April 2, 2010

How to Avoid Side Effects From Quitting Smoking

Worrying about the side effects from quitting smoking should not cause you to keep smoking. Usually the cravings, mood swings, jitteriness, and weight gain are minor when compared to the terrible damage being done by cigarettes. And these things typically go away after some time, whereas continuing with smoking means constant and permanent damage to one’s health. It’s also true that you can plan on how to avoid these side effects from quitting smoking and can minimize them as much as possible. Let’s see how that can be done.

One of the side effects from quitting smoking is jitteriness and nervousness. This is the body sending out signals that it wants the nicotine you’re now avoiding, much like how the body will create hunger pains when it wants food. But unlike hunger pains, these side effects from quitting smoking will go away eventually if you ignore them. With hunger pains, you do need to eat in order to quell them, but with jitteriness and nervousness they’ll eventually go away as the nicotine gets flushed out of the system. Hands also get fidgety during this time because they’re used to being occupied with a cigarette. You can plan on this and combat this by taking up a hobby or practice that will keep your hands busy. Consider knitting, scrapbooks, putting models together, or anything along those lines. The worst thing you can do is just sit in front of the television with your hands empty, nervous, jittery, fidgety, and constantly on edge. Don’t assume that these side effects from quitting smoking will be something minor as they’re often a reason why many go back to cigarettes. Instead, plan on having some problems with them and plan on facing them head-on.

Another one of the side effects from quitting smoking that many people wonder about is weight gain. While it’s very common for someone to put on weight when they give up cigarettes, this is not something that’s automatic or a “given.” As with all other side effects from quitting smoking, you simply need to prepare for this and be ready for cravings. Fill up on fruits and vegetables. Make high fiber muffins which also help to fill you up. Keep your kitchen stocked with healthy items to snack on such as low-fat popcorn, celery, and baked crackers. Ask friends and family to help by giving you some support in getting out of the house and getting active when cravings kick in so you’re not just sitting in front of the television. Being active can also help with side effects from quitting smoking as it can control possible weight gain, and the sweating you experience when you’re active helps to flush nicotine and toxins out of your body.

Yes, there are some side effects from quitting smoking but these can be addressed and handled appropriately. They’re also typically preferable to the idea of continuing with smoking, considering the costs to one’s health when you do smoke!

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April 1, 2010

What Are Your Reasons to Quit Smoking?

Do you have reasons to quit smoking? Of course you do; even if you haven’t actually written out a list, chances are you have a little nagging voice in the back of your head telling you why smoking is bad for you and how much it costs you and your family. Or you may have seen the bad effects of smoking revealing themselves to someone else you know that smokes. That person may be very sick because of the habit. Whatever your reasons to quit smoking, let’s cover a few here so that you can give it some serious consideration.

The health reasons to quit smoking are too numerous to even list. Many connect lung cancer with smoking but did you know that smoking is associated with virtually every form of cancer there is? Nicotine gets absorbed into the bloodstream and from there travels to every cell of the body, meaning that it can cause cancer anywhere and everywhere on the body. Those cancers include cancer of the bladder, throat, larynx, kidneys, liver, cervix, and mouth. If these were not enough reasons to quit smoking, consider the other health problems above and beyond cancer. These include emphysema, bronchitis, pneumonia, heart attack, heart disease, stroke, vascular disease, elevated blood pressure, and aneurism, just to name a few. These health concerns are not to be taken lightly! It’s noteworthy how often a smoker will think that this can never happen to them, and yet they are putting their health and their own lives at great risk with each cigarette. But there are other reasons to quit smoking!

One of those reasons is the financial cost of cigarettes. Someone that smokes just a pack a day can spend well over a thousand dollars a year on cigarettes, and in some countries it will be even more than that. These reasons to quit smoking are nothing to ignore either; that money can really add up after years and years of smoking and of course it could be put to better use. Not only could you be spending it on something more worthwhile than cigarettes but you could also be saving it for retirement or something else. If the financial reasons to quit smoking haven’t convinced you yet, do some simple math. Multiply the price of a pack of cigarettes by how much you smoke every day, every week, and every year. Take a good look at those amounts and consider what else you could be doing with that money. If you’re up to some additional math, use a calculator to see how much interest that money could be earning in a savings account or other investment. Those amounts should be very good reasons to quit smoking for anyone! You could probably afford to pay down your mortgage or pay your car off early, or use it for your retirement account or college fund. Yes, there are many very good reasons to quit smoking – and no reasons why you should continue to smoke!

