Smokers started smoking for many different reasons. In the same way, those who wish to quit smoking want to do so for many reasons as well. Some may decide to quit because they are planning to have a child while others decide to do so because they want to change their lifestyle. There are many other reasons but there are those who simply decide right then and there to quit cold turkey. But why stop smoking? There may be many reasons but the more important thing is, deciding to quit now.
If you’re a smoker, you might get annoyed if people keep telling you that you should stop smoking and give you a long why stop smoking list. But maybe they are just concerned since most nicotine addicts die young and they don’t want you to have the same fate.
So why stop smoking? If you smoke, you’ll end up having different kinds of health problems. You’ll even be a risk to the health of those around you since you expose them to secondhand smoke. This then could result to lung cancer even if the person is a non-smoker. Pregnant women who smoke will also endanger the life of their unborn child. The baby could be born with an abnormally low birth weight and could cause other birth defects. Smoking could also affect the fertility of a person.
You will live healthier, longer as well as experience lifestyle and attitude changes. Quitting smoking will also let you save money instead of using it to buy cigarettes. A person’s overall appearance will also change since you will give out a more positive and fresh vibe. You don’t anymore have to worry about the smell and about frequent coughing or wheezing. You’ll have less health worries and fewer medications. This further results to paying less premiums when it comes to your health insurance, letting you save even more. And when there’s no smoke, there’s no fire which means you’ll be able to lessen the chances of your home being caught on fire.
We can give you a list of reasons and keep adding to this why stop smoking list. But all these will serve no purpose if you will not make the right decision today and that is to stop smoking for your sake and for others as well. It isn’t easy but come to think of it, it is your life, why let nicotine addiction take a hold of it?

Ex-smokers have better health than current smokers. Ex-smokers have fewer days of illness, fewer health complaints, and less bronchitis and pneumonia than current smokers.

Cigarette Smoking and Stress

Stress is directly proportional to cigarette smoking. All the smokers out there will be in agreement with this fact. It is a general slogan of all the smokers that because they smoke of stress.
But, this is a misunderstanding. Due to their smoking habit, people often get stressed. Even after quitting smoking, smokers often start cigarette smoking. The main causes for taking up cigarette smoking again are stress, social gatherings, alcohol, and parties.
There are several smokers, who want to get rid of this deadly chemical. They even say bye to smoking cigarettes after few failed attempts. But, after a certain period their urge for cigarette smoking begins.
They feel that without cigarette smoking, life is boring. Without cigarette smoking, the ex-smoker becomes nervous, upset and depress. These kinds of depressions are one of the effects of not smoking cigarettes.
We experience stress everywhere in our daily life. It can be job related stress or family stress or friends stress or financial stress. The ex-smoker wants to take the help of cigarette smoking in such stressful situations. He would go for cigarette smoking, as he thinks it to be helpful.
However, this is a complete misunderstanding of him. For example, you are having a lot of work pressure in the office. You would immediately think of having cigarette, if you use to smoke earlier.

Is It Reasonable Of Taking Cigarette Smoking Again

You are thinking about having cigarette, instead of organizing the schedule of your work. Can you give any cause for having cigarette smoking in this situation? Neither cigarette smoking can help you in easing the work pressure, nor can do the work.
Thus, there is no reason for cigarette smoking in such stressful situation. You are only making a fool of yourself. You are again making a way for the entry of numerous deadly chemicals. These chemicals will result in harmful deadly diseases. Moreover, cigarette smoking will also affect your near and dear ones.
Thus, the job stress is nothing in front of these deadly diseases. The cigarette smoking will make you more anxious. It increases the frustration. You will take another cigarette, when the first one ends.
In this way, you will start cigarette smoking again. After several failed and sincere attempts, you have quitted cigarette smoking. But, due to certain stress you are again taking it up. Remember that smoking will not get the solution for you, even, if you are going through some major crisis period.
Several times, we are unable to handle our circumstances. Such as, death of a near one or getting bankrupt, or major illness and ended up in taking cigarette. But, always remember that cigarette smoking is not going to solve your problem.

Fortunately, there’s more than one way to quit smoking. . . the catch is you must choose wisely to become smoke-free.

