by sj_harrison

Cigarette Mannerisms

Usually you can give the characteristic of our whole personality simply by the way we smoke. There is huge variety of mannerisms that smokers stick to. Some people always have cigarettes drooping from their mouth. Others play with cigarettes while they are talking moving it up and down in their mouths. In order to show their aggression or irritation, some men hold the cigarette with their thumb and forefinger, the way, which the glowing end shows toward the hand. The major complains of men about the way women smoke cigarettes are that women tend to blow out smoke right into face, without even trying to avoid that.

Very often smokers will assume a pose, as they are sure that it fits their personality. For instance, one not very modest glamour woman confessed to us some of her special “smoking tricks” She was thinking that it makes her look much more glamorous and far too more attractive when she smokes cigarettes with holder. She even insisted that she studied that subject very carefully and wanted the holders to be only long and dark, comparing a long holder with a big hat: “it’s alluring and “don’t dare come close” at the same time.”

As every cigarette smoker goes through the motion of lighting and inhaling the smoke, therefore there are many ways in which these acts are carried depending on the mood.

The faster smoking tempo is, the more nervous is the one who smokes that cigarette. If the smoker is angry, he will blow the smoke in a harsh aggressive way, very impulsively, as if trying to blow somebody down. By the way, person who smokes his cigarette pressing his lips tightly around it is probably about to ask a raise for salary, as if to gain courage from holding it that way.

Among other smoking rituals are: shaking off ashes into ashtray, taking smoking accessories, putting out of cigarette, lighting the new one. Person may not even smoke, but roll a pack of cigarettes in his hand, crumple cigarette, play with the lighter.

“My brand” has a special significance, as if it were a part of the smoker’s credo and personality. For example, a guest who discovers that his host smokes cigarettes of the same brand considers this almost personal flattery. And if a girl changes to the brand of her admirer, he realizes that he surely made an impression.

by EpicFireworks

Life Insurance Rocketing Up for Smokers

Smokers may be paying as much as £2,000 more in life insurance premiums than non-smokers, according to price comparison website moneysupermarket.com. Following on from last year’s public smoking ban this is another area in which smokers are being specifically targeted. Premiums for non-smokers have slowly fallen in the last few years whereas those for smokers have risen sharply, some estimates claim that smoking policy holders are paying up to 100% more than their non-smoking counterparts.

The same is true of critical illness cover, which pays out a lump sum in the event of the policy-holder contracting a serious illness or injury. Smokers are seen as much more of a risk to insurers as the number of medical conditions that they could develop is far greater than that of a non-smoker.

According to Michael Challiner, editor of Express Life Insurance, this dramatic disparity is due to the increased competition between lenders brought about by the advent of the Internet: ‘It is now so easy to reach a decision that a ‘price war’ has developed and some very competitive quotations are available. This competition has however had an inevitable effect in that insurance companies have had to tighten up their procedures or risk losing money on the narrower margins. So they have hit the obvious target – smokers.’

Moneysupermarket.com have estimated that a thirty five year old male smoker could save 44% on his premiums if he quit the habit, paying only £9.91 per month over a twenty five year period as opposed to the £17.68 he would currently be paying.

However, Louise Cuming, a spokesperson for the website, has warned that the financial benefits of giving up smoking could be some time coming. Because of the highly addictive nature of cigarettes telling your insurer that you haven’t had a fag for a couple of days will not be convincing enough for them to lower your premiums. Most insurers require their clients to prove that they have been a non-smoker for a whole year before agreeing to a reduction in premiums. When this reduction comes, however, it could be as much as 60%.

Combined with ever-escalating cigarette prices this news could be the incentive that many smokers need to quit the habit. There are also more policies springing up which encourage and reward positive lifestyle changes. PruProtect is the first to link the cost of premiums to advances in the holder’s health. Speaking on last month’s National No Smoking Day, Sammy Rubin, CEO, PruProtect, said: ‘National No Smoking Day is a time when smokers will be thinking about the true cost of their habit, financially and physically. At PruProtect we support both, and offer those wanting to quit not only a financial incentive by saving money on premiums, but encourage people to lead a healthier life style through our Vitality points scheme. To help those finding it tough to quit, we also offer heavily discounted entry to Alan Carr’s Easy Way smoking cessation courses.’

