Just lately I have been trying out electronic cigarettes , as I was sent some free samples for the purposes of writing an article about them. I thought, as a former smoker myself, I would give them a go to see how they compare to a real cigarette.
One of my friends said maybe I shouldn’t, as I might become addicted to them and Read more
For those of you who really want to quit and have tried other things like the patches, lozenges, gum, and even going cold turkey, here’s a new option for you. It’s an inhaler that you can use much like one for asthma. You can change the filter as much as you like. A lot of people are using the accompanying filters longer and longer, gradually getting less nicotine when they inhale, and at some point just throwing them away. Read more
Smoking has been a danger ever since it was created and it has influence all of us to smoke because it was considered ‘cool’ but in reality, it isn’t cool it’s dangerous. But there are ways to quit smoking and it will make your life much easier.
Most of the women and men smoke because they are either depressed or addicted to smoking but they can stop, they just have to think positive. Read more
One of the ways in which the tobacco industry is so unethical, is that cigarettes are still tested on animals.
Even after all this time, despite everyone knowing for years about all of the health problems that cigarettes cause in humans, the tobacco industry continues to engage in this gross behavior. The dangers of smoking have been known for decades now, and tests on animals are very inconclusive (bad science) in any case. One way in which the tests are invalid, is that humans smoke voluntarily and so inhale deeper than animals who are forcibly exposed to the smoke. Clearly, the results will be skewed. Another factor here is that the upper respiratory tracts of animals (such as dogs and rats), are physiologically quite different from those of humans. The nature of the human respiratory tract is one of the factors which keeps animals from contracting lung cancer in the way that humans do.
The earliest animal smoking experiments in the 1950s and 1960s, were performed on beagle dogs who were strapped down and fitted with face masks. The masks forced them to inhale cigarette smoke for several hours at a time. In other tests, these dogs were also made to smoke by having their throats slit and smoke pumped into the tracheotomy. They have additionally had their legs severed whilst they were still alive to test the effects of smoke on circulation and also have had their chest cavities opened up so that their coronary arteries could be artificially manipulated. There have even been tests where researchers have inserted electrodes into dog's penises to measure the effect of smoking on sexual performance! (There is plenty of evidence in humans already, on how cigarette use causes erectile dysfunction!)
One small blessing is that at least smoking tests have been banned on animals in the UK since 1997. Sadly, they still go on in many other countries, such as in Europe and in the USA. For example, in the USA the tobacco giant Philip Morris has been spending millions each year in funding these cruel and pointless tests on animals such as beagles, monkeys, rats, and mice. Lab rats are forced into tiny cone-shaped canisters which are pumped full of smoke, so that they have no choice but to inhale it. The rats are then killed and dissected to examine the damage caused to their bodies. In other tests, mice and rats have tobacco tar applied directly to bare skin to induce cancerous tumours (despite how that seems relevant to humans, who take smoke in through their lungs).
Recently Philip Morris has deemed it necessary to add new ingredients to their existing cigarettes, such as sugar, honey, plum juice, cocoa, and coffee extracts, and to test these modifications on animals. Commenting on a recent research project in which around 1000 rats were forced to inhale cigarette smoke for about six hours per day over a 90-day period, a Philip Morris spokesman said the company’s "rare” use of animal tests was to help them develop lower-risk tobacco products, or to make sure that modifications to brands did not add to the toxicity of their existing cigarettes.
"This research was not to confirm the quality of the cigarette or to see if it was safe. There is no such thing as a safe cigarette," the spokesman added. So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth!
Maybe this will help smokers who are trying to quit, knowing that these atrocities are being inflicted so unnecessarily on other creatures. When you feel your resolve wavering, think on this– you are not just killing and harming yourself and other humans, you are also paying the tobacco companies to kill and mutilate all of these other innocent creatures.
It's just another very powerful reason to quit, I think you will agree.
