Sunday, November 22, 2009

Effects of smoking on you and your loved ones

Smoking is the greatest cause of death and disability. Statistics from the World Health Organisation say that smoking is responsible for approximately five million deaths worldwide per year. Smoking effects on human health are serious and in many cases, deadly. Cigarettes contain 4000 chemicals approximately, most of which are toxic.

When quit smoking help is sought, it dramatically improves your chances of avoiding myriad biological and physiological smoking effects. In fact, smoking effects can be seen on all parts of your body, which include the urinary tract, digestion, bones as well as the reproductive system. Additionally, smoking effects can also be seen on blood capillaries and oxygen flow. Bronchitis and pneumonia are the secondhand smoking effects in infants up to 18 months of age. Secondhand smoking effects can also manifest as middle ear problems, coughing, wheezing, severe asthma attacks and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Let’s face it; most smokers really enjoy their ciggie. In spite of wanting to, many are unable to quit smoking because of the severe cravings. So, how to quit smoking when you actually love to smoke? How to quit smoking if in your heart you really don’t want to? The first step to quit smoking is to wish deep down your heart that you want to quit. Once you get around this part, there is quit smoking help around for you to make it easier for you.

Quit smoking help is available in the form of written material like books and magazines; Chantix; cigarette substitutes like nicotine lozenges, patches and gum; exercise and fitness and hypnosis. Online guidance can also prove to be a good place to start with. When a person tries to quit smoking, the body starts to take some quick actions in response to the shortage of nicotine in the system. Over a period of time you are likely to suffer severe withdrawal symptoms like nervousness, tension and anxiety; increased anger, frustration and irritability; restlessness; fatigue; insomnia; concentration problems; headaches, weight gain and increased appetite as the harmful toxins are removed from the body.

Although the health risks of smoking are cumulative, quit smoking with Chantix, or other nicotine substitutes and get health benefits regardless of age or the length of time you have been smoking.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Are you planning to quit smoking cigarettes? - Tips to Quit smoking

Cigarette smoking is the most common habit among people throughout the world. Most men, women and teenagers smoke cigarettes for a variety of reasons. Some may smoke to relieve the stress in their lives, some may smoke for fun, and teenagers mostly smoke under peer pressure or simply to imitate their favorite actors who can be seen smoking in movies or TV programs.

Despite a ban on smoking in public places by many countries of the world, smoking is still the leading cause of preventable deaths and diseases among people throughout the world. It has been confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

If you are a smoker and are planning to quit, you can easily get support or help from sources out there that provide tips to quit smoking. You can join any quit smoking program in your area and get support or help for your quit smoking efforts.

Tips to quit smoking

• Get support from a counselor who can provide you with some excellent tips to quit smoking
• You can also get support or help from your family members or friends in your efforts to quit smoking
• Make some lifestyle changes and seek company of those people who support your quit smoking efforts
• Join any quit smoking program and follow the tips to quit smoking provided to you, be it telephone counseling or face-to-face talk
• Get support in the form of prescription drugs like Zyban or Chantix for your quit smoking help in consultation with a medical doctor

Zyban and Chantix are both prescription drugs that help in quitting smoking successfully. Unlike nicotine replacement therapies, these drugs are free from nicotine. Zyban is an anti-depressant and contains bupropion as its main ingredient whilst Chantix contains varenicline as its active ingredient.

At present, Chantix is considered the most popular drug for quit smoking. It doesn’t contain nicotine but does reduce the nicotine cravings by mimicking its effect in the brain. It stimulates the nicotine receptors without actually providing any nicotine. This is very unlike nicotine replacement therapies that treat nicotine cravings by injecting small but consistent doses of nicotine. With Chantix treatment, many smokers have successfully kicked this habit. You can also take this quit smoking medication, provided it’s prescribed to you by a doctor after a thorough check up.