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Quit Smoking and Lung Cancer

March 4th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

If you come to know the smoking and lung cancer statistics then you may think twice before smoking again. There are many people who get affected with lung cancer daily around the world. Smoking is one habit which you do not want to give a long run because in the near future it will for sure kill you without giving enough warnings.

Smoking cigarettes is injurious to health as we all know, but the fact that most people fail to comprehend is that smoking affects our health well beyond reparable limit. Once the lungs are affected then it becomes something which we can’t get it back to the old normal state. You will reap lots of benefits from quitting smoking. The benefits range from normal functioning of your heart and lungs to decreasing the likelihood of having a heart attack. The key to successful quitting smoking is to have the determination to be on the right path. There are many sure-fire way to eliminate the habit of smoking and if you follow them without relapsing then you are sure to quit smoking in the near future.

The toxic element that is responsible for the decline of good health is the nicotine which is added in the cigarette to deliver that extra kick. The other thing which greatly helps you to spoil your health is the carbon monoxide. This is the gas that is ejected out of vehicles when we drive them. The carbon monoxide is as poisonous as any gas. Nicotine is a substance that develops a craving deep inside you. It is like any other drug which makes you addicted to it. If you keep smoking then there are lots of chances for to lose control over your body health in addition to the body shape. You will look skinny which is not so good and there are possibilities for you to age quickly which results in wrinkles etc. this is very unhealthy and you got to be stopping this as soon as possible.

There are treatments for lung cancer but the thing is that those treatments are as serious as cancer is. Most of the people are unaware of the fact that these cancer can grow if left untreated, so it is good for you if you check you health twice a year and if possible stop smoking as quickly as possible. Quitting smoking is easier said than done but if you have the right determination then you can go places no matter what other say.

The news is that almost one and half billion of human beings are affected with this lung cancer and some of them are getting cured with the advent of latest developments in the technology. The good thing is that if you diagnose the ailment in its initial stages then there are high possibilities of getting rid of the cancer. The shocking news is that in the previous year alone about million of new cancer cases were diagnosed. Lung cancer has been the greatest hurdle for most centuries than any other type of cancer.

Save Your Life: Quit smoking

February 15th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

How to quit smoking cigarettes and save your life before its too late.

The process might be a little difficult but is not at all impossible. First thing to realize is that nicotine in tobacco products is the main reason that you develop this addictive habit.

It is a very powerful addictive drug that mixes with your blood and requires periodic replenishment.

That is the main reason why smokers constantly take puff of cigarettes for getting rid of their uneasy feeling and increase nicotine levels in their blood.

However, if you are determined to quit this habit then the urge to smoke can be overcome easily.

The act of getting into this habit might be influenced by some friend or colleague who gives this false interpretation that smoking is like a friend that helps you relax.

However, in the end you realize that the negative effects are more pronounced than short-term relaxation provided through this activity.

Once you start smoking, the chances of you quitting this habit reduce. It is only when you wake up to the call of your body and its weakness that you realize that smoking is extremely harmful for your health.

The nicotine drug in the tobacco products works as both a stimulant as well as a depressant.

Initially it might cause the heart rate to increase rapidly making the smokers extremely alert and responsive. However, as time goes by the levels of nicotine in the blood reduces which leads to the smoker feeling irritable and depressed.

Fatigue starts to come into the body and the urge to smoke another cigarette becomes impossible to control.

Experts have found out that similar to effects of heroin and cocaine there is a possibility that nicotine might lead to an even stronger addiction due to its easy availability in the markets.

However, that does not mean that you should feel disappointed or unhappy because the activity of quitting smoking is possible like millions of people who have done the same worldwide.

Keep a log where you pen down your thoughts regarding the need to quit smoking cigarettes and the approach you are taking for the same.

Once you quit smoking cigarettes, there is a possibility that your body develops that extra stamina that was missing earlier.

This helps particularly for people who take up physical work. Getting support for your activity to quit smoking cigarettes is extremely important.

Whether it is support from family, friends, colleagues, or a quit smoking cigarette club, there is always a need to communicate with others regarding your feeling and intentions when you undergo this activity.

If your mind diverts by any chance then it might be possible that they show you the direction and provide the necessary comfort. Setting up a date to quit smoking cigarettes is important.

This means that you are mentally prepared to kick the habit. The pros and cons of your decision are clearly in front of you. This is the day, which changes your life towards a better living.

Get rid of all tobacco related products from your surrounding environment whether it is office or your house. The less you are exposed to tobacco products the better it for helping your cause.

