Changing The Routine And Learn New Things

Certainly, there will be a lot of things going on when you quit smoking. Certain routine might change and taste of foods. On the other hand, there will be an added attitude that you want to nurture while on the early stage of the process, and that is keeping yourself aware and resilient over the cravings that will occur.

Keeping track of progress is a valuable thing, and to observe how many cravings occur on a daily basis. Also, observing when is the time the craving to smoke occur, and the things done when it occurs can be helpful. Knowing all these factors will make it easy to formulate counter measures to divert the cravings to something else. Typically, each cravings last around 3 to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 time a day.

Once these things are taken into account, plan something ahead in order to divert attention when these cravings occur. For instance, smoking during break is a long time habit. In order to distract or avoid of doing this, replace smoking routine by taking few minutes of walk with a friend. Of course, picking someone to be with is another vital factor. You do not want to be with someone who is a smoker, or else you will end up tempted and go with the crave.

Another thing that is effective of distracting your cravings is to browse the internet, have fun and join quit smoking forums. Reading and conditioning the brain to learn more quit smoking tips and benefits can be of substantial help, most of the time. This makes forgetting smoking overtime a lot easier.

Keeping Busy

This is another noteworthy aspect to consider while in the early process of quitting smoking. Most people smoke during idle time. Keeping yourself busy can divert the attention to craving.

Think and list all the things you want to do. Plan on doing these things, so that you won't be having a long idle time. This may not be difficult for an outgoing person, but for a person who is not used to being active physically, this can be tough start.

Suggestions that you can take on to divert craving attention;

• Engage and be active physically. Join sports club or go out with people who are active in sports. This allows the body active also conditions the brain to divert the attention of craving to smoke.
• Engage in home improvement projects. Do the things you want that you have never done in the past. This not only keeps you busy, diverting craving to smoke, but bring functionality and elegance to your home.
• Enroll in a gym and have a regular workout.
• Plan a healthy diet, and choose foods which help stop the smoke cravings.

Be a volunteer. Joining a non-profit group doing for a cause is a fantastic way to keep busy while doing nifty things to the community. Perhaps, you can join a quit smoking support group who help people quitting smoking. It is proven that, teaching your experiences to people will do a self-encouragement and able to learn others experience that might help in your situation.

These are only some of the things that a quitter can engage to divert cravings. You may be have some better plans. Consult the entire family about helpful and stimulating activities. A vacation or perhaps going for an outdoor activity can be both exciting and helpful. Additionally, this helps one face the challenges and effects of quitting easily.

Never stop finding things that help you forget smoking entirely. The more you do it, the more your brain ignores the cravings. In time, when you have your next medical checkup, you will be surprise how your body recovers quickly and equal those who do not smoke.

Seeking Medication And The Use Of Quit Smoking Aids Appropriately

The entire process of how to quit smoking is not as easy as one starts to smoke. Depending on which method is use, one may need a medication or a quit smoking aid or product in conjunction with a quit smoking timeline. For the vast majority of ex-smokers, quitting is easier when having a timeline and quit smoking aid than simply using the cold turkey method.

The cold turkey method is cheap and safe. However, this is the most difficult method to follow. That is why the success rate of using cold turkey is extremely low compare to the success rate of quitting using medications or a quit smoking aid. Using an appropriate quit smoking aid can increase the chances of one quitting successfully.

There are lots of quit smoking aids or products that are available over the counter. However, it is not recommended to, simply buy one and immediately use it. Before using such medication, consult a doctor if it is safe and appropriate for use. Although, certain homeopathic quitting smoking aids are safe to use even without any prescription. These are products which are approved by the FDA as safe for use without requiring a prescription.

However, it is vital to check the product if it is indeed approved by the FDA. Only buy products from a reputable source. If you choose to buy it online, check if it is a reputable and accredited online store by proper authority such as BBB. In case you want refund, it can be done easily without any hassles.

For other medical-related issues such as prolong occurrence of the symptoms associated with nicotine withdrawal, consulting a doctor is an excellent idea. This why it is advisable to have a regular medical checkup while in the process of quitting. The doctor can monitor both the recovery process experience by the body, and if there are any abnormal side-effects, it can be address a lot earlier.

Nicotine Patches

Nicotine patches are put on the smoker's skin, usually at the shoulder. This is among the recommended medication, also known as the nicotine replacement. Most nicotine patches can be bought over the counter and does not require a doctor's prescription. Before using the patch, read the label which has the written instructions on how to use the patch properly. A research back in 2009 revealed that, nicotine patches are effective if use along with other techniques, such as hypnosis. Reportedly, the combination of the two results in higher success rate than using each of the technique individually.

However, nicotine patches can have side-effects such as mild itching, burning, redness, and stinging on the spot where it is patched. Normally, redness will go away to around 4 days, consult a doctor if there is a prolonged redness. While using the patch, nausea, dizziness, headache and flushing can potentially occur likewise.

During the medication, it is normal to experience anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, and irritability, since these are primary symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. If these symptoms continue to occur for a long time, consult a doctor immediately before it gets worsen.

One vital thing to note while using a quit smoking medication or aid. Never smoke while using the medication as this can result certain side-effects similar the common symptoms mentioned above, but it can occur in a more serious condition. After all, if you are serious in quitting, you must resist the craving.