Picture courtesy of www.globalphilosophy.blogspot.com
For those who know don't me, I am a content writer and a Certified Personal Trainer. I'm a non-smoker. Writing, health, and fitness are my passions. Some in my profession are smokers. It's either because they don't want to stop (which is bad, especially in this profession) or they are having a hard time stopping.
Some smokers have approached me about training them under the false idea that they can continue smoking and still be healthy. I refused empathically, because these people are at high risk for heart disease, emphysema or lung infections. I told each of them that they can come back to me seven months after quitting, with a signed doctor’s note to begin training. The seven month period is enough time for them to get the toxins out of their system.
One of the greatest benefits of quitting smoking, is exercising. You can have a better quality of life, as well as a longer one. Some other benefits are that you will continue to be around for your children, grandchildren and your pets. Another benefit is that is the plain fact that you'll be less likely to be stricken with a wide variety of diseases. Not to mention, your family will no longer be breathing in second hand smoke.
Ten to fifteen years after quitting, when your body restores itself to normal functioning, you will be able train for and run a full marathon if you want to. That’s something exciting to look forward to. Think the New York Marathon. Go ahead. Dream big.
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If you are trying to quit smoking, there are a few things that Dr. John M. Grohol, PSYD, has to say that may shock you.
So you're trying to quick. Have you picked up a book about it? Although they are a good first step (after all, you are admitting you have a problem and are seeking help to quit your habit) the truth is not always detailed properly, and is sometimes even hidden in these books. Yes, these books are often the purveyors of white lies.
Even though psychologists agree that certain mental health illnesses don’t require treatment –- such as behavioral disorders (like phobias), some do need assistance in order to be properly eliminated. Smoking isn’t one of them.
First, Dr. Grohol says that if you know that your smoking is behavior-related, (meaning you smoke along with something else, like drinking a beer or right after eating), you cannot quit smoking using something like patches or nicotine gum. The association you built up between the two is stronger than what any form of alternative treatment can do for you.
And unfortunately, science has never really delved much into the matter. Why? Because science doesn’t work that way. What the scientific community (and funders) want, is to prove that a certain medication or assistance device works. But most people who quit didn’t do it using a patch or gum. They do it on their own, often cold turkey.
In fact, it's believed that this cold turkey group composes around 75% of the smokers who manage to quit. Shocking? Not really. They just knew what to do and and they did it.
Monitoring themselves for depressive feelings and/or urges toward the habit has worked better for many smokers, than using books or other aids.
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I’ve already written an article that speaks of the many benefits of using herbal remedies to help you quit smoking, and listed a few. Actually, there are more, and their use is a bit different. Furthermore, the ones I will be listing are natural remedies, not necessarily oils per se, like the last article, so some people may find this type of remedy much easier to work with, and maybe even less expensive as some oils do come with a hefty price – especially the ones meant to be used for oral consumption.
Also, remember that a craving for a cigarette lasts around two to ten minutes only. If you can stay focused on something else during that time and work with these remedies – especially when used as prevention – you can curve your cravings and let go of the habit that you need to stop (these remedies can help with other cravings as well).
So, without further ado, here are the ones I found while browsing the internet.
Cayenne Pepper: this spice works well at desensitizing the respiratory system to tobacco and the chemicals in the cigarette. This, therefore, makes you want it less. Please note cayenne is also good if you have cold.
Lobelia: this is a plant that has been known to help fight the effects of withdrawal and is the active ingredient in several anti-smoking products.
Ginger: this is a root that is used for digestion. People who stop smoking, at times, have stomach and digestion discomforts and issues, and this is used to reduce cramps. It is also good to help alleviate nausea.
St. John’s wort: this is an herb that has been used for a long time to promote a positive way of thinking. This is especially good at the start.
Korean or tiger ginseng: ginseng has long been used to reduce the effects of stress and to help deal with fatigue.
Peppermint: this herb is very relaxing for the digestive system, helps reduce flatulence, and stimulates digestion in general.
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