What if you have just recently smoking cessation, still crave cigarettes, and to top it off, find that you are gaining weight? If you have just recently quit and are still fighting the urge to resume smoking, it’s best to move gradually into a weight-management program.
Trying to change your dietary habits too quickly can add to the stress you may still be experiencing in your efforts to remain a non-smoker and only increase your craving for cigarettes. Your highest priority at this time should be to remain a non-smoker.
Aim first to stop gaining weight, and once you’ve accomplished that, think about what additional steps it will take to lose weight. The best way to do this without impairing your ability to remain a non-smoker is to use the following strategy:

1. Increase your physical activity. This is more significant in the total picture right now than changing your diet because the more active you become, the easier it will be to remain a non-smoker as well as to manage your weight.
2. Then begin to cut the fat in your diet. Start by making low-fat substitutions for high-fat foods. Keep track of your daily fat-gram intake. If you are able, in time, to reach your target level for weight loss comfortably, without endangering your ability to remain a non-smoker, you should begin to lose weight.
3. If increasing your activity and cutting the fat as recommend do not prevent further weight gain and start you on the road to losing weight, as it will in almost all cases, you may be consuming too much carbohydrate. Monitor your carbohydrate intake to decide if you are overdoing sweets independently of fat that is, eating more than one piece of hard candy or any other sugar candy in place of a cigarette, or more than one serving of a complex carbohydrate at snack times.
4. Discuss with your doctor the use of nicotine replacement, with the nicotine patch or nicotine gum, or the use of one of a pharmacological aid that helps with smoking cessation and weight control. These aids serve a dual purpose since, like increasing physical activity, they work simultaneously to ensure your success in remaining a non-smoker and in managing your weight.
5. Continue to use whatever strategies are helping you to deal with your desire to smoke until you are safely through the transition to becoming a fully successful non-smoker. Then begin a weight-management program that best suits your requirements and goals.

Quitting smoking makes a difference right away – you can taste and smell food better. Your breath smells better. Your cough goes away. This happens for men and women of all ages, even those who are older.

“I can’t stop thinking about a cigarette.”

Remind yourself that smoking is not an option. Say it out loud and mean it! Stop romancing the cigarettes. Refocus on the negatives of smoking (the dangers of smoking) and the positives of quitting (your reasons to quit) – not the other way around.

“I feel like I can’t take a break at work because I don’t have a good reason.”

If you used to take a break to smoke, you probably felt justified in doing so, because you were actually “doing something” when you left your post for that 5 or 10 minutes. Now you may find yourself feeling silly just standing around for 10 minutes while your coworkers slave away.
First of all, realize that you deserve to spend that break any way that you want to. You don’t have to be doing anything, but you could also decide to drink a glass of water, eat a healthy snack, read a chapter in a book, or write a letter.

“I used to break up my day by having a cigarette between activities. Now I don’t seem to have that transition.”

Many people use smoking a cigarette as a marker throughout the day to help pace themselves and keep a sort of rhythm going. If you did, you’ll need to develop a different, healthier transitional activity, such as having a glass of water, brushing your teeth, or going for a short walk.

“I keep forgetting why I’m trying to give up these things. I miss smoking already.”

Remember, you’re really not “giving up” anything. You’re gaining everything – good health, more money, fresh breath, and control over your life. Quitting smoking is something you are doing for yourself, not in spite of yourself. Recite your reasons to quit. Maybe even add to the list.
“I’m coughing more now that I’ve quit than I was when I was smoking. What’s going on?”
The tiny, hair-like structures in your lungs, called cilia, finally get a chance to begin sweeping out the tobacco debris that has accumulated over the years.
Until now, the tar in your cigarettes had immobilized them, but now that they are free again, they sweep out the tar causing you to cough more than usual. So, coughing after quit smoking is a good thing.

“Friends are telling me that I’ll never make it.”

There are a number of reasons your friends may not be supportive of your efforts. First, you may be a little (or a lot) more irritable, depressed, or frustrated than usual, and your friends may want you to smoke so you’ll be back to your normal self.
It’s not easy to face, but some of it’s up to you to tell them that this is a normal part of quitting smoking and that it will be over soon. Other friends may not want to see you succeed because your success would be a constant reminder of what they know they should be doing for themselves.
Getting you to stop trying might make them feel better about their own lack of motivation. If you suspect some of your friends feel this way, encourage them to get healthy by joining you in your efforts. Hold fast to your own motivation.

