Acne and Hypertension

Smoking Effects On Skin

2009-06-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

Smoking can cause premature aging of the skin by restricting the blood vessels in the outermost layers of the skin. This reduces blood flow to your skin, depleting it of oxygen and other important nutrients such as Vitamin A, which provides protection against skin damaging radicals.

Smoking also damages collagen and elastin, which are fibers in your skin that give it strength and elasticity.

Smoking not only affects your facial skin, but has been known to affect skin on other parts of your body such as your inner arms.

Also, the “smokers face,” which are the facial expressions made while smoking (such as the pursing of the lips and the squinting of the eyes when smoking) can add to wrinkles around the eyes and mouth as well as the development of hollow cheeks, more prevalent in underweight smokers.

Oral health Tobacco is a major contributor to dental health problems. Tar from cigarettes deposit onto the teeth causing discoloration and stains. Tobacco is a main factor in gum disease. In fact, smokers are four times more likely to suffer from advanced periodontal disease than those who have never smoked. Tobacco can damage your gum tissue by affecting the attachment of bone and soft tissue to your teeth. Tobacco reduces blood flow to your gums, depriving them of oxygen and nutrients that allow them to stay healthy. The same effects occur on skin tissue. This makes your gums more vulnerable to bacterial infection like periodontal disease. Tobacco chemicals have also been shown to hinder healing in patients with oral inflammation, oral wounds, or after oral surgery by weakening the immune system, making smokers more likely to lose teeth and not respond to treatment.

Smokers are also six times as likely as non smokers to develop cancers of the mouth and throat. Smoking also tends to irritate the throat, giving smokers problems with coughing, hoarseness, and difficulty in swallowing. Arms and Legs Smoking can damage blood vessels in your heart, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood to the hands and feet, causing poor blood circulation.

Smoking has been known to be a major factor in Buerger’s disease. Buerger’s disease is a disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs. It is characterized by a combination of inflammation and clots in blood vessels which impair blood flow. This eventually damages and destroys tissues, leading to infection and gangrene. Poor blood circulation can also lead to peripheral vascular disease in the legs, feet, arms, and hands. Both of these diseases may result in severe pain and can lead to amputation.

Smoking Effects On Thyroid

2009-06-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

The thyroid controls how quickly the body burns energy, makes proteins, and how sensitive the body should be to other hormones.

Tobacco smoke contains chemicals such as cyanide that can affect the function of the thyroid. It can cause what is known as anti-thyroid behaviors such as inhibiting iodide uptake and hormone synthesis.

Studies show that smokers are more likely to have thyroid enlargement which can be a sign of a thyroid disorder, and smokers are twice as likely to develop Graves’ disease, a thyroid disorder that causes the bulging of the eyes, a thickening of the skin, and hyperthyroidism, causing increased speed of the body’s organs and intestines.

Smoking effects On Nose

2009-06-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

Smoking can reduce your sense of smell by polluting your nasal cavity, which also reduces your sense of taste since smell is so closely related to your ability to taste.

Smocking Effects On Eyes

2009-06-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

Smoking can increase your risk of developing cataracts. Cataracts cause the eye lens to become cloudy, leading to decreased vision. Smoking affects your vision in two ways.

First, the direct inhalation of cigarette chemicals; second, indirect smoking lowers the body’s levels of antioxidants and certain enzymes known as “endogenous proteolytic enzymes,” which are known to help in the removal of damaged protein from the eye lens.

Smoking Effects On Brain

2009-06-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

Smoking can alter your brain activity. Smoking has been found to affect the brain in a similar way as heroin by triggering the release of the chemicals in your brain known as opioids.

Opioids play a role in soothing pain, increasing positive emotions, and giving a sense of reward. As smokers smoke the activity in these chemical receptors increases, causing the smoker to easily become addicted.

Unfortunately, studies show that after a smoker has been smoking for awhile the chemical receptors for those opioids can lose 20 to 30% of activity which contributes to the nicotine withdrawal that so many smokers suffer from.

Anti smoking herbals

2009-06-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

Kudzu. A vine plant native to Japan. It has been used for treating various addictions. The Harvard Medical School is studying kudzu as a way to treat alcoholic cravings and is developing a pharmaceutical drug based on Kudzu.

Passion Flower. Used medicinally to promote relaxation and calmness, passion flower is often prescribed as an alternative medicine for the treatment of insomnia, nervous tension and irritability.

Avena Sativa. An extremely efficient nerve tonic which prevents insomnia, depression and anxiety. It has also been used to treat opium addiction. Recent studies have suggested that it is effective in reducing the craving for nicotine by balancing levels of acetylcholine implicated in addiction. It also contains phenols that have antioxidant effects and are beneficial for preventing heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Mucuna pruriens. A tropical plant also known as velvet bean. It contains powerful amino acid L-Dopa. Smoking increases the level of dopamine in the brain which causes pleasure and leads to an addiction. When you quit smoking, the brain is asking for dopamine by creating a strong urge for smoking. However, your body will naturally convert the L-Dopa in Mucuna pruriens to dopamine and effectively stop nicotine cravings. Mucuna pruriens also showed strong anti-cancer activity in a laboratory study.

Ginseng. A slow growing herb found in Asia and North America. One study has demonstrated that ginseng prevents the nicotine-induced release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is what makes people feel good after smoking and is part of the addiction process. Ginseng contains powerful antioxidants that have been found to inhibit cancer cell growth in many studies.

Lobelia. Herb Also known as Indian tobacco, lobelia herb produces effects similar to nicotine on the central nervous system, while acting as an overall relaxant. Lobelia is also used to treat respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and coughs.

Garcinia Cambogia. An Ayurvedic herb. It has hydro-citric acid which prevents sugar cravings and compensatory eating associated with nicotine withdrawal.

5-HTP. A natural amino acid extracted from seeds of the African plant Griffonia Simplicifolia. Many people self-medicate for depression by smoking. By taking a natural antidepressant 5-HTP, it easier to stop smoking, 5-HTP is converted to serotonin in your body. Serotonin is responsible for regulating mood and makes you feel more positive. Three clinical studies show that 5-HTP is effective for treating depression. Some studies showed that 5-HTP curbs appetite and helps prevent weight gain.

Rhodiola Rosea. An effective ingredient for improving mood and alleviating depression by optimizing serotonin and dopamine levels. Pilot studies on human subjects show that it improves physical and mental performance and reduces fatigue. Clinical trial has shown effectiveness of Rhodiola in the treatment of depression. Rhodiola has excellent mood stabilizing benefits for those quitting smoking. It also has an excellent antioxidant potency that protects the heart.

Smoking Affects Your Heart

2009-06-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Each year, tobacco smoking accounts for around approximately 20% of all heart disease deaths.

What is Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)?

CHD has two principal forms - angina and heart attacks. Both occur because the arteries carrying blood to the heart muscle become blocked or narrowed, usually by a deposit of fatty substances, a process known as atherosclerosis. Angina is a severe pain in the chest brought on by exertion and relieved by rest. A heart attack is due to obstruction of a coronary artery either as a result of atherosclerosis or a blood clot: part of the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen and dies.

Risk factors for Coronary Heart Disease

Cigarette smoking, raised blood cholesterol and high blood pressure are the most firmly established, non-hereditary risk factors leading to CHD with cigarette smoking being the "most important of the known modifiable risk factors for CHD", according to the US Surgeon General. A cigarette smoker has two to three times the risk of having a heart attack than a non-smoker. If both of the other main risk factors are present then the chances of having a heart attack can be increased eight times. At least 80% of heart attacks in men under 45 are thought to be due to cigarette smoking. At this age, heavy smokers have 10 to 15 times the rate of fatal heart attacks of non-smokers. Even light smokers are at increased risk of CHD: a US study found that women who smoked 1-4 cigarettes a day had a 2.5-fold increased risk of fatal coronary heart disease.

The role of smoking in Coronary Heart Disease

Inhaling tobacco smoke causes several immediate responses within the heart and its blood vessels. Within one minute of starting to smoke, the heart rate begins to rise: it may increase by as much as 30 percent during the first 10 minutes of smoking. Smoking also raises blood pressure: blood vessels constrict which forces the heart to work harder to deliver oxygen to the rest of the body. Meanwhile, carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke exerts a negative effect on the heart by reducing the blood's ability to carry oxygen.

Smoking and arterial disease

Smoking tends to increase blood cholesterol levels. Cigarette smokers also have raised fibrinogen levels and platelet counts which make the blood more sticky. Carbon monoxide attaches itself to haemoglobin much more easily than oxygen does. This reduces the amount of oxygen available to the tissues. All these factors make smokers more at risk of developing various forms of atherosclerotic disease. As the atherosclerotic process progresses, blood flows less easily through rigid and narrowed arteries and the blood is more likely to form a thrombosis (clot). This sudden blockage of an artery may lead to a fatal heart attack, a stroke or gangrene of the leg.

Aneurysm

Is a ballooning of the wall of an artery which leads to risk of bursting or clotting, which may lead to catastrophic results. Smokers are very much more likely to die from a ruptured aneurysm of the abdominal aorta than non-smokers.

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)

Smokers have a 16 times greater risk of developing peripheral vascular disease (blocked blood vessels in the legs or feet) than people who have never smoked. Smokers who ignore the warning of early symptoms and continue to smoke are more likely to develop gangrene of a leg.

Cigarette smoking combines with other factors to multiply the risks of atherosclerosis. Patients who continue to smoke after surgery for PVD are more likely to relapse, leading to amputation, and are more likely to die earlier.10

Thromboangiitis Obliterans (Buerger's Disease)

This is a rare form of PVD, and is virtually always due to heavy cigarette smoking. It consists of an inflammatory condition of small vessels that leads to blocking of the arteries and gangrene. Few sufferers are able to stop and many of them end up with multiple amputations.

Stroke

Smokers are more likely to develop a cerebral thrombosis (stroke) than non-smokers. A form of cerebral haemorrhage (subarachnoid) is more common in smokers, especially among women who also take the contraceptive pill.

Avoid Weight Gain When Stopping Smoking

2009-06-02T14:02:00.000-07:00

To stop smoking is challenge enough but some smokers dread the possibility of gaining weight. If you fall into the latter camp let's try and get the situation into perspective and allay some fears.

Smoking suppresses the appetite and therefore you may feel hungrier when you quit smoking.

Eating more of the wrong foods will, most likely, make you gain weight.

Nicotine also speeds up the bodies processes, so when you stop smoking your body needs less energy, but if you are giving it more (in the form of calories) this can lead to weight gain.

Don't let this become a reason for not quitting smoking.

Many smokers are in fact underweight due to prolonged appetite suppression and of those who do put on weight, about half increase their weight by less than two kilos.

How To Avoid Weight Gain
It is important to remember that not all ex-smokers put on weight.

If you do have concerns about gaining weight talk to your doctor or a dietician and develop a sensible eating plan. Details of free weigh loss guide below.

Simply substituting smoking for excessive eating of confectionery and high calorie foods and snacks will not help your cause.

A sensible exercise and eating plan will help keep your weight down and keep you fit.

Go easy on yourself and go about making these changes to your lifestyle in moderation.

If you prepare yourself properly you will increase your chances of success.

Before you attempt to quit smoking decide what amount of weight gain you are willing to tolerate.

Also, decide what will you do if you exceed your weight target.

