Ways to Quit Smoking

Smoking has been targeted as a major health concern in the United States for several decades. The US Public Health Service has even declared it as the number one cause of preventable diseases and early deaths in Americans.

Although, for years, cigarette manufacturers fought the statistics that cigarettes are harmful to you health, causing heart disease, lung cancer, emphysema, mouth cancer, they declare that other factors are the true cause. But, even still, they have been successfully sued by various states to compensate for the high coast of health care.

Although, there are still millions of smokers and thousands of teenagers and young adults who start smoking every day in America. Smoking has continually decreased during the past two decades and thousands of people have successfully quit smoking.

You could be the next non-smoker...

There are many different reasons why you may want to stop smoking. It really depends on each person as to their individual reasons to quit smoking. But there are a few reasons that may be beneficial for everyone.

The number one reason to quit smoking is that it can reduce your risks of dying early. Smoking can increase your risk of heart complications and cause various cancers, such as lip, mouth, pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, larynx, lung, cervix, bladder, and kidney cancer. As a smoker, you are, also, at a higher risk of getting respiratory tract infections (i.e. colds) as well as other life-long breathing problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema. You are, also, at risk for developing ulcers, cataracts, and osteoporosis.

Another good reason to quit smoking is because financially, cigarettes are expensive. Buying a box of cigarettes a day, and paying on average 3.50 for each box, could save you a pretty penny.

If you're a female, thinking about have children, smoking can make it harder for you to get pregnant if you or your partner smokes. And, if you choose to smoke while you're pregnant, you and your unborn baby are at risk to serious health concerns.

Other reasons to quit smoking could include:

• Lesson to your children
• Reduce the amount of second-hand smoke that you emit around your friends and family, which then puts their health at risk.
• Other personal gain.

In reality, there are probably a million different reasons to quit smoking, but each reason varies among you and your life, so only youcan determining the true reasons for you to quit smoking.

And remember, it has to be for you! You can't quit for someone else.

Nicotine patches are available, over the counter, meaning without prescription. Although they are not an automatic magic solution, the patch has been proven effective to quit smoking. They are a little pricey.

If you choose to use a nicotine patch, you need to consider whether or not you have any illnesses such as:

• Chest pains or a recent heart attack
• Heart disease
• Stomach ulcers
• Thyroid disease
• Diabetes
• Skipped or irregular heart beats
• Allergies to tape, bandages or medicines
• Skin rashes or skin diseases
• High blood pressure
• Kidney or liver disease

When using a nicotine patch, you can suffer from a nicotine overdose. You want to watch for signs of dizziness, upset stomach, headaches, vomiting, cold sweats, drooling ,confusion, blurred vision, hearing problems, overall weakness, and fainting. If you experience any of these symptoms, you will need to remove the patch immediately.

It is normal to feel a mild tingling, itching, or burning, on the area where you place the patch. The feeling tends to last around 15 minutes to 1 hour. You may, also, find a red area where the patch was. If the are is still red after a few days or so, you should not put on a new patch and call your doctor.

These patches are waterproof.

Constant side effect can include:

• Mouth ulcers
• Jaw muscle aches
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Upset stomach

More serious side effects can include:

• Seizures
• Heart rhythm disturbances
• Difficulty breathing

Nicotine gum can help you overcome your smoking addiction. It is a substitute for the oral addiction and provides a source of nicotine, which reduces the withdrawal symptoms.

If you are on medications such as Tylenol, caffeine diuretics, Tofranil, insulin, high blood pressure medications, Serax, Talwin, Darvon, Elow, Inderal, Theor-Dur, and vitamins, make sure that your doctor is aware of this.

Other concerns of chewing the gum can include:

• Heart attack
• Irregular heart rate
• Angina
• Ulcers
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Overactive thyroid
• Pheochromocytoma
• Dental condition or disorder
• Pregnant or plan to be
• Breastfeeding

If you smoke while using using nicotine gum, you can surfer a nicotine overdose.

Nicotine gum should be chewed slowly until you can taste the nicotine or feel a slight tingling in your mouth. At this time, stop chewing the gum and place it between your cheek and gum. When the tingling is almost gone (usually about 1 minute), start chewing again. Continue this for about 30 minutes.

Do not chew the gum too fast.

Do not chew more than one piece a time.

Do not chew one piece too soon after another.

Today's society is that of natural and chemical free. Many people would rather find an all natural solution for many of our problems and concerns, as well as just daily life.

Considering smoking is far from natural and chemical free, with over 15 different chemicals, toxins, and poisons, that compose the 4.7 inch long and .4 inch diameter cigarette.

If you choose a natural method to quit smoking, you can try a variety of things. Some methods may surprise you, whereas others may not.