Friends keep offering me cigarettes as a joke.”

Who needs enemies with friends like these? Try telling these folks that you understand that they’re not ready to quit themselves, but that you are. Ask them to please support your efforts by taking you seriously. Ask them to tell you some jokes instead.
If they continue to be obnoxious, take the cigarettes they’re offering you, break them in half, and say, “Thanks, I just saved a few minutes of my life.” Another option is to spend your break time or “fun” time with a different group or even by yourself.

“I went out for dinner, had some wine, and took a puff off of my date’s cigarette.”

Don’t panic, but be aware that taking a puff is a serious matter; the old adage “I’m a puff away from a pack a day” is based upon the fact that many quit attempts end with that one puff. If you stopped with that one puff, great, but for most people, a puff is never going to be enough.
Also, avoid alcohol for a while because its effects can allow you to let your guard down long enough for a cigarette to slip in. Politely ask your date to not smoke around you, at least for a couple of weeks or so. And regularly remind yourself that smoking is not an option under any circumstances because you’ve made the decision to quit.

“Every time I’m on the phone, I want to smoke.”

Keep a pad and some colored pens or pencils by the phone, and doodle with them while you’re talking. Try to break the connection between your telephone “environment” and your smoking. For example, move your telephone to a different location in your home and try holding the receiver in the other hand. You might even want to buy a new phone.

“My family says I am too grouchy and is begging me to start smoking again.”

This reaction is most common with family members who are uninformed about the process of quitting and the magnitude of the challenge. They don’t know that most people who quit get a little irritable and grouchy.

Even at the hardest times I never doubted the whole thing was going to be a totally positive experience.
~Ex-Smoker~

Many smokers have exaggerated notions of the agony of going without cigarettes and want to know how long they will be affected by withdrawal symptoms. Since physiology varies widely among individuals, the answer has a lot to do with your attitude about the process.
On average, it takes two to three days for the nicotine level in your body to drop significantly below your maintenance level. During that time you will have frequent urges, which are the most significant withdrawal symptoms.
If you drink lots of water, breathe deeply, and keep moving, you will be able to go long periods of time without being aware of your changed situation. As you notice the time between urges increasing, you may become aware of some of the physical symptoms of recovery described below.
You may feel all, some, or none of these symptoms within the first week. Remember that your body is healing and that over time, the symptoms will abate. Don’t worry about them unless they persist for a long time.

Cravings for a Cigarette

Cravings for a cigarette are frequent and intense within the first two to three days after stopping. The cravings become less frequent over the next four or five days, but they may increase again and persist for many weeks. Most former smokers – even those who have been free for many years – still report an occasional urge for a cigarette. (Stop Smoking Craving)
Deep breathing and immediate activity will help distract you from your craving. The worst of the cravings usually end within a couple of weeks after breaking free. You know you’re in good shape when you no longer think of cigarettes all the time.

Coughing

Your lungs and upper respiratory system are now getting rid of the built-up toxins that restricted your breathing while you were smoking. Your body is cleaning house, so don’t panic if you cough or spit up blackish mucus. Your cough should last only a few days; cough drops or syrups may help relieve the symptoms.

Sleeplessness

Smokers lack energy, and their sleep tends to be restless because of coughing and difficult breathing. Now that you are no longer smoking, you are healthier and your body has more energy.
You should need fewer hours of sleep, and the sleep you get should be more restful. If you want to sleep longer, use more of your new energy during the day by exercising harder and going to bed later, when you tend to be more tired.

Mouth Sores

A small number of people who stop smoking are affected by chemical changes in their mouths and may suffer minor problems including blisters, sores, and inflammation. For years, your mouth has had to withstand the endless attacks of hot smoke, so it can handle the sores. They’ll go away in a few days.

Occasional Dizziness

Because your body is taking in more oxygen through the lungs than you have been used to, you may feel dizzy. These dizzy spells will last only a few seconds. This symptom may recur for four or five days, until your body adjusts to increased oxygen intake.

Constipation

Internal movement may decrease for a brief period when a smoker lowers or stops his cigarette use. This symptom rarely lasts longer than three to four days.

