Saturday, April 25, 2009

Stop Smoking: And Stop Making Excuses

Smoking is a bit of a strange habit as it is one of those things that we really now that we shouldn’t do, but feel that we just can’t help it once we get hooked and become addicted. Its hold over us can seem to be one packed with amazing strength and power. Seeming to sap all our willpower and make us a slave to its tempting allure. If you are or have ever been a smoker you will understand just how hard smokers make it to give up! Yes you did read that right – sm

The cigarette is the most common method of smo...Image via Wikipedia

okers make giving up hard! In actual fact smoking is quite easy to stop once you stop making it difficult on yourself and stop making excuses. After all, most smokers quit every day when they go so sleep or when they are at work – sometimes going hours without a smoke and without any problems – well that is until they near a break time or until they head for the coffee machine just after waking.

So do you smoke, however really want to give up? If so then what excuses are you giving to yourself not to quit? Maybe you are saying things like, ‘it’s too hard to stop’, ‘the cravings are too powerful’, ‘and I have got no willpower to give up’. Well if you are saying these types of things to yourself then you need to challenge them as you are not quite telling yourself the truth. How do I know? Well I used to say things like this when I smoked. When I decided to really give up (instead of all of those half hearted attempts) I found it just as easy as it should be. In fact it was so simple that I really didn’t have to do anything. I actually had more time to do stuff as I didn’t have to go for a cigarette every 30 minutes. I have loads more cash too that I had saved from not buy a couple of packets of cigarettes each day – that really sweetened the deal for me as well.

When I gave up I just used self hypnosis and it was the most pleasurable and rewarding thing I have done. I now have more money, better health and I don’t smell of smoke anymore.


Forever Smoke Free! Stop Smoking Hypnosis (3 CD Set)


Simply put, hypnosis reprograms the part of your mind that holds your beliefs and habits, so it’s a great place to stop smoking. We refer to this part of your mind as your sub-conscious mind.

If you are really serious about getting your act together and stopping smoking right now, then I would recommend that you try a hypnosis download or recording and put this unwanted behaviour behind you right now. I wish you the best of luck and success in your new life as a non smoker.

About the Author : For more on stop smoking hypnosis and for a hypnosis cd to stop smoking, visit Richard's site.

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

SOME ADVICE FOR THE DAY THAT YOU QUIT SMOKING

If you are not completely confident that you can resist the urge to smoke after you have quit, it may be necessary to remove any visual reminders of smoking from your living and work areas.

Throw away or give away those leftover cigarettes, get rid of lighters, ashtrays, matches, and anything else that could be associated with smoking.

Why should you force yourself to resist the urge to smoke when it is far simpler to just remove the reminders.

If you keep a pack of cigarettes in your home or office, there is a good chance that you may pick one up. Just this one may be the cigarette that hooks you again.

COPING WITH THE SYMPTOMS OF WITHDRAWAL

* Dizziness may occur during the first one or two days. Take a quick break, it will pass.

* Headaches may appear at any time during the first weeks. Try to relax. Take any usual remedy for headache, a cold cloth on the back of your neck, or relieve the stress by taking a short walk.

* Tiredness may occur during the first few weeks, but if you meditate or relax during the first few weeks, it will pass.

* Coughing may actually increase during the first few days, simply because the residue from the smoke has not been flushed from your system.

* Tightness in the chest may occur in the first few days. Rest and take deep breaths, it will go away.

* Sleeping problems may occur in the first few days. Try to stay away from drinks that have a high caffeine content, try not to exercise too strenuously in the hours prior to bedtime. A hot bath prior to retiring at night may also be helpful.

* Constipation may occur in the first month after you quit. If this occurs, eat foods with a high fiber content, drink plenty of fluids, and do some light exercise.

* Concentration may tend to wander during the first few weeks. Be ready for this, take a break or do something physical for a short period of time.

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Sunday, April 19, 2009

Want To Stop Smoking?

Congratulations on your decision to stop smoking. Identifying your smoking triggers (reasons that cause you to crave a cigarette) will help you out when you are experiencing the toughest times. Always remember that your strongest cravings will only last a few minutes. Getting through these few minutes is vital to your success at becoming an ex-smoker. These 2 tips will help you get through them. Note: Utilizing the tips below will probably not be enough for you to stop smoking. They are intended to be used in conjunction with a proven stop smoking plan.

Identify Your Triggers

Cigarette cravings come from two sources, physical and psychological withdrawal. Physical withdrawal happens when your brain realizes that your body does not have nicotine in its system. Seeking equilibrium, your body sends you a craving so you
will give it the nicotine that it thinks it needs. Psychological withdrawal is basically your body trying to act on a habit it has developed over the years. The act of smoking the cigarette and gaining pleasure from it (in many different ways) has ingrained itself into your everyday life.


