February 22, 2012

Posts Comments

Dr. Saunders’ Kick The Habit Plan To Quit Smoking

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Over a hundred years ago Mark Twain quipped, “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it hundreds of times.”  The concept of quitting a habit is as old as people, but smoking is one habit that seems especially difficult to overcome.  I have patients who quit methamphetamines, heroin and alcohol, but cannot overcome the tobacco habit.  They tell me it is the hardest thing.

One patient was able to quit when he got throat cancer, but only because he hated the tracheostomy tube so much and knew he would never smoke again if he did not beat the cancer odds. Others with this same problem actually smoke through the tube!

The methods and ways people quit are varied, almost as the number of quitters.  Some medications are used, but these were mostly created for a different purpose. When drug testing was being done on these medications, the statistical analysis showed that a greater number of smokers quit in the active medicine group than in the placebo group.  The pharmaceutical company then decided to market this effect of the medicine instead of the intended use, such as anti-depressant.  There are patches, pills, electronic cigarettes, creams and all manner of physical assistance to help quit smoking.

Decision to Quit

Kicking the habit starts with a decision.  Many who are pushed from the outside will say they want to quit, but really want to continue smoking.  This decision must come from within.  When I counsel people in my office, I simply ask them what they want to do.  I then assess whether they are ready to start trying.  Those who have made a firm resolve to quit smoking find a successful way.

My grandfather was given cigarettes as part of his Navy rations during World War II.  At home, his wife did not like the smoke in the house, plus they had a son with asthma.  So, he decided just to postpone his usual smoking.  He would reach for a cigarette from his shirt pocket, take one out, look at it and say, “I’ll just wait a few minutes.”  He kept putting it off until after a few months went by he realized he had gone a full week without smoking.  He then took the cigarettes out of his shirt pocket and said, “No use just carrying these around…” threw them in the trash and never smoked again.

Dr. Manchester was a pediatrician who smoked and would counsel all of his young patients never to start smoking.  He tried to quit, but kept going back to it and felt like a hypocrite.  He paid for all sorts of programs, used all the medications and tried hundreds of times without success.  He felt so discouraged that he quit being a pediatrician and became a psychiatrist.  One day, he suffered a heart attack and ended up in the hospital.  As he was lying in the hospital bed, he hated being there so much he knew he would never smoke again just to avoid it — and he quit easily.

Patches

I had one patient, when the patches required a prescription, who was wearing a patch for many years.  We kept trying to wean him off, but he would come in for another round.  I do not know if he ever got off the patches, but at least he was not smoking.

Patches with nicotine in them are now available over-the-counter.  They are mostly helpful for those who really smoke for the nicotine, not for other reasons.  If you get shaky, nervous, jittery, and very irritable in the first several days after quitting, then this may be an option for you.  Those who can go a full day without these symptoms are less likely to benefit from patches.

Drugs

There are many drugs available now to help with the smoking habit. If you are going to use these, then...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









Filed Under: Dr. Scott Saunders, Quit Smoking, January 2012, Slideshow Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Diet is Key in Kicking the Habit

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Quitting smoking for good can be really tricky business.  Reason being it is very easy to switch from the smoking habit right into another bad habit.  The most common switch is from smoking to over-eating, and more specifically, to sugar addiction.

The average person who quits smoking gains anywhere from 4 lbs, all the way up to 30 lbs! This is why many experts are suggesting that smokers stop eating sugar and most carbs before they quit smoking.  This will make quitting smoking much easier and save you from obesity, which happens to be even more deadly than smoking!

Proper Nutrition = Smoke Free Success 

Getting vital nutrients into your body before you begin your journey to stop smoking is of the utmost importance.  Proper nutrition can help you quit smoking in several ways:

  1. If your body is “satisfied” with the proper vitamins, minerals and nutrients, then your craving for nicotine will be much less intense.
  2. Adequate nutrition minimizes depression and anxiety, which can easily occur when you smoking.
  3. When you eat healthy, it helps to strengthen your detoxification pathways, clearing the years of toxins that have accumulated from smoking.
  4. A healthy diet is going to make you feel stronger and more alert, enabling you to have more willpower to quit.

The Best Diet for Smoking Cessation 

A low carb diet is one of the best choices for smoking cessation.  I recommend...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









 

Filed Under: Healthy Recipes & Eating Ideas, Quit Smoking, January 2012, Recipes, Slideshow Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Smoke And Mirrors

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Christmas in Florida by Flickr Gregory J. Urbano

Greetings from sunny Florida, where it is currently a lovely 72 degrees, Fahrenheit! There is something to be said about living in a state where instead of wearing sweaters and coats at Christmas, you are sweating and coating yourself with sunscreen. :)

Oh, and before I forget, Happy New Year! January 1st is traditionally a time to make (and often break!) a “new year” resolution. The word “resolution” simply means, “A firm, unwavering decision.” Health clubs and personal trainers know that they will have a bevy of ninety day disciples come January, complete with good intentions and bulging holiday bellies. Unfortunately, like clockwork, dreams of  “6 pack” abs and “buns of steel” soon become “6 packs” of beer and “buns of oatmeal.”

