Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Stop Smoking Programs - Which One is Right For You?

Stopping smoking is extremely difficult to say the least, especially when going it alone. Many people have successfully learned how to quit smoking after getting help from stop smoking programs. If you have tried to quit smoking and failed and have wondered if a stop smoking program could help you, learn how to choose one that is right for you.

The Different Types of Stop Smoking Programs

You can take smoking cessation classes, have private counseling, join a support group run by a therapist or join a 12 step program like Nicotine Anonymous. But all good stop smoking programs have certain things in common:

  • Plenty of Sessions - Whether it is a formal class or just a one-on-one with a private counselor, your program should hold sessions or classes over several weeks. A good program should have at least 4 to 7 meetings as the minimum for you to get the most out of class or program.
  • Adequate Session Times - You should have sessions that last at least 30 minutes or longer. Any shorter and you are still getting your coat off and redirecting your mind from the "busy-ness" of the day! An hour or 45 minutes is ideal. Don't let yourself be pushed into a "get in, get out" mindset.
  • Help Past Your Quit Date - Some stop smoking programs are designed to spend several weeks preparing for you for your quit date. Others like a 12 step program have ongoing support before and after your quit date. Still others work with you 2-3 weeks past your quit time before ending. The programs that continue to assist you after quitting have the most success and are the most useful.
  • Money Matters - A stop smoking program should be affordable and fit into your budget. Most communities have free or low-cost public stop smoking programs hosted by local health departments. Private programs can either be very reasonable (usually in a group setting) or cost a bit higher for individual counseling. Choose the program you can afford. There is no sense in adding money woes to an already stressful situation.
  • Be Flexible - Public health stop smoking programs and some private support groups have preset schedules and may only teach a class or program a few times during the year. You should take this into consideration and be willing to change your quit date to match that of the program.
  • It's Not Easy - You should avoid any stop smoking program that implies that quitting is going to be quick or easy. There is no "magic pill" despite all the great treatment prescriptions available. Choose a program where the counselors are honest and supportive.
  • Use the Internet - A good many stop smoking programs make after hours help available via a website or by email. The Internet allows you 24-7 access to program information, publications or contact with a mentor/sponsor or counselor. The Web also works well for those are uncomfortable in a group setting.

About the author:

After smoking for more than 15 years, and trying every product, plan, and trick in the book to stop smoking cigarettes, it is great to be able to say I Finally Stopped. After years of struggling with trying to kick the habit, blaming myself for the failures and wishing I had the will power and motivation to quit, I finally found that being successful required more than just the desire to quit. I decided to share the information and resources that helped me, so that hopefully it will help someone else as well. Understanding the habit, addiction, and what it takes to overcome it are key to quitting. I hope that this information helps at least one person stop smoking and feel better about life and themselves in the process. Find Out More at http://www.ifinallystopped.com

Is Smoking Reducing Your Chances of Getting a Date?

Lots of us know that smoking can have a major negative impact on our health. But what is less well reported are the subtle changes that it has on our appearance. Studies have shown it makes us appear less attractive and prematurely old. In a nutshell, it contributes to us being less sexually attractive.

There have been widely publicised campaigns to reduce smoking for years. But despite all these health education efforts, there are still a significant proportion of people that continue with the habit. And there are still a worrying number of young people starting smoking everyday.

But smoking can have subtle changes on a person over time that can affect their appearance. This can include their skin becoming greyer and prematurely aging. There maybe more wrinkles on the face especially around the lips where there can be puckering lines. The hair can become thinner and have less life. In some cases there may also be a problem of teeth falling out due to reduced circulation in the gums.

In short, smoking can make you look old before your time and sexually unattractive. There have been a number of twin studies carried out that have confirmed these findings. The genetically identical twin that smoked had a significantly worse appearance than their non-smoking sibling.

Concentrating on these factors maybe a more effective deterrent to young smokers than concentrating on the diseases that can be caused by smoking. Educating a young person that they may develop lung cancer when they are older just doesn't seem to have had the effect of significantly educing the number of people smoking. But relating the effects to their appearance could really make it relevant to their lives.

