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What To Expect When You Quit Smoking: What You Must Know Before You Stop Smoking

November 19th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

How To Quit Smoking

Quitting a life long addiction like smoking can both be a boon and a bane, especially to the person who is trying to kick the nicotine habit. Most people will state the benefits when they tell you what to expect what you quit smoking.

However, I think this has been over-emphasized. You need to know that your body can go through some negative consequences too. This is because the same way that your body had to acclimatize to the sudden introduction and consequent use of tobacco in your everyday routine, it now has to acclimatize to its sudden or gradual removal as well.

Here are a few of the negative physiological changes that you can expect when you quit smoking.

The Physical Banes Of Nicotine Rehabilitation

Your body actually starts the healing process within 20 minutes after you put out your last cigarette. The self-healing process will be more noticeable to a person who has chain-smoked for a long time, especially if he or she has never gone for more than a few minutes without taking a puff.

Unfortunately, the healing process is hidden by the quit smoking withdrawal symptoms. The moment when the extreme craving sets in, and you do not give in to that pressure, your body shakes from the sudden dropping of the glucose levels in your blood. This also makes you either salivate a lot or feel unbearably hunger.

Increase of Appetite

In many cases, you may even experience both. Nicotine in your bloodstream usually affects the cells that help produce glucose in your body, actually suppressing them. This is the reason why some smokers would rather light up than eat, since nicotine (quite literally) robs the body of a healthy eating appetite. Once the nicotine is gone, the cells that produce glucose go on hyper speed production.

This is also precisely the reason why many people who has managed to kick the habit find themselves gaining weight a few months after being smoke-free. However, this is only a temporary phase. Given the right guidance, a person can finally achieve a glucose level plateau that can be managed.

Coughing

Fits of coughing and difficulty in breathing are also common signs of the withdrawal symptoms. We all know that smoking damages the lungs first and foremost. The moment you stop smoking though, the cells of your lungs start to perform the gargantuan task of knitting the damaged soft tissues.

Unlike a bridge under construction, you really cannot close off a section of your lungs while it repairs itself. So yes, the fits of coughing and the difficulty in breathing will continue all throughout the nicotine rehabilitation.

You see, nicotine actually deadens the cilia of the lungs. Cilia are the hair-like fibers surrounding the entire respiratory organ. These are actually the first internal line of defense that our lungs rely on to ward away the toxins in the air we breathe.

Unfortunately, smoking is a continuous and deadly process of actually breathing in the toxic substance called nicotine. The fits of coughing are one of the visible signs of the body expelling the toxins we breathe in.

Naturally, since our lungs are already damaged, we find ourselves having great difficulty in breathing. This becomes especially hard during rehab since now the lungs are performing 2 tasks all at once. Breathing for you through damaged “equipment” and healing that “equipment” at the same time.

However, given a few months, those breaths will become deeper and your smelling buds will have developed again, enabling you to take the first deep, untainted breaths possible. Within a year, your risk of having a heart attack will be halved. And if you stay away from cigarettes for fifteen years, you risk of having heart disease will be equivalent to that of a non-smoker.

Now that you know what to expect what you quit smoking, you can be better prepared to enjoy a smoother quit smoking journey. Visit my Tips To Quit Smoking blog at www.tipstoquitsmoking.net for tricks that you can use to make your smoking cessation process more painless and effortless. Also be sure to download your free report on The Truth About Smoking while you are there.

Popular Misconceptions About Hypnosis

November 19th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

A very misunderstood self-help and relaxation subject is hypnosis. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that hypnotherapy is misunderstood is that most people are only exposed to stage hypnosis. During all stage sessions, participants are pre-qualified, and only the most suggestible subjects are actually brought into the performance. 

Another popular misconception is that people believe a hypnotherapist can force them to do odd things like clucking like a chicken. The fact is that a hypnotherapist can’t make you do anything that you don’t want to do, or are incapable of doing. The subjects on stage performing outrageous acts are uninhibited and outgoing by nature, and that’s why they’re on stage in the first place.

Hypnosis is nothing more than guided relaxation. That’s it. There’s no real magic to it, although it can work wonders for the right subjects when used for self help (for example, hypnosis smoking cessation). The objective with hypnosis is to put a subject or yourself into a state of relaxation, where your mind is relaxed and open, and you’re more susceptible to suggestion. The hypnotherapist then implants simple affirmations or suggestions by simply saying them, and in many cases, repeating similar suggestions. 

Another way to look at hypnosis is that it’s positive self-talk or positive affirmations made when the mind is relaxed. So there should be nothing mysterious about hypnotherapy. Hypnosis is simply an approach to lead your body and mind into a relaxed state and clear your mind of distractions so that it can focus on the affirmations being said.

Some people are more suggestible than others and some people are naturally averse to hypnosis altogether. As a hypnosis subject, I’m a nightmare. After six months of failed attempts at being hypnotized, I finally recorded my own voice and hypnotized myself. About one out of five people will likely be resistant to hypnosis.