Don't leave yourself a back door for going back to smoking and bear in mind that starting to smoke again may not help you lose any weight you do gain.

Nicotine Cravings And Withdrawal

2009-06-02T14:01:00.001-07:00

Cravings and withdrawal symptoms when you quit smoking are a common experience.

It is the way your body reacts when it stops getting nicotine and all the other chemicals in tobacco smoke.

Some withdrawal symptoms will come and go over a period of a few days. Most are gone within three weeks and not every smoker is affected to the same degree.

Cravings. Each one lasts 3 -5 minutes, and may be strong. Over time however, cravings will happen less often. More about cravings below.

Headaches (occasional), indigestion, nausea, diarrhoea and sore throats rarely last more than four days.

Try usual over the counter remedies for these symptoms.

Insomnia and an increased tendency to dream.

Tea and coffee contain caffeine and, without nicotine, your body absorbs much more of this stimulant, which can make you restless, irritable and sleepless for a while.

Try drinking less tea and coffee, make your cups weaker.

Consider coffee substitutes, water, fruit juice and caffeine-free cola drinks.

Coughing most commonly caused by the cilia that line your lungs cleaning out the tar and mucus.

Irritability, depression or anxiety are closely connected to the physical action of nicotine leaving your body and will lessen over one to three weeks.

Increased appetite and possible weight gain.

Tiredness and lack of concentration.

Try and relax more during the first few weeks any tiredness will pass.

Take a break from what your doing and take a short walk if possible to help concentration.

The first few days after you quit can be the hardest.

The most problematic symptom tends to be cravings.

Few smokers quit without getting cravings. If you want to succeed you must learn to get through them. The following tips should help:

Confront cravings head on and learn to 'overcome the urge to smoke at will through sheer determination'.

The choice to quit smoking and the responsibility for not smoking is yours alone.

Cravings only last 3- 5 minutes and they WILL subside. Once the urge to smoke has gone your resolve will strengthen.

Focus on the reasons you decided to quit. Take a look at your quitting plan.

Take 3 or 4 deep breaths. Breathe in slowly through the nose and fill your lungs, then breathe out again slowly through the mouth.

Drink water. Sip it slowly and try to savour the taste. This will also help to satisfy any increased appetite.

Keep busy. Take your mind off smoking by going for a walk, doing an odd job around the home or in the garden or call a friend or relative on the phone

If you have been making notes so far, developing your quitting plan, think about cravings and withdrawal symptoms for a moment or two. Picture a scenario when you have desperately wanted to smoke. If that were to occur once you stop what would you do?

Make a note of what you plan to do to deal with cravings. Maybe something like:

"When I get a strong craving I am going to occupy myself for 5 minutes by manicuring my nails".

Write it down on your list and number it "3".

Lung Cancer Because of Smoking

2009-06-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

When symptoms occur, lung cancer is often advanced. Signs include:

Chronic cough
Persistent cough
Chest pain
Coughing up blood
An increase in mucous production
Wheezing (Noisy breathing)
Shortness of breath
Bronchitis
Hoarseness
Pneumonia
Weight loss & loss of appetite
If you smoke or have been a smoker you are in a high risk category. Bear in mind these are also characteristic signs of many other lung problems. So the best advice would be to see a doctor to find out the cause.

Lung cancer can be readily identified by a simple chest x-ray, or a more specialised type of x-ray known as a CT scan. So if you are concerned, ASK for one.

When you go for a doctor's examination, you are likely to be asked many questions about your medical history, including questions about possible exposure to hazardous substances. Other leading causes of lung cancer are work related exposures - through substances like asbestos, uranium, arsenic, and certain petroleum products.

Further tests and biopsies (samples taking) may be necessary. For example is you are experiencing increased mucuos production.

If cancer is found, it may not always be curable, but every cancer is treatable. If left untreated however, it can spread to the brain, liver, bone, and lymph nodes.

Lung Cancer Treatment
Treatment for lung cancer will vary from person to person depedending on a variety of factors:

Current health
Type, size and location of cancer
Whether or not tumor has spread
The most effective treatment plans for lung cancer related to smoking normally start with an action plan to quit smoking.

Quitting removes the major cause of the cancer and makes both treatment and prevention of new cancer development more effective.
Quit smoking products and aids can help: Zyban, Nicotine Replacemnt Therapy (NRT), Smoke-No-More - New nicotine mouthwash and spray that kills the pleasure in smoking. Stops smoking instantly! As seen on TV.
After quitting smoking, standard curative treatment is the next step. These are: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these methods, called combination therapy.

Surgery
Surgery is generally used in limited stages of disease and may cure lung cancer by removing the tumour and relieving it's symptoms. The extent of the surgery may involve removing part of a lobe, a whole lobe, or the entire lung.

Some tumors cannot be removed because of their size or location.

Radiation Therapy
This is a form of external x-ray that kills cancer cells. It is used to relieve pain and tumour symptoms and eliminate or decrease the size of the tumor itself.

Chemotherapy is the use of medication, to decrease the size of tumor or eliminate cancer. Treatment may be in the form of pills, injections or catheter (drip).

The end result of these treatments is largely beneficial. Unfortunately there are likely to be side effects. You should consult your doctor to see which are most likely to affect you.

Prevention
QUIT SMOKING. STOP!.
As we have seen - cigarette smoke is THE major cause of lung cancer (primary carcinoma of the lung).
If you are a non-smoker, speak up for a smoke-free environment at home, work and public places.
Don't smoke - smoking increases your risk from many occupational exposures.
Quit Smoking - Do You Want To?

Smoking Causes Cancer

2009-06-02T13:54:00.001-07:00

Tobacco use, particularly in the form of cigarette smoking, is the single most preventable cause of excess mortality in the United States. Each year, more people die prematurely from smoking than die from automobile accidents, drug abuse, AIDS, and alcohol combined (USDHS, 1989). An estimated 434,000 Americans died as a result of their smoking last year alone. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop has called cigarette smoking "...the chief, single, avoidable cause of death in our society and the most important public health issue of our time" (USDHS, 1982).

A series of authoritative reports by the U.S. Public Health Service and other international scientific organizations has conclusively documented a causal relationship between cigarette smoking and cancer of at least eight major sites (Shopland et al., 1991). These reports have uniformly identified smoking as a major cause of cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity, and esophagus--that is, cigarette smoking is responsible for a majority of the cases and deaths from cancer of these sites. These reports have also demonstrated that smoking substantially elevates the death rates for cancers of the bladder, kidney, and pancreas in both men and women, and, possibly, cervical cancer in women. A number of published reports have suggested an association between smoking and other cancers, including cancer of the stomach, liver, prostate, colon, and rectum.

Recent evidence published by investigators at the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society (Shopland et al., 1991) conclusively demonstrates that the cancer risks among current cigarette smokers are greater today than at the time of the first Surgeon General's report in the early 1960s. Table 1 reports the relative risks of early cancer mortality for the eight major smoking-associated cancer sites among smoking men and women compared to nonsmokers. These data are taken from the large American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II of more than 1.2 million individuals (685,748 women and 521,555 men) followed prospectively since 1982 (Shopland et al., 1991). This study clearly shows that, for each site, mortality risks among current smokers are higher than those among nonsmokers. Mortality risks in former smokers are lower than in those who continue to smoke, but higher than in those subjects who had never smoked.

The risk of developing any of the smoking-related cancers is dose-related; that is, the more cigarettes consumed daily, the younger the age at which one initiates smoking, and the more years one smokes, the greater the risk.

Among male cigarette smokers, the risk of lung cancer is more than 2,000 percent higher than among male nonsmokers; for women, the risks were approximately 1,200 percent greater. Lung cancer is the single largest cause of cancer mortality among both men and women and accounts for more than one in every four cancer deaths nationally in the U.S.

In addition to cigarette smoking as a cause of cancer in smokers, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) (also called involuntary or passive smoking) is now recognized as a significant cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers (National Research Council, 1986; DHS, 1987; EPA, 1993). Nonsmokers who live or work with smokers experience a 30 to 50 percent elevated risk for lung cancer. An estimated 3,000 to 6,000 nonsmoker lung cancer deaths annually are attributed to ETS (EPA, 1993). While the number of ETS related lung cancer deaths may seem small when compared to the number attributed to active smoking, the number is actually quite large when compared to other indoor and outdoor environmental pollutants (Table 2), many of which are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By way of comparison, two British scientists have estimated that exposure to asbestos fibers among people who live or work in asbestos-containing buildings carries an annual risk of lung cancer of less than 1 in 1 million (Doll and Peto, 1986). Notwithstanding this small risk, great efforts are made to remove asbestos from work sites, schools, and other public buildings because the risks are deemed to be unacceptable. Yet, according to these same investigators, the relative risk for lung cancer due to ETS "is more than 100 times higher than the estimated effects of 20 years' exposure to the amount of chrysotile asbestos normally found in asbestos-containing buildings" (Peto and Doll, 1986).

Smokeless tobacco users are at increased risk for cancers of the oral cavity, particularly cancers of the cheek and gum (DHS, 1986), and evidence also suggests an association between use of smokeless tobacco and cancers of the larynx and esophagus.

Pipe and cigar smokers experience substantially elevated risks for cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus, which equal and often exceed the risks observed in regular cigarette smokers (USDHEW, 1979). Pipe and cigar smokers experience a slightly increased risk for lung cancer; however, among pipe and cigar smokers who inhale, the risk of lung cancer is on the same order of magnitude found in cigarette smokers.

The total magnitude of the cancer burden caused by smoking is staggering. Of the 514,000 cancer deaths expected to occur this year in the United States, slightly over 164,000, or nearly one-third, are directly linked to cigarette smoking (Table 1). An additional 14,000 deaths can reasonably be attributed to pipe and cigar smoking among men. In all, it is estimated that cigarette smoking causes approximately 23 percent of all cancer deaths in women, but the combination of pipe, cigar, and cigarette smoking is responsible for 42 percent of all male cancer deaths (Shopland et al., 1991). If cancer deaths associated with tobacco use were excluded from national cancer mortality figures, we would be witnessing a substantial downturn in both overall cancer deaths and rates.

Passive Smoking

2009-06-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

Sidestream smoke: Smoke that comes directly from the tobacco product (cigarette, cigar, pipe etc).

Mainstream smoke: Smoke that has been breathed out by the smoker.

Passive smoke contains over 4000 chemicals and poisons, and is just as dangerous to human health as the smoke that is breathed in directly by a smoker. Every day millions of people around the world are exposed to other people’s tobacco smoke.

Out of these millions, the ones that suck in the most of this poisonous air are sadly, the families of the smoker. These are people that the smokers love the most in the world, the people that they are supposed to cherish and protect. Yet everyday smokers endanger the health and even the lives of their loved ones.

Let’s have a look at some of the more common problems that the families of smokers have from frequently breathing in other family members passive smoke.

A non-smoking partner of a smoker has a 30% increased chance of developing lung disease and a 20% increased chance of developing lung cancer.

Other common health problems include nasal sinus cancer, stroke and a weakened immune system (which can lead to number of illnesses). Breathing problems are very common and include constant coughing, asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.

The infants and children of smoking parents are particularly susceptible to the effects of passive smoke. Their bodies are still developing and cannot handle the pressure of dealing with all the toxins and poisons. The chances of an infant dying from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) quadruples in a smoking household.

