GIVING UP SMOKING » quitting cigarettes

Madonna Being a Mom

StopSmokingCoach — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:32:09 +0000

On the Russia leg of her world tour, Madonna has requested, check that, “imposed” the banning of smoking roadies coming within 50ft of her. This has many entertainment publications criticizing her for being a diva, but the real motivation seems to stem from Madonna just being a mother in this case.

Apparently, Madonna is touring with her children and she’s taken the strict measure especially because her next destination is Russia. If you didn’t know, the Russians are cigarette-obsessed and the banning has many Russian crew members baffled. The Russian crew’s side of the argument is that unless Madonna can build her stage on her own, she’ll just have to suck it up.

Would Madonna get her way? Maybe I’ll do an update on that, but for now, I say she’s just being a mom. If the people who criticize her for being a diva knew anything about Second and Third Hand Smoke, I seriously doubt they could write those chiding articles.

A Doctor’s Aggressive Stance Against Cigarettes

StopSmokingCoach — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:37:19 +0000

In Poland, about 8 million out of the 38 million populations are smokers. Smoking related disease claim over 60000 poles each year and recently a Polish cancer specialist proposed cigarette boxes adorn pictures of tumor. The doctor is hopeful that the pictures will deter people from smoking.

“A picture speaks a thousand words”, perhaps it has a chance of having success. If I were still a smoker, I don’t think I would be comfortable smoking out of a box showing tumors which can actually be developing in my body as I smoke the box away. Some things you just never get used to and people are easily troubled by graphic images. Visual cue tends to take priority in humans and the effect it has on us can be profound.

If our government was not responsible enough to ban such an addictive and lethal product (if you could call it that) in the first place, it may be time that we do something about it ourselves. If you are reading this article you most likely own a computer and you are just as likely to own a printer. Do a Google image search on tumor pictures, print one and slide it between the cigarette box and the plastic covering it. Make sure you always carry your cigarette box with the picture slid in it and use it as an additional motivational tool. As some pictures may be too graphic for some of our readers, unfortunately we cannot provide you with the pictures on this site. Please be aware that Google images will return many graphic images when you do any query including the word tumor.

Remember, most people fail many times over before they successfully give up smoking. You have to use every tool available at your disposal to aid you in quitting smoking. Generally people who have success giving up smoking tend to have a solid plan before they try quitting. Don’t give up just because you may have failed a few times, what matter is that you are still trying. Continue with “Third Hand Smoke”.

Get The Naysayers Out Of The Way

StopSmokingCoach — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:39:07 +0000

One of the most important things you have to do before quitting smoking is alienating the naysayers. Some people are just born with negative bones in their body and they never seem to have anything nice to say about anyone. But they are rare breeds and the ones that you really need to avoid are the pessimists in your life.

We all have that uncle who likes to poop on everyone’s party and that cousin who criticizes every one of your achievements. Unfortunately some of these people are very dear to us no matter how irritating they may be. Obviously you can’t alienate these people forever, but it’s important to keep them out of your life temporarily or at least don’t let them know that you are in the process of quitting smoking. You walk a very fine line when you first stop smoking. Little things will trigger relapse and there’s nothing worse than hearing discouraging words from people who should be cheering you on.

Ideally we would all love to have family members who can be around every time we need someone to talk to. But we know that’s not possible and we also know it’s not because our families don’t care. So we can’t control the sort of support we get from our family members, but we can control who we spend time with and where we spend time at.

Many things in our lives are out of the realms of our control. So the things that we can control to some degree, we have to make sure we manage them in ways that are beneficial to our lives. So how about skipping the next family barbeque? You can go back to the way things were as soon as you take control of your nicotine addiction. That’s really easier than you think as nicotine withdrawal symptoms generally last only up to two weeks. The rest is all mental and if you had the fortitude to stay cigarette free for two weeks, you have what it takes to stay free from it for life.

Positive reinforcement is the key and you can’t expect to quit smoking if you let the naysayers discourage you. As Robert Collier once said, “All power is from within and therefore under our control”. Take charge and stop smoking away your life. Continue with “50-50 Chance of Survival”.