The society that we live in is now dominated by the way that you look and appear to others. Millions are spent each year on medical procedures to improve our looks. But a little bit of prevention is far better than resorting to surgery at a later date. Stopping smoking is one of the best ways of making yourself more attractive to others.

If you really want to quit visit http://www.stop-smoking-quit-tips.com. Discover whether stop smoking lasers work or not and the best quit smoking aids.

How to Stop Smoking Now!

Addiction is one of the hardest things to deal with in life, it doesn't matter if its drugs, alcohol, food, smoking or something else altogether. With addictions, there's always that nagging feeling that you need it, even though it might be obvious to other people that you do not.

Only a true addict knows what addiction feels like. But I feel like the realization to stop smoking and the guilt that comes along with it is more prevalent than it is in drugs or in alcohol addictions. When I was a smoker, it was obvious that it wasn't good for me but I just couldn't stop myself. It sounds stupid but there's the pain of realizing you will never have another cigarette again if you quit smoking and that's all that comes to mind, not the pros but instead all the cons.

For some people who may decide to stop smoking they can do it cold turkey without a problem but for other people not only is it a hard thing to realize that you need to stop smoking, but it's also hard thing to do in general. There were several times where I tried to stop smoking, by using an aide such as Nicorette, hypnosis, and commit, and the only thing that really worked for me was commit.

They say that after a few months, the cravings go away, but for me they just heightened especially in times when I was used to having a cigarette, such as going out for a drink with my friends, having finished dinner, or having a stressful day. Maybe it was all in my head but that nagging feeling kept coming back again and again. Finally I just gave in and started smoking again.

Then I tried something a few years later, after I decided to give it up again. But this time I went for an over-the-counter drug, i figured if I was going to stop smoking this time around, I better do whatever it takes. The reason I finally decided to give it up, I really decided to sit down and research what is in cigarettes and why we are addicted. The results are astonishing, not only astonishing but frightening. In the end this ended up not working either.

So finally it came down to the very last thing I could try and I decided to try something my mom actually suggested, which was something homeopathic. She's really into healthy things and such. So I figured I would give it a try, not even a month later I started to feel those nagging symptoms lessen each day. And as said above that nagging feeling is just one of the worst things I could possibly think of. I would suggest anyone that's having a problem with quitting smoking; If you've tried everything else and have failed, try a homeopathic remedy.

There is no magic fix. You have to realize that. You're going to have to actually work at this. The first couple weeks are going to be hard. Do you want to stop smoking? You want that nagging feeling to stop right? You would do anything to stop smoking right? Then try this, do yourself a favor right now go online and look for things relevant to Homeopathic stop smoking kits, homeopathic cures to stop smoking, stop smoking healthily, or natural herbs to stop smoking. This should give you a few sites to take a look at as well as a few natural herbs to look into. By, if you're looking for some sites right this very second, you can try these:

NaturallyDirect
Homeopathic.
ABCHomeopathy
*NativeRemedies (terrific site for ANY homeopathic and natural cures)

I wish you all the luck in the world, but always remember, if you want to stop smoking then your going to have to put a little effort into it! Good luck!

This author is a huge fan of Smoke Deter Guide

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Why the Need to Quit Smoking?

Do you ever try to think of the consequences of smoking?

I am not saying that every time the end is cancer or death. But there are common symptoms, which are more affected in the smokers' area than any other; which are bad breath, cough, stained teeth, stained fingers, stinking body and many more.

By quitting smoking, you are becoming a new person with a new breath, cleaner lungs and whiter teeth.

Definitely, not every non-smoker had lived up to the age of a hundred years but the life expectancy of a non-smoker compared to a smoker is at a higher step.

Did you ever think about the brown colored finger nail?

When you gave somebody your hand and on a casual look, you yourself realize the difference in colors of the nails! Quitting smoking is a remarkable step towards this end.