Nicotine Addiction

December 27th, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

Just to get this started, I think it is important to realize that smoking is prevalent in our society. Almost anywhere you go you will see someone either standing outside of the building smoking, or perhaps smoking inside of restaurants. This is because as an American our society has nearly a quarter of its males smoking cigarettes. Women are slightly down with 18%. Still, these are staggering numbers with how cigarettes have become addictive and the problems we face in our society in terms of health.

But, what does God say about smoking? Is it actually a sin? I personally avoid using the common scripture that most non-smoking Christians use when they say use 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

I believe what Paul was getting at here was that you have a body; in general, you should be taking care of it. But where do you draw the line? Why is smoking any worse than what I do on a good Thanksgiving dinner? I mean, every time I go to a buffet I probably down enough food that could feed a small country it would seem. Obviously, this isn’t good for you. People like to point the finger. For this reason, I won’t come out and say that if you smoke you are sinning.

I will say that I do have spiritual reasons for why I do not smoke though. It is not just because I wasn’t raised in a house where there were no smokers and it is generally bad for you. There is more to the picture than that. It has everything to do with my witnessing to others. As Christians, we are infamously known for telling people to do one thing, but living our life a totally different way. This is a scary thought! How can I spread the gospel in a convincing fashion if my actions don’t back up what I say? I’m not saying I don’t sin. I’m simply saying that we should take every measure possible to impact others with the gospel. Paul didn’t just write three quarters of the New Testament and live his life anyway he wanted to.

Rather, he backed up what he preached and put his life on the line for the gospel. Ephesians talks about weighing those things that are on the line and asking yourself, is this helping or hurting me? It is not talking physically it is talking spiritually. I would say that smoking certainly hurts your witness to others. People will want to see you living your life different than others who are no Christians. Otherwise, how can you tell them that God has changed your life? This is a scary thought that I wouldn’t be able to identify how God has changed me to anyone who asked. After all, being delivered from the addiction of smoking is a great testimony for anyone!

Do You Want to Stop Smoking?

December 10th, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

Do you want to stop smoking and avoid the following?

A gradually deteriorating personal appearance due to the combined effect of heat and smoke on your body. These are a loss of elasticity of the skin leading to wrinkles on the face with especially deep vertical lines on the upper lip in time. The skin around the mouth can also suffer yellowish discolouration from cigarettes heat over time, as does the skin of the fingers and the finger nails.
An unattractive smile due to a combination of staining of the teeth which becomes more stubborn as time passes, and a stale odour on the breath.
An increased risk of developing serious heath problems, shortening your life span and being debilitated during the last years of your life. Smoking causes irritation of the lining of the throat and lungs. It can cause mouth, throat or lung cancer to develop over time. If not causing cancer of the lung there is a high risk of emphysema and bronchitis which can be extremely debilitating due to reduction in lung capacity and function. It leads to increasing difficulty with breathing and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases.
An increased risk of macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of blindness in older people, and,

If you are a woman, the extra sex-related risks associated with smoking and birth control pills.

No matter how old you are or how long you have smoked, quitting can help you live longer and be healthier. People who stop smoking before the age of 50 cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years by half compared to those who carry on smoking. Ex-smokers enjoy a higher quality of life with fewer illnesses from cold and flu viruses, and less prevalence of bronchitis and pneumonia.

So what do you think? Do you want to stop smoking now? Do you want to know what happens when a smoker quits?

20 minutes later your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

3 months later your circulation has improved along with your lung function…

Between 1 and 9 months later your coughing and shortness of breath are decreasing. The little hair-like structures called cilia along the lining of the airways and lungs regain their function which is to move mucus away from the lungs, removing contaminants.

1 year later. The excess risk of coronary heart disease is reduced to half that of a smokers.

5 years after quitting : Now your stroke risk is reduced to less than half that of a smoker.

15 years after quitting : The risk now of coronary heart disease is pretty much the same as that for a non-smoker.

The prospect of better health is a major reason to give up smoking but there are others.

Smoking is expensive and a regular smoker can easily rack up a cost of more than $1000 per year! That would be in excess of ten thousand pounds over ten years – enough to buy a new car. This of course doesn’t take into account the cost of treating illness that can occur as a result of smoking or the increased life insurance premiums required from a smoker.

Let’s face it. Smoking is much less socially acceptable today than it used to be. Passive smoke inhalation is a known risk making smokers less than popular. Almost all workplaces have some kind of smoking restrictions or rules. Studies show that smokers tend to get sick more often and employers are aware of this.