Human beings are notoriously creatures of habit, which leads me to this month’s topic, “How To Quit Smoking.” Before I proceed, let me share this disclaimer: I am a minister, not a doctor or a licensed nutritionist. Each month, this Home Cures That Work publication, offers its readers a variety of articles written by authors who focus on their area of expertise. My modality of healing is predominantly spiritual. However, in no way am I undermining the importance of doctors, psychologists or nutritionists. Though we may see through different lenses, we are all looking for the same result, a healthier more vibrant… you!

It is estimated that 26 million men (25%) and 23 million women (21%) in America smoke. Considering those numbers, few would argue that cigarette smoking is a powerful addiction. If you Google “stop smoking” a multitude of sites pop up, each with a bold promise of instant freedom from your smoking addiction.

What they do not tell you is their success rate! Why? Because a smoker can “quit” the habit on Monday and be chain smoking again by Friday! It is my prayer that this article will help you leave your addiction in the rear view mirror, for good.

In order to get free from this addiction, you must have an open mind, so open in fact, that truth can walk in right now and delete all of the misconceptions you have filed away in your mind concerning your smoking addiction. By the way, I know a little bit about addiction. In fact, in the next few months, I will be sharing how this former crack addict was set free, literally over night!

Divine by Design

Before you can understand your smoking addiction, you must first understand...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









 

 

 

Filed Under: Quit Smoking, January 2012, Slideshow, Spiritual Dimension of Wellness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SMOKING ADDICTION: Why To Quit and How To Do It

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When your parents were young, people could buy cigarettes and smoke pretty much anywhere — even in hospitals! Ads for cigarettes could be see everywhere.  Today, we are more aware about the dangers of smoking and how bad it is for our health. Smoking is now restricted or banned in almost all public places and cigarette companies are no longer allowed to advertise on TV, radio and in many magazines.

Almost everyone knows:

  • Smoking causes cancer, emphysema, and heart disease.
  • Smoking can shorten your life by 10 years or more.
  • The habit can cost a smoker thousands of dollars a year.

So, how come people are still lighting up? The answer, in a word, is addiction.

Smoking in the U.S. goes back almost 400 years, with the first cash crop of tobacco leaf grown in Jamestown in 1612. It is only in the last 50 years that smoking has been recognized as more than just a “nasty habit” and seen to be a true addiction.

In the middle of the 20th century, the anti-smoking movement started gaining ground in the U.S. when the link between smoking and lung cancer was exposed.

How Addictive Is Smoking?

In 2007, a study in the British Medical Journal, Lancet ranked tobacco along with nineteen other abused substances on a scale of dependence and physical harm. Tobacco was more addictive than amphetamines, barbiturates and alcohol. It placed about even with cocaine. The only abused drug that clearly beat it was heroin.

Once You Start, It Is Hard To Stop

Smoking is a hard habit to break because tobacco contains nicotine, which is highly addictive. Like heroin or other addictive drugs, the body and mind quickly become so used to the nicotine in cigarettes that a person needs to have it just to feel normal.

People start smoking for a variety of different reasons. Some think it looks cool. Others start because their family members or friends smoke. Statistics show that about 9 out of 10 tobacco users start before they are 18 years old. Most adults who started smoking in their teens never expected to become addicted. That is why people say it is just so much easier to not start smoking – at all.

How Smoking Affects Your Health

There are no physical reasons to start smoking. The body does not need tobacco the way it needs food, water, sleep and exercise. Many of the chemicals in cigarettes, like nicotine and cyanide, are actually poisons that can kill in high enough doses.

The body is smart and when it is being poisoned by nicotine, it goes on the defense. First-time smokers often feel pain or burning in the throat and lungs and some people feel sick or even throw up the first few times they try tobacco.

The consequences of this poisoning happen gradually.  These diseases limit a person’s ability to be normally active and they can even be fatal. In the United States alone, smoking is responsible for about 1 out of 5 deaths.

You probably already know that smoking is bad for your health and that quitting smoking will reduce your risk of getting a disease related to smoking, such as heart or lung disease. Here are the facts about smoking and your health.

  • Over the long term, smoking leads people to develop health problems like heart disease, stroke, emphysema (breakdown of lung tissue) and many types of cancer — including lung, throat, stomach and bladder cancer.
  • Smokers are at increased risk for developing other cancers of the voice box (larynx), mouth, throat, esophagus, intestines, bladder, kidney and pancreas.
  • People who smoke also have an increased risk of infections like bronchitis and pneumonia.
  • Smokers develop wrinkles and yellow teeth.
  • People who smoke are twice as likely to lose teeth, develop gum disease or other dental problems, as people who do not smoke.
  • Smokers lose bone density, which increases their risk of osteoporosis, a condition that causes older people to become bent over and their bones to break more easily.
  • Smokers also tend to be less active than nonsmokers because smoking affects lung power.
  • Smokers suffer from shortness of breath, energy and asthma symptoms.
  • Smoking can also cause fertility problems and can impact sexual health in both men and women.
  • Girls who are on the pill or other hormone-based methods of birth control (like the patch or the ring) increase their risk of serious health problems, such as heart attacks, if they smoke.
  • Underweight babies and problem pregnancies are likely in women who smoke.
  • 1 out of 2 people who continue to smoke will die premature deaths because of their smoking.

