Quit Smoking Now

Millions of people all around the world smoke, pouring billions of their money into the pockets of the tobacco industry. To many, particularly those that have been smoking for a long time, the prospect of quitting smoking seems very daunting. An addiction to smoking is a serious and complex one. It manifests itself in both a physical way, in that your body craves the nicotine the cigarettes contain, and a psychological way, in that your mind has been conditioned to believe that you have to smoke or terrible things will happen to you. To overcome this two sided assault it is important that you come up with a plan of attack in order to quit smoking. Although the cold-turkey or willpower technique works for some people, the vast majority of smokers will have success only with a more comprehensive and detailed  plan with the right amount of preparation.

When you first start considering quitting smoking, it will probably seem so far away from where you are as a smoker that to reach it is either impossible or just too hard to start. Keep in mind that thousands of people a year, people that were also smokers just like you, quit smoking. If they are able to do it, there’s no reason that you can’t. Many smokers also feel that after a certain time spent smoking it is "too-late" to quit, that there is no benefit and the damage is done. Simply put, this isn’t true, and is nothing more than an excuse to avoid the attempt to quit smoking. The health benefits of quitting smoking begin the very day you stop and apply to anyone, anytime.

Before you actually have your last cigarette, begin to visualise yourself as a non-smoker. Visualisation is a very powerful psychological weapon in the battle to quit smoking. When you think about your everyday activities imagine yourself doing them without the cigarette break. Spend a lot of time thinking of the reasons that you want to quit smoking. If you have no worthwhile reasons to quit, why should you do it? Think of as many as you can and write them down. Learn about the health benefits of quitting, not just for yourself but the people around you as well, such as your children or other members of your family that are exposed to your cigarette smoke. Do the maths and come up with some figures for the amount of money you’ll save by not buying cigarettes, then think of something you’ll use that money for. It is essential to get your mind in the right frame for quitting.

Once you have achieved the right frame of mind it’s time to plan having your last cigarette. To give you an idea of what will happen, understand that the human body is incredibly resilient, and that your health will improve as soon as you stop smoking, literally within 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop down to normal levels as the nicotine starts to leave your body. 8 hours after your last cigarette, carbon monoxide levels will drop and oxygen levels will rise in your blood stream returning it to normal levels. At 24 hours after your last cigarette, you statistically reduce your chance of a heart attack. Only 48 hours after your last cigarette, your sense of taste and smell will improve as your nerve endings start re-growing.

By coming up with a concrete and achievable plan to quit smoking you will greatly increase your chances of success. It is crucial to understand how being in the right frame of mind will affect your chances of success. Knowing why you are quitting and believing in yourself, in your attempt to quit are also essential. Once you’ve stopped consider yourself a non-smoker, and to help, remind yourself of the health benefits you will be experiencing immediately after putting out that last cigarette.

Nick Wright is an IT Professional and Marketer who quit smoking in February 2009 and hopes to help make smoking a thing of the past. My Personal Quit Smoking Blog, My Quit Smoking Resource Site

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/preparing-for-the-day-you-quit-smoking-1083205.html

Can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Medical evidence strongly suggests otherwise. Picking up a new trick or two is  not only possible, it’s well worth it. Now, there is no need to get offended. No one is suggesting you are old, or a dog.  It is simply a point of reference. There is a need, however, to be optimistic about reducing the odds of developing  a smoking-related illness when you quit smoking after the age of 50.

The good news gets even better. Putting down the cigs for good after 50 years of age (or any age for that matter) will not only improve overall health, but many tobacco-related conditions can actually be reversed. According to the  American Heart Association, people between the ages of 60-64 who quit smoking are 10 percent less likely to die  during the next 15 years than regular smokers.

Still looking for that extra incentive to put down the old habit? Pull out a calendar and let’s look at some numbers.  The Surgeon General Report states that within one to nine months after quitting, coughing and shortness of breath decrease and the lungs regain their ability to clean and moderate themselves, thereby reducing the chances of  infection. Give up smoking for a year and the excess risk of coronary heart disease becomes half that of a regular smoker’s. After 10 years of being cigarette-free, the risk of lung, mouth, throat and other cancers (including esophagus, cervix, bladder and pancreas) are reduced by almost half. Best of all, the risk of coronary heart disease is the same  as a non-smoker’s after 15 years of a smoke-free lifestyle.

These benefits not only translate into reduced pain and suffering, but they also reduce the chances of being burdened by preventable medical bills and the arbitrary expense of cigs. Getting 15 years of life back is impressive enough, but knowing the quality of life during those 15+ years will be enjoyable is a gratifying incentive.