Related National No Smoking Day Articles

by dafrog418

Taking Your First Step To Quit Smoking For Good

Everyone is encouraging you to quit smoking for good. You’ve probably thought over the problem and wondered if you could do it, but shoved the thought aside in the end. You’re not ready, you think. Maybe you’re thinking it’s too late for you, that you’re already hooked.

Maybe you’re scared that you’ll fail, so you’re telling yourself there’s no point in trying. Those thoughts are already a clue that it’s time to stop smoking now, if only to prove to yourself that you really are that strong and can kick the habit.

Make no mistake: you will have to be strong to quit smoking. Stopping a habit is difficult, and one that comes with cravings is even harder to kick. But if so many people have stopped smoking for good, there really isn’t any reason to think you can’t stop smoking too. In fact, here is plenty of support, help for ways to stop smoking, as well as quit smoking aids available to make quitting easier than ever.

Before you decide to quit, sit down and write a list of all the reasons to stop smoking now. Think of everything you can: your health, financial aspects, odor and smells, house damage, risks for your children or friends. No reason is too small. Now, write down all the reasons you should continue to smoke. The lists probably don’t even come close to evening out, do they?

The list of reasons to quit smoking should be something you carry everywhere for a while. The point is to remind yourself why you should stop smoking and have that list on hand to read each time you smoke.

You’re eventually going to turn your internal dialogue messages into ones that discourage you from continuing to smoke, which is great.

Pick a quit date. Make sure it’s a date well in the future and one that isn’t going to have other stressors going on at that time. Your quit date will be the day you stop smoking for good.

Plan for it, prepare yourself for it and tell everyone about it. Quitting smoking starts a long, long time before you actually have your last cigarette.

Withdrawal symptoms are the worst part about trying to quit smoking. When you try to quit smoking, you might mentally think that you need the nicotine contained in the cigarettes.

Oftentimes, however, you can trick your brain into forgetting about those craving by drinking a glass of water or doing something else that will take your mind off it.

Your doctor can give you some medical advice on ways to quit smoking, too. You can choose one or more aids because it’s proven that quitting cold turkey doesn’t have successful results. Many people use patches, hypnotism, laser treatment, and other ways to quit smoking.

There really is no reason to be a martyr and put yourself through the hardest times possible. Accept help from your doctor, listen to advice about coping with cravings and make the process easier.

Non-Smokers Benefit from Smoking Ban

Described as a filthy habit by many, smoking has long been considered a threat by most if not all non-smokers. Health-wise, the discrimination is quite reasonable, if only because the health risks to non-smokers are even greater than on those who are. Despite the fact that smoking might have benefits as a form of self-medication for depression, the “high” it produces is temporary.  Needless to say, the risks associated with smoking far outweighs its very few benefits, if that word can be used at all in the context of smoking.  Most people would rather not be exposed to the cigarettes and the smoke emitted from it. This is especially true in public places, if the number of territories and countries where smoking is banned in public places is any indication. However, aside from public convenience and the supposed “discrimination” against smokers, there are health benefits for non-smokers because of the smoking ban.

Recent studies show that better respiratory health has been achieved or at least is perceived to be now more attainable among non-smokers.  The reason behind this positive health perception is the passage  of legislation to ban smoking in public. A recent study found that non-smokers who were not exposed to second-hand smoke were showing better signs of respiratory and circulatory health than they were prior to the ban being put into place. Interestingly, most countries that have public smoking bans in place did not foresee this happening and had originally placed legislation against the habit to help cut down the number of people engaged in it. No one is complaining about this unexpected development, of course, being that it is a welcome thing for the non-smoking population.

The data contradicts the expectations of the people who institute such bans. Most people who issue legislations to ban the public consumption of tobacco and cigarettes believe it would cut down on the number of people who did so. Recent research seems to indicate that this is not the case, with the rate of people people quitting the habit remaining steady before and after the bans. This suggests that banning them from smoking in public is not helping them quit and may simply be forcing them to do so in other, less accessible areas. However, since these areas are out of the public arena, non-smokers are reaping the benefits of cleaner, smoke-free air in areas where a ban is in effect.
The study also took into consideration the number of people being hospitalized for smoke-related ailments. Two areas were investigated, with one having a clear and long-standing public smoking ban, and another that had no such legislation passed. The study specifically chose two hospitals, one in each area, that admitted patients for those smoke-related ailments. The study found that less people went to the hospital for heart and respiratory conditions related to smoking were much lower in the area where the ban was in place, whereas it remained steady in the area without a ban.