Smoking in particular is a good candidate for hypnotherapy because much of the addiction is psychological, and that is an area the self-hypnosis can help you address. Considering the expense of cigarettes, and the expense of typical cessation programs like nicotine gum, the patch, shots, and the like, the modest investment in a simple hypnotherapy quit smoking audio that you can listen to in the comfort of your home is attractive.

At the very least, hypnosis will help you balance yourself, relax, and lower stress levels. If you are a smoker, a hypnosis smoking cessation program might be exactly what you need, and you can safely participate in one without worrying about clucking at odd hours of the day!

Best Know Top 10 Tips To Quit Smoking

November 14th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Best Know Top 10 Tips To Quit Smoking

Smoking cessation is an unpleasant experience for whichever side you look at it. You will have to cope with the cravings and all the withdrawal symptoms, you will have to beat up the smoking habit and change your lifestyle completely.

To help you get out of the smoking-swamp we have compiled a short list with tips to give up smoking.

Tip #1

Set up a stop date a few weeks in advance. This will give you enough time to prepare yourself for the upcoming changes. Moreover, this will allow you to start some medical treatment.

Tip #2

The second one of out top ten tips to give up smoking is simple but very important. On your stop smoking day, throw away all your cigarettes. This will not only prevent easy access to cigarettes but also will have a huge psychological impact on you.

Tip #3

Avoid places and situations that would prompt you to lighting up a cigarette. For example if you light up your first cigarette with your morning coffee, replace it with herbal tea; avoid going to pubs or night clubs during your first ex-smoker weeks.

Tip #4

Get stop smoking aids after consulting with your doctor. Nicotine patches or gums may help you a lot in the smoking cessation process and relieve the withdrawal symptoms.

Tip #5

Start saving the money that you used to spend on cigarettes. You will soon discover that you have put aside enough to buy something nice for yourself.

Tip #6

One more from the tips to give up smoking – regular sport activities. Start with long walks, buy a bike and cycle to your work or just for fun, rollerblade, or go swimming. Any physical activity is good and it is up to you to pick up the ones that most suit your personality. Sport will not only help improve your appearance but it will help your body detox and reduce both the cravings and the cessation symptoms.

Top #7

Change your eating habits, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and drink a lot of liquids. A healthy diet with a) prevent you from gaining weight and b) reduce the withdrawal symptoms.

Tip #8

Ask your family and friends to be supportive. The first week after you put away the cigarettes you will be nervous and irritable so it is vital that they understand your behavior and help you.

Top #9

The funniest one of all tips to give up smoking but it really works – think of reward scheme. For example “if I do not smoke for a couple of weeks I will buy …” You can promise yourself a big prize if you manage not to smoke for three months - something like a vacation or a trip to an exotic place.

Tip #10

Here is the last one of the top ten tips to give up smoking: be very patient and believe that you can do it. Your will and dedication will help you stop smoking more than any other therapy or medications. Smoking is 70% connected with your mind and only 30% with your body.

Read My Quit Smoking Story
I had been smoking for thirty-six years until I was diagnosed with Emphysema, I had no choice I had to quit, My Story is about how I managed to go from more than a pack a day to an EX in less than 30 days

 

 

Will a Quit Smoking Pills Work for me?

November 13th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Is a quit smoking pill the answer for people who are trying to give up their smoking habit? When a pill claims that it will help you to stop smoking you would expect that it will be effective, but the situation is rather more complicated than this. The reason for this is that there is no one quit smoking pill, but rather a variety of different pills some of which prove to be more effective than others. The way in which people try to give up smoking also has a bearing on the outcome so the result can not just be related to the particular pill they have used.

Before going further it is instructive to quote some statistics. Despite the fact that there are now fewer smokers than a few years ago, today some 45 million Americans are still hooked on tobacco. A British survey found that nearly half of the smokers they interviewed had tried to quit on one or two occasions in the previous year and 8% had succeeded at the time of the survey.

To succeed in giving up smoking you have to overcome two problems. Nicotine withdrawal is the largest of these and this is where pills can help. You also have to break the habits associated with cigarettes. Think about the times where you automatically reach for your cigarettes. Try to vary your routine so that you no longer receive the automatic messages that “this is where I always pull out a cigarette”.

There are a number of different pills available to help people to quit. Many are based on herbal supplements which are available over the counter, and others are prescription drugs. All are designed to reduce the craving for nicotine that occurs when you first stop smoking cigarettes. Until recently Zyban was the drug that was commonly prescribed, but there were a number of side effects. Zyban has now been replaced by Chantix manufactured by Pfizer.

So is a quit smoking pill the answer for everyone? On its own, no. There is no pill that will force you to give up smoking cigarettes. The pills serve a useful service in reducing the nicotine craving and, in some cases, making your cigarettes taste foul, but you have to supply the other essential element which is a genuine desire to quit the tobacco habit. Without this clear intention on your part, you are bound to fail and join the ranks of those who continually make a half-hearted attempt to quit but give up after a few days or weeks. So if you really want to quit, make a clear decision and make it today.