The consequences of smoking may seem very far off, but long-term health problems are not the only hazard of smoking. Nicotine and the other toxins in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes can affect a person’s body quickly, which means that smokers experience many of these problems:

  • smokers teeth by flicrk cszar

    Bad skin. Because smoking restricts blood vessels, it can prevent oxygen and nutrients from getting to the skin — which is why smokers often appear pale and unhealthy. Studies have also linked smoking to an increased risk of getting a type of skin rash called psoriasis.

  • Bad breath. Cigarettes leave smokers with a condition called halitosis, or persistent bad breath.
  • Bad-smelling clothes and hair. The smell of stale smoke tends to linger — not just on people’s clothing but on their hair, furniture and cars. Furthermore, it is often hard to get the smell of smoke out.
  • Reduced athletic performance. People who smoke usually can not compete with nonsmoking peers because the physical effects of smoking (like rapid heartbeat, decreased circulation and shortness of breath) impair sports performance.
  • Greater risk of injury and slower healing time. Smoking affects the body’s ability to produce collagen, so common sports injuries such as damage to tendons and ligaments, will heal more slowly in smokers than nonsmokers.
  • Increased risk of illness. Studies show that smokers get more colds, flu, bronchitis and pneumonia than nonsmokers. People with certain health conditions, like asthma, become more sick if they smoke (and often if they are just around people who smoke). Because smokers use it as a way to manage weight, they often light up instead of eating, so their bodies also lack the nutrients they need to grow, develop and fight off illness properly.

The only thing that really helps a person avoid the problems associated with smoking is staying smoke free.  Different approaches to quitting work for different people. For some, quitting cold turkey is best. Others find that a slower approach is the way to go. Some people find that it helps to go to a support group. These are sometimes sponsored by local hospitals or organizations like the American Cancer Society. Home Cures That Work is offering you a number of good resources to help people quit smoking.

When quitting smoking, it can be helpful to realize that the first few days are the hardest. So, do not give up. Some people find they have a few relapses before they manage to quit for good.

Staying smoke free will give you a whole lot more of everything — more energy, better performance, better looks, more money in your pocket, and in the long run, more life to live!

Smoking Cessation: Creating A Quit Smoking Plan

If you are like many smokers and other tobacco users, then you know you should quit but you just are not sure how to do it. Creating a quit-smoking plan may improve your chances of stopping for good. Having a quit-smoking plan helps you cope with the physical and emotional issues that often arise when you stop smoking, such as nicotine withdrawal and strong urges to smoke.

Deciding To Quit Smoking

Sure, you may be able to list plenty of reasons to stop smoking. You may be worried about the health problems related to smoking, the social stigma, the expense or the pressure from loved ones. But, only you can decide when you are ready to stop smoking.

You may spend a lot of time thinking about quitting smoking before you are ready to actually do it. If you are thinking about quitting, go ahead and pick a specific day to quit — your quit day — and then plan for it.

Picking A Quit Day

Pick a specific day within the next month to quit smoking. Do not set your quit day too far in the future or you may find it hard to follow through. But do not do it before you have a quit-smoking plan in place, either.

Having a day in mind can help you prepare for what to expect and to line up helpful support. Pick a random day as your quit day or pick a day that holds special meaning for you, such as a birthday, a holiday or a day of the week that is generally less stressful for you.

What if you decide to quit smoking on the spur of the moment? Follow the quit day advice and go for it.

Preparing For Quit Day

There is no easy way to quit smoking. But, planning for it can help you overcome the hurdles you are likely to face. Here are steps you can take as you prepare for your quit day:

  • Mark the day. Make a big notation of your quit day on your calendar. It is an important day in your life, so treat it like one.
  • Tell people. Let family, friends and co-workers know about your quit day. Make them your allies. They can provide a lot of moral support. Tell them how they can be most supportive of your effort to quit smoking.
  • Clean house. Rid your home, car, office and other places of your smoking and tobacco supplies. Do not keep any cigarettes on hand “just in case” — you might not be able to resist the temptation. Also, consider getting your teeth professionally cleaned as motivation to stay quit.

.

If you begin to panic, focus on what is in front of you. It takes practice to live in the present, but it is a valuable tool with lasting benefit to live “in the here and now.”

  • Stock up. Have on hand items that can substitute for the cigarette you are used to having in your mouth, such as sugarless gum, hard candy, cinnamon sticks and crunchy vegetables.
  • Join up. The more support you have, the more likely you are to stop smoking successfully. Find local quit-smoking support groups. Many hospitals and clinics offer classes or groups. You can join online quit-smoking groups or programs. You can even get cell phone apps, text messages or alerts to help you quit.
  • Reflect. If you have tried to quit smoking before but took it up again, think about what challenges you faced and why you started again. What worked and what did not? Think about what you can do differently this time. For example, make a list of your triggers and how you will deal with them. Keeping a journal about your quit-smoking plan efforts may help you monitor feelings and situations that ignite your smoking urges.

Handling Quit Day

Getting through your quit day can be emotionally and physically challenging, especially if strong tobacco cravings strike. Try these tips to help manage your quit day:

  • toothpicks by flickr Brian @ HKG

    Do not smoke, not even “just one.”