The research team noted that even just a little exposure was capable of doing much damage to the cardiovascular system with evidence being provided by the study itself. The smoke causes blood vessels to constrict and reduces the amount of oxygen that goes into the brain. The study showed that, even if the non-smoker has no other risk factors, mere exposure to second-hand smoke can increase the risk of cardiovascular damage greatly.

Find More Should Smoking Be Banned In Public Places Articles

Medical Marijuana: The Debate Rages On

Marijuana is also known as pot, grass and weed but its formal name is actually cannabis. It comes from the leaves and flowers of the plant Cannabis sativa. It is considered an illegal substance in the US and many countries and possession of marijuana is a crime punishable by law. The FDA classifies marijuana as Schedule I, substances which have a very high potential for abuse and have no proven medical use. Over the years several studies claim that some substances found in marijuana have medicinal use, especially in terminal diseases such as cancer and AIDS. This started a fierce debate over the pros and cons of the use of medical marijuana. To settle this debate, the Institute of Medicine published the famous 1999 IOM report entitled Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. The report was comprehensive but did not give a clear cut yes or no answer. The opposite camps of the medical marijuana issue often cite part of the report in their advocacy arguments. However, although the report clarified many things, it never settled the controversy once and for all.

Let’s look at the issues that support why medical marijuana should be legalized.

(1) Marijuana is a naturally occurring herb and has been used from South America to Asia as an herbal medicine for millennia. In this day and age when the all natural and organic are important health buzzwords, a naturally occurring herb like marijuana might be more appealing to and safer for consumers than synthetic drugs.

(2) Marijuana has strong therapeutic potential. Several studies, as summarized in the IOM report, have observed that cannabis can be used as analgesic, e.g. to treat pain. A few studies showed that THC, a marijuana component is effective in treating chronic pain experienced by cancer patients. However, studies on acute pain such as those experienced during surgery and trauma have inconclusive reports. A few studies, also summarized in the IOM report, have demonstrated that some marijuana components have antiemetic properties and are, therefore, effective against nausea and vomiting, which are common side effects of cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Some researchers are convinced that cannabis has some therapeutic potential against neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Specific compounds extracted from marijuana have strong therapeutic potential. Cannobidiol (CBD), a major component of marijuana, has been shown to have antipsychotic, anticancer and antioxidant properties. Other cannabinoids have been shown to prevent high intraocular pressure (IOP), a major risk factor for glaucoma. Drugs that contain active ingredients present in marijuana but have been synthetically produced in the laboratory have been approved by the US FDA. One example is Marinol, an antiemetic agent indicated for nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. Its active ingredient is dronabinol, a synthetic delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

(3) One of the major proponents of medical marijuana is the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), a US-based organization. Many medical professional societies and organizations have expressed their support. As an example, The American College of Physicians, recommended a re-evaluation of the Schedule I classification of marijuana in their 2008 position paper. ACP also expresses its strong support for research into the therapeutic role of marijuana as well as exemption from federal criminal prosecution; civil liability; or professional sanctioning for physicians who prescribe or dispense medical marijuana in accordance with state law. Similarly, protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state laws.

(4) Medical marijuana is legally used in many developed countries The argument of if they can do it, why not us? is another strong point. Some countries, including Canada, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, and Finland have legalized the therapeutic use of marijuana under strict prescription control. Some states in the US are also allowing exemptions.

Now here are the arguments against medical marijuana.

(1) Lack of data on safety and efficacy. Drug regulation is based on safety first. The safety of marijuana and its components still has to first be established. Efficacy only comes second. Even if marijuana has some beneficial health effects, the benefits should outweigh the risks for it to be considered for medical use. Unless marijuana is proven to be better (safer and more effective) than drugs currently available in the market, its approval for medical use may be a long shot. According to the testimony of Robert J. Meyer of the Department of Health and Human Services having access to a drug or medical treatment, without knowing how to use it or even if it is effective, does not benefit anyone. Simply having access, without having safety, efficacy, and adequate use information does not help patients.

(2) Unknown chemical components. Medical marijuana can only be easily accessible and affordable in herbal form. Like other herbs, marijuana falls under the category of botanical products. Unpurified botanical products, however, face many problems including lot-to-lot consistency, dosage determination, potency, shelf-life, and toxicity. According to the IOM report if there is any future of marijuana as a medicine, it lies in its isolated components, the cannabinoids and their synthetic derivatives. To fully characterize the different components of marijuana would cost so much time and money that the costs of the medications that will come out of it would be too high. Currently, no pharmaceutical company seems interested in investing money to isolate more therapeutic components from marijuana beyond what is already available in the market.