So, if you want to keep your job, be socially successful, and live a long and healthy life , you might want to consider giving up smoking.

When You Stop Smoking

December 3rd, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

When you stop smoking you immediately begin to reap huge health benefits and you’ll probably wish you had done it earlier. It is never too late to stop smoking and by so doing increase your chances of living longer than you otherwise would have. When you quit the habit, you may find in the short term that you feel worse because of the body’s need to adjust. This is called the withdrawal period and can last up to a few weeks but, with nicotine addiction, which is what smoking causes, it is usually much less than this. In this withdrawal period you can expect to feel restless, anxious, irritable and unable to concentrate and you will need the understanding of those around you.

Once you are through this initial withdrawal stage you will gradually begin to notice a number of benefits. There are immediate befits such as:

1) Your breath smells better.
2) Stained teeth get less so, especially if you now make an effort to clean them well, or even better, get your dentist to clean them.
3) Your clothes and hair will smell better.
4) Your sense of taste improves and you can enjoy food more.
5) Your sense of smell improves as well.
6) Your stained fingernails gradually become less visibly stained.
7) Less immediate but extremely importantly you should notice that you don’t get out of breath so easily when running for a bus or climbing stairs.

This is because your lungs are beginning to recover from the damage done by smoking. In the run up to this though, you may have to get through a period of heavy catarrh and maybe a cough, as your lungs try to rid themselves of contamination. Given time this should all return to normal but if a cough is persistent you should consult your doctor.

Of course also once through this initial withdrawal period you can take stock and congratulate yourself on having drastically reduced your chance of getting crippling diseases such as throat and lung cancer, bronchitis, emphysema and heart attack.

Having successfully beaten the nicotine habit you must at all costs avoid being drawn back into smoking. If smoking has been a part of your daily routine for a long while there may be occasions where it is difficult to resist cigarettes. You would do well to avoid places where lots of other people smoke such as parties. Smoking is often associated with alcohol.

If others offer you cigarettes say “No thanks, I don’t smoke”. Try to break habits associated with smoking. If for example, you usually smoke after your evening meal then change your habits and leave the table to do something else.

Try to avoid getting too stressed with work or life in general. Stress is often the cause of people going back to smoking after having quit but this must be resisted. You can increase your stress tolerance by taking up a pleasurable hobby, particularly an outdoor one. There is no denying that the combination of fresh air and exercise is good for both the human body and soul. There are many healthy sports or pastimes you can try such as swimming, walking, cycling skiing, or playing tennis or football. These sports will be more enjoyable too when you are fitter than you were previously.

You could say that when you stop smoking, your life begins.

Smoking and Asthma

December 3rd, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

The chemicals in cigarette smoke irritate the lungs, which in someone with asthma are already inflamed. If you have asthma, smoking is about the most dangerous thing you can do and the best thing to do is stop. Many smokers fear that is they quit they will put on weight. Some people do indeed gain weight, but usually only a few kilograms which are lost in a matter of months.

Smoking reduces the appetite so when you give up cigarettes, food tastes better and you eat more. Moreover, many smokers enjoy a cigarette after a meal. When you give up that may be replaced by a second helping or a dessert. If you are hungry, snack on fresh fruit and vegetables. If you feel you need hypnotherapy, acupuncture, nicotine patches or chewing gum to help you, by all means use them, but sometimes all they do is put off the day when you throw away the cigarettes, ashtray and lighter.

You will have a tough couple of weeks and you will need the support and tolerance of friends and family, but it will be worth the effort. You may experience withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability and sleeping problems. Be proud that you have given up smoking, take it one day at a time and congratulate yourself at the end of the day.

Do not be tempted to have just one cigarette. It will probably lead to another and another. Acid air is caused when gases such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide react with water vapor. Not much is known about its effects. Power stations, cars, lorries and heavy industry are among the main contributors to atmospheric pollution.

Hypnosis to Stop Smoking

November 26th, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

Are you a smoker? Have you tried to kick your habit, only to fall back off the wagon? Many of us can’t even say we’ve been successful enough one time to fall off the wagon-our wagon never stopped. If you’re trying to give up cigarettes, you need help, this isn’t something you can just do on your own. If you’ve tried other methods in the past unsuccessfully, maybe now is the time to try hypnosis to stop smoking.