How to Stay Thin After Quitting Cigarettes

Derek Kim — Sat, 30 May 2009 03:38:08 +0000

Thin has been in for a while now and most people who quit smoking worry about gaining weight. Unfortunately cigarette does help weight management to some degree and adding 5 to 10 pounds of weight is normal when you quit smoking. The good news is that there are ways to prevent the weight gain associated with smoking cessation. You can have the best of both worlds. Live a cigarette free healthy life.

Let’s look at the three major factors that contribute to weight gain as result of smoking cessation:

• Metabolism – Smoking causes increase in metabolism and it causes the body to burn calories at slightly accelerated rate. Generally we are talking about extra 100 to 200 calories burnt as a smoker and that much more to burn through if you’ve quit. You can easily burn 200 calories with 20 minute power walk or if you prefer to walk at a lighter pace you may walk 30 minutes instead. Walking will not only keep your weight in check but it will also keep you healthy.

• Appetite – You will have better appetite after you’ve quit smoking. This is because nicotine suppresse appetite. When you quit smoking, you are actually going back to your natural appetite level instead of the artificially suppressed appetite state that nicotine induces. In an age where we are surrounded by junk foods everywhere, self control has a lot more to do with weight management than a light increase in appetite. Personally I’ve met one too many people who blame quitting cigarette for weight gain instead of trying to eat healthier. Bottom line, you can eat more to satisfy your increased appetite. You just have to eat healthy and it’s as simple as that. Vegetable, fruit, low-fat chips, fat free snacks, and water just to name a few things you can satisfy your appetite with.

• Stress Eating – Many of us eat to release stress out of our system and food can also be emotionally comforting. Quitting smoking can be quite stressful for many and when you tie stress eating with it, substantial weight gain is possible. Even if stress involved is minimal, you’ll inevitably feel the void left by your smoking habit. You can minimize these effects by exercising. Exercise exerts its effects on the brain through several mechanisms, including mood enhancement, endorphin release, neurogenesis, and it’s even been touted from treat depression to improve memory. It may sound too good to be true, but you really can prevent or minimize the negative effects that come with quitting smoking by exercising.

Staying thin by continuing to smoke is not the answer. You can live a healthy life, cigarette free by improving self control and exercising 20 to 30 minutes a day, 4 to 6 days a week. Give yourself a chance at a better life, today.

Quit Smoking with Nicotine Patch

StopSmokingCoach — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:44:02 +0000

Nicotine patch is another form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy. It is a transdermal patch, which is basically a patch that adheres to the skin to deliver nicotine through the skin and into the bloodstream.

If this is your first try at quitting smoking, I would generally suggest you try quitting cold turkey. Nicotine patches and other stop smoking products I feel comfortable recommending to people who’ve tried and failed in their previous attempt or attempts in quitting smoking. The only exceptions on first time quitters would be those who are long-term smokers, heavy smokers, or people who are self-aware that they are not particularly patient people.

Nicotine patches much like nicotine gums deliver controlled amount of nicotine to your system to help you deal with the withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation. The release of nicotine in a less intense and slower pace than cigarette allows the user to gradually wean nicotine dependency until the patches are completely inessential. Most patches are worn up to 24 hours, making everyday use very convenient.

It comes in three strengths, the 21mg, the 14mg, and the 7mg. The 21mg is recommended for those who smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day and the 14mg is recommended for those who smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes per day. The 7mg is the dosage that will finish the quit smoking program. The quit smoking program should last 8-10 weeks and you may lower the dosage depending on the strength you choose.

Generally the financial cost of nicotine patches should compare favorably to the cost of most cigarettes. It could be a different story for the light smokers, but you have to understand once you quit smoking you no longer need to purchase additional nicotine patches. The alternative is to keep smoking your life away.

There are few things you should know before using nicotine patches. On some occasions users may experience irregular heartbeats or palpitations, if so discontinue the use. Speak to a doctor if you experience skin redness for more than four days or if your skin swells. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness and weakness may also show as side effects. With that said, the side effects of nicotine patches are mild unlike Chantix which is reported to cause suicidal thoughts. I’m going off topic here a little, but I would never recommend Chantix to anyone. Nicotine patches are studied as a way of treating schizophrenia and it’s also found to be efficient in reducing post-surgical pain. They are used in other good ways and not just for quitting smoking.

Some 3 percent of nicotine patch users become dependent on the patch. By stopping smoking you no longer subject yourself to cigarette smokes that contain carcinogens known to cause cancer. But the effects on the long term use nicotine patches aren’t clear. It is generally recommended to end the therapy in 4 to 6 months at the least.