The first step in handling these cravings is identifying what kind of craving it is, physical or psychological. It's important to realize which type of craving you are having because once you do; you can handle it much better.

If it is a physical craving, think about the actual process that is happening. Your body is simply trying to seek equilibrium. Knowing that this equilibrium could be slowly killing you, you can take a deep breath and realize that you are doing something that is good for your body, not bad. I can tell you first hand that merely knowing what is happening inside your body will ease your craving. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and think about it. The craving will soon pass.

If it is a psychological craving then you must quickly identify the trigger that is causing the craving. Is it boredom, anger, routine or something else? Once you realize the cause of the trigger then you will be able to act upon it by using an alternative to that specific trigger. Chances are, once you have thought about the craving, identified it as a psychological craving and then acted with an alternative action, the craving will almost be gone already! As the days go by, your cravings will become shorter, less strong and farther apart.

Find Alternatives to Triggers

As you become better at identifying your psychological smoking triggers, you will quickly be able to see those triggers coming. Realizing that a trigger is about to happen will greatly increase your chances for success. So what do you do when a trigger hits? You act on it. Instead of giving in and lighting up, you should have a pre-planned alternative to the trigger that is happening, or that is about to happen.

Sit down with a pencil and paper and list as many smoking triggers as you can think of. Skip a line between each trigger. Here is a short list that will help you get started:

• Driving your car
• After a meal
• After an argument
• During a break at work
• When you are bored
• When you are anxious

Now that you have written down all of your triggers, go back to the beginning of your list and think of at least two alternatives to each trigger. For instance, when driving in your car and you get a craving, you can turn up the CD player and sing loudly, play the drums on your steering wheel, chew 2-3 pieces of gum or call a support buddy on the cell phone.


Once you have completed your trigger/alternative list, carry it with you at all times. Any time you realize a trigger that you don't have in your list, write it down and come up with alternatives for it. If you are having difficulty finding an alternative, you can find hundreds of them online by doing a web search on your favorite search engine.

Tying it All Together

Now that you have a (very) basic understanding about what causes cravings when you try to stop smoking, you will have an easier time with them. Just knowing this information will allow you to endure the cravings a little bit longer. Physical cravings will subside in a matter or days, usually 3-4 days. Psychological cravings, however will last much longer. Some people experience psychological craving for months. Although they are not as strong as physical cravings, they can easily get you smoking again even months after you have smoked your last cigarette.

This is why most people stop smoking successfully only to start smoking again weeks or months later. The physical addiction was broken. It was the psychological addiction that did them in. For this reason, you must identify and act upon your smoking triggers for the rest of your life. It is important to know that you must never take even one puff on a cigarette for the rest of your life, not one. The very next puff you take will have you completely addicted again, both physically and psychologically.

About the Author : Allen Jones is the owner and administrator of http://TheStopSmokingGuide.com and an expert in nicotine addiction. Visit his website and discover the proven stop smoking plan that eliminates both physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Download their free Stop Smoking Guide ebook today and find out!

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=114597&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet

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Saturday, April 18, 2009

Start to QUIT smoking .... RIGHT NOW !

The first thing to do is set a date when you are going to quit smoking and STICK to it .

Let's start one week from today. That will give you plenty of time to practice with the weapons in your arsenal. Eight days from today, it will be the beginning of the end of

A 'No Smoking' signImage via Wikipedia

your smoking habit.

Days 1 and 2

Examine your smoking behavior for the first two days. Every time you light up, ask yourself :

1. Why am I smoking this cigarette?
2. Would this be an easy one or a difficult one to do without?
3. If I did not smoke this cigarette, what would I do instead?

Day 3

Let's get out and test your weapons today.
At least once today, use your weapons to shoot down the urge to smoke.
During the five minutes that it will take for the urge to pass, try out some of your arsenal. Try one, or all, or find a combination that works for you.

Day 4

Today is the big testing day. If you haven't already tried it, skip those one or two cigarettes that you feel may be the toughest to give up in your daily routine. Pick the ones that you rated “difficult” during your monitoring period.

Remember, this is a practice period, and you must not get upset if you are unable to give up a difficult cigarette. You must practice and experiment with your different weapons to realize how you can be more effective.

If you found skipping that cigarette very difficult or even failed in the end, review any factor that got in the way of your success.

The most common causes of difficulty or failure that a potential quitter faces are :

* Chemical properties of addiction

When you do not have that cigarette, you feel lousy. If you are a heavy smoker, a nicotine patch may help to relieve your bad feelings.

* Social pressures

You may find yourself in a situation (card game, party, coffee break) during which you would normally smoke. It may help to let others know of your desire to quit, and also your reasons for quitting. Enlisting the aid of a non smoker to confide in may also help. Make sure that he or she is aware of your goals so that they do not say or do anything to instill a negative impact on your desire to quit.