They make different assortments of gum, mints, pills and patches that are all over the counter-meaning you can purchase them if you are over the age of 18, without a prescription. These different methods try to wean a smoker off of the nicotine that addicts him or her in the first place. This is not always an effective tool and many times, users end up having to make several attempts before they are successful.

These over the counter methods are also costly. Many times if you use another way to quit, your insurance company may pick up some or the entire tab but over the counter methods are not reimbursed.

Hypnosis is the only completely natural way to quit smoking aside from quitting cold turkey. When you’re hypnotized, you’re put into a state where your brain is open to suggestion.

The hypnotherapist will put suggestions in your mind that lead you to quit smoking. You can do this over a period of time if you’re not completely successful at first. However, hypnosis is typically the best way to quit.

When you’ve spent too much money and wasted your time trying to quit with various methods, give hypnosis to stop smoking a try. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain when you do. Use an approved and tried and tested way to rid yourself of this bad habit once and for all.

Effective Methods to Quit Smoking

November 13th, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

The decision to quit smoking can be one of the best decisions that you will make in your lifetime. Quitting smoking leads to better health, a cleaner lifestyle, and more money in your wallet. Quitting smoking is also an extremely difficult choice that can lead to headaches, crankiness, sleeplessness, and dry mouth. However, these symptoms last a week or two at the most whereas the benefits last a lifetime. If you really want to quit but can’t seem to manage it, there are plenty of products and groups that exist solely to help you quit.

If you look at smoking in a strictly logical manner, it is a wonder that people ever start to smoke in the first place. Smoking is expensive. In big cities a single pack of cigarettes can cost five dollars. Even if you live in low tax state and buy a cheap brand, you are still spending two or three dollars a pack. A conservative estimate of one pack a day comes to sixty spent on cigarettes per month and seven hundred and twenty dollars spent on cigarettes per year. You are literally burning your money with each puff. Doesn’t that make you want to quit?

Then think of the health benefits. Cigarettes contain tar and toxic gases like the kind that come out of the tailpipe of your car. Those poisons get into your lungs, decrease your lung capacity and are the leading cause of lung cancer and heart disease. Quitting smoking also improve your outer appearance. Your hair, breath, and fingers will no longer smell like smoke. After you stop staining your teeth with tobacco tar they will start to return to their natural white color. Your clothes, car, house, and even pets will smell natural again.

To quit smoking involves a lot of willpower, but it can be done. There are many steps you can take to break your habit of smoking and your addiction to nicotine. First, avoid places where you know people will be smoking. Thankfully, many cities have passed bans on smoking in bars and restaurants, so you can still go out and enjoy yourself. Find other people who are trying to quit or who have quit successfully. You may know someone, or you can find a large support community on the internet. Let these people be the outlet for your frustrations. Even if you find yourself irrationally yelling for a few days, it is better than continuing to smoke for a lifetime.

In addition to emotional support, you can get physical support from nicotine replacement products such as patches or gum. You can even smoke herbal cigarettes for a while if the action of smoking something will help you. Just keep persevering and you will be able to quit smoking in no time.

Easy Tips On How To Quit Smoking

October 23rd, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

Smoking is a terrible habit, and we all know it. But after you’ve started it’s very addicting and the habit is difficult to break. Some smokers try many times to quit, but become so discouraged by failure that they resign themselves to the idea that they can’t do it. Quitting is possible for everyone who’s willing to work for it. In this article, you’ll find tips on how to quit smoking.

Some smokers try to quit all at once, and they may slip up and have a cigarette on occasion. For some, this kind of mess up can be discouraging enough to give up on quitting. You have to do what works best for you. Quitting gradually by reducing your smoking little by little is an option. You will occasionally smoke more than you want to. Push yourself to improve, but don’t let small failures ruin your resolve.

Don’t be the person who says “I’ll quit smoking when…” The world is full of those people, and they all have one thing in common: they are still smoking, and not doing anything about it. Commit to change now. Do something to work toward your goal, no matter how small.

Tell those around you about your goal to quit. Their support may be helpful. You may be able to find creative ways that your friends and family members can work with you and hold you accountable.

As you achieve your goal of quitting smoking, whether you’ve decided to do it all at once or gradually, you will be saving money. Use this money to buy small gifts for yourself as reinforcement. One of the benefits of not smoking or smoking less is having more money. You may eventually want to save this money for other things, but while you’re working on quitting you need to reward yourself.

If you follow the advice provided, you should be on your way to a smoke-free lifestyle. There will always be times when you want to smoke, and there will be times when you mess up. The important thing is to keep trying. You will quit smoking if you refuse to give up.