Jun
12
Quitting Smoking: It’s All in Your Mind
Filed Under smoking | Leave a Comment
How many times have you berated yourself for not being able to stop smoking? If you’re like most people who smoke, it’s probably more times than you can count. The problem is that quitting isn’t as easy as starting.
We all know about the side effects of smoking, the worst of which is lung cancer. When nicotine is present in your system, your heart rate, blood flow and blood pressure all increase. Smoking is considered to be one of the leading causes of heart attacks, and it also contributes to hardening of the arteries.
What many people don’t realize is that smoking is an addiction. Nicotine is a drug. It might not be a banned substance, but it’s certainly addictive. You’ll experience constant cravings for it. Many people claim that they simply can’t stop. The withdrawal symptoms are too hard to handle. Erratic emotions, putting on weight and anxiety are a few of the symptoms.
Lots of people question whether there’s a program to quit smoking for good that’s of any use. The answer is yes, but only if you really want it to. You can find any number of programs that will guide you through the process of cutting loose from your addiction and enjoying a smoke free life. However, if they’re going to be effective, you have to truly desire to stop smoking.
Most people who make it through a stop smoking program will have a greater sense of well being than when they still smoked. They can breathe more easily and they don’t get as tired as they used to. It’s difficult to quit, though, and it’s even harder to stick to the plan in the long run. However, in the end, just about everyone would agree that it was so worth it. Your life should mean more to you than that cigarette you think you need. In the end, you’ll find that you don’t need it as much as you thought you did.
Stopping smoking is all in your head. You need to convince yourself that you’re done with smoking. You need to really convince yourself it will work if you’re going to be successful. When you decide to stop smoking, will power plays a leading role.
When you’re ready, there are many programs to choose from out there. Investigate them carefully. The techniques aren’t always the same in each program, so there’s certain to be a system out there that will suit you and your lifestyle. It will be challenging, but the payoff will more than make up for it. If you choose to quit smoking, it’s a move that will have a huge impact on your life.
May
14
It is a common nature of people to be convinced when faced with reality. It is also a known fact that when an individual is presented with the actual reality of a situation they will be less inclined to ignore the facts.
In the health world, it is next to impossible to deny the dangers of smoking now that there are various public discourses of smoking statistics. However, there are still people who ignore the facts no matter how many solid smoking statistics are placed in front of them.
Being in Denial Does Not Help
Of course, not all people go with what the statistics says. For many, stoic and dry numbers and figures simply do nothing for them. Part of the reason for this is that such figures presented in a bland manner is so detached and removed from reality that a person may not take such smoking statistics serious.
This is unfortunate because regardless of what one may think of them, if the smoking statistics are empirical then what a person opts to believe or not believe then becomes irrelevant. After all, reality is reality and when one opts to deny reality then one must suffer the consequences of such denial.
In other words, if one wish to ignore the dangers behind cigarette smoking, such blatant ignorance will leave you without protection and it can certainly guarantee severe repercussions.
Origins of Statistics
When smoking statistics, irrelevant of its content, come from credible sources such as the World Health Organization or the Surgeon General’s office, they should be taken more serious. After all, if such statistics were not of prime importance then they would not be issued in the form of a warning to the public health.
Since most of these statistics deal with the connection of smoking to coronary artery disease or incidents of cancer, these stats should definitely be adhered to. Of course, no matter how serious or important these statistics are, there will still be those who will not listen or take them seriously.
In the end, it is ultimately the responsibility of every individual to safeguard their own health. If the person refuses to face the reality regardless of what the statistics say, then the person must accept the consequences of their actions.
May
13
Our population is bombarded with warnings through all modes of communications concerning the harmful effects of cigarette smoking. Unfortunately, a significant portion of the population falls under the category of being a smoker. Smoking a cigarette means a person is at risk of taking over 4000 harmful chemicals into their body. The entire elements of cigarette smoking adversely interfere with the normal functions of the human body. The effects of cigarette smoking are fatal and extensive. For this reason, our population is highly at risk.
Nicotine
Damaging effects occur when harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke pass through the body. Nicotine, the most common component of cigarette smoking, reach the brain in less than 10 seconds and affects various organs of human body. A breastfeeding woman is at higher risk for cigarette smoking and the effects of cigarette smoking are more dangerous to infant. Carbon Monoxide from cigarette smoking combines with hemoglobin within the red blood corpuscles which inhibit the process of oxygen transportation throughout the cells.
