who would rather use natural stop smoking products, the patient can use herbal products to help keep his or her frame of mind elevated and to help remove cravings and stress.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step...
No matter how you feel about stop smoking hypnosis in principle, the only way to discover out whether or not it works is to try it yourself. If you have tried all of your other options and none of them have worked, hypnosis therapy might be the answer for you. However, you ought be informed that hypnosis itself does not work on various people. In fact, studies show that fifteen to twenty-five percent of the worlds population cannot be hypnotized at all.
Steve Hill discusses the quit smoking process. Learn the facts before you decide which quit smoking product to buy. Read more no-bull stop smoking articles and information at: quit smoking and quit smoking using hypnosis Steve also has a website at stuttering information
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Hill
Smoking - How To Find A Stop Smoking Aid That Suits You
Posted On at at 12:03 AM by LifeThis is itself can be a bit of a dilemma as there are just so many different Stop Smoking Aids available these days, and it can be quite confusing deciding which stop smoking aid to use. For a start, different smokers have different metabolism's and what will work well for one smoker may not work at all well for another. Some quit smoking aids have side effects that can't be tolerated by some smokers but don't worry others, and so it goes.
Let's look at some of the Stop Smoking Aids on offer...
Nicotine Patch
Nicotine Gum
Nicotine Inhaler
Nicotine Nasal Spry
Hypnosis Remedies
Lazar Remedies
Herbal Remedies
Medical Remedies (drugs available only on prescription)
With a list like above where does the smokers start when confronted with all these different choices. For a start ask around to see any of your friends, or friends of friends have recently used any quit smoking aids successfully in their efforts to reach their quit smoking goal.
But even if you can find a reliable recommendation, as with a most things, different quit smoking aids will have different appeal for different folks. Some smokers will go for the prescription drugs whilst other will favour the herbal pills because of the possibility of the prescription drugs side effects. It's basically impossible to recommend what best suits a particular smoker trying to quit. Some have success with hypnosis, others may prefer and have had success with the nicotine patch, whilst at the same time there have been many recent reports claiming many smokers are having great success with the herbal pills. Apparently the herbal pills mimic nicotine and reduce the body's cravings without actually supplying nicotine to the system, which is basically what the patches, gums and nasal sprays are doing. Another bonus is there are no side effects because all the ingredients are natural.
So I guess my choice would lean towards trying the natural herbal pills as a quit smoking aid first, but it's a personal choice. The bottom line is, that whatever you use, you remain determined to reach your quit smoking goal and improve your life, health and wellbeing for you and your family.
Learn why you should Quit Smoking Now and How To Find a Quit Smoking Aid that Suits You by visiting: http://www.quittingsmokingtips.com/stop-smoking-aids.html for free advice and resources on improving your health, fitness and beating the smoking habit.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Graham_Nicks
Stop Smoking Aid - Something More Effective Than Nicotine Patches
Posted On Thursday, December 13, 2007 at at 11:56 PM by LifeBut, the nicotine patches have their grave disadvantages, howsoever much popular they might be. Doctors are aware of these shortcomings and they do warn their patients about them at the onset. Firstly, the nicotine patch does contain nicotine. The theory behind making a nicotine supplement for the smoker is that he or she will not find the craving that bad as nicotine is slowly pumped into the body system. The theory is that it is not nicotine that kills people; it is the carbon monoxide and the tar in the cigarettes that kills them. Nicotine is there only for the addiction. For this reason, the patches contain nicotine.
However, this in itself is a big problem. If the person is kept on nicotine patches, there is a very less chance that he or she will ever be de-addicted from nicotine. Nicotine might be harmless, but its addiction will continue in some form or the other. It is quite understandable if the person returns back to the nicotine in the cigarette, since he or she has never been de-addicted in the first place. There have been many cases of people who have reverted to active smoking even after long-term nicotine patch treatments. If this happens, then the chance of a heart failure increases, especially if the person also continues to consume alcohol.
The continuous use of nicotine patches at a particular place on the skin can cause irritations like itching after a few days. This is because of the adhesive and the nicotine itself. Some people could discontinue the nicotine patch just to get rid of the itching. Then they might go back to smoking cigarettes.
That is the reason why a totally new stop smoking aid has become very popular today. A herbal formulation, SmokeRX, is perhaps the most popular natural remedy for controlling the smoking habit. Actually there are many herbs that can help a smoker to quit smoking. Some of the most common ones are chamomile, kava kava and St. John's Wort. There are formulations of these herbs available online, which can quite easily and conveniently wean the smoker away from his or her habit.
Herbal remedies work at two different levels. They help the person control the urge for smoking and they also repair the damage that has already been done in the body. The herbal stop smoking aid is available in several convenient forms, such as pills, capsules, powders and even herbal cigarettes, which do not contain even a trace of nicotine in them.
Are you serious about quitting smoking? If you are, then you must try the amazing all herbal stop smoking pill which actually helps you quit in just 7 days. Guaranteed. Yes, this time you can do it. SmokeRx is the ultimate in stop smoking aids and has helped numerous people to quit the habit. Stopping smoking has never been this easy or quick. Forget nicotine patches, gum and sprays. Why fill your body with nicotine when you want to get rid of it? All herbal SmokeRx works. We guarantee it.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Finch