Other common health problems include ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma. Passive smoke has even been linked to behavioural and learning difficulties in children.

There are other family members who are often overlooked when it comes to the dangers of passive smoke, the family pets.

Cancer of the lungs and nasal cavities are frequently found in dogs who live in a smoking home. Cats show a high rate of oral cancers because they are constantly licking the carcinogens from tobacco smoke that build up in their fur. Birds show many problems including lung cancer and pneumonia as well as problems with their eyes, skin, heart and reproductive organs.

It is common for pets living in a smoking home to suffer from tobacco poisoning because they have eaten tobacco products left lying around.

The above afflictions I have mentioned are but a few examples from a very long list of problems associated with passive smoke. I used to smoke and I hate to admit this but I honestly didnt care if my family members breathed in my passive smoke.

I consider myself a considerate person, but when I wanted a cigarette all consideration for my loved ones went out the window. Why? Because my addiction to tobacco was at such a level that thinking about others just wasn’t a priority. I wanted a cigarette and nothing, not even the well being of my family was going to stop me.

It wasn’t until I was free from smoking that I realised just how selfish I was being.

We are supposed to protect our families from the evil and harms of the world, not bring it into their lives on a daily basis. How will you feel standing over the hospital bed of a loved one or even worse attending their funeral when it was your smoking habit that did this to them?

If you never think about this than maybe you should start, it may be all the motivation you need to quit.

Effects Of Smoking

2009-06-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

It is common knowledge that smoking is bad for a person’s health and for the vast majority of smokers it will lead to their premature death. This fact is used more than any other to get people to quit.

There is nothing wrong with this, but if a smoker hears the same facts over and over again, they starts to lose their impact. More emphasis should be put on the effect that smoking has on the family, especially after it has caused a premature death.

As a smoker, you will be the one to suffer the physical consequences, the aches, the pains, the not being able to breathe, the cancer and then soon after - death. You suffer for a little while and then it’s all over, nothing, no pain ever again.

But what about your family, does their pain now stop now that your gone? No, it doesn’t, they will suffer from the emotional pain for the rest of their lives. As a smoker you need to realise that quitting smoking is not just about you, it’s about your family too.

“We are all going to die sometime.” It’s an excuse I have a heard all too often from smokers when trying to justify their habit. I have never understood this. Yes we are all going to die sometime, but does that mean we should do things that bring death closer?

That day may seem far away from now, but it will be upon you before you know it.

I had an Uncle who used this saying. I say used to, because he is dead now. He died from cancer, brought on by smoking a few years back.

He died at age 64, which may seem like a good run to some. But I tell you to us, his family, it is premature. We should have had at least another 10 years of my uncle in our lives.

My family went through so much pain in that final year of his life. We had to watch him slip away from us. But can you imagine how hard it was for him? He had to lie there knowing he was causing so much emotional pain for his family and he could have prevented it all, if he had just quit years before.

One year later my family is still feeling the emotional toll from his death. My Aunty will not bury or scatter his ashes because when she dies she wants her ashes to be put with his. That is how much she loves and misses my uncle.

Do you want to suffer and have regrets on your deathbed?

Do you want your family to go through the lifelong emotional pain that your premature death will cause?

Of course you don’t, then why don’t you use these as motivation to quit. If you can’t quit smoking for you then do it for your family, they deserve to have you in their lives for as long as possible.

Herbs or Drugs to Quit Smoking?

2009-06-02T13:21:00.000-07:00

Quit Smoking Remedies

Herbal quit smoking remedies are often preferred because they are natural and not drug-based. Herbs are preferred to drugs because herbs are not habit-forming or addictive but rather act as powerful nutritional supplements. Herbs are provided in their natural forms while drugs are extracts of the derivative herb. Herbs promote physical and mental well-being and are known to possess tremendous healing properties. Herbs today are the preferred source of health care for 80% of the world.

Herbs combined together contain better healing benefits than do herbs taken separately. Many herbal quit smoking remedies are composed of several herbs and not just one. The combination of herbs like passion flower (sedative), sarsparilla (anti-oxidant), cayenne pepper (disease prevention), peppermint (stimulant), bioperine (increases absorption abilities), burdock root (blood purifier), golden seal (improves digestion), Oregon grape (reduces liver toxins), dandelion root (improves urinary system) work together to cleanse and balance the body after years of cigarette smoking.

Using herbs in combination provides an holistic remedy to your body because herbs work together to provide value at different times and at different stages of need as required by your body, i.e., short-term energy, long-term endurance, weight control, tissue rebuild, bodily cleansing et al. Once you decide which product is best for you, learn how to prepare and ensure success by visiting our Quit Smoking Guidelines page.

Using herbs in combination provides an holistic remedy to your body because herbs work together to provide value at different times and at different stages of need as required by your body, i.e., short-term energy, long-term endurance, weight control, tissue rebuild, bodily cleansing et al.

Why Herbs are Considered More Effective In A Quit Smoking Remedy
One reason you may be researching a quit smoking herbal remedy is because you feel that your health is better served with herbs than drugs. Perhaps you think that drugs are unsafe, addictive and/or possibly laden with side effects. Many pharmacists, doctors and herbalists think your concerns are warranted. Drugs are derivatives of plants and herbs. Pharmaceutical companies will isolate (or synthesize) a particular component in a plant or herb known to cure a specific ailment. That component becomes the primary component of the pill, capsule or syrum. By isolating a plant component, pharmaceutical companies do not use the other essential ingredients of the plant or herb, particularly those that limit or eliminate side effects. Those other essential ingredients may address other symptoms derived from the root symptom. Ironically, to eliminate the side effect, another drug is then needed. With herbs, there are limited side effects in rare cases and none in most cases because the herb is retained in its natural, unadulterated state.

By incorporating the entire herb or plant into your regimen, the integrity of the plant or herb is maintained. In other words, your body receives the entire value of the herb although the intended effect may take a bit longer to interact with your body. In contrast, the concentrated nature of a drug yields almost immediate intended and unintended effects. By maintaining the integrity of an herb or plant, nothing is interfered with. Balance to your body, therefore, is restored.

In summary, herbs and plants tend to be multi-functional whereby they will not isolate one particular symptom (like a drug will do) but will address many symptoms at once including the root of the problem.

Caffeine in Fitness and Exercise

2009-06-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

Does caffeine have beneficial effects on exercise, and if so what are they? Will it have any detrimental effects on performance? What sports would it be beneficial in?
Caffeine is the most highly consumed stimulant throughout the world, with over 500 million cups of coffee consumed everyday. It is found naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves and cocoa, and is contained in numerous soft drinks, confectionary items, tea and coffee.

Caffeine is a behaviourally active substance that belongs to a group of lipid-soluble purines, the chemical name being 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine. It is absorbed rapidly from the intestinal tract with the peak plasma concentration being reached within an hour. The blood caffeine concentrations have a half life of about 3-6 hours meaning that it clears from the body relatively quickly. It is the aim of this investigation to determine the particular effect caffeine has on specific aspects of sports performance.

The optimum dosage an athlete should take will depend on their reasoning for taking the drug, however there is evidence to show that there is no relationship between the dosage consumed and the response gained.

In a study by Pasman WJ et al. it was found that endurance performance, specifically time to fatigue, was increased in all the athletes that were administered caffeine when compared to the placebo. However it was also found that there was no dose-response relationship. The subjects were administered 5,9 or 13 mg of caffeine per kilogram body mass 1 hour before cycling at 80% of maximal power in a VO2 max test. All trials showed a 24% improvement when compared with the non-caffeine consuming placebos. More notably there was no additional benefit when caffeine quantities were consumed above 5 mg per kilogram body mass.

Benefits of Caffeine in Training

Caffeine can have benefits for strength training. It was found in a study by T.A.Astorino et al that although caffeine did not noticeably improve their subjects 1 repetition maximum (1RM) (leg press and barbell bench press), when training at 60% improvements were noticed. Although when working at 60% of the 1RM the weight lifted did not change, muscular endurance was shown to increase by 11-12% with the use of caffeine when compared to placebo. Although this does not directly show that caffeine does not increase the 1 repetition maximum, it does show that the subject can train for longer, and this will indirectly be beneficial in progressing the 1RM because it means the muscles will have to become used to more work, therefore grow to meet the demands placed on them. From this we can see that ingesting caffeine can benefit strength training for sports that require larger muscle masses such as Rugby (union and league), Lacrosse or American Football. Consuming a highly caffeinated energy drinks prior to gym training should increase the benefits gained from strength training.

Caffeine has also been shown to have positive effects on endurance sports. It was found in a study by Costill et al. that ingesting caffeine stimulated Free Fatty Acid (FFA) mobilisation, retarded depletion of muscle glycogen, and therefore enhanced endurance exercise performance. Prior to this, research on animals and humans suggested that elevating plasma FFA spared muscle glycogen and therefore extended exercise capacity. It has been found that the FFA concentration rises after an injection of heparin (this substance stimulated FFA mobilisation and subsequent oxidation). Like Heparin, caffeine also mobilises Free Fatty Acids. Costill investigated caffeine's effect on muscle glycogen levels, the metabolic mixture in exercise, and the endurance performance in athletes. In this study, Costill chose 9 trained, male and female athletes, exercising on a cycle ergometer at 80% of their maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) until exhaustion. Blood samples where taken before and during the experiment to determine Plasma lactate, FFA and glucose. It was found that the subjects where able to exercise 20% longer, having 1 hour prior to the test consumed 330mg caffeine, when compared to an original test, taken 3 days earlier, where a placebo was used. Free Fatty Acids where found not to differ significantly between conditions, but the caffeinated drink used was seen to significantly increase plasma glycerol levels. With caffeine, fat oxidation is significantly higher for the duration of the experiment, with 118g oxidised compared to 57g without caffeine. Costill’s study demonstrated that the ingestion of caffeine before exercise increased the rate of lipolysis during sustained exercise. This is significant because an increased rate of lipolysis could spare liver and muscle glycogen in the early stages of endurance exercise for later use. These benefits would be ideal for marathon runners where they are exercising between 2-3 hours. Having glycogen stores used later would be very beneficial. It is also important to note that having ingested caffeine, the subjects perceived the exercise to be easier, possibly demonstrating a psychological effect.

Psychological Effects of Caffeine

The Psychological effects of caffeine must also be noted. Sökmen and Bülent-Armstrong have shown that there is no difference in exercise performance when taking lower doses as opposed to higher doses. In fact there are benefits in taking caffeine at lower doses before intense training. It was found that it can be taken gradually at low doses to avoid tolerance over a 3-4 day period prior to intense training as this helps to sustain exercise intensity without affecting sensitivity to the drug, which may increase the subjects tolerance. It also improves cognitive aspects of performance, such as concentration, if an athlete has not slept well the night before, helping the athlete to focus more on their performance.

The ability of caffeine to improve concentration was also found in a military study by Gillingham et al, examining the effect of caffeine on target detection and rifle marksmanship during simulated combat operations. Caffeine ingestion was seen to improve engagement speeds during vigilance exercises after 2.5 hour loaded run and then 2.5 hour shooting exercises. This shows evidence that caffeine can help to maintain alertness in stressful situations, like that which an athlete may face such as the biathlon (cross-country skiing and shooting). The evidence shows caffeine ingestion improves the speed of target recognition after strenuous exercise, and this is very beneficial for biathletes or those in similar sports as it can improve performance.