  • Begin using nicotine replacement therapy if you have chosen that method.
  • Remind yourself of your reasons to stop smoking.
  • Drink plenty of water or juice.
  • Keep physically active: go for a walk, exercise, joy, ride a bike, swim or even garden.
  • Chew on a toothpick or piece of gum, or suck on a piece of hard candy.
  • Avoid situations and people that trigger your urge to smoke.
  • Attend a support group, counseling session or stop smoking class.
  • Practice stress management and relaxation techniques: listen to music, try deep breathing exercises, yoga or doing a puzzle.
  • Keep your hands busy by typing, writing, squeezing a ball or knitting. 

Staying Quit

With a quit-smoking plan to guide you, line up your resources now so that you can lean on them when you quit smoking. The more resources you have in place upfront — support groups, nicotine replacement, counseling — the more likely you are to quit and stay quit.

Make Your Diet Quit For You!

A diet loaded with veggies, fruits, whole grains will help you feel great as you eliminate nicotine and it will help prevent the feared weight gain typically associated with quitting smoking.

Eating a diet loaded with antioxidant-rich vegetables, fruits, and whole grains may help you lower their chances of suffering withdrawal symptoms when you first stop smoking– even if you have a long history of one to two packs per day.

Antioxidants are certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that may lower withdrawal risk by sopping up damaging molecules in our blood called free radicals, which have been linked to heart disease, stroke and other diseases.

Supplement Your Diet For Additional Quit Support!

As you begin your journey to become a non-smoker, there are certain specific nutrients that will provide exceptional benefits during the process of withdrawal, regeneration, energy and rejuvenation.

Of course, the B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin A are essential during this process. However, the best overall supplement strategy will include five things:

Please visit our Home Cures That Work Amazon store for your vitamin and mineral supplement needs.  Not all supplements are created equal, so we have researched those that safe for consumption, proven to properly digest and qualify according to label specifications.  Don’t leave your health to just any vitamin, supplement your health with the best in our Amazon store.

Benefits of Quitting

Many people who quit smoking are surprised by how good they feel!

  • They feel in charge
  • They do not need to smoke
  • They do not have to find places to smoke
  • They do not have to worry about their smoke bothering others
  • They smell good
  • Their hair, clothes, and breath do not smell like smoke
  • Their cars, homes, and kids do not smell like smoke
  • They can better smell food and other good smells
  • They feel more relaxed
  • They do not have to make sure they always have cigarettes
  • They have more money
  • They are not as worried about their health
  • They look and feel better
  • They feel good about being able to quit
  • Their skin looks healthier
  • They have more energy when they walk, play with their kids, or do something active 

The Reality Of Quitting

Tobacco use, especially smoking, is the number one preventable cause of death and disease in the United States.  Take charge of your health because the benefits of quitting smoking are far better than the discomforts of recovery – staying alive! So, stay with it and find your freedom. Once you do, you will never let it go.

 

You will be happy to say “I do not smoke” and “I have no reason to start smoking again.”  Believe it or not, you won’t miss smoking at all. How do you break the habit of “reaching for one?” Go for it! 

 

Dr. Richard A. DiCenso is the CEO of Matrix Transformation and author of Beyond Medicine, Exploring A New Way Of Thinking. He is an international speaker and complementary care expert with over 30 years experience in treating chronic symptoms. With his extensive practice in “Whole Person Therapy,” human biochemistry and orthomolecular nutrition, Dr. DiCenso is a leading authority in biological fluid analysis with his Matrix Assessment Profile (MAP). Dr. DiCenso provides unique insights into the world of unresolved symptoms and has helped thousands of individuals around the world with undiagnosable symptoms to dramatically improve their health without drugs or surgery. Visit www.MatrixTransformation.com for more information.
Filed Under: Quit Smoking, January 2012, Slideshow, The 7 Rungs of the Health & Wellness Ladder Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Removing the Smoke Screen

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Not long ago on a beautiful sunny afternoon, a friend and I had just spread our picnic blanket on the grass at the edge of the crowd for a classic Spanish guitar concert downtown in our city.

Who would happen to plant himself right next to us but a burly, breathless, wrinkled-face man whose mouth was glued to a cigarette, puffing and exhaling grey smoke every few seconds.

My family knows I can’t play poker because I have no “poker face” whatsoever, so my disapproval must have shown on my face because this gaunt-looking man begrudgingly asked us, “Mind if I sit here?”

“Sure,” my friend wide-eyed friend replied.

But, our discomfort was soon voiced by his scratchy low voice, “Oh, it’s my cigarette.” Grimacing, he took one long last drag and snuffed out the cigarette in the grass.

Do I dare?  I did!  “Did you know how dangerous smoking is for your health???”

I felt my friend’s sudden firm and obvious grip on my elbow while she bellowed, “Let’s change the subject! Otherwise, I’ll have to bind and gag my friend from giving a 5-hour lecture on the evils of cigarette smoking. Let’s enjoy the concert instead.” She smiled at the man and glared at me to be silent, but I spent the entire length of the concert reviewing my anti-smoking lecture in my head hoping to give a shortened version to our stinky neighbor as soon as the concert was over.

