Stop Smoking, Better Your Health, And Save Your Life - Today Is the Right Day to Stop!

If you smoke, STOP NOW! Smoking is one of the most injurious things that you can do to your body. It is one of the main causes of several serious diseases including, but not limited to cancer, stroke, and heart disease. However, the positive effect of not smoking can be felt within 24-hours of quitting. So, why won't you stop smoking and better your health? The answer is that smoking is addictive. It's addictive both physiologically and psychologically. The physiological addition is similar to that of cocaine and heroin. Nicotine stimulates the pleasure centers in the brain causing both pleasure and stimulation. Also, depending on the amount of nicotine inhaled, smoking may also cause relaxation, and the relief of stress. The Psychological addition occurs when you identify smoking with certain aspects of your life, such as smoking for relaxation while driving, after a meal and while talking on the telephone. Not smoking during these situations results in powerful cravings. Therefore, it is easy to say you will stop smoking, but it's a much harder thing to do. The following is information that you can use that will help you to successfully become and remain a non-smoker.



Preparations to make beforehand that will help you to quit smoking



1. First, make the decision to quit- know that you should stop smoking.



2. Get as much information on nicotine addition as possible and find out why it's so hard to stop smoking.



3. Know all the dangers of smoking- know how smoking can kill, causing:



• Lung cancer



• Colon cancer



• Heart disease



• Stroke



• Emphysema



• High Blood Pressure



4. Know that smoking can be socially detrimental. It can cause unbearably bad breath.



5. Learn how to manage nicotine withdrawal symptoms.



• Headache



• Nausea



• Anxiety



• Cigarette craving



• Irritability



• Moodiness



• Insomnia



• Fatigue



• Flu-like symptoms



6. Learn know how to handle situations that may lead you to light up:



• Stress



• Being around other smokers



After thoroughly preparing to quit, find the quitting method that's right for you



Here are some user recommended methods/programs



1. Over the counter FDA approved medications



2. Herbal remedies-contain ingredients that mimic nicotine without having an addictive effect. They also cause normal cigarettes to taste bad.



3. Non-nicotine replacement products- are better than products containing nicotine, since replacement products containing nicotine have only a 10% success rate.



4. Instant smoking cessation programs-not recommended due to lack of education and support given in the programs.



5. Quitting cold turkey-this may work for some, but a sudden cessation of a lifelong habit can cause irritability and moodiness and in a few days cravings and relapse.



6. The patch-releases a controlled amount of nicotine that lets you withdraw without withdrawal symptoms. For example, Nicoderm CQ.



7. Chewing Gum- reduces nicotine cravings, but can also cause addiction to the gum.



8. Nasal spray-reduces nicotine cravings.