Expecting Relapses and Difficulties

Not all smoke quitters are the same. There are those who managed to stay non-smoker for the rest of their lives since the day they decided to quit. While there are those smokers who feel that quitting is not a big deal, but to remain a non-smoker for life, can be an enormous challenge. If you belong to the former group, then there is no problem at all. However, if you belong to the latter group, this can is where the challenge occurs.

During the first 3 months of quitting, it can be a challenge. At this point, relapse can be expected for the majority of quitters. When this happens, support is essential from people like family and friends. This is the time or stage when quitters gave up the quit smoking timeline, and go back to smoking. Be prepared at this stage because the craving to smoke can be extremely intense.

If you have relapse, it does not mean that you fail. Start again and recover where you slip. It is at this stage where stress can be experience most. The good news is, there are several ways to manage stress appropriately.

Managing Stress

• Join a yoga class and do yoga regularly.
• Have a regular workout at home or gym.
• Do breathing exercise and meditation every day.
• Avoid the triggers to crave smoking.
• Make it a habit to eat healthy foods and maintain a well-balanced diet.
• Limit or avoid the triggers such as alcohol and coffee.
• Play your favorite sport with friends, or have fun with any outdoor activities with the whole family.
• Have sex (safe sex of course with our partner). Besides, quitting smoking is one of the best ways to maintain and improve erection quality, hence a great way to avoid or prevent erectile dysfunction in the long run..

Reminding Yourself The Benefits Of Quitting

Quitting can have a substantial impact on health as well as physical appearance. Typically, during the first months of quitting, these benefits can be experienced;

• No more chronic cough.
• No more bad smell.
• No more cigarette butts to cleaned.
• No more yellow teeth.
• No more risks of second hand smoke for people around you.
• Save an extra 200 bucks monthly.
• Better sense of smell and taste.
• Improved physical appearance.
• Improved energy and better breathing.
• Risk of several types of cancers is reduced significantly.

Mentioned above are among the key benefits achieved when quitting. Not to mention, the joy and happiness of the people around you such as your family and friends. Quitting is just the beginning, remaining a non-smoker for life is an achievement. It is not too late to quit, and no one is a failure until one decides to be.

Start establishing your quit smoking timeline, stay committed, and be persistent until you become an non-smoker for life.

The Danger Of Cigarette Smoking

You have heard the reasons why smoking is bad for your health. However, have you really seen the reasons why? Smoking goes beyond the lungs, affecting all organs, and can even affect your sex life. Here, we will be taking a look at the journey of cigarette takes from when you light it up, to the moment you put it out.

Everyone smokes for different reasons, but whatever the reasons, know this; before you start smoking, your lungs looks nice and healthy, and after years of damage from smoking, it can turn black. This is what happens you start to smoke;

Upon taking a drag, the smoke enters the mouth, surrounding the teeth, gums and tongue until it enters the throat. Eventually causing an abnormal thickening in the lining of the mouth and airways. This is link to throat cancer. However, not all the smoke goes to the lungs, some goes into the nose and sinuses, and overtime smoking will decrease the sense of smell and taste too.

When the smoke gets into the lungs, the body's natural defenses will immediately weaken, and more mucus is produce to protect the lungs from the toxins of the smoke. It becomes more and more difficult to fight colds and other respiratory illnesses. The breathing rate increases forcing the lungs to work harder while doing less.

The smoke will damage some of the air sacs where the oxygen breath transferred to the bloodstream. Know this little known fact, a packet-a-day smoker is pouring 1-cup or 8 ounces of tar in their lungs each year. The result, 87 percent of death caused by lung cancer. That is equivalent to over a 137,000 people every year died because of cigarette smoking. That is enough people to fill 3 baseball stadium to its full capacity.

 

Smoking Affects The Heart

The heart is the busiest working organ in the body. Smoking makes it work even harder. The heart is forced to beat as much as 36,000 times more in one day compare to a non-smoker. So, where is the blood going when the heart is working so hard to pump. First, it is being pushed through to the blood vessels that have narrowed from the smoke that drive the blood pressure to rise by 10 to 15 percent. As one keeps on smoking, the risk of stroke and heart disease doubles.

Smoking can also lead to a buildup of plaque and deposits in the blood vessels, and can cause circulations in the arms and legs. Severe circulation problems can lead to an increased risk of amputation. Smoking can make the bones brittle, increases the risk of fractures or breaks, this is called osteoporosis.

 

Smoking Affects Sex Life

For men who smoked have problems of getting and keeping an erection, and can decrease sperm count. For women, decreases the ability to conceived and to stay pregnant. Smoking during pregnancy increased the chances of the baby to be born prematurely, sick or even die.

 

Smoking Affects The Outer Parts Of The Body

We have covered how smoking affects the internal organs of the body, but the little known fact is that, smoking also affects exterior parts of the body. Smoking constricts the blood vessels of the skin and reduces the oxygen it gets. This means that, the skin is more vulnerable to wrinkling. It also causes the hands and feet become chronically cold.

Smokers teeth are yellow. This is visible when one smiles. Smoking also hinders saliva functions and can lead to tooth decay. Moreover, smoking is among the major causes of cancer of the mouth. Along with the teeth, the fingernails can turn have a yellow-stained color and is prune to excessive and rapid hair loss.

Quitting is hard, but once quit of smoking completely, whether you feel it or not, the body starts to heal itself right after the last cigarette. It's not too late, start your quit smoking timeline and work towards achieving the goal of quitting.

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