Carcinogens
One of the significant compounds of cigarette smoke is the cancer causing agent known as carcinogens, which can alter or damage the structure of the genes responsible for cell growth. The result is either restrained or excessive abnormal cell production. Both conditions are harmful and place the person at a higher level of susceptibility to develop various types of cancer. The effects of cigarette smoking have great effect on the immune system and respiratory system.
The effects of cigarette smoking are quite vast and deep-rooted. One of the most complex effects of cigarette smoking is the formation of oxidative stress that mutates DNA which eventually leads to chronic lung injury. It is assumed that the oxidative stress is an important symptom related to acceleration of the aging process. Advance stages of oxidative stress may lead to the development of various types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Normally, our body produces certain level of antioxidants which aids in repairing damaged cells, preventing the production of free radicals and the like. Cigarette smoking directly interferes with this process and it also promotes production of free radicals. Chronic inflammation can be considered as one of the serious effects of cigarette smoking, which also accelerates the oxidative process.
Apr
24
Many people today are vaguely aware of the many dangerous effects of cigarette smoking, from lung cancer to bronchitis. However, the real truth is that there are many, many parts of one’s body, many members of one’s family, and many aspects of one’s life that are hit hard by the effects of cigarette smoking.
The judge stated that the conspiracy dated back to 1953, when a group of tobacco companies met together at the Plaza Hotel in New York City and devised a public relations plan to counter health concerns associated with smoking. The judge also ruled that even after the 1964 Surgeon General’s report linked smoking to lung cancer, tobacco companies continued to deny and purposely distort many serious dangers of smoking their products.
Cancers of the lips, mouth, throat and larynx are common effects of smoking, as are constant sore throats, a reduced sense of taste, and breath that smells of smoke. That poor blood circulation means cold hands and especially cold fingertips, which are usually stained of tar.
Lung cancer is not the only smoking effect that hits the respiratory system. Most smokers are more prone to bronchitis, a constant shortness of breath and persistent cough with sputum, and are more likely to get colds, flu, pneumonia, and asthma. Smoking also complicates tuberculosis and virtually any other respiratory condition one can get.
In 1999, the Clinton administration accused the tobacco industry of racketeering as part of a coordinated plan to deceive the public about the dangers of smoking, and to cover up the knowledge they had to the contrary.
When thinking about the body’s mid-section, cancers of the esophagus, abdomen, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, and colon are all traced to the effects of smoking. The bones are also not immune to smoking’s effects. Osteoporosis, spine and hip fractures, and degenerative disc disease can be traced back to smoking. Infertility is another issue with heavy and chronic smokers, both male and female. Men can have lower sperm counts and decreased sperm motility, and women can have difficulty with ovulation when smoking.
While this ruling was a victory for many anti-smoking and anti-tobacco campaigns, many commented on how long it took for the government to respond to tobacco’s use and on how long the actual case itself took as well. Others felt that perhaps the court was not punitive enough with the industry. “We are pleased with the court’s finding of liability on the part of the defendants, but disappointed that the court did not impose all of the remedies sought by the government,” the Justice Department said in a written statement. “Nevertheless, we are hopeful that the remedies that were imposed by the court can have a significant, positive impact on the health of the American public.” All in all, it seemed to many to be a hollow victory, but still did some good in highlighting the real dangers of smoking that even the tobacco industry itself could not – or was no longer allowed to – deny.
For more information about ways to quit smoking visit Effects Of Cigarette Smoking
Nov
17
Effects of Smoking and Why You Should Quit
Filed Under smoking | Leave a Comment
Quitting smoking or as it is better know as smoking cessation, is when one tries to quit smoking or using tobacco based products. Tobacco based products have a addictive substance called Nicotine, in which is absorbed by the lungs of smokers when inhaled. When denied access to nicotine, they can have irritability, jitteriness, dry mouth and rapid heart beat. These physical symptoms are caused by withdrawals of nicotine, much like one has withdrawals of recreational drugs or alcohol.
Source:Effects of Smoking and Why You Should Quit