Second Hand Damage

Let’s talk a second about the dangers of second hand smoke.  There is no question second hand smoke is harmful.  Here are some facts according to researchers at Ohio State University:

  • The spouse of a heavy smoker is 3.5x more likely to develop lung cancer than a non-smoker.
  • Second hand smoke creates high-risk pregnancies, causing fetuses to pull away from the placenta.
  • Infants who are exposed to smoke are afflicted with more colds and pneumonia.

In fact, medical tests can detect a dramatic change in platelets, which are essential to blood clotting, in subjects who spend more than 30 minutes exposed to second hand smoke.

Thankfully, America has wised up and many states across the country have smoking bans in all general workplaces and public areas.

Anti-Smoking Strategies

What can convince kids from starting a habit that can be so hard to kick? Some say each cigarette can shorten a person’s life by 5.5 minutes!  Those who smoke regularly are slashing their lifespan by about 7 years!  Would scare tactics work to turn young adults off about smoking?

Years ago, I remember schools in Minnesota asking kids in junior high what would discourage them from ever smoking.  It wasn’t the long term health dangers….It was negative social stigma: poor physical appearance (yellowed teeth, bad breath) coupled with less social acceptance. Teach them acceptance and you are teaching children to avoid smoking!

Like many of those on the “young” side, negative health consequences seem too far off in the future to worry about them.

For those of us with a few more miles logged onto the timeline of age, how can we protect ourselves and our loved ones from smoking?

Nutrients Protect

If you are subject to second hand smoke, or are looking for a strategy to quit smoking, the following nutrients will build your body strong from any smoking related damage.

  • Vitamin A helps to protect the respiratory tract by promoting healthy mucous membranes. Take 5,000-10,000 IU daily of vitamin A.
  • Vitamin E helps protect lung tissue from cigarette smoke as an anti-oxidant.  Take up to 800 IU daily of vitamin E.
  • Vitamin C fights off many toxic pollutants associated with tobacco smoke.  Take 1,500 mg or more daily of vitamin C.
  • Zinc builds your immune system to resist pollutants. Take 30 mg of zinc a day.
  • For cravings, take cayenne, which desensitizes the respiratory linings to tobacco and chemical irritants. It’s an antioxidant that stabilizes lung membranes preventing damage. The warm peppery taste also reduces cigarette cravings.
  • Oats reduce or eliminate tobacco cravings. They even reduce the number of cigarettes desired even in those people not trying to quit.

Prayer is another powerful weapon that often works miracles.  If you have repeatedly failed to break the habit – or so hopeless you want to quit quitting – you can experience cold turkey release from smoking addiction through prayer.  Find a church that has a prayer team that would be willing to pray you through a miracle.

Parents who love their kids and are interested in their welfare should stop smoking.  Smoking parents help introduce children to the habit. Unless a drastic change is made, the longevity of our children will go up in smoke.

 

Kids are quick to observe any contradiction between what their parents say and what they do. Despite what you might think, most kids say that the adult whom they most want to be like when they grow up is a parent. Does this motivate you to quit?

 

Grandma Barton is mother to Joe Barton (founder of Barton Publishing), grandmother to 6 grandkids and 28 step-grandkids, and over 3000 Home Cures That Work members. She is a two-time breast cancer survivor with the help of Dr. Saunders and natural remedies. Grandma loves finding cures within the home to treat all sorts of ailments. With tips she’s learned on the farm and along the way, Grandma Barton brings a time-tested and trusted voice when it comes to home remedies. She really is an inspiration to us all.
Filed Under: Grandma's Cure Corner, Quit Smoking, January 2012, Slideshow

Smoking and Skin Aging

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Smoking Ages by Flickr Yug_and_her

Smoking cigarettes ages skin faster than anything else, apart from sun damage.

There is no gentle way of saying this but if you smoke cigarettes, then you need to stop smoking.

Aside from the many health issues associated with smoking – if you care at all about wrinkles and you want to look younger for longer – then smoking is out.

One million new smokers light up each year in the U.S. alone and many of them are young women who may later come to regret what smoking does to their looks.

As far as the effects of smoking on skin aging and health, it is much worse for women. That is official and it is supported by many years of research by reputable medical bodies.

  • The nicotine in cigarettes is more addictive for women who, as a result, have much more difficulty quitting smoking than men.
  • Women who smoke have twice the additional risk of heart attacks, strokes and lung cancer than men who smoke.
  • Lung cancer kills three times the number of American women than breast cancer – currently around 70,000 per year.
  • Smoking is also linked to early onset of the menopause in women.
  • Most devastating of all from a looks point of view – the aging effects of smoking on the skin are worse for women who are much more likely to develop “smoker’s face” than male smokers.

For women smoking and aging are inextricably linked.

In 2001, the special risks of smoking for women were recognized by the US Surgeon General in a report warning women of the dangers from smoking cigarettes.

European government bodies and other world authorities made similar statements.

Even if you dismiss the health risks, the effect of smoking on skin may give you some pause for thought.  It is worth taking time to consider how smoking cigarettes will damage your skin and accelerate skin aging.  Do you really want this to happen to you?