(3) Potential for abuse. Marijuana or cannabis is addictive. It may not be as addictive as hard drugs such as cocaine; nevertheless it cannot be denied that there is a potential for substance abuse associated with marijuana. This has been demonstrated by a few studies as summarized in the IOM report.

(4) Lack of a safe delivery system. The most common form of delivery of marijuana is through smoking. Considering the current trends in anti-smoking legislations, this form of delivery will never be approved by health authorities. Reliable and safe delivery systems in the form of vaporizers, nebulizers, or inhalers are still at the testing stage.

(5) Symptom alleviation, not cure. Even if marijuana has therapeutic effects, it is only addressing the symptoms of certain diseases. It does not treat or cure these illnesses. Given that it is effective against these symptoms, there are already medications available which work just as well or even better, without the side effects and risk of abuse associated with marijuana.

The 1999 IOM report could not settle the debate about medical marijuana with scientific evidence available at that time. The report definitely discouraged the use of smoked marijuana but gave a nod towards marijuana use through a medical inhaler or vaporizer. In addition, the report also recommended the compassionate use of marijuana under strict medical supervision. Furthermore, it urged more funding in the research of the safety and efficacy of cannabinoids.

So what stands in the way of clarifying the questions brought up by the IOM report? The health authorities do not seem to be interested in having another review. There is limited data available and whatever is available is biased towards safety issues on the adverse effects of smoked marijuana. Data available on efficacy mainly come from studies on synthetic cannabinoids (e.g. THC). This disparity in data makes an objective risk-benefit assessment difficult.

Clinical studies on marijuana are few and difficult to conduct due to limited funding and strict regulations. Because of the complicated legalities involved, very few pharmaceutical companies are investing in cannabinoid research. In many cases, it is not clear how to define medical marijuana as advocated and opposed by many groups. Does it only refer to the use of the botanical product marijuana or does it include synthetic cannabinoid components (e.g. THC and derivatives) as well? Synthetic cannabinoids (e.g. Marinol) available in the market are extremely expensive, pushing people towards the more affordable cannabinoid in the form of marijuana. Of course, the issue is further clouded by conspiracy theories involving the pharmaceutical industry and drug regulators.

In conclusion, the future of medical marijuana and the settlement of the debate would depend on more comprehensive and comparable scientific research. An update of the IOM report anytime soon is well-needed.

by PernilleLouise

My Quitting Smoking Story & How It Can Work For You

I have been smoking since the age of 15, that was 14 years ago, from around the age of 19 I have been trying to quit the 20 a day habit. I can tell you now that I have tried pretty much every method of a way to quit smoking, the longest I have ever gone without a cigarette is 7 months.  But since starting on the electronic cigarette I don’t have the need to quit, sounds ironic I know but it is doing no harm to me so I can at least enjoy them.  For more information on them visit Smoking Electronic Cigarettes.

Here is a list of what Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or method I have tried and the approx length of time I quit with them:

1. Gum – Used to take these quite a lot on different occasions and with other NRT such as patches. Quit smoking for around a month on these alone.

2. Lozenges – Did not quit smoking at all on these.

3. Patches – Have spent hundreds of pounds on these and have used well over £1000 of tax payers money getting these from quit smoking clinics. One year I managed to finish the 12 week course (without a single cigarette) and stayed nicotine free for another 4 months. Have to say though, every so often I thought of a cigarette and soon went back, thought I did a good job of quitting smoking though.

4. Inhaler – Just over a month I quit with these, I remember the doctor giving me these along side a course of full strength patches, which did not seem logical to me, my nicotine levels were up to my eye balls but in the end I still reached for that cigarette, and it made me feel very ill. Still I did not quit smoking though.

5. Hypnotherapy – This is one of the best methods I have tried, I booked myself to see someone on New Years Eve, as that was the only time I could, and afterwards I felt no different, all I kept thinking about was if I needed a cigarette? I ended up going out for the evening and I did not feel like a cigarette, even after a couple of drinks, ok maybe a few… I went through the night not wanting a cigarette at all. But 3 months went by and I ended up thinking of smoking again. One drag was all it took. Back on it full time. Have tried hypnotherapy twice since then and had no effect on me at all.

