By the time we realize that smoking is a bad habit and we must give it up, we are already addicted. The reason I say we is because even though I am not addicted to smoking, I know what addiction is. (more…)

My favorite day of the year has come and gone.  Friends' Thanksgiving.  We started this event after our roommate suggested we have folks over to celebrate the holidays with our 'family of friends'.  It began with about 15 people getting together, putting aside the to-do lists and committing a meal together.   (more…)

Even though most people associate summer and the sunny days that it brings with joy, it can sometimes be quite difficult to remain looking, or indeed, being happy when your makeup is having a persistent tendency to come sloping down your face. Luckily, there are things you can do to either completely prevent this from happening, or at least, keep the necessary interventions on your makeup at a minimum. (more…)

While the FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners for human consumption, the jury is still out on the long-term effects of consuming aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, neotame and acesulfame-k. Consumers seeking tasty, low or zero calorie beverages are urged to drink water, nature's ultimate thirst quencher, but many find themselves bored with a water-only regimen. (more…)

We all enjoy summer more when we feel great about our body. No one wants to think about the layer of fat around their waist at the beach. You want to enjoy the sun, have fun, and feel confident. (more…)

"What if you can live forever?" What if you can see the seasons of life from spring, summer, autumn and winter for a thousand years or more? Some say that it's a curse while billions around the world dream or aspire to have it in an attempt to cast out their own mortality and fear of death. The beliefs and versions vary. Some say you'd float in the sky in a white shining beam of light and be reunited to your creator, but that's another form of immortality. That is immortality through an afterlife. Some view it as an oasis where milk and honey flow overabundantly in rivers. Some view it as a place where 70 virgins prance around to give you immeasurable pleasure but only if you do their bidding first in this life.

Some view it as a reunification with loved ones long gone and missed. But for me, immortality has two levels:

Conceptual: Some luminaries long gone, become immortal through their words, sacrifices or actions.

Practical: Science fiction and vampire novels come to mind.

Now you may be asking why this blog post is about immortality when I should be writing about trying to quit smoking. Our finite nature in this universe all hinges upon the fact that our organs fail. That's why when somebody dies, people always ask what they died from. Heart attack, lung cancer, prostate cancer, liver damage, etc. All of the causes of death have to do with the failure of one or more organs. I am imagining a near future where scientists would one day be able to develop organ replacement techniques that are infallible. Maybe through stem cells or through nanobots.

Once they've done this and made it affordable and universally accessible, then we would no longer have to worry about a bevy of things that we should not be worrying about. At this very moment, my grandfather is slowly dying from cancer. When I came to visit them last week, they told me that what I am asking for was a miracle and miracles don't happen in this world. What they needed was a practical solution, a solution of which I could not provide - nobody could. The conversation would have been different if the technology or the procedure was more readily available. Our conversation would have been about which star each would love to go to next, what robot models were being developed right now, the latest music or movie, how my daughters are learning how to code and play the guitar. In short, we would have been discussing living this life now.

After figuring out what your triggers are and working to change your routine (as discussed in my blog entitled "Triggers"), you are ready to set a date for the big day, the day when you conciously back away from smoking.

It is a good idea to either talk to your medical doctor or call a help line (one is listed below). There are some products on the market to help with the nicotine withdrawal such as gum, patches, lozenges and even some prescription medications such as Varenicline (or Chantix) and Bupropion (brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban), that help with the cravings. A doctor can advise you as to whether you might need to start one of these products before stopping actual cigarettes. This is a very important aspect of quitting and these aids are good idea to decide on before the day comes.

You aren't going to just never have another cigarette. Cutting down or edging off is a little more the point here. Your awareness of your smoking triggers, and what you have done to change those most vulnerable moments, will help you to cut down and finally quit.

Water pipe smoking (vaping and e-cigs) still deliver the nicotine, but not as toxic as a cigarette.

A lot of people feel that cold turkey is the way to go about quitting. But only about 3.5% of those stopping cold turkey actually stop for good.

Remember that addictive behavior comes from our reactions to certain situations. Usually, it is an emotional stresser that brings on the addictive behavior. This is where changing the rituals we go through comes in. For example: If you smoke when you get in the car and drive at a certain time during the day, then you need to find something else to do at this time.

Don't forget to ask for support from family and friends. Not being around people that smoke will be very helpful and is something to think about.

Call the NCI (National Cancer Institute) Smoking Quitline at: 1-877-448-7848 Monday through Friday 8am to 8pm eastern time, or visit www.smokefree.gov for help if you need it.

I hope this blog is of help to you and that you read the others I have written on this subject.  Thank you for your votes and comments.

"But daddy, it's so spiky!" my kid said with his head tilted to the side. He was scratching his arm where a tiny pink lump was beginning to form. It was a mosquito bite.

So here I am trying to convince my four year old son about the merits of using Aloe Vera gel to make the itchiness on his arm go away. It felt like being on a high school debate team all over again. (more…)

Medical Marijuana Vaporizers Deliver Effective Results

While once considered a recreational taboo, marijuana is now being recognized as a potent medication that can alleviate a number of ailments and painful symptoms. With a valid doctor’s prescription, these users can legally buy government-regulated cannabis to smoke as they see fit, following their physicians orders, of course. While it has many legitimate medicinal uses, marijuana is still seen by many as a "problem drug” and, despite a prescription, smoking the standard joint or bong toke still produces a smell that leaves a lot of people shaking their heads. Even with a prescription, there are still numerous situations someone might face daily that require a little more discretion. Maybe you need to go outside and medicate during a family or business function and don’t want to come back in "reeking of weed”. With medical marijuana Vaporizers, these issues and many more can finally be overcome.

Benefits of Medical Marijuana Vaporizers

Vaporizers and electronic cigarettes have been widely enjoyed due in large part to their discreet nature. Various forms of cannabis, such as wax, dried herb and budder, can be utilized inside the device. Depending on the type of medical marijuana Vaporizer you use, the product will either be placed next to the heating coil in order to warm it up, or placed in a separate chamber to be heated by the hot air produced by the coil. If using dried marijuana, it is always best to add a little water first, so that the heating elements have something to vaporize. Once the active ingredients have been liquefied from the plant, the vapor can be inhaled then exhaled discreetly with no odor or smoke to tell the story of what you’ve been doing.

This process also produces a cleaner puff. In regular use, marijuana must be burned, causing a foul odor and also actual smoke, which can be detrimental to your overall health. While medical marijuana E-cigs and Vaporizers don’t claim to be healthy, they produce a cleaner toke, which lacks the chemicals created by combustion and burning.

There is also the matter of quantity and quality. Smoking marijuana in traditional ways can decrease its potency, and also requires more of the product in order to achieve the desired results. A vaporizer takes out the middle-man and allows the user to use less product to produce the same amount of effect, saving time and money.

Look for a Professional Online or In-Person Vape Shop

While there is potential to find information about smoking alternative products from the doctor who writes your marijuana prescription, some things are perhaps out of their scope of expertise. E-cigs and vaporizers can come in many different shapes and sizes, with varying degrees of heating capabilities, and when choosing the Medical Marijuana Vaporizer that’s going to provide you with access to your medication, there is no better place to look than a professional online or in-person vape shop.

One of the things I cherish the most as a dad is the ability to say "I love you" so many times to my wife and children every day. I'm the type of person who just calls one of my daughters out of the blue and says those three words with a hug. (more…)