Tightness in the Chest

Some newly free smokers complain of chest pain after stopping. This happens because your body is getting more fresh air than usual. The extra air fills the lungs and makes them feel tighter. This symptom should last for only a day or two after stopping. See your doctor if it persists.

Irritability

It is the nicotine that causes your cigarette addiction. When the nicotine level declines, your body begins to sense the loss. This can cause tension and be symptomatic of the grief process. Deep breathing and exercise will help relieve irritability.

Lack of Concentration

Some former smokers notice lapses in concentration soon after they break free. This symptom may be the combined result of other withdrawal symptoms – irritability, sleeplessness, and the change in your routine. Give it time. Your focus will be clearer within a few days, and you will develop new ways of coping without reaching for a cigarette.

Physical Symptoms Not Covered

Remember, not all symptoms that surface after you stop are due to smoking withdrawal. It has already been suggested that you see your dentist soon after stopping smoking. In some cases, periodontal disease may become more evident. Individuals often report having a severe head cold soon after smoking cessation.

Feeling Sleepy

Some smokers report that they get a boost of energy from smoking. The body needs time to adjust to not having a cigarette every half hour or so. If you feel sleepy, don’t hesitate to take a nap during the first few days you are free of smoking.

People who smoke a pack a day die on average 7 years earlier than people who have never smoked.

Reasons for Smoking

Smokers always feel that smoking helps them in getting rid from stress, anxiety, unhappiness, boredom, and loneliness. For smokers, life without a cigarette means complete boredom and aggravation.
Most of the smokers feel that they will put on weight after they stop smoking cigarettes. They can work faster and better after a puff of cigarette. They can be more sociable, while smoking cigarettes. Smoking is also a way to celebrate on special occasions.
Smokers feel that without smoking, each and everything in their life loses its charm. They are unable to enjoy social gathering, games, drink, fun, or even the company of their spouse. Thus according to this feed back data given by smokers, smoking has so many great attributes.

Dangers of Smoking

But in reality the feed back data given by smokers proves to be wrong. In America, almost 33, 000, 000 Americans have stop smoking and are leading a healthy life. A non-smoker would never be able to understand the great qualities of smoking cigarettes.
Ex-smokers are aware of these great qualities of smoking, even though, they decided to quit. Are these 33, 000, 000 people mad? These people are not mad, but they understood the dangerous effects of smoking cigarettes.

Smoking Addiction:

They had also gone through the painful withdrawal symptoms of Nicotine. Still, they managed to stop smoking. Along with the physical addiction, they also fought with the psychological addiction.
Even though, it is tough to manage psychological addiction, but they managed to overcome this psychological addiction. They convinced themselves fully about the dangerous effects of smoking cigarettes. This demands a lot of firm determination from their side and a positive approach.
These smokers must be appreciated for coming out from this smoking addiction. You might feel insecure in the earlier stages of quitting. However, you must have confidence on yourself that it is possible to live without cigarettes.
As you come out of the clutches of the smoking cigarettes. You will understand that you were on a wrong track. You were living in the world of misunderstandings. After they stop smoking cigarettes, they will realize that life without smoking cigarettes is healthier, calmer and beautiful.
It depends on the ex-smoker, whether he/she wants to smoke again or not. Now, it demands a logical reasoning from you. However, many smokers after sometime they will start smoking cigarettes again.
The cause for their again taking up smoking cigarettes is that they forgot the dangerous effects of smoking cigarettes. Yet, another reason to take up smoking cigarettes again is the urge that they are unable to resist.
Therefore, all ex-smokers have two choices, either to stop smoking cigarettes or to start smoking cigarettes again. It is useless to be an occasional smoker, as it is also harming you a lot. Thus, make a promise of not letting even a little bit of Nicotine into your body.

I said YES to life today when I said NO to Nicotine

After a long time, you have finally decided to stop smoking cigarettes. To stop smoking cigarettes means a complete change in your life style. Once you thought to stop smoking cigarettes, the first job is to bring a change in your normal daily routine life.

Building a New Atmosphere

You need to build up a brand new atmosphere for yourself. Building up a new atmosphere is also a part of exercise to stop smoking cigarettes. Make everything around you such that it will give a fresh feeling to you. For Example, if you often smoke near the telephone then change its location.