6. Books – I read the Allen Carr’s Easy Way To Quit Smoking, I was quite amazed with this book as I did actually quit smoking after finishing the book, but only for 3 months. I still give the guy (who sadly passed away) credit for writing this really good book. In the end I though I still did not quit smoking.

7. Clinics – This is the clinic version of the Easy Way to Quit Smoking, I paid £120 for their time, managed to quit smoking for a measly 3 days. Went to a couple more free sessions to give it another go, sadly did not work for me.

8. Audio Hypnotherapy – Lost count the amount of times I went to bed listening to these to actually think I will wake up a non smoker.

9. Pills – I recommend not to take these, Champex and Zyban. These have severe side effects which vary from mild headaches to even having fits. Basically all these do is switch your nicotine receptor cells in your brain OFF, so you do not feel like a cigarette, but as soon as you stop taking them your receptor cells are back online. Did not quit smoking on these as I stopped taking them after a week from sleep deprivation and constant cold sweats.

10. Cold turkey – I lasted the same amount of time it took me to get to shops to buy a pack of smokes or to politely ask someone at work.

So there you have it that is approximately 10 years of my life trying to quit smoking, sounds very sad when I actually think about it. I find myself strong willed but somewhere deep inside me I really do actually enjoy smoking, otherwise I would not go back.

This is where the electronic cigarette has actually given me complete freedom, I no longer have the feeling and pressure of trying to quit smoking. A doctor once told me that the nicotine receptor cells in your brain are there forever, 20 years can go by and if I had 1 drag of a cigarette I would be hooked again. After 10 years of constant pressure on myself of quitting I can safely say that all I will be smoking from now on is the electronic cigarette. It gives me the exact sensation of smoking tobacco i.e. blowing smoke (vapour) and when I am out socialising I can still smoke with other smokers. It did feel strange at first and slightly embarrassing but has been a great conversation starter as not many people have even seen or heard of these devices. I will be sticking to these for a very long time.

If you are interested in quitting smoking tobacco visit my web site Smoking Electronic Cigarettes. for more information.

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by labanex

Taking Your First Step To Quit Smoking For Good

Everyone is encouraging you to quit smoking for good. You’ve probably thought over the problem and wondered if you could do it, but shoved the thought aside in the end. You’re not ready, you think. Maybe you’re thinking it’s too late for you, that you’re already hooked.

Maybe you’re scared that you’ll fail, so you’re telling yourself there’s no point in trying. Those thoughts are already a clue that it’s time to stop smoking now, if only to prove to yourself that you really are that strong and can kick the habit.

Make no mistake: you will have to be strong to quit smoking. Stopping a habit is difficult, and one that comes with cravings is even harder to kick. But if so many people have stopped smoking for good, there really isn’t any reason to think you can’t stop smoking too. In fact, here is plenty of support, help for ways to stop smoking, as well as quit smoking aids available to make quitting easier than ever.

Before you decide to quit, sit down and write a list of all the reasons to stop smoking now. Think of everything you can: your health, financial aspects, odor and smells, house damage, risks for your children or friends. No reason is too small. Now, write down all the reasons you should continue to smoke. The lists probably don’t even come close to evening out, do they?

The list of reasons to quit smoking should be something you carry everywhere for a while. The point is to remind yourself why you should stop smoking and have that list on hand to read each time you smoke.

You’re eventually going to turn your internal dialogue messages into ones that discourage you from continuing to smoke, which is great.

Pick a quit date. Make sure it’s a date well in the future and one that isn’t going to have other stressors going on at that time. Your quit date will be the day you stop smoking for good.

Plan for it, prepare yourself for it and tell everyone about it. Quitting smoking starts a long, long time before you actually have your last cigarette.

Withdrawal symptoms are the worst part about trying to quit smoking. When you try to quit smoking, you might mentally think that you need the nicotine contained in the cigarettes.

Oftentimes, however, you can trick your brain into forgetting about those craving by drinking a glass of water or doing something else that will take your mind off it.

Your doctor can give you some medical advice on ways to quit smoking, too. You can choose one or more aids because it’s proven that quitting cold turkey doesn’t have successful results. Many people use patches, hypnotism, laser treatment, and other ways to quit smoking.

There really is no reason to be a martyr and put yourself through the hardest times possible. Accept help from your doctor, listen to advice about coping with cravings and make the process easier.