The most important rule to remember when stopping smoking is this. Nobody is trying to make you do anything. Please don’t think that this article is trying to preach to you about what you should do about your smoking habit, or patronize you by telling you things you already know. It is not trying to make you feel foolish by presenting facts and ideas about smoking, or trying to browbeat you into giving up.

If you decide to press that internal “quitting smoking button” then that is your decision. It is a choice that you must make willingly and be completely committed to. If you do decide to give up then you will do it for your own reasons and on your own terms.

“NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE OR HOW LONG YOU’VE SMOKED, QUITTING NOW WILL HELP YOU LIVE LONGER AND HEALTHIER.”

Read My Quit Smoking Story
I had been smoking for thirty-six years until I was diagnosed with Emphysema, I had no choice I had to quit, My Story is about how I managed to go from more than a pack a day to an EX in less than 30 days

Stopping smoking in stages

November 11th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Packing up smoking  can be difficult. Not many people can tell themselves one day that they are going to stop smoking and do it without a lot of help. But the good news is that if you really want to you can - and there is a lot of support available to help you. You will always be able to find a stop smoking program that suits you.

A lot of smokers have found that going ‘cold turkey’ just does not work for them, even with the help of nicotine patches, gum, fake cigarettes etc etc.  If you are like that and are determined to stop smoking and have the time, then try the gradual way.

Begin by smoking your first cigarette of the day an hour after you get up in the morning instead of first thing. If you find that too difficult, then make your second cigarette at least an hour after your first one. Usually within a week or two your body will have become conditioned to accept this, and you will no longer crave that first cigarette, then you should start to make the  interval between cigarettes longer. Do this deliberately. If you really crave a cigarette, wait at least five minutes until you light up and after a week or two make it ten.

Once you have got used to smoking less, stop smoking during the afternoon and then either the evening or the morning, whichever is most comfortable. Eventually, one or two cigarettes a day will be sufficient to satisfy the craving and from there it is only a short jouney to giving up altogether.

There are ways that you can make it uncomfortable to smoke. Start by not emptying ashtrays, you will be surprised at how much the smell of long dead cigarettes will put you off. Next do not allow yourself to smoke indoors.

Try to avoid those places where you regularly smoke and spend less time with those colleagues you regularly smoke with. Let them know that you are giving up smoking and you may find that they will join you. Help and support is always good. You need to break the habit and to do so you may need to break other habits.If you use cigarettes as a reward system ( I will finish this and then I will have a cigarette) then you should give yourself a different reward. (I will finish this and then sit down and look at a magazine/t.v. for five minutes, go out into the garden) - whatever floats your boat.

Setting up a mutual support system with a friend who also wishes to quit can help. Phone each other regularly to exchange experiences and be available if either of you need help so as not to break the rules regarding where in the system you are.

Finally, arrange a reward for the day you do finally quit smoking. Work out how much cash you are saving and put this away weekly. You could use it for something you really want - a holiday or new clothes. A goal that is not directly linked to cigarettes will help.

Its never going to be easy to stop smoking,if you need other help and its available, use it. You will not regret giving up the habit. Smoking is no longer a sociable thing to do, in fact it is decidedly anti-social.

The best methods to stop smoking today

November 10th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

There are many ways to stop smoking today, these methods vary significantly from classical anti–nicotine treatments like a stop smoking drug, quit smoking hypnosis solutions and quit smoking medication. Smoking involves two separate problems: the psychological and the physical nicotine addiction. Once you’ve understood this you have a higher chance to stop smoking today. One of the most popular solutions against smoking is the use of nicotine replacements like nicotine gum or patches. These products can be easily found in any drug store, and doctors also recommend turning to counseling in order to quit smoking today. Nicotine replacing products have a moderate rate of success in a stop smoking today strategy so they are a good start. Another way to stop smoking today is replacing your cigarettes with other ones containing less nicotine, this first step is normally followed by reducing the number of cigarettes smoked a day. A quite new quit smoking aid is the quit smoking pill.

Another method to stop smoking today is to identify the triggers, what it is that makes you smoke. Once you know what favors your smoking habit, measures can be taken. The stop smoking today decision can work very well when you decided to quit smoking “Cold Turkey”. Also consider asking a non-smoker to help you like a family member or friend, they will give valuable support in your effort to stop smoking today. Another strategy to stop smoking today is that each time you feel like lighting a cigarette to think about the benefits of quitting and the health problems that smoking causes. Taking control over your live is not easy if you have an addiction, but trying is the best start. The most important thing is to redoubling efforts, never give up your plan and remember that it is only a matter of time until you finally escape from this deadly habit.

Finding the best method to stop smoking today comes sometimes naturally when there is enough positive determination. Many of those who stop smoking today do it because of severe health problems. To eliminate nicotine cravings you’ll have to try as many remedies as possible until you succeed. Unfortunately most non-smokers think that trying to stop smoking today is just a problem of will power. Nicotine is very, very addictive and most people don’t understand what happens to a smoker when he or she tries to quit. A winning formula against smoking would contain anti–nicotine treatment, psychological counseling, and educational information about the effects of smoking and a lot of positive thinking. So, stop smoking today!

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