Exercise

You need to set a new timetable for yourself. Include the visit to gym in your daily routine. Go for a morning walk or jog, it is not possible for you to go to gym. This is the healthiest way for the beginning of the day. (Stop Smoking Exercises)
Take care that getting started is easy, but making it a routine is a little tough. People often begin in a great way, such as buying gym wear or running shoes and enjoy a lot the earlier days in gym. But, as the time passes they take it as a burden and find it difficult to manage their time for gym.
The most common mistake which done by most of us is that, we go to gym in evening. As we are completely tired and exhausted in the evening, so we left with no more enthusiasm in us. So, it would be beneficial to go the gym in the morning.
We are fresh after a long rest in the morning. Secondly, exercise enhances the flow of blood in the body and gives us more energy. Moreover, our exercise program will not effect in the morning and we can make plan for the day.
People who are new to the gym should do exercise under the expert guidance. A professional trainer is must for a proper start. One can also go for a few simple exercises that do not need any trainer.
Yet another best form of exercises are walking and swimming. You only need to get up early in the morning and enjoy the fresh and pollution-less air.

Other Ways To Stop Smoking

Instead of going for coffee, go for tea, clean your houses and try to divert from everything that reminds you of smoking cigarettes. Do something interesting in evening, but take care not to play on money.

Smoking is an important risk factor for respiratory illnesses, causing 85,000 deaths per year from pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia.

Friend can be defined as one who is always there with you in difficulties and make your life beautiful and enjoyable. We are having a lot of friend, but there is one person who gives you more than a friend. She is none other than our, Mother.
Mother, this very word when we listen or say, gives us relieve as we are sitting in the comforts of home. Mother is the one, who takes care of everyone in the home and makes our lives and things easier for us. She is the one, whom we could say a caregiver.

Mother – Caregiver

Caregiver is the one, who always helps you, when you are in trouble and take care of your wants and needs. But, who takes care of the mother? She also gets exhausted or her muscles get fatigued.
For all the moms out there, apart from the moms doing household jobs and taking care of your family members, you should also take care of your health. The backbone of a good home is mother, so all of you must take care of yourself.
You can give more to your family members than they demand, if you spend a little time on exercise from your daily routine. Exercise will give you more energy, flexibility to your body and power to do work.
There will be a feeling of freshness after exercise and you can do work, more efficiently. It is also prevent you from getting exhausted. Sometimes, one may get the irritated with the same regular job. Exercising makes you fresh and act as an exit door for every irritation and all.
It also has many benefits regarding your health, apart from making you mentally fresh and emotionally strong,. It is quite helpful in minimizing the ratio of heart problems, diabetes and obesity.
It also improves the levels of blood pressure, avoids osteoporosis, provide balance to your body while climbing stairs or walking. Lastly, beauty is the one thing, which every woman in the world wants to maintain.

You can bring glow and freshness in your face by exercising. The cause of this radiant complexion is the inner freshness that you are experiencing.

How to Get Started

There must be many questions or excuses regarding exercises in your mind.
For example, I am too busy to do all these things, or where should I exercise? On the other hand, how could I exercise at such an age?

Exercises That Take Little Time

Do not worry; there is a solution of each of your query. First thing is that you can take out some time for exercise, from your daily work easily. There are easy exercises that you can be done within little time.
Few examples are exercises as gardening, going for short walks in the evening, housework or if possible then you can also join a club.

Go For Medical Check up Before Joining Any Exercise Program

Second thing one must consider going for proper medical check up before joining any exercise program. You must consult your family physician or any other doctor, before going for an exercise program. Get all your tests done, such as the blood or ECG etc.
Due to any complication in your tests, then simply follow your doctor’s advice, if your doctor advises you not to do exercise. On the other hand, you should definitely follow this exercise program, if he says you are perfectly fit.
There is one question in your mind, which is worrying you a lot. Who will take care of the small baby, or old grandmother, or any other family member, who is unwell? Call an agency or your family members can help you out or any of your friends to solve this problem. Thus, you need a proper planning to overcome the problem.
Now, you are ready to follow this program, but still one question is disturbing you. You are concerned about your safety. It may be possible that you will get hurt or seriously injured. To avoid such situations, always appoint a trainer or a buy a book or video CD, sport shoes etc.