Change your diet. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking more fruit juices, taking vitamins, adding more minerals and herbs to your diet, too, call all reduce nicotine cravings and the irritation from initially quiting. Spirulina and chlorella, low-fat and high-fiber foods can speed detoxification and maintain your energy levels. Add leafy greens to your daily diet; eat more salads. Change your snacks to fruits, vegetables, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Try to eat fish at least twice a week to limit the tobacco damage, and avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and junk food. Changing your diet to a more healthy and natural diet, will not only help you kick the habit of smoking, but turn our overall health around.

Vitamins are important to our bodies, and smoking can cause serious damage to the levels in our body. So, you should make sure to add extra vitamins to your body when you quit. Vitamin E protects tissues and cell membranes; Selenium supports Vitamin E and reduces cancer risks. Vitamin A reduces cancer risks and supports tissues. Vitamin C is very important to a future non-smoker, as Vitamin C eliminates toxins in the body and helps to build healthy tissues; smoking depletes the levels of Vitamin C in the body. Zinc helps to protect tissues, mucous membranes, and reduces toxicity, and to balance Zinc, you should take copper. You may, also, want to increase your Vitamin B12, B3, and B5, because smoking depletes these essential vitamins; B12 decreases cell damage, B3 opens circulation, B5 protects against stress. Coenzyme Q10 aids in detoxification and protects your heart, so you may want to take them, as well. Magnesium and calcium helps to calm your nerves, which is a great alternative to the cigarette break. L-Cysteine (an amino acid) with thiamine and vitamin C can help to protect lungs and reduce the infamous coughs of a smoker. Glutathione will act as an antioxidant.

Herbs such as Valerian and skullcap will help you to calm nerves and reduce cravings.

Massage therapy will speed detoxification.

Homeopathy methods.

Aromatherapy will help withdrawal symptoms and sooth your nerves. Try using Nicotiana, Sagebrush, Angelica, Chamomile, Chaprral, and Lavender.

You may consider a 5-day fast, in-taking only fresh fruit juices to quickly remove nicotine in your body.

Hypnosis is a great quick fix for many solutions. In order for hypnosis to work properly, you must be able to let it in, so to speak. If you decide to you hypnosis to stop smoking, you will need to first contact a professional hypnotist. He will evaluate you to determine the most appropriate approach in order to meet your individual issues and needs.

Some hypnotists will provide you with information about smoking that you may have never heard of, but at the same time, the information is readily available.

But, afterwards, with your permission, the hypnotist will put you in a deep trance, making you feel very relaxed. You will still be aware of everything around you.

Your prior hypnotizability does not matter, because you will remain in control at all times. Your conscious analytical mind takes a break, and your subconscious mind will take control, but only with your permission.

Your subconscious mind is the part that controls all of your habits and physiological functions, which keep you alive, such as breathing. Hypnosis opens your subconscious mind so that the right information can be re-programed into your conscious and subconscious thoughts about smoking.

Before you actually go to see the hypnotist, he may ask you to bring him all your cigarettes and smoking paraphernalia, such as lighters, ashtrays, cigarette cases, etc. This way you will be able to give up all your smoking paraphernalia, and not have it available to you after the visit.

You won't need or want any of these things after the session anyway because you will be a non-smoker.

After a session or two of Stop Smoking Session of Hypnosis, you will become a non-smoker, having no urges or desires to smoke after the sessions.

Hypnosis only works if you are willing to be hypnotized and if you are truly willing to quit smoking.

In some cases, after a few sessions of working with a professional hypnotist, you will be able to find programs online or at home programs suggested by the hypnotist that will help you afterwards.

In the hands of a skilled practitioner, acupuncture is actually highly effective to control a smoking habit. About 7 out of 10 patients will actually stop smoking in about 2 or 3 weeks, where others will cut down the number of cigarettes that they smoke.

Acupuncture will help decrease both the physical and mental withdrawals and cravings for the nicotine. Acupuncture reduces beta-endorphins, which are natural hormones, that cause physical relaxation and reduces one's sensitivity to pain. The production of the beta-endorphins is a part of what makes it possible for you to quit smoking.

Treatments consist of inserting sterile, disposable needles into special pressure points on the ear, hand, and wrist. Sometimes, a mild electric current can be passed through the needles to increase the overall effect. Each treatment lasting about a half an hour.

In some cases, an acupunturist will place small retainer needles, or press pellets, are inserted into the ear and remain there for a few days. These "ear-tags" serve to create a constant mini-stimulus to the pressure points, which helps to minimize withdrawal symptoms.

A typical program will consist of 3 treatments during the first week (when the withdrawal symptoms will be the most severe) and 2 follow-up treatments during the second week.

It's sometimes recommended that you have the occasional follow-up visit for 2-3 months after the first few sessions in order to insure long-term effectiveness.

Disclaimer: Please be aware that the advice in this article should in no way replace that of a licensed physician. Consult your doctor if you are trying to stop smoking so that you can find the ideal method to stop smoking. Not all programs will work for everyone.