If you feel that you may not resist the social pressures of smoking, consider the option of giving up these social encounters for two or three weeks until the urge passes and you can be comfortable again.

* Tension and negative emotion

A crisis occurs during your work or personal day, and one of the main reasons for you to smoke has been tension reduction. Try to deal with your negative emotions and use the tension reducing methods that we talked about earlier. Get away from the area that the tension is associated with. Take a walk, or go to another room. You may also find that nicotine gum will give you enough tension relief to get through.

Days 5, 6, and 7.

You are now heading down the home stretch. In the next three days, your goal is to come out of this week smoking half the cigarettes that you would normally smoke. If you started as a one pack a day smoker, cut back to ten cigarettes per day, or less. The fewer the better. During days 5 and 6, set your goals toward achieving positive results on day 7. Maintain your smoking record during these three days, and continue to decrease your dependency on nicotine.

What do you do if you still have doubts?

This is probably due to your chemical dependency on nicotine. It is a highly powerful drug, and many factors have been working together to make you dependent.

Discuss with your doctor about the feasibility of a patch or nicotine gum. Nicotine is the hook that has gotten you to smoke which carries the harmful effects to your body. With the help from the patch or the gum, you will have all he tools you need to successfully quit. The patch or gum will give you a steady influx of nicotine into your system, which will be reduced slowly over a period of several weeks.

DO NOT SMOKE WHILE ON THE PATCH. You could experience a dangerous overdose of nicotine.

NOTE : Pregnant women should not use the gum or patch. Smokers with any form of heart disease should consult with a physician before using.






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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Handling the reasons for smoking

* Become a high-energy person without cigarettes.

* Relax and enjoy the pleasure of relaxation without cigarettes.

A smoking symbol, usually signifying that smok...Image via Wikipedia



* Deal with your tensions without a cigarette.

* Deal with psychological dependence.

* Deal with chemical dependency on nicotine.

* Keep your hands busy fighting boredom.

* Watch the video --> Relation between SMOKING and Diabetes.





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Saturday, April 11, 2009

Stop Smoking Tips: 3 Stop Smoking Remedies That Really Work

With millions of smokers desperate to quit, there seems to be an unending barrage of tips, ideas and suggestions on how to stop smoking. If you are currently a smoker, I’m sure you’ve heard of many of them. Perhaps you’ve even tried one or two things, but you’re still looking for that one method that will work for you. Luckily, the chances that you’ll eventually be successful are pretty good.

Millions of people, who were once dedicated smokers, are now ex-smokers. If they could do it, surely you can too. You just need to find the right method that works for you. As you already know, it’s easy enough to start puffing away on those cigarettes, but it’s really hard when you try to quit.



Here’s something positive for you to think about. Each and every day, you actually go six to eight hours without having a cigarette. It doesn’t matter if you are a heavy or light smoker. There is a long period of time when you do not have a single cigarette. Guess when.

Stumped?

When you’re asleep at night.

Think about it. Each night when you go to sleep, you usually do not wake up in the middle of the night with a craving for cigarettes. Maybe you want one right after waking up, but during the night, your cigarette addiction is asleep as well. This means that you can, in fact, go for long periods without having a cigarette while you’re awake.

Some of the more popular ways to kick the habit are hypnosis, nicotine aids, medications, and the always popular cold turkey method. Many smokers don’t think they can go the cold turkey route, but many people are successful doing it this way. The bottom line on quitting is: different strokes for different folks – use whatever you think will work best for you.



Here are three of the all time best ways to quit smoking :

1. Hypnosis

Many people, who are struggling to give up smoking, find hypnosis is the answer they’ve been looking for to finally end their addiction. When you visit a hypnotist to stop smoking, they will put you in a relaxed state and then give you positive suggestions concerning your smoking habit.

You will hear the message over and over again that you no longer need, or have any desire, to smoke cigarettes. Because you are in a relaxed state, your subconscious mind will be very open to this suggestion. Our subconscious minds play a big role in our everyday behavior. This is why hypnosis therapy is so powerful.

You don’t have to visit a hypnotherapist to quit smoking. You can buy a hypnosis CD or Mp3 download that will have the same powerful message that you can listen to repeatedly. If you go this route, make sure you are relaxed and free of stress to obtain the best results.

2. Stop Smoking Aids

What makes giving up cigarettes so difficult for many people is the withdrawal symptoms from nicotine. Nicotine is a powerful addictive substance and when you begin pulling away from it, you may experience extreme irritability, as well as, cravings.

Many people turn to stop smoking aids to avoid the unpleasant side effects of quitting. There’s the nicotine patch, nicotine gum and inhalers. Recently, there is a pill that is supposed to be very good for smoking cessation.