“For smokers, middle age starts in the early 30′s as the tell tale wrinkles around the mouth and eyes begin to appear. Young female smokers are likely to be wasting their money on anti-aging face creams if they continue to smoke.”
 ~ Amanda Sandford, Action on Smoking Health

old woman smoking by Flickr twicepix

The effects of smoking on skin aging have been recognized for a long time. A 1965 study first identified what came to be known as “smoker’s face” – gray, pale and wrinkled skin.

In recent years, much research has focused on this area and it is now broadly accepted that smoking, making smokers look much older than non-smokers, damages smoker’s skin.

It is not just smoker’s skin that ages quicker. Research in recent years has proved conclusively that passive smoking is damaging to your skin and to your health. Unfair though it seems, whether you smoke or just breathe in other people’s smoke, your skin will suffer the same symptoms of smoker’s face.

The Chief Medical Officer of the U.K. recently highlighted the link between smoking and skin damage saying that smoking adds between 10-20 years to your natural age.

A 2007 study found that smoking is associated with increased wrinkling and skin damage on many parts of the body, not just the face. Inner arms, neck and decollete are likely to show wrinkling and sagging as a result of having accelerated skin aging from smoking.

Smoking speeds up skin aging in a number of ways. It all starts with the free radicals formed in your body by the exposure to cigarette smoke.

Free radicals are highly unstable and powerful molecules that can cause disease and damage to cell DNA. The cells of your body start behaving erratically producing a range of responses that make your skin age faster.

So, how does smoking affect the skin?

  • Smoking restricts blood flow through the capillaries (tiny veins near the skins surface) preventing oxygen and nutrients getting to the skin.
  • Smoking increases production of an enzyme, which breaks down the supply of collagen to the skin’s structure. Collagen supply is vital to the skin’s elasticity. It decreases with age but smoking cigarettes accelerates this process.
  • Smoking reduces the body’s store of vitamin A, which provides protection from skin damage.
  • Smoking gets in the way of absorption of vitamin C – a vital antioxidant for skin protection and health.
  • Smokers continual puckering from drawing on a cigarette and squinting in reaction to the cigarette smoke results in deeply wrinkled skin around the eyes and mouth – classic signs of “smoker’s face.”

Smoker's Face by Flickr Shendeluth

Smoking statistics will clearly tell you the risk of death and disease from your smoking habit. If that is not sufficiently frightening, then this is what you might expect your skin to look like if you continue to smoke:

  • Dull appearance to the skin – loss of skin glow and vitality
  • Discolored skin (an ashy look on white skins)
  • Deeper wrinkles around the mouth and eyes
  • Loss of tone and elasticity more than with the normal aging process

A key question from most smokers is, if I stop smoking can I reverse the skin damage? The simple answer is that you won’t be able to completely reverse the damage that smoking has done.

But, with a good diet, skin supplements and great anti-aging skin care you can do a lot to get your youthful skin back and prevent damage from getting any worse. Why wait only to stop smoking later when even more damage has been done to your skin?

When you look at your skin, remember that some damage won’t appear until 10-20 years after you began to smoke. So, if you haven’t been smoking that long and you don’t see much skin damage yet – then don’t assume it won’t happen. 

“Smoking exerts such a noticeable effect on the skin that it’s often possible to detect whether or not a person is a smoker simply by looking at his or her face. Smokers have more wrinkles and their skin tends to have a grayish pallor compared to non-smokers.”  ~ Professor Young, Head of Dermatology, Guys School of Medicine, London

The important thing for your skin and your looks is to stop inflicting continued damage on yourself. If you quit smoking now, then you will stop your skin aging any faster than it normally would. With proper anti-aging skin care and nutrition your skin will look much better into the future than it will do if you carry on as a smoker.

 

Smoking can add years to your face. Not only can it wrinkle the face and turn it yellow, but smoking causes superficial skin problems, creating adverse changes to the skin’s ability to function and heal. Does this make you want to quit?

 

 

Filed Under: Living Healthy to 120: Anti-Aging Breakthroughs, Quit Smoking, January 2012 Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Painless Stop Smoking Cure

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It’s not your fault you failed to quit smoking until now.

You have failed to successfully stop smoking for the most simple of reasons. No matter what “method” you use to stop smoking:

  • You always have the feeling that you are going to “give up” something.
  • You have the feeling or doubt that you are going to crave your cigarette.

Think closely about what I’m about to tell you since it is going to change the way you think about stop smoking…

Your MIND is more powerful than any stop smoking drug or method you can use….because your mind controls whether you will or won’t succeed to stop smoking — successfully.  You failed so far because you have a mental addiction to cigarettes. This is much stronger than the nicotine addiction, which is only 3% of your problem.

Also, your thoughts about smoking are more powerful than any prescription drug to stop smoking. This is true because your mind is like an ”engine” and it needs certain mental comfort at certain intervals each day. That’s why you have become a “chain smoker,” which is why you have a “mental addiction” to cigarettes.

(Hint:  You need to be relieved from this mental addiction to successfully stop smoking, but I show you the details later.)

You are still smoking because you have been using the wrong methods to stop smoking.  Guess what?  You will be able to stop smoking by using the RIGHT tools to get rid of your “mental” addiction towards cigarettes.