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March 31, 2010

The Best Reasons for Quitting Smoking

Are you considering quitting smoking? If so, congratulations! That is probably one of the best things you can do for your health and the health of those around you. Smoking is also expensive, makes your clothes and everything you own smell terrible, and is by most people considered to be a real turn-off. You may very well be aware of these things and may have your own reasons for quitting smoking, but in case you still need some motivation, let’s consider a few other reasons why you should quit.

For one thing, by quitting smoking you are saving yourself literally thousands of dollars over the course of your life. As a matter of fact, what a person spends on cigarettes is about the same amount that many financial advisors recommend someone put away toward their retirement plans! One cigarette might not be expensive itself but of course most people smoke at least a half a pack a day, if not more. By quitting smoking, you could take that same money and spend it paying down your mortgage or putting it toward your car payment, or could put it in a savings account that earns interest so that you’re not just saving money but are getting more in return as well!

Of course, quitting smoking means more than just saving money – it also means saving your health. While many people connect lung cancer with smoking, there are many more health risks involved. Doctors connect all sorts of cancers to smoking, as well as heart disease, increased risk of stroke, heart attacks, elevated blood pressure, and many others. By quitting smoking a person actually prolongs their own life and greatly decreases the risks they face from some of the most serious threats to their health. The body can repair and rebuild much of the damaged lung tissue that comes from smoking, but of course the sooner you quit the better it is! Because nicotine is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and from there travels to every part of the body, every cell is affected by cigarette smoke. By quitting smoking you’re protecting your circulatory system, respiratory system, and every other part of your body as well.

You might have your own reasons for quitting smoking and it may help to actually write them down and keep that list handy when you’re tempted to light up again. If you have a relative that has died due to complications from smoking, think about them often and consider the ones they’ve left behind. Think of how you’ll benefit your own children and family by quitting smoking. Not only is your health important to them, but if you were to save some money by quitting you could use that to pad your child’s college fund or to provide for them in whatever other way is necessary. There are many reasons to quit, and no reason whatsoever to keep smoking! So keep these things in mind and be determined to never quit quitting.

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March 30, 2010

Important Information About Quitting Smoking and Weight Gain

If you’re thinking about quitting smoking, weight gain may be something that is also on your mind. Many people that have given up cigarettes have found themselves with lots of extra weight and they often feel helpless against it. Some who are considering becoming nonsmokers get so worried about putting on that weight that they actually continue smoking, thinking that anything is better than carrying a few extra pounds! But in reality quitting smoking and weight gain don’t need to go hand in hand, and you can actually avoid that excess weight if you keep a few important things in mind.

One thing to remember is that when you stop smoking, your hands become somewhat nervous and you may have the urge to chew on something. When quitting smoking, weight gain often happens because people fulfill these urges with junk food, salty foods, sugary foods, and so-called comfort foods that are usually loaded with fat and calories. It’s a good idea instead to plan on healthier food choices and to load up your refrigerator and pantry. This might include fresh fruit and vegetables with some hummus or dressing for dipping, low-fat crackers and cheese, and low-fat popcorn. These will help when quitting smoking; weight gain is less likely to be an issue when you choose healthier foods for those cravings and jitters. You might also find that this is the one time in your life when you actually eat healthy!

It also helps to drink lots of water and other fluids. Water will help to flush out the nicotine from your body which in turn can help to curb cravings. When you drink water when quitting smoking, weight gain is also lessened since water fills you up so you’ll want to eat less. When the nicotine is being flushed from your body and you feel full, you’ll be able to stop smoking without worrying so much about weight gain.

Another thing to remember about quitting smoking and weight gain is that regular exercise helps tremendously. When you exercise you’re more likely to sweat more which will also flush out the nicotine and toxins from your system. Exercise will also mean you’re less likely to gain weight since you’re burning calories. And it will keep you from sitting in front of the television, munching away on junk food! So there are many things you can do about quitting smoking and weight gain. Of course all these methods will mean some planning and preparation on your part, and the determination to keep going even when you don’t feel like it. Quitting smoking is not easy by any means, and thinking that it will be is a mistake. When the difficult times hit, this is when quitting smoking and weight gain are at risk. The cravings kick in and a person will either reach for a cigarette or for a salty, fattening snack. But if you plan on those cravings and employ these tips, you will be successful.