Look, doctors recommend smoking Camels.

Video Rating: 4 / 5

More Smoking Is Good For You Articles

by ~妍~

Focus the Mind to Quit Smoking

With the with the onset of the Smoking Ban, it is estimated that over 2 million people in England, Wales & Scotland will have tried to quit smoking in the second half of 2007. However, even if all of these people managed to give up and stay off cigarettes, that still leaves an estimated 8 million smokers in Britain today.

To give up smoking is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, with hundreds of thousands trying to quit each year. But the sad fact is that a significant proportion of these people will lapse before the year is out and return to their smoking habit. There are withdrawal symptoms that will be experienced when trying to give up smoking – many people suffer from mouth ulcers, develop a chesty cough and even suffer from disturbed sleep. However as well as these physical symptoms there are also mental side effects that need to be faced – irritability, restlessness and anxiety and it is perhaps these side effects that contribute more to people succumbing to the craving for nicotine more than the physical withdrawal symptoms.

Therefore preparing yourself mentally to quit before you even stub out that last cigarette could be the key to success. Take time to sit down and write a list of all the reasons why you want to quit and then put it somewhere really obvious to refer back to it in a moment of weakness. Decide on a day to quit and make a note – only buy enough cigarettes to last you until that time – “emergency supplies” stashed away will call out to you once you’ve stopped and could be your downfall. Tell your family and friends and ask them to support you, maybe even find yourself a friend who wants to stop as well.

The night before you are due to quit, throw away all your smoking “equipment” – ashtrays, lighters, spare cigarettes – they’ve got to go if you are to succeed. However, perhaps most important of all is to accept the fact that it won’t be easy to give up. If you kid yourself that giving up smoking is going to be a walk in the park then you will be unpleasantly surprised throughout the first few days and you may not have the willpower to see it through. But, if you’re feeling really strong you could try some reverse psychology and view the cravings as a good thing – it’s a sign that your body is starting to recover.

Once you’ve taken the plunge and decided to give up smoking, the key to success is to take small steps. Take each day one at a time and tell yourself you just aren’t smoking for today; it will seem far less daunting than never smoking EVER AGAIN.

Nicotine replacement therapy could work if you’ve been a heavy smoker, but if you don’t want to go that route then distract yourself; drinking water flushes out toxins but also gives you something to do with your hands. Alternatively, go and do something else – ring a friend or go for a walk. Finally, sit those cravings out – the average craving only lasts three minutes and then the urge should disappear.

Once you’ve got this far, you’re almost there and you just need a few techniques to keep you on the straight and narrow. By spotting your trigger points, you can learn to avoid them; so for example if you always had a cigarette with a glass of wine, have a handful of nuts instead so that you have something else to focus on. If you do have a lapse, keep your resolve – it’s only one and you don’t have to have another.

Smoking was a habit, so help to break it by taking up a new habit (but this time, choose a healthy one!) If you think you would benefit from some help as you give up, take advantage of the support that’s out there. There are plenty of support groups for people wishing to give up smoking – both online and offline, and anyone serious about giving up can find details of support groups from their local GP surgery. Additionally, many high street chemists offer help and advice for those wishing to stop smoking. Boots, for example operate their Change One Thing programme, which has an action plan containing advice from experts, to hold your hand every step of the way.

Before you know it, you will start to see the positives – your clothes will no longer smell, your skin may have fewer wrinkles, your smile will be brighter once the cigarette stains start to fade and your heart will be much healthily. So, take a deep breath (if you can!) and declare yourself a non-smoker in 2008.

by Andrew Coulter Enright

Get Healthy Clear Lungs and Do Away with That Chronic Smokers Cough

If you have been smoking for a while, it can have a negative effect on your lungs. Some of those negative effects are a chronic hacking cough as well as shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms, most likely, your lungs are clogging up with tar and other chemicals from smoking. But the situation is not irreversible, you can still get clear lungs in a relatively short time.

So, how does smoking interfere with your lungs? In healthy clear lungs, the passage ways in your lungs must be kept clean and free of sediments that could clog the tiny passage ways and interfere with the oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange. In order to maintain good clear lungs, your lungs contain thousands of tiny hair like stalks called cilia. The cilia continually sweep impurities and sediment out of the lungs to keep them clean.