Drawbacks of Taking Caffeine when Training

Other studies suggest, however, that caffeine may also have a negative effect on training. Graham T.E et al. tested the suggested adverse effect that caffeine-induced diuresis leads to fluid and electrolyte loss and a decrease in plasma volume. In a comparative study between caffeine and coffee intake, the subjects urine was tested an hour after intake and after exercise. Graham et al found no difference in urine output between either caffeine or coffee. Quantitative measurements of body mass loss, sweat rates, plasma volume and electrolytes did not find and significant change. The reason for this is that while caffeine is a mild diuretic it takes several hours for changes in rennin to occur. The presumable reason for this is that exercise takes place within a shorter period than the time required for caffeine to noticeably act as a diuretic, and overrides the potential for fluid loss. This demonstrates that the concern over athletes becoming dehydrated after consuming caffeine is unfounded. Wemple et al. gave evidence that caffeine intake results in mild diureses, however if exercise had taken place there was no diuretic effect. It is also to note in either case, the diureses did not provide measurable effects on plasma volume, rate of sweat perfusion or urine osmolarity.

Caffeine Addiction

There is evidence of a physical dependence on caffeine. Strain et al. discovered substance dependency in caffeine, where dependence is characterised by tolerance, withdrawl symptoms, taking the substance in larger doses and persistent desires for caffeine. Withdrawl symptoms include headaches, mood changes, drowsiness and fatigue. Dependency can develop within 3 days of regular consumption. Symptoms develop between 12-24 hours, peaking 24-48 hours and lasting around 7 days. The dependency is generally mild with some subjects not presenting a dependency. Strain et al. found that the syndrome is similar to substance dependency syndromes for other psychoactive drugs. A few individuals also presented with caffeine-induced anxiety attacks. Although evidence for caffeine dependency exists, the effects are generally very mild. An athlete’s performance should not demonstrate any noticeable adverse affect.

In conclusion, it has been shown that caffeine does have a definite effect on exercise performance, although it benefits different exercises, sports and types of training in different ways. We can see the most noticeable effect gained in endurance training. The least effect would be during one repetition maximum tests although it does provide benefits in strength training.

The negative effects, both psychological and physiological although present are minimal when compared to the potential gains. Caffeine, when taken in lower doses should benefit athletic performance in most sports.

Effects Of Smoking

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Effects of Smoking
Effects of smoking are numerous. We have listed below a cross section of illnesses and disease caused by smoking, but the main message is that effects of smoking can be found throughout the body.

Effects of Smoking on the Mouth and Throat.
Smoking causes unattractive problems like bad breath and stained teeth. It can also cause gum disease and damage to your sense of taste.

The most serious damage smoking causes in this area is an increased risk of cancer in your lips, tongue, throat, voice bok and oesophagus (gullet).

Effects of Smoking on the Lungs
One of the most well known effects of smoking is that your lungs can be very badly affected by smoking. Coughs, colds, wheezing and asthema are all made worse by smoking.

Smoking effects include fatal diseases such as pneumonia, emphysema, pleurisy and lung cancer. 83% of all deaths from lung cancer, bronchitis and emphysema are related to smoking.

Effects of Smoking on the Heart
The heart risks that smoking causes to your heart are very dangerous. Because your veins and arteries become blocked and narrow, you are at a greatly increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and aneurysms. Aneurysms are blockages which can burst or completely block up. This often leads to amputation or death.

Smokers are more than twice as likely as non-smokers to die from heart disease.

Effects of Smoking on the Circulation
A of the major effects of smoking is that veins and arteries get narrower, harder and coated with fatty deposits. This can lead to problems such as:

Low fitness, cold skin, hands and feet, and ulcers.
Gangrene which leads to about 2000 amputations each year in the UK.
Cramps, pains and blockages in your veins which can cause strokes and heart attacks.
Effects of Smoking on the Skin
Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen to the skin. This means that the skin ages more quickly and looks grey and dull. The toxins in your body also produce cellulite.

Effects of Smoking on the Bones
Smoking can cause bones to get weak and brittle. Women need to be especially careful because you are 5 to 10% more likely to suffer from osteoporosis than non-smokers.

Effects of Smoking on the Stomach
The damage to your stomach area can affect your vital organs. You have increased chances of getting stomach cancer or ulcers. You are also at risk of developing cancers in your kidney, pancreas and bladder

Effects of Smoking on the Reproduction and Fertility
The effects of smoking on reproduction and fertility are serious. Smoking can increase the risk of impotence. It can also damage sperm, reduce sperm count and cause testicular cancer.

For women, effects of smoking can make you less fertile and increase your risk of having a miscarriage, a low birth weight baby or cot death. Smoking also increases your risk on cervical cancer.

Nicotine Effects on Your Body

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After a relatively short time, a smoker is often already significantly dependent on nicotine. Smokers who have an addiction problem usually smoke a cigarette in the morning - often within half an hour of waking up. They can stop smoking, if they try, but only for a few weeks at a time. Addiction is an emotionally charged word that is often associated with using drugs. But smoking also shares all the effects on the body of other addictive drugs. When a smoker feels the need to smoke and feels uncomfortable, the reason is that the level of nicotine in the body has been reduced below some value. After the first puff on a new cigarette, nicotine is back in the brain within 7 seconds. So the effect of a new dose of nicotine is quickly noticeable. This way the nicotine causes physical dependence. The body wants to get the new substance over and over again.

However, an addiction to nicotine can be cured. Most smokers can even do it without help. It's clear, though, that the will to stop and the effort to succeed are very important.

The smoker often deals with a double addiction. In addition to the direct effect of nicotine on the body, as described above, there are all kinds of moments, all day long, that more or less ask for a cigarette. It is very hard for many smokers to break that pattern; it is a form of mental dependence. Because smokers smoke after eating, when drinking coffee, while having a drink, during a phone call, in the car, at work, during a break, after having sex, in front of the television, after a game, when not? And even if there is not a direct reason to smoke, they do. Just because they are used to it. A smoker who stops smoking sits with empty hands on many occasions, and at first, that feels very uncomfortable.

Early smokers notice the nasty effects of the nicotine, and are initially discouraged from smoking another cigarette. Youngsters who just started smoking often resolve not to get addicted or to quit smoking before they become addicted. When you haven't yet started to smoke every day, this seems a good plan, and maybe also when you smoke less then 2 or 3 cigarettes a day, but you rarely stop at those few cigarettes. Influenced by the people around you (smoking friends who softly urge you to smoke along), smoking gradually becomes a normal thing. A night out, at a movie, a disco or a bar; smoking is still standard in many places. That way young people start to smoke more often. Gradually, the body gets more and more used to the nicotine, the need to smoke increases and you develop the habit and addiction that adult smokers know so well and that means that you can't function without your cigarette anymore.

Help A Smoker Quit Smoking

2009-06-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

How to Help a Friend Quit Smoking

Can I really help someone who is trying to quit smoking?

Yes. Once a smoker has decided to quit, he is most likely to make it when friends and family give their help and support. If your friend has not yet made up his mind to quit, you can help him think of his own reasons for quitting, set a target quit date and offer to help in any way he asks.

How do I begin?
First of all, quitting is different for each smoker. So, ask your friend how you can be most helpful. This will show that you care and that you really want to help.

Maybe you've already tried to help a smoker and they weren't successful. That's okay. Remember you can be a big help, but it's not your fault if the smoker doesn't make it.

What kinds of things can I do to help the smoker trying to quit?

Tell your friend that you think she can make it this time - even if she has tried to quit before and failed. In fact, most smokers have to "practice" quitting a few times before they quit for good.
For the first few days after the smoker quits, be ready to help. He may want to talk all the time or he may just want extra help when a tough situation comes up, like a coffee break, a party or after a meal.

Offer to call or visit to check on how she is doing. Ask how she's feeling, not just whether or not she's still off cigarettes.

No nagging, scolding or preaching - this just does not work. Instead, let him know how much you admire him for trying to quit. Let him know that you care about him whether he quits or not.

What other things can I do to help?

Give lots of praise and offer rewards for getting through a day, a week, or a month without smoking. Rewards can be simple - flowers, something to eat, a card. Give rewards right away. Giving rewards right away works better than rewards promised for the future.

Offer to do things together like eating in a nonsmoking restaurant, going to a movie or for a walk.
Try to see it from your friend's side. He's not really sure he wants to quit. Cigarettes have been a steady friend for a long time. These feelings are normal even in smokers who succeed. Let him know you understand his doubts.

Do smokers really have withdrawal symptoms when they quit?

Many smokers do have symptoms during the first few weeks after they quit. Some common ones are:

Trouble sleeping
Lack of concentration
Feeling anxious or restless
These will go away as the body gets rid of the nicotine. Other symptoms may be harder for you to handle. Your friend may be grouchy, irritable, nervous or pushy. Try to forgive him.

Tell your friend you know that these symptoms are real and that they will not last long. A week or two may seem like a long time, but it will get better.

I quit smoking a long time ago. Should I tell my friend it was pretty easy for me?
Quitting smoking is different for every one. You can be a special help to your friend since you already went through it. Let your friend know how glad you are that she is trying to quit and praise how well she is doing. Ask how she is feeling and what you can do to help.

Mention all the good things you have felt since quitting. Short-term things are easier to understand -- like fresher breath, more energy and no more smelly clothes, stained teeth or fingers. Many ex-smokers talk about getting control of their lives when they quit.

Forget any talk about how easy it was for you to quit. Most smokers are addicted and it's hard for them to quit. Instead, tell your friend that 45 million Americans have quit smoking and that she can do it too.

I've never smoked. Can I really help a friend stop smoking?
Yes, you just need to listen to him and encourage him to express feelings and then, give him lots of sympathy. Did you know that it's not willpower that helps smokers quit? Most are addicted to cigarettes and have a really hard time quitting on the first few tries.

You can also encourage your friend to get help from the resources and web sites listed below.

I'm a smoker myself. Can I do anything?
You don't have to quit to be of help. You could really help your friend by not smoking around him. You could also think up new nonsmoking activities to replace those where you smoked together.

The best gift you could give your friend and yourself is to quit smoking now. Your friend is more likely to stay off cigarettes if you are not smoking. Married ex-smokers are more likely to go back to smoking if their husbands or wives smoke. If you decide to quit, be sure you and your friend ask others to help you as well.

What do I do if my friend starts smoking again?
Forget about blame or guilt. He is really learning how to quit -- he is not failing. Remind him about how well he did do. Each time he tries to quit is a step forward. Help him figure out what led to his relapse and plan what he will do next time in that situation. You may feel badly if he doesn't quit. The best thing to say to your friend is, "Good try! I still care about you and will help you next time."

Try to feel good yourself about all your efforts to help. You can prepare together for the next time your friend tries to quit smoking.

How long do I need to help my friend?

The first 7 to 10 days are the toughest and your friend may need extra help then. Most smokers who go back to smoking do so within the first three months. So, you need to keep in close touch for that time.

"Slips" (having a puff or smoking one or two cigarettes) are pretty common. If your friend has slipped, you can remind him of all the good reasons to stay quit. Praise all his nonsmoking efforts and don't mention the "slips."

Ex-smokers may have an urge to smoke for months, even years, after they stop. This is normal and should not worry her. Remind your friend that these urges happen less and less often. You can also help celebrate nonsmoking anniversaries.

