Quitting smoking

The risk of lung cancer for ex-smoker drops to as much as one-half than that of continuing smoker, after 10 years. The risk continues to decline with additional years of staying smoke free. For people with heart disease, quitting smoking reduces the risk of repeat attacks and death from heart disease by 50% or more. People who quit smoking live longer than those who continue to smoke.

And for people with ulcer, quitting smoking reduces the risk of recurrence and improves short- term healing.

Furthermore, people with poor blood circulation in the legs, quitting smoking improves the ability to exercise and increases overall survival. Men and women, who quit at ages 65 to 69, increase their life expectancy by one year. After 15 years off cigarettes, the risk of death for ex-smokers returns to nearly the level of persons who have never smoked.

WAYS TO CUT DOWN YOUR SMOKING DAY BY DAY:

Decide to cut down by a certain number of cigarettes per day, and increase your reduction by that number each succeeding day. Postpone the first cigarette of the day by an hour, and extend that time daily. Make it hard to get and smoke a cigarette. Choose a method of quitting. Look for the most successful, but gradual approach is fine. If you always have a smoke with you coffee, switch to tea, juice or soda.

PREPARING TO QUIT:

1. Ask yourself 3 key questions: How much do I smoke? Why do I smoke? What will be my most difficult hurdle in quitting?

2. If you're feeling ambivalent about quitting, ask yourself whom you want most - to smoke or to stop.

3. Make list of things you like to buy yourself or someone else. Estimate the cost in terms of packs of cigarettes, and put the money aside to buy these presents.

ON THE DAY YOU QUIT:

1. Throw away all the cigarettes and matches. Hide lighters and ashtrays.

2. Visit the dentist and have your teeth cleaned to get rid of the tobacco stains, Notice how nice they look, and resolve to keep them that way.

3. Change to a brand you don't like. Buy only one pack at a time.

4. Keep busy on the big day. Go to movies, exercise, take long walks, go bike riding.

5. Do something for your body. Get back in to shape. Exercise is a great for relaxation.

6. Call up your friends and tell them you're going to quit. Choose to tell friends who offer only positive reinforcement.

7. If you quit for one day, you can quit for another day. Try it.

8. Save all the money you would have spent on cigarettes and buy yourself something. You deserve it.

9. If you break down and have cigarette, do not give up. Some people take several tries before they make it.

References:

* Health Guide - 1998

* Self Care by Don R. Powell, Ph. D.

* Mayo Clinic Family Health Book 1996

* Mayo Health Quest 1999

Facts on the smoking debate

To a non-smoker, quitting smoking sounds relatively easy, just pick a time and then turn your back on tobacco, right? "Easier said than done", the addicted smoker will likely to reply. There is no magic cure, and it is true. No quick, easy way out for nicotine addiction.

This information can help you, about some facts about smoking:

Cigarette smoking is our nation's number one preventable cause of illness and premature death.

After inhaling, 70 to 90 percent of the chemical compounds in cigarette, they stay in the smoker's lungs. Cigarette smokers are 15 times more likely to get lung cancer, 16 times more likely to have emphysema, 10 times more likely to have bronchitis and twice as likely to have heart attack than non-smoker. Nonsmokers who inhale secondhand smoke from a burning cigarette have an increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease as well. Pregnant women who smoke are cutting off oxygen to their developing fetus as well as altering the blood pressure and the heart rate of the baby. Low-birth-weight babies, spontaneous abortions and stillbirths are more prevalent in smokers. Medical research has found that each cigarette smoked takes 15 minute of person's life, on average. Children of smokers have twice the incidence of respiratory ailments as the children of non-smokers.

And what's inside a cigarette? These are some of the many chemicals tobacco manufacturer hides from us:

Methoprene, a chemical used to get rid of pleas on your pets. Benzozopyrene, you'll find it in cigarette smoke, it is one of the most potent cancer causing chemicals in the world. Arsenic, this deadly poison makes your lips burn and your breath turns bad. Acetone, the tobacco industry refuses to say how acetone gets into cigarettes. It's one of the active ingredients in nail polish remover. Lead, poisoning stunts your growth, makes you vomit and damages your brain. Formaldehyde, it causes cancer and can damage your lungs, skin and digestive system. Embalmers used it to preserve dead bodies. Turpentine, is a very toxic chemical. It is commonly used as a paint stripper. Phopylene glycol, the tobacco industry claims they add it to keep cheap "reconstituted tobacco" from drying out. But scientist says it aids the delivery of nicotine. Butane, is one of the key components of petrol. Cadium, it causes damage to the liver, kidneys and brain. Ammonia, the tobacco industry says it adds flavor. Scientist say that it helps you absorb nicotine, keeping you hooked on smoking. Benzene, this cancer-causing chemical is used to make everything from pesticides to detergent to petrol.

And it will tell you the truth about quitting, that with an average effort, and average resolve, you can do it. You don't have to be a super hero to succeed. There is really only one requirement for quitting...... You want to quit more than you want to continue smoking!

References: * Health Guide - 1998;

* Self Care by Don R. Powell, Ph. D.

* Mayo Clinic Family Health Book 1996

* Mayo Health Quest 1999

* Poster from Ministry of Heath, British, Columbia, Canada