Exercise Program

The best exercise program one can follow is under the guidance of a trainer. In your staring phases, never exercise too hard. According to your MHR (maximum heart rate), one should exercise at 70 to 80 percent of heart rate.

Types of Exercises

1. Aerobic- This involves walking, swimming, dancing etc. All muscle related activities.
2. Warm up exercises minimizes the chance of injury. Pursue warm up exercises before performing the exercise program. On your fitness level, maintain your THR for 20 to 60 minutes.
3. Weight training-It enhances the muscle power and balance of the body.
4. To avoid dizziness, you should end with five minutes of cool down exercises.

Within the periods of two to six months, you will surely feel some change in you. Thus, to lead a healthy life, continue this program throughout your life.

Exercise can’t counteract the damage being done to your body while you continue to smoke. What exercise can do is help you kick the habit.

Breathing exercises too can prove to be helpful in controlling the urge to smoke. It is common knowledge that the human body takes in a lot of toxic substances, both through the air and through food and drink.
Apart from this, various toxins are also released in the body as a result of the various processes that are going on. These toxins have to be released on a constant basis or else they will accumulate in the body with serious results.

Breath Properly

One of the best methods of releasing these toxins is by means of exhaling while breathing. One funny fact is that most of do not breathe appropriately. With each breath that we take, we take in oxygen.
This oxygen is carried by the blood to every cell of the body and every cell must indeed get sufficient oxygen not just to survive but to remain healthy as well. So it is imperative that we make an honest effort to breathe appropriately.
But first of course we have to make sure that we are breathing in unpolluted air. The time best for breathing exercises is early in the morning when the air is comparatively unpolluted.

The Procedure for Breathing Exercise

Now what you have to do is this. Again, sit comfortably so that there is no strain to any part of your body. It is not imperative that you close your eyes, but it is better to close the eyes as the exercise works better when the eyes are closed.
When you are ready, what you have to do is to breathe in deeply and slowly, and feel the fresh air filling up your lungs until it just can’t take any more. Conjure up images of the air encircling throughout your body and reaching every cell, literally bathing it with oxygen.
Of course it doesn’t happen that way but the image helps a lot. Then hold your breath for a few seconds and then very slowly exhale letting out all that foul air. Again conjure up an image of all the toxins being released from your body.
Every cell has become free of the burden it was carrying. Now pause for a second or two and again breathe in deeply, slowly letting your lungs fill up with all that good, clean, rejuvenating air. Repeat this exercise at least ten times and take your time for it taking care not to rush through.
When you have done that part of the exercise it is time for the second part. Again sit with your eyes closed, but this time, keep one nostril closed with the help of your index finger. It is best to close the right nostril first and that too with your right index finger.
Now breathe in deeply and slowly through your left nostril keeping the right nostril closed. When you have held air for a second or two, release your right nostril and breathe out through it.
While you are breathing out conjure up an image of all the toxins being released form your head and the brain particularly. And as you breathe in conjure up images of the clean air circulating though out your brain freeing it of all the worries and trouble and lightening it.
Repeat this exercise with the other nostril closed and in this way alternate between the nostrils at least ten times. The complete breathing exercise need not take more than ten minutes. But you will be surprised at how light hearted and free you will feel after the exercise.
Once you have practiced it for three or four mornings, you will be in a position to do the exercise each time you get the urge to smoke. The breathing exercise can easily become a substitute for the urge to take in that hourly doze of nicotine.

The average smoker (30 cigarettes per day) has 4 to 6 times the chance of having heart disease if he’s in the 45-54 year age group.

In order to stay on your course to stop smoking, you’ll have to keep vigilant and guard against the temptations that could cause you to slip up. If only lures would go away, now that you’ve stopped smoking!
Unfortunately, they don’t. Not for a while. In the first few months, when you see or taste a cup of coffee or make a telephone call, you may be just as likely to get an urge for a cigarette as you did when you were a smoker.

After Two Weeks of Your Last Cigarette

By the time you’ve been off cigarettes over two weeks, the frequency of your urges is going way down. But some urges can still be real killers. Here’s one consolation: The worst is over! The nicotine is gone from your system, most physical withdrawal symptoms are sharply reduced, and the frequency of those urges and cravings is going down.
That means the cravings you’re experiencing are coming from your mind, not from your body. Try not to be discouraged or frustrated by this. Habits you’ve had for years are not some- thing that will disappear overnight. The important thing is to recognize where the urges are coming from and to use that knowledge to fight the craving.