You deserve a lot of credit for helping someone stop this addictive habit. Your help can make the difference. Those who are able to stop smoking are the ones who get help and encouragement from friends and family.

Guide to quit Smoking

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Introduction

The US Surgeon General has stated, "Smoking cessation (stopping smoking) represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives."

Quitting smoking is not easy, but you can do it. To have the best chance of quitting successfully, you need to know what you’re up against, what your options are, and where to go for help. You'll find this information here.

Why Is It So Hard to Quit Smoking?

Mark Twain said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times." Maybe you've tried to quit, too. Why is quitting and staying quit hard for so many people? The answer is nicotine.

Nicotine

Nicotine is a drug found naturally in tobacco. It is highly addictive -- as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over time, a person becomes physically and emotionally addicted to, or dependent on, nicotine. Studies have shown that smokers must deal with both the physical and psychological dependence to be successful at quitting and staying quit.

Where Nicotine Goes and How Long it Stays

When you inhale smoke, nicotine is carried deep into your lungs, where it is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and carried throughout your body. Nicotine affects many parts of the body, including your heart and blood vessels, your hormonal system, your metabolism, and your brain. Nicotine can be found in breast milk and even in cervix mucus secretions of smokers. During pregnancy, nicotine freely crosses the placenta and has been found in amniotic fluid and the umbilical cord blood of newborn infants.

Several different factors can affect how long it takes the body to remove nicotine and its by-products. In general, a regular smoker will have nicotine or its by-products, such as cotinine, in the body for about 3 to 4 days after stopping.

How Nicotine Hooks Smokers

Nicotine produces pleasant feelings that make the smoker want to smoke more. It also acts as a kind of depressant by interfering with the flow of information between nerve cells. As the nervous system adapts to nicotine, smokers tend to increase the number of cigarettes they smoke, and therefore the amount of nicotine in their blood. After a while, the smoker develops a tolerance to the drug, which leads to an increase in smoking over time. Over time, the smoker reaches a certain nicotine level and then smokes to maintain this level of nicotine. In fact, nicotine, when inhaled in cigarette smoke, reaches the brain faster than drugs that enter the body intravenously (IV).

Nicotine Withdrawal

When smokers try to cut back or quit, the lack of nicotine leads to withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal is both physical and mental. Physically, the body reacts to the absence of nicotine. Mentally, the smoker is faced with giving up a habit, which calls for a major change in behavior. Both must be addressed in order for the quitting process to work.

If a person has smoked regularly for a few weeks or longer and suddenly stops using tobacco or greatly reduces the amount smoked, they will have withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms usually start within a few hours of the last cigarette and peak about 2 to 3 days later. Withdrawal symptoms can last for a few days to up to several weeks.

Withdrawal symptoms can include any of the following:

dizziness (which may only last 1-2 days after quitting)
depression
feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger
anxiety
irritability
sleep disturbances, including having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and having bad dreams or even nightmares
trouble concentrating
restlessness
headaches
tiredness
increased appetite

These symptoms can lead the smoker to start smoking cigarettes again to boost blood levels of nicotine back to a level where there are no symptoms.

Smoking also makes your body get rid of certain drugs faster than usual. When you quit smoking, it changes the way your body handles these medicines. Ask your doctor if any medicines you take regularly need to be checked or changed after you quit.

Why Should I Quit?

Your Health

Health concerns usually top the list of reasons people give for quitting smoking. This is a very real concern: About half of all smokers who continue to smoke will end up dying from a smoking-related illness.

Cancer

Nearly everyone knows that smoking can cause lung cancer, but few people realize it is also a risk factor for many other kinds of cancer as well, including cancer of the mouth, voice box (larynx), throat (pharynx), esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, stomach, and some leukemias.

Lung Diseases

Pneumonia has been included in the list of diseases caused by smoking since 2004. Smoking also increases your risk of getting lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These diseases are grouped together under the term COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD causes chronic illness and disability, and worsens over time - sometimes becoming fatal. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis can be found in people as young as 40, but are more commonly diagnosed later in life, when the symptoms are more severe. Long term smokers have the highest risk of developing severe COPD.

Heart Attacks, Strokes, and Blood Vessel Diseases

Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as are non-smokers. And smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. Smoking also affects the walls of the vessels that carry blood to the brain (carotid arteries), which can cause strokes. Men who smoke are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction (impotence) because of blood vessel disease.

Blindness and Other Problems

Smoking also causes premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, bad smelling clothes and hair, yellow fingernails, and an increased risk of macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of blindness in the elderly.

Special Risks to Women and Babies

Women have some unique risks linked to smoking. Women over 35 who smoke and use birth control pills have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots of the legs. Women who smoke are more likely to have a miscarriage or a lower birth-weight baby. Low birth-weight babies are more likely to die or have learning and physical problems.

Years of Life Lost Due to Smoking

Based on data collected in the late 1990s, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking. And given the diseases that smoking can cause, it can steal your quality of life long before you die. Smoking-related illness can limit your activities by making it harder to breathe, get around, work, or play.

Why Quit?

No matter how old you are or how long you've smoked, quitting will help you live longer. People who stop smoking before age 50 cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years in half compared with those who continue to smoke. Ex-smokers enjoy a higher quality of life with fewer illnesses from cold and flu viruses, better self-reported health, and reduced rates of bronchitis and pneumonia.

For decades the Surgeon General has reported the health risks linked to smoking. In 1990, the Surgeon General concluded:

Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Benefits apply to people with and without smoking-related disease.

Former smokers live longer than people who keep smoking.

Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.

Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth-weight baby to that of women who never smoked.

The health benefits of quitting smoking are far greater than any risks from the small weight gain (usually less than 10 pounds) or any emotional or psychological problems that may follow quitting.

Immediate Rewards of Quitting

Kicking the tobacco habit offers some benefits that you'll notice right away and some that will develop over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life a great deal.

your breath smells better

stained teeth get whiter

bad smelling clothes and hair go away

your yellow fingers and fingernails disappear

food tastes better

your sense of smell returns to normal

everyday activities no longer leave you out of breath (for example, climbing stairs or light housework).

Cost

The prospect of better health is a major reason for quitting, but there are other reasons, too.

Smoking is expensive. It isn't hard to figure out how much you spend on smoking: multiply how much money you spend on tobacco every day by 365 (days per year). The amount may surprise you. Now multiply that by the number of years you have been using tobacco and that amount will probably shock you.

Multiply the cost per year by 10 (for the upcoming 10 years) and ask yourself what you would rather do with that much money.

And this doesn't include other possible costs, such as higher costs for health and life insurance, and likely health care costs due to tobacco-related problems.

Social Acceptance

Smoking is less socially acceptable now than it was in the past.

Almost all workplaces have some type of smoking rules. Some employers even prefer to hire non-smokers. Studies show smoking employees cost businesses more to employ because they are out sick more. Employees who are ill more often than others can raise an employer’s need for expensive short-term replacement workers. They can increase insurance costs both for other employees and for the employer, who often pays part of the workers’ insurance premiums. Smokers in a building also can increase the maintenance costs of keeping odors down, since residue from cigarette smoke clings to carpets, drapes, and other fabrics.

Landlords may choose not to rent to smokers since maintenance costs and insurance rates may rise when smokers occupy buildings.

Friends may ask you not to smoke in their homes or cars. Public buildings, concerts, and even sporting events are largely smoke-free. And more and more communities are restricting smoking in all public places, including restaurants and bars. Like it or not, finding a place to smoke can be a hassle.

Smokers may also find their prospects for dating or romantic involvement, including marriage, are largely limited to other smokers, who make up only about 21% of the adult population.

Health of Others

Smoking not only harms your health but it hurts the health of those around you. Exposure to secondhand smoke (also called environmental tobacco smoke or passive smoking) includes exhaled smoke as well as smoke from burning cigarettes.

Studies have shown that secondhand smoke causes thousands of deaths each year from lung

Cancer and heart disease in healthy non-smokers.

If a mother smokes, there is a higher risk of her baby developing asthma in childhood, especially if she smoked while she was pregnant. Smoking is also linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and low-birth weight infants. Babies and children raised in a household where there is smoking have more ear infections, colds, bronchitis, and other lung and breathing problems than children from

non-smoking families. Secondhand smoke can also cause eye irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.

Setting an Example

If you have children, you probably want to set a good example for them. When asked, nearly all smokers say they don't want their children to smoke, but children whose parents smoke are more likely to start smoking themselves. You can become a good role model for them by quitting now.

Help Is Available

With the wide range of counseling services, self-help materials, and medicines available today, smokers have more tools than ever to help them quit smoking for good.

Remember, tobacco addiction has both a psychological and a physical component. For most people, the best way to quit will be some combination of medicine, a method to change personal habits, and emotional support. The following sections describe these tools and how they may be helpful to you.Help With Psychological Addiction

Some people are able to quit on their own, without the help of others or the use of medicines. But for many smokers, it can be hard to break the social and emotional ties to smoking while getting over nicotine withdrawal symptoms at the same time. Fortunately, there are many sources of support out there -- both formal and informal.

Telephone-based Help to Stop Smoking

Most states run some type of free telephone-based program, such as the American Cancer Society’s Quitline tobacco cessation program that links callers with trained counselors. These specialists help plan a quit method that fits each person's unique smoking pattern. People who use telephone counseling stop smoking at twice the rate of those who don't get this type of help. With guidance from a counselor, quitters can avoid common mistakes that may self-destruct a quit attempt.

Telephone counseling is also more convenient for many people than some other support programs. It doesn't require transportation or childcare, and it's available nights and weekends. Counselors may suggest a combination of methods including medicines, local classes, self-help brochures, and/or a network of family and friends.

Support of Family, Friends, and Quit Programs

Many former smokers say a support network of family and friends was very important during their quit attempt. Other people who may offer support and encouragement are co-workers, your family doctor, and members of support groups for quitters. You can check with your employer, health insurance company, or local hospital to find support groups.

What to Look for in a Stop Smoking Program

Stop smoking programs are designed to help smokers recognize and cope with problems that come up during quitting and to provide support and encouragement in staying quit. Studies have shown that the best programs will include either one-on-one or group counseling. There is a strong link between the intensity of counseling and the success rate. In general, the more intense the program, the greater the chance of success.

For example, intensity may be increased by having more or longer sessions or by increasing the number of weeks over which the sessions are given. So, when considering a program, look for one that has the following:

session length -- at least 20 to 30 minutes per session

number of sessions -- at least 4 to 7 sessions

number of weeks -- at least 2 weeks

Make sure the leader of the group has training in smoking cessation.

Some communities have a Nicotine Anonymous group that holds regular meetings. This group applies the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to the addiction of smoking. This may include admitting you are powerless over your addiction to nicotine and having a sponsor to talk with when you are tempted to smoke. There is no fee to attend.

Often your local American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, or your local health department will sponsor quit smoking classes. Call 1-800-ACS-2345 for more information.

There are some programs to watch out for as well. Not all programs are ethical. Be wary of programs that do the following :

promise instant, easy success with no effort on your part

use injections or pills, especially "secret" ingredients (nicotine replacement is covered elsewhere)

charge a very high fee--check with the Better Business Bureau if you have doubts

are not willing to give you references from people who have used the program

Help With Physical Addiction: Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Other Medicines

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

As mentioned earlier, the nicotine in cigarettes leads to actual physical dependence, which can cause unpleasant symptoms when a person tries to quit. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) gives you nicotine -- in the form of gums, patches, sprays, inhalers, or lozenges -- but not the other harmful chemicals in tobacco. It can help relieve some of these symptoms so that you can focus on the psychological aspects of quitting.