So before you decide you’re too old to quit, or that it’s too much of a hassle, take some time to review the facts and beneficial aspects of doing so. Whether it’s the need to be there for family or purely out of self-interest, the reasons and benefits of giving up smoking are almost innumerable; regardless of age. Set the example and show the younger ones there’s a thing or two they can learn from you.

Alex Marhsall is a pool afficionado and self-confessed pool and billiards addict. Growing up in an Arizona pool table shop taught him everything there is to know about billiard tables, pool tables, accessories, brands, and shooting to score.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/its-never-too-late-to-quit-smoking-1080841.html

Most of us would love to quit smoking without side effects. And this includes side effects from most common quit smoking therapies – drugs, NRT, pills, and more. Some of these ‘therapies’ have dangers as bad as smoking itself!

Instead, know that we have a range of natural remedies to help us quit smoking with fewer side effects. From supplements to hypnotherapy, here are just a few of those natural quit smoking remedies in detail.

1. Cold Turkey

We should start our list off with the king of all natural quit smoking methods – quitting cold turkey. The chances of this working go up every time you try, so its always worth the effort. Additionaly, there can be no side effects because you simply put down the cigarette! Well, ok, that’s not totally true as you’ll still suffer from nicotine withdrawal – which brings us to our next natural smoking cessation tool..

2. Herbs

There are a very large number of herbs and plants which have been found helpful in quitting smoking. Some of them alleviate the various side effects, some help with healing after quitting, and still others act as quitting aids. Just a few of the various herbs include Bayberry, Eucalyptus, Gentian, Ginger root, Ginseng, Lobelia, Mullein, Peppermint, Skullcap, St john’s wort, Slippery Elm, and others.

3. Prepackaged Herbal Supplements

In addition to the herbs themselves, many companies have taken on the task of creating supplements with various combinations of herbs that produce theraputic results. Cigarrest and Rx-Hale are two such supplements, and there are others. They claim to reduce side effects and cravings so that you will be more likely to quit. Just keep in mind that with both herbs and supplements – there is still the possibility of risk. Just because they’re natural doesn’t mean they’re garaunteed safe. Always check with a nutritionist to be sure, and communities around the Internet can usually provide their feedback as well.

4. Food

Here is an option that isn’t so obvious – eating food. Now of course, the potential side effect is that you will gain weight. But if you size your portions correctly, there are a great many foods which can reduce your cravings. Some of these include beef, cottage cheese, cold water fish, eggs, lamb, legumes, nuts, poultry, seeds, tofu, and yogurt. Anything which provides good protein will be helpful – just remember to wait 20 minutes after your first serving so that your blood sugar has time to level off.

In addition to reducing craving, so called ‘booster’ foods can help you heal faster. These include garlic for detoxification, Ginger to stimulate food digestion, and Cayenne to both help digestion and improve circulation.

5. Acupuncture

One of the amazing inventions of Chinese culture is very helpful for quitting smoking. A skilled acupuncture therapist can help you reduce cravings, reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms, keep weight off, reduce any pain, improve circulation, improve energy, reduce mood swings, and much more.

6. Hypnotherapy

Perhaps the most well known smoking cessation system is hypnotherapy. Many people have visions of a magician putting someone to sleep and then lulling them to dance around like a chicken – but this simply isn’t the case. Hypnotherapists put you into a relaxed state at which time they have e direct channel to your subconscious mind. Using this powerful suggestability, they are able to tear down the triggers and associations which make you crave cigarettes and replace them with healthy alternatives. For those who follow through with treatment, very high success rates are reported with minimal side effects.

Regardless the method you decide upon, know that there are many alternatives to popping prescription drugs and hoping for good results. These natural therapies can relieve most smoking cessation discomfort and have you going strong again in no time. You can feel like your 20 years younger again.

Discover how You can Quit Smoking Now with Fewer Side effects at http://www.smokingrevealed.com

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If you are a smoker, and have been for some time, it is likely that you have tried to stop smoking at some point in your life and as you are still a smoker, like me and many others you failed to quit. This is very common and is nothing to be ashamed of, neither is it something to excuse. We all do it at some point, we try to quit, we fail and we justify the failure with some lame excuse. Trust me the excuse is always a lame one I am a great authority on making excuses for failing to quit smoking.

A little about me and my qualifications to make the above statement. I am 41 years old and started smoking when I was 12, encouraged by my best friend at the time and we both thought we were really cool, how stupid is that? I continued to smoke and quit and smoke and quit for the next 30 years. I never stopped to examine the reasons why I failed I just accepted that I was a confirmed smoker (by the way there is no such thing), and made an excuse that I was stressed / unhappy / could stop again whenever I wanted / was in control (ha ha), and many more variations to excuse that fact that I couldn’t stop smoking.