Some of these aids are available over the counter, while others need a doctor’s prescription. If you have any questions or concerns about these methods, you should consult your doctor.

3. Cold Turkey

Some people think that going cold turkey is easy, but the reality is that it’s the hardest way to stop smoking. You need to be highly motivated to try this method and quite frankly, most people who think they can simply stop smoking usually find they cannot quit so easily.

Remember that nicotine is a powerful substance and your body and mind is used to having a constant supply. You may throw those cigarettes away and tell yourself that you’re not going to touch one ever again, but your mind will begin to crave another cigarette. It’s particularly hard when you’re around other smokers.

Many people fail their first time going cold turkey, and if this happens to you, don’t get too upset. It may take you two or more tries before you can finally quit
smoking for good.

To help yourself, you can write down positive affirmations and read them every day. You can also give yourself a little reward for reaching small goals – like pay yourself a dollar for each day you go without having a cigarette.

Whatever method you use, make a firm commitment that you will see it through until you are successful. Your long-term health is more important than sticking with an old habit that offers nothing but the promise of expensive medical bills down the road. Kick the habit today – you can do it!

About the Author : Self Hypnosis cure brings you amazing results! Conquer your fears, bad habits and those nagging anxieties – for good. Relax in your own home and enjoy a feeling of freedom and empowerment. The time to start is right now. http://hypnosisforbetterliving.blogspot.com

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=221348&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies

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Thursday, April 9, 2009

How to handle the URGE NOT to smoke ....

Your artillery. There are several weapons that you can use in your fight to quit.

EACH OF THESE WEAPONS WORK- THEY HAVE BEEN PROVEN !

You may use one, all, or a combination of several to achieve your g

A cigarette disposal canister, encouraging the...Image via Wikipedia

oal.

1. Take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds, and exhale as if you had just taken your first puff on a cigarette.

Part of the feeling you get from smoking is a direct result of taking a deep breath. A deep breath allows you to take in a maximum amount of oxygen, and exhaling lets out large quantities of carbon dioxide. This results in a feeling of relaxation. Try it, you'll see.

2. Take a sip of water several times during this five minute period.

It can help to diminish the need to smoke, and gives you something to do with your hands. The extra water will also help to flush the nicotine out of your body.

3. Put something in your mouth that has no calories, such as a stirrer, toothpick, or another substitute for a cigarette.

4. Get busy with something, anything, to keep you busy for the next five minutes.

5. As long as it does not lead to a craving, chew a piece of gum or a piece of hard candy. Life Savers work well.

6. Get up and move around for five minutes. It will help the urge to smoke to pass.

7. Use a nicotine patch as replacement therapy.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

What about the doubts you may be feeling now?

Most smokers will get a sense of doubt when they read the questions above. You probably are not confident in your ability to follow through with resisting any future craving to smoke, or finding something to substitute for the feelings that smoking has given to you.

Do not Smoke kids! It can kill youImage by Energetic Spirit via Flickr


In order to have the confidence to quit, you :

(1) must find an alternative to handle the urge to smoke, when it hits, and ..

(2) create ways to deal with the reasons that you smoked in the first place.

Together we will accomplish both these tasks so that when the day comes that you had planned to quit, you will be confident to do it.

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'3rd-hand smoke' poses risk to infants, doctors say

We have heard "2nd hand smoke" effects.... "3rd hand smoke" ?!? Watch the video below and find out what is categorises as "3rd hand smoke"








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Friday, April 3, 2009

HOW TO QUIT SMOKING IN SEVEN DAYS

You are now ready to consider the following question :

How and when do you want to quit smoking?

There are only two ways to effectively quit smoking :

* immediately (cold turkey), or
* gradually.

When you quit gradually, you use various methods to taper off before you have that last cigarette. Neither way is better than the other for all people. Pick the one that you feel fits your temperament. Either way, a nicotine patch may prove to be a real benefit in giving up, especially if you are a heavy smoker.

Try this test to see which way is better for you :

CHOOSE THE METHOD TO QUIT THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU

Answer the questions below with “yes”, “no”, or “not sure”.

1. Stopping smoking is one of the most important things in the world for me right now.

A) Yes B) No C) Not sure

2. I can handle a tough problem without a smoke.

A) Yes B) No C) Not sure

3. I have to quit smoking and my reasons are good enough to do it now.

A) Yes B) No C) Not sure

4. If I quit this minute, I know I can find a way to resist the craving to smoke, even if it is strong.

A) Yes B) No C) Not sure

If your answer to all of the above questions is "YES" , you may be a candidate to quit immediately.


NJOY NPRO Electronic Cigarette Traditional Starter Kit Smoking Alternative

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Lawmakers propose banning smoking in cars




Agreed ? I am all FOR it !



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