How Nicotine Replacement Works

Nicotine substitutes treat the difficult withdrawal symptoms and cravings that 70% to 90% of smokers say is their only reason for not giving up cigarettes. Using a nicotine substitute, reduces a smoker's withdrawal symptoms.

Although many smokers can quit smoking without using a nicotine replacement, most of those who attempt quitting cannot do it on the first try. In fact, smokers usually need many tries -- sometimes as many as 8 to 10 -- before they are able to quit for good.

Lack of success is often related to the onset of withdrawal symptoms. And most quitters go back to smoking within the first 3 months of quitting. So don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Just try to stop again and make your attempt more successful by adding another method or technique to help you quit. Reducing these symptoms with nicotine replacement therapy and a support technique, gives smokers who want to quit have a better chance of quitting and staying quit.

Getting the Most from Nicotine Replacement

Nicotine replacement therapy only deals with the physical addiction. It is not meant to be the only method used to help you quit smoking. You should combine it with other smoking cessation methods that help the psychological (emotional and habitual) components of smoking, such as a stop smoking program. Studies have shown that approach -- pairing NRT with a program that helps to change behavior -- can double your chances of successfully quitting.

The US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Clinical Practice Guideline on Smoking Cessation in 2000 recommended NRT for all smokers except pregnant women and people with heart or circulatory diseases. However, recent data suggests that nicotine replacement (specifically the nicotine patch) can be used safely even in people who have heart or blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease under a doctor's careful monitoring. These studies have found the benefits of quitting smoking outweigh the risks of nicotine replacement therapy in patients with cardiovascular disease. In all situations, the benefits of smoking cessation must outweigh the potential health risks. Smokers who are pregnant should also talk with their doctor before using over-the-counter nicotine replacements.

The best time to start NRT is when you first quit. Many smokers ask if it is possible to start a program of nicotine replacement while you are still smoking. There is some research being done with smokers using NRT while still smoking, but it is still too early to tell if this is dangerous to your health. The most important thing is to make sure that you are not overdosing on nicotine, which can have effects on your heart and blood circulation. It is safest to be under a doctor's care if you wish to try smoking and using NRT while you are tapering down your cigarette use.

Often smokers first try to quit on their own then decide to try NRT. This method does not give you the greatest chance of success, but do not let this discourage you. There are still many options available for quitting smoking and staying quit.

When May I Begin Using NRT?

You may start using nicotine replacement products as soon as you throw away that last cigarette. You do not need to wait a certain period of time to put on the patch or start using the method you have chosen. You should double check this information with the instructions on your chosen method of nicotine replacement, but in general there is no need to wait to start using nicotine replacement.

Some NRT products make their recommendations based on whether you consider yourself a light, regular or heavy smoker. How are these categories determined?

There is no formal category in any textbook or group that defines a light, average, or heavy smoker. You will find different definitions for these categories. In general, a light smoker is someone who smokes less than 10 cigarettes per day. Someone who smokes a pack a day or more would be considered a heavy smoker.

Sometimes a doctor will use the term pack year to describe how long and how much a person has smoked. A pack year is defined as the number of packs of cigarettes a person has smoked every day multiplied by the number of years he or she has smoked. Since 1 pack is 20 cigarettes, a person who has smoked 20 cigarettes a day for a year is considered to have smoked 1 pack year. Someone who has smoked 30 cigarettes a day (1½ packs) for 3 years has smoked 4.5 pack years (1½ x 3), and so on.

Types of Nicotine Substitutes

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved five types of nicotine replacement therapy.

Nicotine patches (transdermal nicotine systems): Patches give a measured dose of nicotine through the skin. You are weaned off nicotine by switching to lower nicotine dose patches over a course of weeks. Patches can be bought with or without a prescription. Many types and different strengths are available. Package inserts describe how to use the product, as well as special considerations and possible side effects.

The 16-hour patch works well if you are a light-to-average smoker. It is less likely to cause side effects like skin irritation, racing heartbeat, sleep problems, and headache. But it does not deliver nicotine during the night, so it is not helpful for early morning withdrawal symptoms.

The 24-hour patch provides a steady dose of nicotine, avoiding peaks and valleys. It helps with early morning withdrawal. But, there may be more side effects such as disrupted sleep patterns and skin irritation.

Depending on body size, most smokers should start using a full-strength patch (15-22 mg of nicotine) daily for 4 weeks, and then use a weaker patch (5-14 mg of nicotine) for another 4 weeks. The patch should be put on in the morning on a clean, dry area of the skin without much hair. It should be placed below the neck and above the waist -- for example, on the arm. The FDA recommends using the patch for a total of 3 to 5 months.

Side effects are related to:

the dose of nicotine

the brand of patch

skin characteristics (such as the person’s tendency to have a skin reaction to the patch)

how long the patch is used

how it is applied

Some possible side effects of the nicotine patch include:

skin irritation -- redness and itching

dizziness

racing heartbeat

sleep problems or unusual dreams

headache

nausea

vomiting

muscle aches and stiffness

What to do about side effects:

Do not smoke while you are using a patch.

Try a different brand of patch if your skin becomes irritated.

Reduce the amount of nicotine by using a lower dose patch.

Sleep problems may be short-term and pass within 3 or 4 days. If not (and you're using a 24-hour patch), try switching to a 16-hour patch.

Stop using the patch and try a different form of nicotine replacement.

Nicotine gum (nicotine polacrilex): Nicotine gum is a fast-acting form of replacement in which nicotine is taken in through the mucous membrane of the mouth. You can buy it over the counter without a prescription. It comes in 2 mg and 4 mg strengths.

For best results, follow the instructions on the package insert. Chew the gum slowly until you note a peppery taste. Then "park" it against the cheek, chewing it and parking it off and on for about 20 to 30 minutes. Food and drink can affect how well the nicotine is absorbed. You should avoid acidic foods and drinks such as coffee, juices, and soft drinks for at least 15 minutes before and during gum use.

If you smoke a pack or more per day, smoke within 30 minutes of waking up, or have trouble not smoking in restricted areas, you may need to start with the higher dose (4 mg). Chew no more than 20 pieces of gum in one day. Nicotine gum is usually recommended for 1 to 3 months, with the maximum being 6 months. Tapering the amount of gum chewed may help you stop using it.

If you have sensitive skin, you may prefer the gum to the patch. Another advantage of nicotine gum is that it allows you to control the nicotine doses. The gum can be chewed as needed or on a fixed schedule during the day. The most recent data have shown that scheduled dosing works better. A schedule of 1 to 2 pieces per hour is common. On the other hand, with an as-needed schedule, you can chew more gum during a craving.

Some possible side effects of nicotine gum:

bad taste

throat irritation

mouth sores

hiccups

nausea

jaw discomfort

racing heartbeat

Symptoms related to the stomach and jaw are usually caused by improper use of the gum, such as swallowing nicotine or chewing too fast. The gum can also damage dentures and dental prostheses.

Long-term dependence is one possible disadvantage of nicotine gum. In fact, research has shown that 15% to 20% of gum users who successfully quit smoking continue using the gum for a year or longer. Although the maximum recommended length of use is 6 months, continuing to use the gum is probably safer than going back to smoking. But since there is little research on the health effects of long-term nicotine gum use, most health care providers still recommend limiting its use to 6 months.

Nicotine nasal spray: The nasal spray delivers nicotine to the bloodstream as it is quickly absorbed through the nose. It is available only by prescription.

The nasal spray relieves withdrawal symptoms very quickly and lets you control your nicotine cravings. Smokers usually like the nasal spray because it is easy to use. However, the FDA warns users that since this product contains nicotine, it can be addictive. It recommends that the spray be prescribed for 3-month periods and should not be used for longer than 6 months.

The most common side effects last about 1 to 2 weeks and can include the following:

nasal irritation

runny nose

watery eyes

sneezing

throat irritation

coughing

There is also the danger of using more than is needed. If you have asthma, allergies, nasal polyps, or sinus problems, your doctor may suggest another form of nicotine replacement.

Nicotine inhalers: Introduced in 1998, these inhalers are available only by prescription. The nicotine inhaler is a thin plastic tube with a nicotine cartridge inside. When you puff on the inhaler, the cartridge puts out a nicotine vapor. Unlike other inhalers, which deliver most of the medicine to the lungs, the nicotine inhaler delivers most of the nicotine vapor to the mouth. In terms of similar behavior, nicotine inhalers are the closest thing to smoking a cigarette, which some smokers find helpful.

The recommended dose is between 6 and 16 cartridges a day, for up to 6 months.

The most common side effects, especially when first using the inhaler, include:

coughing

throat irritation

upset stomach

At this time, inhalers are the most expensive forms of NRT available.

Nicotine lozenges: Nicotine-containing lozenges as an over-the-counter aid in smoking cessation are the newest form of NRT on the market. As with nicotine gum, the Commit® lozenge is available in 2 strengths: 2 mg and 4 mg. Smokers choose their dose based on how long after waking up they normally have their first cigarette.

The lozenge manufacturer recommends using it as part of a 12-week program. The recommended dose is one lozenge every 1 to 2 hours for 6 weeks, then one lozenge every 2 to 4 hours for weeks 7 to 9, and finally, one lozenge every 4 to 8 hours for weeks 10 to 12. The manufacturer also recommends the following:

Stop all smoking when you begin to use the lozenge.

Do not eat or drink for 15 minutes before using the lozenge. (Some drinks can reduce how well the lozenge works.)

Suck on the lozenge until it is fully dissolved, about 20 to 30 minutes. Do not bite or chew it like a hard candy, and do not swallow it. The medicine is taken in through the tissues of the mouth.

Do not use more than 5 lozenges in 6 hours, or more than 20 lozenges total per day.

Stop using the lozenge after 12 weeks. If you still feel you need to use the lozenge, talk to your doctor.

Do not use the lozenge if you continue to smoke, chew tobacco, use snuff or any other product containing nicotine (e.g., nicotine patch or gum).

Possible side effects of the nicotine lozenge include:

trouble sleeping

nausea

hiccups

coughing

heartburn

headache

flatulence (gas)

Which Type of Nicotine Replacement May Be Right for You?

There’s no evidence that any one type of nicotine replacement therapy is any better than another. When choosing which type of NRT you will use, think about which method will best fit your lifestyle and pattern of smoking. Do you want/need something to chew or occupy your hands? Or are you looking for once-a-day convenience?

Some important points to consider:

Nicotine gums, lozenges, and inhalers are oral substitutes that allow you to control your dosage to help keep cravings under better control.

Nicotine gums and lozenges are generally sugar-free, but if you are diabetic and have any doubts, check with the manufacturer.

Nicotine nasal spray works very quickly when you need it.

Nicotine inhalers allow you to mimic the use of cigarettes by puffing and holding the inhaler.

Nicotine patches are convenient and only have to be applied once a day.

Both inhalers and nasal sprays require a doctor’s prescription.

Some people may not be able to use patches, inhalers, or nasal sprays because of allergies or other conditions.