After A Month

As the months go by, you’ll start to notice that even your mental cravings are becoming more like thoughts than strong drives. Ex-smokers who have been off cigarettes for a long time say they still have thoughts about cigarettes, but not pressing urges.
It’s a bit like what happens when you hear old hit songs. The music evokes thoughts of your high school days, and the friends you knew then – but you don’t feel any urge to in fact go back to cramming for exams and agonizing over acne.
Of course, some ex-smokers who want to boost their own egos often brag that they’re still fighting urges to smoke every day. But they’re generally just trying to make themselves appear strong, while frightening others from even attempting to quit smoking.
So how can you deal with these temptations, now that smoking is out of the question? You can deal by creative alternatives and evaluating your situation. Now is a good time to reevaluate your temptations and your plans for coping with them.
As your physical cravings have reduced, you’ve probably noticed that the temptations that used to affect you may no longer be the ones that bother you now.
Cigarettes and cigarette packages are still likely to be your strongest temptations. You got rid of all your cigarettes when you quit smoking. But now is the time to do a double check of all the places where you used to keep them, the obvious places, such as cigarette boxes.
And the not so obvious places, such as the side pocket of a suitcase. It’s significant to make sure you actually got rid of every last one, because one of the easiest ways to fall off the wagon – particularly when you are feeling confident that you have mastered your desire for cigarettes – is to come across a couple of leftover cigarettes.

Tips for Handling Urges

• Take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds, and exhale as if you had just taken your first puff on a cigarette. Part of the feeling you get from smoking is a direct result of taking a deep breath. A deep breath allows you to take in a maximum amount of oxygen, and exhaling lets out large quantities of carbon dioxide. This results in a feeling of relaxation. Try it, you’ll see.
• Take a sip of water several times during this five minute period. It can help to diminish the need to smoke, and gives you something to do with your hands. The extra water will also help to flush the nicotine out of your body.
• Put something in your mouth that has no calories, such as a stirrer, toothpick, or another substitute for a cigarette.
• Get busy with something, anything, to keep you busy for the next five minutes.
• As long as it does not lead to a craving, chew a piece of gum or a piece of hard candy. Life Savers work well.
• Get up and move around for five minutes. It will help the urge to smoke to pass.
• Use a nicotine patch as replacement therapy.

The Dangers of False “Smoke-Safe” Solutions

The tobacco companies have brought out several cigarettes they’d like us to believe are safer than regular cigarettes. A product called Eclipse burns a piece of charcoal. The smoke from the charcoal passes over beads with nicotine extract on them.
The heat from this releases some of the nicotine and flavorings, so the smoker inhales the charcoal smoke, the nicotine, and the flavorings. These devices are lit, and they burn. So you’re still inhaling smoke.
The tobacco companies advertise these products with words like “cleaner.” They want you to think “safer” but they can’t say that because then the government would regulate the product, as Congress requires the regulation of all products that make health claims.
There’s little doubt that these products – providing inhaled charcoal smoke – are not safe. The American Lung Association and other smoking experts believe there is no such thing as a safe cigarette.
Because these devices may reduce the amount of noticeable exhaled and side-stream smoke, they may be deemed acceptable for use in settings where smoking is prohibited – such as workplaces. But smokers using such products may not be helped to quit. In fact, they may wind up smoking more cigarettes to get their usual nicotine.

Quitting smoking cuts the risk of lung cancer, many other cancers, heart disease, stroke, other lung diseases, and other respiratory illnesses.

Effects of Smoking

Smoking leads to several deadly diseases like lung cancer, heart problems and asthma. Smoking not only affects your health but also affects the health of your near and dear ones around you. Thus, you must stop smoking at least for the sake of health of your loved ones.
If you want to stop smoking that means, you are giving way to healthy and fresh life. Moreover, after you stop smoking, there are certain sudden changes you will experience.