Another benefit of stopping smoking is monetary in nature. Just count the dollars you spend on cigarettes every year. Accumulate this, a huge sum of money, isn't it? Yes, that is what I say.

If you become a non-smoker, the money is automatically saved and can be spent on any other leisure or if you are more a philosopher, you can spend it on charity.

An overall health is affected by smoking. You will feel better and confident, if you feel healthy. Could you ever think about a day which was happy even though you are suffering from phlegm, heavy breast and acidic stomach?

On my days, I hear always that "Every Father is a King". Can you imagine a King smelling tobacco, fingers stained and coughing and spitting? No... That might be looking like some savage ruler. A non-smoker is a better adored King for the reasons that you smell human, speak without disrupting coughs and have a regular healthy body.

The kids just imitate their parents in the beginning, and a father is always their role model as a man, and mother, as a woman. They always want to be a man or women and so they copy exactly what you look like.

By quitting smoking, you would become a good role model for your growing children. If you are with many servants in your home and you never ever thought about cleaning of your house etc, then this might not look anything unusual to you or even relevant. But think about cleaning your home every time which is full of tobacco ashes and if some visitor comes to you and to your surprise if you find they behave as if they got into a burning house. How bad it is to face that? Better... decide now to quit smoking. Every time you complain about the tasteless food, did you ever notice that every where you feel the same. Yes, the food from wherever you take feels tasteless if you are a smoker. Smoking causes less-reactive taste buds and therefore, unpleasant food.

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Public Reminder - Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to Your Health

In keeping with the health principles behind our health and wellness products, we consistently try to increase awareness that cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health! Smoking shortens your life span and steeply increases your chances of getting cancer. Despite consistent warnings on the dangers of smoking, we still see cigarette brands aggressively advertised on TV and more people buying into the glamorized image of cigarettes.

The warnings are everywhere - subway stations, anti-smoking TV ads and even on the packs of cigarettes themselves! We certainly know the dangers that cigarette smoking pose to our health. Why then do we still see celebrities with their requisite cigarette sticks? Why do we see teenagers hanging out with a cigarette dangling from their lips? If you are a smoker, why don't you stop smoking? Here are five reasons why you need to quit smoking today.

  • Smoking is bad for your health - Aside from lung cancer, smoking is also considered as a major cause of cardiovascular diseases. Smoking is also linked to cancers of the bladder, mouth, and throat just to name a few. It also raises blood pressure and increases risk of cataracts. In addition, smoking may contribute to fertility problems.
  • Smoking can break your relationships - Non-smokers prefer non-smoking partners due to obvious reasons. For one, they don't want to expose themselves to second-hand smoke. Non-smokers also hate the smell of cigarette, which usually clings to a smoker's body even after they have washed their hands.
  • Smoking looks so out of style - The days of looking "cool" while puffing a cigarette is long gone. Nowadays people are more educated on the risk of smoking. Still, a lot of people, especially young adults, think that lighting up a cigarette will make them appear better than their peers.
  • Smoking is more expensive than quitting smoking - You will be surprised to know how much you are actually spending for cigarettes. Do a quick online search for "smoking calculator" to find out. On the other hand, seminars and programs that will help you quit smoking will set you back just a couple of hundred dollars at most.
  • It's not as hard as you may think to stop smoking - Every smoker will tell you that it's hard to quit, when in actuality it's not. They just don't want to quit. If you put your mind and heart to it, with a little help from family and friends, you can kick that nasty habit once and for all.

On the other hand, if you have decided to quit smoking our health articles will provide you with impetus to start and take solid steps to leading a nicotine free life! Read our posted health articles and be enlightened. Another one, some of the health website can provide for you with pertinent information, advice, tips, and other alternative means to overcome your smoking. If there are other concerns and experiences that you would like to share with other smokers feel free to contribute your feedback and comments to them.

SixWise.com as Health and Wellness provides a FREE and very popular newsletter containing highly engaging and entertaining expert articles, and independent product recommendations, in the six key areas of practical importance to adults: personal safety, health, relationships, finances, home and career.