It’s not really any more complicated than that and the way to stop smoking has nothing to do with your nicotine addiction, withdrawal pangs or craving a cigarette. It sits “between your ears.”

Laser therapy to stop smoking DON’T WORK.

The reason why you failed to successfully stop smoking with laser therapy is because it doesn’t address the cause and reason itself why you find it so hard to stop — your MIND. All laser therapy “does” is trying to reset some nervo-systems in your brain that have got used to the nicotine shots.

Let me explain:

Nicotine is the reason why you got addicted to the cigarette. It’s the drug that made you a “drug addict.”

But, nicotine is NOT the reason why you find it so hard to quit. All possible nicotine withdrawal symptoms, as you are aware of them, are gone after a maximum 48 to 72 hours…FOREVER!

So, the real cause why you find it so hard is what you think and feel about your cigarette. That is your mind. That is your “mental addiction” to cigarettes and this is not addressed by laser therapy.

Now you understand why a smoker who had stopped smoking for 5 months with laser therapy starts smoking again because his mental addiction he has toward cigarettes is still there. His nicotine addiction was gone after two, three days even without the laser therapy, which basically changed anything for the smoker except for the content of his wallet  ;-(

Nicotine replacement products DON’T WORK.

Let me ask you a very simple question…What is the main substance of any nicotine replacement product?… Indeed! NICOTINE. All these products do is provide you with the drug that got you trapped! 
It’s the same as giving a heroine junkie heroine to quit his addiction.  
You understand that this doesn’t work at all, right?!

It’s a big billion-dollar business for the pharmaceutical industry and they even call it the nicotine conspiracy between the tobacco industry and the pharmaceutical industry. Their main focus is to keep you as a “nicotine client,” either by cigarettes or by patches or gum.

I have a friend who has stopped smoking 12 years ago…and he still chews about 4 packs of nicotine gum a week! I have another friend who quit 3 years ago…and he still patches a big patch on his shoulders every single day. 
You should see how his shoulders look!

Zyban and Chantix make you MISERABLE.

Zyban and Chantix have certainly become popular in recent years, but these drugs often leave you feeling miserable each day (since they have a heavy impact on your hearth rate and mess up your brain.)

Check out these facts below…

  • Did you know that yearly about 500 people die as a consequence of using Zyban?! It’s true.
  • Also, many smokers suffer from hearth diseases and discomfort while on the drugs which won’t allow them to enjoy a “normal” day for many months after they have stopped smoking.
  • Last but not least…have you ever seen any “success results” of these products that covered a period longer than 6 to 8 weeks?! No! Even in this very short time span, they say that the success ratio is only 43%. Let me tell you right now that after ONE year, their success ratio is back below 10%, which is hardly any better than the “placebo-effect” or “sugar-pill effect!” It’s a fact.

Therefore, Zyban and Chantix can leave you feeling MISERABLE each day, which is not the answer.

Now you know what doesn’t work: laser therapy, nicotine replacement and Zyban or Chantix.

On the next page we show you what DOES WORK.

Click here for the new painless smoking solution.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Product Review & Recommendation, Quit Smoking, January 2012, Recommendation Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Vitamin Supplements That Aid In Quitting Smoking

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The nutritional needs of smokers and non-smokers are different. People who smoke often have deficiencies in numerous nutrients including zinc, calcium, folate, vitamin C and vitamin E, beta-carotene, lycopene and essential fatty acids in the omega-3 and omega-6 families, depleting the body of essential vitamins and minerals, leaving smokers more vulnerable to disease.

There are many possible causes for this depletion, including free radicals – carcinogenic or cancer-causing agents – in cigarette smoke that destroy natural antioxidants. However, for some nutrients the most important single cause might be poor diet rather than smoking itself (smokers have, on average, a less well-balanced diet than non-smokers).

To quit smoking there is a high need for protective antioxidant vitamins to neutralize free radicals. The main antioxidant vitamins are...


Please sign in at the right or subscribe to read the rest of this article...









Filed Under: Product Review & Recommendation, Quit Smoking, January 2012, Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Stop Smoking: Follow President Obama’s Example

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

For many people, quitting smoking is a real test of wills.  Ozzy Osbourne, the Black Sabbath singer and of the rock world’s most famous drug abusers, said of all the drugs he quit, that smoking was the hardest.

For President Barack Obama, quitting was a personal challenge. Kicking the habit wasn’t easy, “The fact is, quitting smoking is hard. Believe me, I know.” The commander in chief has managed to wean himself off the coffin nails, quitting his 30-year cigarette habit.  After numerous failed attempts, he wanted to be able to look into his daughters, Malia, 12, and Sasha, 9, in the eye and say he did not smoke.

In fact, just recently (November 2011), President Obama encouraged smokers to quit smoking or make a plan to quit as participants in the “Great American Smokeout.”

First Lady Michelle Obama said she does not ask him a lot about how he stopped smoking, but is happy for her kids that he did. Obama discussed his smoking–and his use of Nicorette–in 2008.

“I’ve been chewing on this Nicorette, which tastes like you’re chewing on ground pepper – but it does help.”