Stop smoking Benefits – Carbon monoxide Level

These are mainly positive changes and you will only benefit from them. The content of carbon monoxide gas in the blood enhances because of excess smoking. But, the moment you stop smoking it becomes normal.
With in 8 hours after you stop smoking, the amount of carbon monoxide gas will be normal. The chances of heart attack also reduce within 24 hours.

Saving Money

Do not forget the money that you were burning while smoking. You can save money after you stop smoking. Make it a routine of keeping the money that you use for buying cigarettes into a jar. After a month, check your jar and enjoy the achievement.

After 2 To 3 Months

After two or three months, you will experience more stop smoking benefits. You will be much healthier. The lung will function much better and its functioning will increment by 30 percent.
After one year, the chances of heart diseases will reduce to half. Moreover, the risk of death due to lung cancer will also decrease.

Other Stop smoking Benefits

You can enjoy several other stop smoking benefits. You are also saving your children from acquiring deadly diseases. The worst case of smoking is then when a pregnant woman smokes. She should stop smoking as soon as she is pregnant as she is exposing her baby to several deadly chemicals.
These deadly chemicals will harm the baby a lot. Smoking by a pregnant women leads to under weight child, organs will be of smaller size and more chances of taking up tobacco.
Such babies will never be able to lead a healthy and active life. Thus, you must stop smoking for the sake of your baby’s health. She is blessing life to her baby, if a pregnant woman stops smoking by then.
All it need is a decision from you. Your determination to stop smoking guarantees healthy future for you. You will feel active. There will be glow at your face. Earlier you were having pale yellow fingernails. They will appear normally.

9 Reasons Why Exercising Can Help Keep You Smoke-Free

The most important strategy in remaining free from smoking is to put an exercise component into your life. The major benefits of exercise are these:

1. Exercise brings a true, natural, and sustained high.
2. Exercise gives relief from tension, a benefit smokers falsely think they get from cigarettes.
3. Exercise decreases neuromuscular tension and increases relaxation.
4. Aerobic exercise slows and even reverses the aging process.
5. The exercised heart pumps more blood with each stroke, so this efficiency saves 20 million superfluous heartbeats per year.
6. Exercise offers a long-term reduction of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
7. Exercise dilates blood vessels, allowing blood to circulate freely to the hands, feet, and surface areas of the body. (Most smokers complain of cold hands and feet.)
8. Exercise can prevent the potential weight gain connected with breaking free of cigarettes.
9. You can develop a healthy addiction to exercise, which will be manifested in many positive changes in addition to losing interest in cigarettes.

When you decide to quit smoking, it is a choice that you have to make everyday. It entails commitment and dedication. But it also gives you many more reasons to enjoy life and live healthier, longer. Quitting smoking everyday is a process and because you will be fighting against your cigarette cravings, here are some things that you might want to consider so that you will be well prepared.
It all begins with understanding yourself, understanding the reasons behind your smoking, and accepting that you have an addiction. List them down on a sheet of paper and keep it in a place where you can easily view it. This piece of paper can serve as your motivation for quitting smoking. It would also help if you read books, articles, and other materials that discuss smoking and nicotine addiction as well as those that discuss the benefits of not smoking. Don’t saturate your mind with the negativity. Look and explore the positive side as well. The positive side refers to why you want to quit smoking, the benefits you’ll get, and the like. Once you are in this state of mind, you can then set your quit date.
Before you actually quit smoking, you should also seek your doctor’s advice. Talk to your doctor about your decision, about symptoms and side effects, and about the different quitting smoking methods and programs that are available today. If you have other medical conditions that you have to worry about, discuss this with your doctor as well before quitting smoking.
You should also talk to your family, friends, and co-workers. Inform them about your decision to quit and how they can help you stay smoke-free. They are your support group so make sure that they will be able to understand what you will be going through. You can even find a quitting buddy or a quitting partner to help you through.
Learn to identify what are your smoking triggers. You can then list down how you are going to deal with these situations so that you won’t end up lighting a cigarette. Consider exercising, going for a short walk, getting a new hobby or anything that will keep you busy. This can help take your mind off smoking. When you feel that the symptoms are too intense, go talk about it to someone, your quitting partner or your doctor.
Quitting smoking is possible. It is a decision that you have to make everyday. And just like the many ex-smokers out there who continue to be smoke-free everyday, you can be like them too. It all starts with quitting smoking now.