Combination of the patch and other nicotine replacement products

Using the nicotine patch along with shorter-acting products such as the gum, lozenge, nasal spray, or inhaler is another method of NRT. The idea is to provide a steady dose of nicotine with the patch and to use one of the shorter-acting products when you have strong cravings.

The few studies that have been done on combination NRT have found that it may be slightly better than a single product. Still, more research is needed to prove this and to find safe and effective doses. The combined use of nicotine replacement products has not yet been approved by the FDA. If you are considering using more than one NRT product, be sure to discuss this with your doctor first.

High-Dose Nicotine Replacement Therapy

One of the newer concepts in nicotine replacement therapy is to give smokers a higher dose specifically based on the amount of nicotine that they have been getting from cigarettes. Sometimes this method has required larger doses of nicotine replacement than have been used before. High-dose NRT with patches has been studied with patients getting from 35 mg to 63 mg of nicotine per day. The research suggests that patients' withdrawal symptoms disappear with these higher doses and their cravings improve without harmful effects on the heart and circulation. Patient were carefully watched in these studies to make sure they were doing well and were not becoming ill or having any problems. This is still a new procedure that should be considered only with a doctor's guidance and supervision.

Stopping Nicotine Replacement Therapy

As mentioned before, most forms of NRT should be used for limited periods of time, and are often tapered down to a low dose before being stopped. Research is still being done to refine the use of NRT. For example, even though the patch is usually used for 3 to 5 months, some studies have suggested that using it for 8 weeks or less works just as well. However, other researchers have noted that the risk of relapse goes up when nicotine replacement is stopped, even after it has been used for 5 months. These differences have not been fully explained. More studies are needed to learn which smokers are likely to be successful using shorter or longer NRT than usual. If you feel that you need NRT for a different length of time than is recommended, it is best to discuss this with your doctor.

Bupropion (Zyban®)

Bupropion (Zyban®) is a prescription antidepressant in an extended-release form that reduces symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. It does not contain nicotine. This drug acts on chemicals in the brain that are related to nicotine craving. It can be used alone or together with nicotine replacement. Bupropion works best if it is started 1 or 2 weeks before the quit date. The usual dosage is one or two 150 mg tablets per day.

This drug should not be taken if you have ever had seizures, heavy alcohol use, serious head injury, bipolar (manic-depressive) illness, anorexia or bulimia (eating disorders).

Some doctors may recommend combination drug therapy for heavily addicted smokers, such as using bupropion along with a nicotine replacement patch and/or a short-acting form of nicotine replacement (such as gum or lozenges).

Varenicline (Chantix™)

Varenicline (Chantix™) is a newer prescription medicine developed for the sole purpose of helping people stop smoking. It works by interfering with nicotine receptors in the brain, which has two effects. It lessens the pleasurable physical effects a person gets from smoking, and it reduces the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Several studies have shown varenicline can more than double the chances of quitting smoking. Some studies have also found it may be more effective than bupropion, at least in the short-term.

Reported side effects of varenicline have included headaches, nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping, unusual dreams, flatulence (gas), and changes in taste. There have also been reports of depressed mood, thoughts of suicide, attempted suicide, and changes in behavior in people taking varenicline. People who have these problems should contact their doctors right away. Although these side effects may happen, varenicline is usually well-tolerated. Since varenicline is a newer drug, research has not been done to find out if it is safe to use along with nicotine replacement products.

Other Methods of Quitting

Other tools may also help some people, although there is no strong evidence they can improve your chances of quitting.

Atropine and scopolamine combination therapy

Some smoking cessation clinics offer a program using shots of the drugs atropine and scopolamine to help reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms. These drugs block the action of acetylcholine, a signal transmitter in the nervous system. Called anticholinergics, they are more often prescribed for other reasons, such as digestive problems, motion sickness, or Parkinson’s disease. People who are pregnant or have heart problems, glaucoma, or uncontrolled high blood pressure are not allowed to take part in these programs.

The treatment usually involves shots given in the clinic on one day, followed by a few weeks of pills and wearing patches behind the ear. It may also include other drugs to help with side effects. Possible side effects of this treatment can include dizziness, constipation, dry mouth, changes in the sense of taste and smell, problems urinating, and blurry vision.

Some clinics claim high success rates, but there is no published scientific research to back up these claims. Both atropine and scopolamine are FDA-approved for other uses, but they have not been formally studied or approved for help in quitting smoking. Before considering such a program, you may want to ask the clinic about long-term success rates (up to a year). Because these medicines are directed only at the physical aspect of quitting, you may also want to ask if the program includes counseling or other methods aimed at the psychological aspects of quitting.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis methods vary a great deal, which makes it hard to study as a way to stop smoking. In general, reviews that looked at studies of hypnosis to help people quit smoking have not supported it as a quitting method that works. Still, some people find it useful. If you are interested in trying it, ask your doctor if he or she can recommend a good hypnotherapist.

Acupuncture

This method has been used to quit smoking, but there is little evidence to show that it works. Acupuncture, when it is done, is usually done on certain parts of the ears. Although there is a very weak suggestion that acupuncture might lower the desire to smoke, there still is no solid evidence that it is truly effective as a smoking cessation tool (see the ACS document, Acupuncture). For a list of local physician acupuncturists, contact the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture at 1-800-521-2262.

Low-level Laser Therapy

This technique, also called cold laser therapy, is related to acupuncture. Cold lasers are sometimes used for acupuncture. The laser beams stimulate the body's acupoints instead of needles. The treatment is supposed to relax the smoker and release endorphins (pain relief substances that are made naturally by the body) to simulate the effects of nicotine in the brain, or balance the body’s energy to relieve the addiction. Despite claims of success by some cold laser therapy providers, there is no scientific evidence that shows this is an effective method of helping people stop smoking (see ACS document, Cold Laser Therapy).

Filters

Filters that reduce tar and nicotine in cigarettes are generally not effective since studies show that smokers who use filters actually tend to smoke more.

Smoking Deterrents

Other methods have been used to help stop smoking, such as over-the-counter products that change the taste of tobacco, stop-smoking diets that curb nicotine cravings, and combinations of vitamins. There is little scientific evidence to support that these efforts work.

Herbs and Supplements

There is little scientific evidence to support the use of homeopathic aids and herbal supplements as stop-smoking methods. Because they are marketed as dietary supplements (as opposed to drugs), they don't need FDA approval to be sold. The manufacturers don’t have to prove they’re effective, or even safe. Be sure to look closely at the label of any product claiming it can help you stop smoking. No dietary supplement has been proven to effectively help people quit smoking. Some of these supplements have no nicotine in them, but have multiple combinations of herbal preparations. They have no proven track record of helping people to stop smoking.

Other Nicotine/Tobacco Products, Not Reviewed or Approved by the FDA

Tobacco lozenges and pouches

Lozenges that contain tobacco (Ariva®, Interval®), and small, pouches of tobacco (Revel®, Exalt®) are being sold as other ways for smokers to get nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed. The FDA has ruled that these are types of oral tobacco products, and are not smoking cessation aids. This means that the FDA does not have authority over them. There is no evidence that these products can help a person quit smoking. Unlike scientifically proven treatments with known effects, such as nicotine replacement products, antidepressants, nicotine receptor blockers, or behavioral therapy, these oral tobacco products have never been rigorously tested.

Oral tobacco products such as snuff and chewing tobacco are known to contain human carcinogens. These products cause mouth cancer and gum disease. They also destroy the bone sockets around teeth and cause tooth loss. There are studies showing potential harmful effects on the heart and circulation as well as increased risks of other cancer. They also cause bad breath and stain the teeth.

Nicotine lollipops and lip balms

In the past, some pharmacies made a product called a nicotine lollipop. These lollipops often contained a product called nicotine salicylate with a sugar sweetener. Nicotine salicylate is not approved for pharmacy use by the FDA. The FDA has warned pharmacies to stop selling nicotine lollipops and lip balm on the Internet, calling the products "illegal." The FDA also said "the candy-like products present a risk of accidental use by children."

Other similar smoking cessation products may not use nicotine salicylate and, therefore, may be legal. However, they still pose a risk for children if they are not well-labeled and stored safely.

Nicotine water and nicotine wafers

These products have been sold in recent years as ways to get nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed. They are not marketed as aids to quitting smoking, but questions about their safety and legality have been raised.

A Word About Quitting Success Rates

Before you start using nicotine replacement or sign up for a stop smoking class or program, you may wonder what its success rate is. That's a hard question to answer for many reasons. First, not all programs define success in the same way. Does success mean that a person is not smoking at the end of the program? After 3 months? 6 months? 1 year? Does smoking fewer cigarettes (rather than stopping completely) count as success? If a program you're considering claims a certain success rate, ask for more details on how success is defined and what kind of follow-up is done to confirm the rate.

The truth is, quit smoking programs, like other programs that treat addictions, often have a fairly low success rate. But that does not mean they are not worthwhile or that you should be discouraged. Your own success in quitting is what really counts, and that is under your control.

About 5% to 16% of people are able to quit smoking for at least 6 months without any medicine to help with withdrawal.

Several articles in medical journals have reported that between about 25% and about 33% of smokers who use medicines can remain smoke-free for over 6 months. There is also early evidence that combining some medicines may work better than using them alone.

Behavioral and supportive therapies may increase success rates even further. Check the package insert of any product you are using to see if the manufacturer provides free telephone-based counseling.

How to Quit

Smokers often say, "Don't tell me why to quit, tell me how." There is no one right way to quit, but there are some key elements in quitting with success. These 4 factors are key:

making the decision to quit

setting a quit date and choosing a quit plan

dealing with withdrawal

staying quit (maintenance)

Making the Decision to Quit

The decision to quit smoking is one that only you can make. Others may want you to quit, but the real commitment must come from you.

Researchers have looked into how and why people stop smoking. They have some ideas, or models, of how this happens.

The Health Belief Model says that you will be more likely to stop smoking if you:

believe that you could get a smoking-related disease and this worries you

believe that you can make an honest attempt at quitting smoking

believe that the benefits of quitting outweigh the benefits of continuing to smoke

know of someone who has had health problems as a result of their smoking

Do any of these apply to you?

The Stages of Change Model identifies the stages that a person goes through in making a change in behavior. Here are the stages as they apply to quitting smoking:

Pre-contemplation: At this stage, the smoker is not seriously thinking about quitting.

Contemplation: The smoker is actively thinking about quitting but is not quite ready to make a serious attempt. This person may say, "Yes, I'm ready to quit, but the stress at work is too much," or "I don't want to gain weight," or "I'm not sure if I can do it."

Preparation: Smokers in the preparation stage seriously intend to quit in the next month and often have tried to quit in the past 12 months. They usually have a plan.

Action: This is the first 6 months when the smoker is actively quitting.

Maintenance: This is the period of 6 months to 5 years after quitting when the ex-smoker is aware of the danger of relapse and takes steps to avoid it.

Where do you fit in this model? If you are thinking about quitting, setting a date and deciding on a plan will move you into the preparation stage, the best place to start.

Setting a Quit Date and Deciding on a Plan

Pick a Quit Day

Once you've decided to quit, you're ready to pick a quit date. This is a very important step. Pick a specific day within the next month as your Quit Day. Picking a date too far in the future allows you time to rationalize and change your mind. But do give yourself enough time to prepare and come up with a plan. You might choose a date with a special meaning like a birthday or anniversary, or the date of the Great American Smokeout (the third Thursday in November each year). Or you may want to just pick a random date. Circle the date on your calendar. Make a strong, personal commitment to quit on that day.