How did Obama quit smoking without getting fat? Obama’s doctors say he is, “Tobacco free, physically active, eats a healthy diet, stays at a healthy weight, (and) on occasion drinks alcohol in moderation.”  It helps having your own private chef, nutritionist, trainer and the best medical care on the planet.  Or, maybe it is the basketball workout. :)

In the president’s challenge to quit in the “Great America Smokeout,” he links to resources that can help smokers quit and highlights government efforts to prevent young people from lighting up. If have tried to quit many times and will likely try again, but not on a government-mandated day, we respect anyone who is able to quit today.

You can follow the President Obama’s example.

  1. Set a target quit smoking date: make it a week or two in advance and think about what the challenging situations are to prepare for.
  2. Get rid of all cigarettes: get them out of the house to remove the temptation.
  3. Tell your friends and family: you want to be sure they know so they can support you in your effort.
  4. Engage in evidence-based cessation treatments:
    • Brief clinical interventions (i.e., when a doctor takes 10 minutes or less to deliver advice and assistance about quitting)
    • Counseling (e.g., individual, group, or telephone counseling)
    • Behavioral cessation therapies (e.g., training in problem solving)
    • Treatments with more person-to-person contact and intensity (e.g., more time with counselors)

Who has inspired you to quit smoking? Share some inspiration with others below…

 

 

Filed Under: Celebrity Health Watch, Quit Smoking, January 2012 Tagged With: , , ,

What’s Lifestyle Got To Do With It?

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It happens to everyone. That moment when you realize that it is time to do something about your weight.

It may happen when you are looking in the mirror or standing on the scale.

Your first thought is to go on a “diet,” but as quickly as that enters your mind the ghosts of a hundred diets past return…along with all the frustration.

Then you wonder, why bother?

The weight will come back, as it always has. Then you will be back in front of the mirror as discouraged as ever.

The answer is not to go on another diet.

The answer is to change your lifestyle.

You have heard this before, and it makes sense, right? So, why haven’t you done it?

Your Lifestyle Obstacles

Most people resist changing their lifestyle for two reasons.

1. Change is scary.

Whether you realize it or not, your life is in a constant state of change. Though you cling to the familiar, it is a futile struggle. Change always wins.

The most consistent thing in life is change. Since you will never escape it, you might as well channel it. It is time to make the change in your life purposeful and positive.

2. Lifestyle misconception.

How many times have you heard the term “healthy lifestyle” only to picture a health nut with celery sticks in one hand and tofu in the other? The truth is that most people think that changing their lifestyle will be an extreme and unpleasant experience – and that is not true.

Improving your lifestyle does not mean swearing off chocolate or living in the gym. You do not have to eat wheat germ for lunch and you can still enjoy a nice plate of pasta. The key is moderation.

Making the Change

It is time to lose your “all or nothing” mentality. Embrace simple, small changes that will add up to big improvements in your lifestyle. These are your main venues for change:

What You Eat

Let’s face it. Most of the foods you eat are not the healthiest. Some are downright terrible (the burger and fries you had last week). While others are simply excessive (the snacks you eat while watching TV).

The solution to cleaning up your daily diet is NOT to go back on a “diet.” In fact, I never want you to go on a “diet” again. (Yes, you heard me right!) Instead, I want you to make permanent healthy changes to your eating habits. 
Here are some practical examples:

  • Choose salad over chips or fries
  • Do not add butter to your food
  • Eat fresh produce with every meal
  • Purchase fat free dairy products
  • Limit desserts to one or two per week
  • Cut out mindless snacking
  • Drink water, not soda

I do not expect you to eat a perfect diet every day of the week – that would be ludicrous. You should, however, make MORE healthy choices every day than unhealthy ones.

What You Do

Exercise is a huge component to a healthy lifestyle and quite frankly you are not getting enough of it. How often does an entire week go by without you ever lacing up your tennis shoes? Do not disregard the importance and power of a good workout.

Your new healthy lifestyle means exercising on most days of the week. This may seem tough, but I have the perfect solution – my training programs were created for busy people just like you who only have so much time to dedicate to exercise. 
I understand how hard it is to find the motivation to stay consistent and to push yourself. Make exercise a no-brainer – contact me to get started on a healthy lifestyle enhancing program today. 
Here are simple ways to move more:

  • Watch less TV
  • Stretch stiff muscles every day
  • Play at the park with the kids
  • Go for a jog
  • Do some push-ups every morning

While none of the above are meant as substitutes for a solid exercise routine, they are great ways to become more active and to improve your lifestyle.

Your lifestyle is the balance of all the choices that you make regarding your body. Swing the balance in your favor and make a majority of your choices health conscious. So, the next time you are in front of the mirror you won’t worry about your weight.

You will relish it.

Whether you are changing your lifestyle to loose weight or quit smoking, what is your next healthy step that you are going to make?

 

Nordine Zouareg is a former Mr. Universe, an International Fitness Coach, Speaker and Author of the book Mind Over Body: The Key to Lasting Weight Loss is All in Your Head! He offers world-class advice on health and fitness, inner balance and stress management, and achieving one’s full potential the inner keys to extraordinary performance. An inspiring message of hope and achievement, based on his own extraordinary story. For more information, visit: www.NordineZ.com
Filed Under: Quit Smoking, January 2012, Weight Control, Exercise & Fitness Tips Tagged With: , , , ,