When you smoke, tar and other chemicals are drawn into the lungs. If you are just an occasional smoker, the cilia can easily keep the lungs clean. But if you are a heavy smoker, the cilia cannot effectively do their job. As you continue to smoke, many of the tiny cilia are damaged, making the cleaning process even more difficult. Over time, tar from cigarette smoke begins to clog the tiny air chambers.

If you smoke regular cigarettes, as opposed to light or low tar versions, you inhale about 22 milligrams with each puff. Smoking 2 packs a day, you can ingest almost a quart on tar during the course of a year. It is difficult, if not impossible, for your system to keep up with this much inhaled tar and maintain clear lungs. As a result, you may experience coughing and shortness of breath.

So, what can you do if you have a nasty cough and want to get back your healthy clear lungs? The solution is simple. There is a simple process that can give you nice clear lungs. The technique uses a simple combination of food supplements and vitamins that rinse the toxins out of your lungs and flush them out of your body. This easy process will clean out your lungs 15 – 20 times faster than your body can do it on its own.

If you’ve been smoking for some time now, you can get rid of that hacking cough and get clear lungs. Download the details for this easy process at Get Clear Lungs Now!

Thanks for the comments. Ignorant or well informed, all are welcome. VO: Every cigarette is doing you damage. Every time you inhale, tobacco smoke condenses in your lungs to form tar. This is a healthy lung. And this is the amount of tar a pack-a-day smoker breathes in every year. Every cigarette is doing you damage.

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by kmdiogo

Smoking During Pregnancy: Risks to the Pregnancy and Harm to the Baby

Smoking during pregnancy is one of the worst things you can do. When you smoke, your baby smokes too. There about 600 ingredients in cigarettes, and when a cigarette is burned, it releases over 4,000 chemicals. Many of these are poisons, and at least 50 of these chemicals cause cancer. So when you take a puff, your growing baby gets exposed to these harmful pollutants too. Because your baby is developing inside you, exposure to these pollutants can be very detrimental to his overall health and the safety of your pregnancy.

The nicotine and tar in your cigarette decreases the level of oxygen and nutrients that your baby receives. This can slow down your baby’s growth and development, and it puts you at risk for miscarriage and stillbirths (a baby with no heartbeat).

Luckily, if you quit smoking immediately, your baby’s growth will return to normal shortly.

Smoking during pregnancy has been associated with 5 percent of infant deaths, 10 percent of preterm births, and 30 percent in low birth weight babies. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke can also increase:

Infertility—When compared to women who don’t smoke, smokers have a 30 percent increased risk of being infertile. They also experience a delay in conception—i.e. it’s harder to get pregnant when you smoke. Placental Abruption—A serious and dangerous complication that can occur during the third trimester of pregnancy. It occurs when your placenta separates from your uterine lining. Placental abruption can cause vaginal bleeding, resulting in fetal distress, uterine tenderness, and increased frequency of contractions. Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PRROM)—Your water breaks early, before the onset of real labor. Placenta Previa—Your placenta grows in the lowest part of the uterus, which can cause problems for the baby. You may bleed and require prompt care. Some women are even hospitalized.

It is estimated that over 20 percent of American women in their childbearing years smoke cigarettes, despite knowing its harmful effects. In 2005, the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey reported that 14 percent of women smoke during pregnancy.

Babies who are born to women who smoked during pregnancy are also at an increased risk of having a cleft lip or cleft palate. A cleft palate occurs when there is a split in the baby’s lip and the roof of his/her mouth, creating a hole between the nose and mouth. Surgery is often used to reconstruct that part of the baby’s face.

The danger of smoke doesn’t end when your baby is born. Being around smoke can also put your newborn baby at risk.

When exposed to secondhand smoke, babies have an increased risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). As they grow, your child is at an increased risk of developing asthma, respiratory problems, ear infections, pneumonia, and bronchitis.

Because the babies of smokers tend to be premature and have low birth weights, they are also at an increased risk of serious lifelong health problems, such as mental retardation, learning problems, and cerebral palsy.  These babies are also more likely to have birth defects, including congenital heart defects.

The more you smoke during pregnancy, the more harm it will do to your baby. It is very important to try to quit smoking. Even if you can’t kick the habit completely, try to limit your daily cigarette intake.

Make an appointment to talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about your desire to quit smoking. They can refer you to a smoking cessation program and offer other ways to help you quit.

Remember to surround yourself in a positive environment. You are more likely to succeed if you have the support of friends and family who understand the harmful effects of smoking.