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March 29, 2010

Things to Remember When You Quit Smoking

Trying to quit smoking is not easy; anyone who’s been there will tell you that. You may have already tried many times yourself and wound up going right back to the cigarettes after a few days or even a few hours. But on the other hand, there are those who do successfully quit smoking even after their first try. There is no magic formula or set of rules or steps you can follow to guarantee that you can successfully quit smoking, but there are some things to remember when you’re ready to try.

First, pick a date and one very soon. How about tomorrow? If you’re going to quit smoking, you need to start sometime so why not now? Many people are tempted to smoke twice as much as usual as they see their planned date arrive, but if you choose tomorrow then you won’t have a chance to do that, to get nervous and overwhelmed, or to back out. So tomorrow you will quit smoking.

Second, throw out all your cigarettes, ashtrays, and lighters. If you’re serious about your plans to quit smoking you won’t need them anyway. Don’t keep them around for company or “just in case.” This just gives you a chance to slip up again. Forget about having an emergency stash and just throw everything away.

Third, wash everything you own. All your clothes, bed linens, bathroom linens, and everything else. When you quit smoking and don’t wash out everything you still have the lingering smell of smoke in the air and this can trigger your cravings. So put everything through the wash, and clean out your car as well. Wash down the entire interior; you might be surprised at the smoky film that gets cleaned up. If you can, shampoo the carpets in your home and the furniture as well. It can help you to quit smoking if you eliminate as much of the smell as you can. Clean the inside windows of your home and wipe down wood furniture; open windows and allow fresh air inside.

Make sure you have plenty of substitutes on hand to help you when you quit smoking. Never underestimate how much it helps to chew gum or keep a lollipop in your mouth. Choose sugarless options to help control the weight gain. When you need to eat something, opt for fresh vegetables and fruit or low-fat popcorn. Plan on activities you can do to get yourself out of the house when you have cravings, such as jogging, taking the dog for a walk, or playing basketball in the driveway with the kids. You need to keep busy when you quit smoking so do some advance planning; don’t just sit around the house watching television or you’ll get bored and restless.

Don’t discount any of these simple tips when it’s time to quit smoking. You might think that some of these suggestions are pointless but they really do help to energize you and give you a fresh start.

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March 28, 2010

You Can Quit Smoking Without Gaining Weight!

Do you think it’s possible to quit smoking without gaining weight? Many people don’t since weight gain seems to be inevitable when someone quits smoking. You may even know people that quit smoking and put on several extra pounds, with various rates of success in then losing those pounds. Being overweight can be a frightening prospect to some who may even use that as a reason to keep smoking. But it is possible to quit smoking without gaining weight, if you follow a few steps to keep those extra pounds at bay. Yes, it will take some work and preparation but it’s well worth it if you can become a nonsmoker and stay at a healthy weight at the same time.

First, to quit smoking without gaining weight you do need to prepare for the cravings and physical reaction that come with nicotine withdrawal. Don’t think you can just tough it out; instead, plan on having healthy snacks available to you during this time. Stock up on fresh or dried fruit, crunchy vegetables and dips like ranch dressing or hummus, baked crackers, low-fat cheese, and items with which you can make salads. You might find that you can not only quit smoking without gaining weight but that this is the first time in your life when you eat healthy! Avoid filling up on salty foods, sugary treats, and anything else that might be considered junk foods. Consider too how you can control your calories and portions with your meals during this time so that your overall calories are at healthy levels. To quit smoking without gaining weight, plan on foregoing drive-through restaurants and instead pack your lunch and prepare your dinner. Do some research on quick and easy recipes that are also healthy so that you don’t get overwhelmed at this time. It might take some extra planning on your part but once you get the hang of certain recipes and meal preparation tips, you might find you actually enjoy eating better rather than filling up on junk.

Exercise is also important to quit smoking without gaining weight. Being physically active also means getting out of the house so you’re not thinking about cigarettes and smoking. This doesn’t need to be overwhelming, but can include bike riding, walking the dog, going bowling, and activities such as this. By being active you’re burning calories but you’re also keeping yourself busy, and the sweat that activity produces also helps to flush toxins such as nicotine out of the system as well. Consider joining a gym or an exercise class to help you quit smoking without gaining weight. Activities such as yoga or meditation can also to take your mind off of cigarettes and can increase your blood circulation as well.

You can quit smoking without gaining weight if you make plans in advance and are determined to follow through with those plans. It means extra effort on your part, but in the end it will all be worth it!