I tried various methods to stop such as The Willpower Method, Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and a combination of the two, always doomed to failure. I never tried Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) or Hypnotherapy as the thought of these methods scared me and I was convinced I didn’t need anything like that. How wrong I was. Although they may seem extreme they are the most successful method of all to quitting smoking. The reason that Willpower and NRT fail is that they do not remove the desire for cigarettes, they do not change your perception of the evil sticks, they leave that all up to you, you have to have the presence of mind and insight to do all that yourself, yeah thanks, whilst all strung out craving a cigarette I also have to become my own psycho-analyst.

This is where the methods of NLP or Hypnotherapy win over the others, the idea is to change your whole perception of the ridiculous act of smoking. Without the deep rooted perceptions and, let’s face it, brainwashing that every smoker suffers from, being removed, the chances of quitting smoking are greatly reduced. Once you accept that smoking is not just a physical addiction to nicotine and there is a whole bunch of psychology attached to it and continuing to do it, then your perception has started to be changed, you have taken the first step towards being a non-smoker. NLP can help you realise the reasons why you smoke, which then gives you the tools to knock down those reasons and get closer to quitting. The smoker who truly knows why he smokes, not the lame excuses mentioned above is well on his way to being a non-smoker.

If you are determined to be a non-smoker, in my experience most smokers would prefer to be non-smokers, then you need to look at different methods to help you quit the evil weed. I have taken those steps and I am now proud to declare that I am a non-smoker, I have never been so sure that I will never smoke again and there was not one ounce of willpower, patches or gum involved. For me it is NLP all the way, change your perceptions then change your life, for the better.

Nick Wright is an IT Professional and Marketer who quit smoking in February 2009 and is passionate about making smoking a thing of the past.
My Personal Quit Smoking Blog,
My Quit Smoking Resource Site

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/the-day-i-quit-smoking-1080164.html

Quitting smoking can be difficult and daunting due to the two sides of addiction that it presents. Every type of addiction has a chemical or physical side and a mental or psychological side. These two combine to present a powerful barrier when trying to free oneself from the particular addiction. One weapon that should be in every addicts arsenal when trying to beat addiction is knowledge of the enemy. This article specifically looks at nicotine addiction and the effect it has on every smoker. It also looks at the nature of nicotine itself, what effects it has on the body and how its grip makes quitting smoking a difficult task.

According to the 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, around 62 million people aged 12 and older in the United States smoke cigarettes. This makes nicotine one of the most heavily used addictive drugs in the US. When a smoker inhales cigarette smoke it takes about 7 seconds for the nicotine in the smoke to be absorbed into the blood stream and affect the brain. It takes up to two hours for enough nicotine to leave the body to cause a craving. Nicotine then starts to affect the body’s reward system similarly to other addictive drugs such as cocaine. It has the overall effect of increasing alertness and enhancing mental performance. Nicotine affects the cardiovascular system by increasing heart rate and blood pressure and restricting blood flow to the heart muscle. Nicotine also stimulates the release of the hormone epinephrine which is a “fight or flight” hormone with a powerful effect on the nervous system. Another hormone that nicotine promotes the release of is beta-endorphin which inhibits pain.

Nicotine itself is a colourless oily compound and if you were to inject it directly into your bloodstream you would die, as it is quite a strong poison, 40-60mg of nicotine would be a lethal dose to a human. In fact its natural function in plants of the nightshade family is as an anti-herbivore chemical to prevent the plant being eaten. This is why nicotine has been widely used in the past as an insecticide, bear this in mind next time you smoke a cigarette or as you try to quit smoking.

Nicotine content in cigarettes has actually slowly increased over the years, and one study found that there was an average increase of 1.6% per year between the years of 1998 and 2005. One could take this cynically and suggest that a smoking industry with so much hostility towards it in legislation and campaigning is fighting back by trying to drug its smokers into continued loyalty.

There is no doubt that nicotine is a powerful and addictive drug, according the American Heart Association “Nicotine addiction has historically been one of the hardest addictions to break.” It has their interest as nicotine has links to circulatory disease. As a stimulant it raises blood pressure and makes it harder for the heart to pump blood through the body. This causes the body to release fats and cholesterol into the blood stream possibly adding to the risk of failure in peripheral circulation.

Nicotine is only one of the 400 or so damaging substances in tobacco smoke, I think you will agree that it does enough damage on its own to warrant special attention. When you next think of quitting smoking, think about what nicotine does to you and what effect it has on your body, how nicotine keeps you addicted to smoking and how you can take steps to beat it.

Nick Wright is an IT Professional and Marketer who quit smoking in February 2009 and is passionate about making smoking a thing of the past.
My Personal Quit Smoking Blog,
My Quit Smoking Resource Site

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/quit-smoking-and-beat-nicotine-addiction-1080172.html