As with any stop smoking advice we at Giving Up Smoking provide for our readers, we cannot stress enough of the fact that you are the key to giving up smoking. All the stop smoking aid products are meant to help you through your cigarette free journey. They are useless unless you are onboard with the program. With that said, use all the tools available to your advantage and kick the habit for good. All our staffs at www.givingup-smoking.com wish you the best of luck. Continue with “How To Stay Thin After Quitting Cigarettes”.

Quit Smoking With Nicotine Gum

StopSmokingCoach — Sun, 24 May 2009 00:12:51 +0000

The Nicotine Gum is a type of chewing gum that works in the form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Nicotine gum provides nicotine to your system at a controlled and slower pace than cigarettes.

Nicotine gums are conveniently available at pharmacies over the counter and they are not sold to people underage.

Nicotine gums use the bloodstream as a delivery system, making access via the tissue in the mouth. Nicotine gums are safe because while they provide nicotine to fight the craving, it does it without the dangerous carcinogens found in cigarette smokes.

The less intense pace of nicotine distribution allows for a gradual withdrawal from nicotine dependency. Eventually you’ll need fewer and fewer pieces of nicotine gum until you no longer need it. Nicotine gum also gives the user the control to use it whenever the intense craving kicks in.

You can choose from two strengths of nicotine gums, the 4mg and the 2mg. The 4mg is intended for the use of heavier smokers and the 2mg for the lighter smokers. Instruction may vary by brand, please seek professional help for further instruction.

Side effects include hiccups and irritation of throat muscles by accidental swallowing of large amounts of nicotine. Prolonged used of nicotine gum was suspected of causing gum disease but recent studies found no connection between the use of nicotine gum and oral health. Always be sure to read the instruction carefully and seek professional help for additional information.

The taste of these gums are not particularly refreshing. You are chewing a nicotine gum after all. But you’ll be glad to hear that many brands offer different flavors making it a more pleasant experience.

You should stop smoking completely before you start using nicotine gums. Generally you can use 1 gum per hour, some brands may allow an extra gum when intense craving kicks in. It’s normal to feel slight tingling feeling in the mouth, just stop chewing when you feel it or when you notice a peppery taste. Park the nicotine gum until the peppery taste or tingling is almost gone and chew again. The gum should last you up to half an hour. For best result, please complete the program as intended by the manufacture of your choice. You will not stop smoking with nicotine gums alone, you have to do your part as well. But it is a very powerful tool to fight off nicotine craving in an effective manner to help you through the withdrawal symptoms. Continue with “Quit Smoking With Nicotine Patch”.

Continue with Quit Smoking with Nicotine Patch.

Your first step in Giving Up Smoking

StopSmokingCoach — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:31:10 +0000

You are here because you need help Giving Up Smoking.

Every major change in life require preparation and ridding yourself of such potent addiction may very well qualify as a major life changing event. Although it’s hard to make the connection and really easy to ignore, smoking habits take enormous toll on personal finances and personal health. If you’ve decided you are giving up smoking, you are possibly on the path to major benefits with very little downside.

There are many ways one can go about giving up smoking. Like any informational website, you will be provided with all the hard numbers you may want to learn to guide you and hopefully motivate you in achieving your goal. But unlike the copy and paste sites with rehashed charts and graphs, I will also provide you with my personal experience in giving up smoking.

We are molded differently in body and on mind. If there were a drug that can aid people kick “the habit” and it was successful for 90 percent of smokers, you may just as well fall in the 10 percent of those who will not reap the benefit of such medicine. With that said, I am not a big fan of “quit in xx days” or “easy ways of quitting”. From the length of time of the addiction to the individual personalities of those who wish to quit, there are too many variables to make such bold claims as a quit smoking product or guide capable of helping all smokers who wish to quit.

Plan giving up smoking by learning as much as time allows about everything related to smoking habits and the benefits of quitting smoking. As they say, “Knowledge is Power”. Understanding why some individuals are more susceptible to nicotine addiction, may explain why your friend was able to quit but you couldn’t. Having the will to quit, of course is the main key to giving up smoking. But by planning and preparing ahead, you will answer many questions for yourself and you will by that much more improve your odds against nicotine addiction.

Continue with Giving Up Smoking – An Impossible Task for Me.