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March 27, 2010

Explore These Other Quit Smoking Methods

Just about everyone knows of the “cold turkey” method to quit smoking, when a smoker just stops smoking and deals with the cravings and uneasiness on their own. While this method can be successful for some, there are other quit smoking methods that you might want to consider as well, if for nothing than to help you when you do try to go cold turkey.

One of these quit smoking methods is hypnosis. Many today shun hypnosis as nothing but useless hocus pocus, and many have a lot of misconceptions about the practice. They’re afraid of the hypnotist making them do something embarrassing or they’re uneasy with the idea of being that vulnerable. But when it comes to quit smoking methods, very often the power of suggestion is more useful than anything else and this is where hypnosis comes into play. A real hypnotist is nothing like what you see on entertainment programs but is someone that can help your mind to relax and focus. Their methods can also use the power of suggestion to make you really believe that you no longer crave cigarettes and that you’re strong enough to give them up for good. As with other quit smoking methods, the success rate varies but many reason that since it can’t hurt, why not give it a try?

Other quit smoking methods include acupuncture and homeopathic remedies to flush out nicotine from the system. Acupuncture is much like hypnosis – there is controversy regarding its usefulness and a lot of misconceptions about it as well. Some believe that acupuncture merely increases blood circulation in certain areas, but increased blood circulation has a healing effect on many parts of the body and also flushes out toxins from the system. Using quit smoking methods that flush out toxins from the system can help a person become a nonsmoker because the sooner that nicotine is out of the body, the sooner one’s cravings stop. These types of quit smoking methods can be effective if they’re used in conjunction with going cold turkey as they can help get tar and nicotine out of the body, can relax and focus your mind, and can make you feel more determined than ever to quit.

Of course all these other quit smoking methods need to be used in conjunction with common sense practices as well. Many who are trying to quit smoking are told to get rid of their cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters and matches so they don’t feel tempted to light up again. Getting out of the house and keeping busy is also imperative no matter which of these quit smoking methods you use. If you just sit in front of the television all day or all night, you’ll get fidgety and bored and may obsess about lighting up. There are no methods to quitting that work like magic and they all take determination and willpower, but they can be successful if the smoker decides that he’s going to see his decision through.

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March 26, 2010

You Can Quit Smoking for Good!

Does that sound like an impossible thought to you, that you can quit smoking for good? Unfortunately for some smokers, it does seem like an impossibility as they’ve tried quitting several times only to go back to cigarettes again and again. It seems like many can quit smoking – for an hour, a day, or even a few days, but the idea of being able to quit smoking for good is where the real challenge lies. So how can you do it? How do some manage this challenge and become nonsmokers permanently? Let’s take a look at what they might be doing that you’re missing.

For one thing, if you want to quit smoking for good you need to leave yourself no way out. This means getting rid of your cigarettes, lighters, matches, and ashtrays. Many people leave themselves an “emergency stash” somewhere but this can just encourage you to slip up. If you want to quit smoking for good, tell yourself that there’s no reason to have those things. A nonsmoker doesn’t keep those things in the house “just in case,” and since you’re now a nonsmoker, you don’t need them there either. Make up your mind that you’re done smoking, and that’s it.

Another thing you can do in order to quit smoking for good is to give your home a fresh start. Wash everything you own so you can get the smell of cigarettes out of your clothes and linens. Get your carpets steam cleaned. Wash down all your furniture and inside windows of your home. Do the same for your car as it can often hold the smell of smoke. You probably can’t quit smoking for good if you smell smoke every time you get into your car or walk in your front door. That smell can make you crave cigarettes. Try an Epsom salt bath to get the tar and nicotine out of your system and to thoroughly cleanse your skin as well. Get your teeth professionally cleaned. If you do all these things, you’ll have more of a chance to quit smoking for good since the lingering smell of smoke will be gone.

Making some changes to your life and your habits might also be in order to quit smoking for good. You may need to give up bowling if being in the bowling alley makes you crave cigarettes. You and your friends may need to find a new hangout if your favorite bar is too smoky. It also helps to pick up new habits to keep yourself busy. Buy a bike and go riding. Learn a new hobby that will keep your hands busy. You can and should also talk to friends and family about your plans to quit smoking for good. They can give you support when you feel edgy and fidgety, and can also avoid smoking around you or offering you cigarettes. All of these can help you to become a nonsmoker for the rest of your life.

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March 25, 2010

You Can Quit Smoking Cigarettes!

Are you ready to quit smoking cigarettes? A lot of smokers regret ever having started smoking because of course it’s so very difficult to quit. Nicotine is very addictive, to some more so than illegal drugs, and cigarettes are a very difficult habit to break. The mouth and the hands get very used to the mechanics of smoking and some people find themselves lighting up even if they weren’t necessarily craving a cigarette at the moment. But as difficult as it may be to quit smoking cigarettes, it can be done. Many former smokers can attest to the fact that it does get easier over time to go without cigarettes and that stopping was probably the best decision they ever made.

So how can you quit smoking cigarettes? Is there some type of magic pill you can take to just shut down your cravings and make you forget about smoking? Unfortunately it’s not quite that easy, but you can make the process easier by following a few simple tips and tricks.

First, to help you quit smoking cigarettes be prepared to be physically active or at least up and out of the house on a regular basis. If you just sit in front of the television you’re naturally going to start craving cigarettes just to relieve your boredom. To help you quit smoking cigarettes, consider joining a league of some sort such as bowling or softball. Sign up to do volunteer work through your religious organization, or go online to find groups in your area that need help. Take a class that you might enjoy even if it’s not something particularly useful, such as pottery, painting, flower arranging, or carpentry. You can’t quit smoking cigarettes if you’re just trapped in the house with nothing to do, but of course activities aren’t always going to present themselves on their own. You need to make some plans and then follow through with those plans.

Second, to help you quit smoking cigarettes you need to consider addressing the physical cravings you’re going to have. Fill your refrigerator and pantry with healthy items on which you can snack, including fruits and vegetables and low-fat cheese. Your mouth will miss that cigarette so get some gum and sugarless lollipops to keep it occupied and to keep it distracted. Some find that very strong mints also help as cigarettes tend to dull the taste buds, so really strong mints or even cough drops can keep your tongue happy and your taste buds stimulated. Invest in these as an aid to quit smoking cigarettes and keep them with you at all times.

To really make the process that much easier, combine these methods to quit smoking cigarettes. Don’t rely on just one to get you through. You can try the cold turkey method but if you keep yourself busy every day and night this is going to help tremendously. You also need to prepare for those cravings and how your body feels physically as you go through the withdrawal of nicotine.

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March 24, 2010

Some Natural Ways to Quit Smoking

If you’re not interested in taking pills or harsh chemicals to help you quit smoking, you’re in luck. Many people have been helped greatly by nicotine replacement therapies and other such treatment options, but there are many natural ways to quit smoking as well. People have been able to stop smoking for decades, long before doctors were prescribing harsh pills or these methods were ever available at the local pharmacies. Yes, these natural ways to quit smoking will still require some willpower and determination but they can help anyone tremendously if they’re serious about no longer smoking. So if that sounds like you, let’s take a look at some of these natural ways to quit smoking.

First, going “cold turkey” or just stopping smoking is one of the most commonly used natural ways to quit smoking. However people who try it often run into problems because they go about it the wrong way, or don’t prepare the way they really should. For example, when a person quits cold turkey they often have strong cravings especially when they’re idle and unoccupied. They may turn to food to satisfy their cravings and so experience weight gain, which can be depressing. This might make them reach for a cigarette, just to cheer themselves up. Although going cold turkey is one of the best natural ways to quit smoking, preparation and planning can make it go a lot easier. Try to have some good food in the house that you can use when you do get those cravings. This might include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat crackers, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, and lean lunch meats. Working with those natural ways to quit smoking is best rather than thinking that you’ll just “tough it out” and face your cravings and urges on your own.

Believe it or not, exercise and physical activity are also natural ways to quit smoking. Exercise causes you to sweat and nicotine, tar, and other toxins are released from the body when you sweat. Physical activity also increases your heart rate, and this increase in blood circulation means that these toxins are being filtered out of your body more rapidly. This detoxification process is one of the most effective natural ways to quit smoking. When nicotine is still in your system you’re going to get cravings for more nicotine, so washing it out or filtering it out is going to help you calm those cravings much quicker. Epsom salt baths are also great as natural ways to quit smoking. The salt also works to pull nicotine, tar, and other substances from the body through the skin. Some people notice after getting out of an Epsom salt bath that the water itself smells of smoke. This is due to those elements being pulled from your system. Try these natural ways to quit smoking and remember to combine as many as possible as well; the more you try, the more successful you’ll be with becoming a permanent nonsmoker!

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