Prepare for Your Quit Day

There is no one right way to quit. Most smokers prefer to quit cold turkey -- they stop completely, all at once. They smoke until their Quit Day and then quit. Or they may smoke fewer cigarettes for 1 or 2 weeks before their Quit Day. Another way involves cutting down on the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. With this method, you slowly reduce the amount of nicotine in your body. You might cut out cigarettes smoked with a cup of coffee, or you might decide to smoke only at certain times of the day. While it sounds logical to cut down in order to quit gradually, in practice this method is difficult.

Quitting smoking is a lot like losing weight; it takes a strong commitment over a long time. Smokers may wish there was a magic bullet -- a pill or method that would make quitting painless and easy. But there is nothing like that. Nicotine substitutes can help reduce withdrawal symptoms, but they are most effective when used as part of a stop-smoking plan that addresses both the physical and psychological components of quitting smoking.

Here are some steps to help you prepare for your Quit Day:

Pick the date and mark it on your calendar.

Tell friends and family of your Quit Day.

Get rid of all the cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.

Stock up on oral substitutes -- sugarless gum, carrot sticks, and/or hard candy.

Decide on a plan. Will you use NRT or other medicines? Will you attend a stop-smoking class? If so, sign up now.

Practice saying, "No thank you, I don't smoke."

Set up a support system. This could be a group class, Nicotine Anonymous, or a friend or family member who has successfully quit and is willing to help you. Ask family and friends who still smoke not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out where you can see them.

Think back to your past attempts to quit. Try to figure out what worked and what did not work for you.

Successful quitting is a matter of planning and commitment, not luck. Decide now on your own plan. Some options include using nicotine replacement, joining a stop-smoking class, going to Nicotine Anonymous meetings, using self-help materials such as books and pamphlets, or any combination of these methods. For the best chance at success, your plan should include one or more of these options.

On your Quit Day, follow these suggestions:

Do not smoke. This means at all -- not even one puff!

Keep active -- try walking, exercising, or doing other activities or hobbies.

Drink lots of water and juices.

Begin using nicotine replacement if that is your choice.

Attend stop-smoking class or start following a self-help plan.

Avoid situations where the urge to smoke is strong.

Reduce or avoid alcohol.

Think about changing your routine. Use a different route to work, drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place or eat different foods.

Dealing With Withdrawal

Withdrawal from nicotine has 2 parts -- the physical and the psychological. The physical symptoms, while annoying, are not life-threatening. Nicotine replacement can help reduce many of these physical symptoms. But most smokers find that the bigger challenge is the mental part of quitting.

If you have been smoking for any length of time, smoking has become linked with nearly everything you do -- waking up in the morning, eating, reading, watching TV, and drinking coffee, for example. It will take time to un-link smoking from these activities. That is why, even if you are using a nicotine replacement, you may still have strong urges to smoke.

One way to overcome these urges or cravings is to identify rationalizations as they come up. A rationalization is a mistaken belief that seems to make sense at the time but is not based on facts. If you have tried to quit before, you will probably recognize many of these common rationalizations:

I'll just have one to get through this rough spot.

Today is not a good day; I'll quit tomorrow.

It's my only vice.

How bad is smoking, really? Uncle Harry smoked all his life and he lived to be over 90.

Air pollution is probably just as bad.

You've got to die of something.

Life is no fun without smoking.

You probably can add more to the list. As you go through the first few days without smoking, write down any rationalizations as they come up and recognize them for what they are: messages that can trap you into going back to smoking. Use the ideas below to help you keep your commitment to quitting.

Avoid temptation. Stay away from people and places where you are tempted to smoke. Later on you will be able to handle these with more confidence.

Change your habits. Switch to juices or water instead of alcohol or coffee. Take a different route to work. Take a brisk walk instead of a coffee break.

Alternatives: Use oral substitutes such as sugarless gum or hard candy, raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, or sunflower seeds.

Activities: Do something to reduce your stress. Exercise or do hobbies that keep your hands busy, such as needlework or woodworking, which can help distract you from the urge to smoke. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book.

Deep breathing: When you were smoking, you breathed deeply as you inhaled the smoke. When the urge strikes now, breathe deeply and picture your lungs filling with fresh, clean air. Remind yourself of your reasons for quitting and the benefits you'll gain as an ex-smoker.

Delay: If you feel that you are about to light up, delay. Tell yourself you must wait at least 10 minutes. Often this simple trick will allow you to move beyond the strong urge to smoke.

Reward Yourself. What you're doing is not easy, so you deserve a reward. Put the money you would have spent on tobacco in a jar every day and then buy yourself a weekly treat. Buy a magazine, go out to eat, call a friend long-distance. Or save the money for a major purchase. You can also reward yourself in ways that don't cost money: visit a park or the library, develop a new hobby, or take a yoga class.

Staying Quit (Maintenance)

Remember the quotation by Mark Twain? Maybe you, too, have quit many times before. So you know that staying quit is the final, and most important, stage of the process. You can use the same methods to stay quit as you did to help you through withdrawal. Think ahead to those times when you may be tempted to smoke, and plan on how you will use alternatives and activities to cope with these situations.

More dangerous, perhaps, are the unexpected strong desires to smoke that happen sometimes months, or even years after you've quit. To get through these without relapse, try the following:

Review your reasons for quitting and think of all the benefits to your health, your finances, and your family.

Remind yourself that there is no such thing as just one cigarette -- or even one puff.

Ride out the desire to smoke. It will go away, but do not fool yourself into thinking you can have just one.

Avoid alcohol. Drinking lowers your chance of success.

If you are worried about gaining weight, put some energy into eating a healthy diet and staying active with exercise.

What if you do smoke? The difference between a slip and a relapse is within your control. A slip is a one-time mistake that is quickly corrected, whereas a relapse is going back to smoking. You can use the slip as an excuse to go back to smoking, or you can look at what went wrong and renew your commitment to staying away from smoking for good.

Even if you do relapse, try not to get too discouraged. Very few people are able to quit for good on the first try. In fact, it takes most people many attempts before quitting for good. What’s important is figuring out what helped you when you tried to quit and what worked against you. You can then use this information to make a stronger attempt at quitting the next time.

Some Special Concerns

Weight Gain

Many smokers do gain some weight when they quit. Even without special attempts at diet and exercise, however, the gain is usually less than 10 pounds. Women tend to gain slightly more weight than men. There is some evidence that smokers will gain weight after they quit even if they do not eat more.

For some, a concern about weight gain can lead to a decision not to quit. But the weight gain that follows quitting smoking is usually very small. It is much more dangerous to continue smoking than it is to gain a small amount of weight.

You are more likely to be quit smoking successfully if you deal with the smoking first, and then later take steps to reduce your weight. While you are quitting, try to focus on ways to help you stay healthy, rather than on your weight. Stressing about your weight may make it harder to quit. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and limit the fat. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and get enough sleep and regular physical activity.

Walking is a great way to be physically active and increase your chances of staying quit. Walking can help you by:

reducing stress

burning calories and toning muscles

giving you something to do instead of thinking about smoking

No special equipment or clothing is needed for walking, other than a pair of comfortable shoes. And you can do it pretty much anytime or anywhere. Try the following:

walk around a shopping mall

get off the bus one stop before you usually do

find a buddy to walk with during lunch time at work

take the stairs instead of the elevator

walk with a friend, family member, or neighbor after dinner

push your baby in a stroller

Set a goal of 30 minutes of physical activity 5 or more times a week. If you don’t already exercise regularly, please check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Stress

Smokers often mention stress as one of the reasons for going back to smoking. Stress is a part of everyone's lives, smokers and non-smokers alike. The difference is that smokers have come to use nicotine to help cope with stress and unpleasant emotions. When quitting, you have to learn new ways of handling stress. Nicotine replacement can help to some extent, but for long-term success other strategies are needed.

As mentioned above, physical activity is a good stress-reducer. It can also help with the short-term sense of depression that some smokers have when they quit. There are also stress-management classes and self-help books. Check your community newspaper, library, or bookstore.

Spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation have been used with much success to deal with other addictions and are a key part of 12-step recovery programs. These same principles can be applied to quitting smoking and can help with stress reduction.

Taking Care of Yourself

It is important for your health care provider to know of any present or past tobacco use so he or she can be sure that you will get the preventive health care you need. It is well known that tobacco use puts you at risk for certain health-related illnesses, so part of your health care should focus on related screening and preventive measures to help you stay as healthy as possible. For example, you will want to be certain that you regularly check the inside of your mouth for any changes and have an oral exam by your doctor or dentist if you have any changes or problems. The American Cancer Society recommends that periodic check-ups should include oral cavity (mouth) exams. By doing this tobacco users may be able to prevent, or detect early, oral changes, leukoplakia (white patches on the mouth membranes), and oral cancer.

You should also be aware of any change in cough, a new cough, coughing up blood, hoarseness, trouble breathing, wheezing, headaches, chest pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, general tiredness, and repeated respiratory infections. Any of these could be signs of lung cancer or a number of other lung conditions and should be reported to your doctor. While these can be signs of a problem, many lung cancers do not cause any noticeable symptoms until they are advanced and have spread to other parts of the body.

Remember that tobacco users have an increased risk for other cancers as well, depending on the way they use tobacco. You can become familiar with the types of cancer you may be at risk for by reading the American Cancer Society document that discusses the way you use tobacco (see "Additional Resources"). Other risk factors for these cancers may be more important than your use of tobacco, but you should be aware of the additional risks that might apply to your situation.

If you have any health concerns that may be related to your tobacco use, please see your health care provider as soon as possible. Taking care of yourself and getting treatment for small problems will give you the best chance for successful treatment. The best way, though, to take care of yourself and decrease your risk for life-threatening lung problems is to quit using tobacco.

Where Can I Go for Help?

It is hard to stop smoking. But if you are a tobacco user you can quit! More than 46 million Americans have quit smoking for good. Many organizations offer information, counseling, and other services on how to quit, as well as information on where to go for help. Other good resources where help can be found include your doctor, dentist, local hospital, or employer.

Reasons to Quit Smoking

2009-06-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

You Can Quit Smoking!

It’s never too late to quit and there's never an easy time to do it. So quit now, right now, put down that cigarette, it's so easy to smoke them while on the computer. To quit, you need to break your addiction to nicotine and to the habit of smoking -- which also includes the pleasure you get from smoking.

I think some people are addicted to everything that goes along with the act of smoking; lighting that match or lighter, the manual and oral pleasure, no wonder it's so darn hard. Your habits are the behaviors that go with your tobacco use, such as lighting a cigarette when you get out of work or school, when you walk the dog, after dinner, in the morning or whatever your personal smoking behaviors are.

Reasons Not to Smoke (You know them..)

Cancer Risk! - Lung cancer kills more women than breast cancer every year in the U.S.
MONEY! It’s expensive (over $1000 a year for a pack a day, an estimation, it can be more)
Bad breath -- others do smell it
Stained teeth and fingers
Cough/sore throat
Breathing problems
Fatigue
Wrinkles (more, sooner than people who don't smoke)
Arguments with parents, friends who want you to stop smoking.
Heart disease risk, including heart attack, no you’re not too young.
Gum disease risk
It stinks up your clothes, hair, skin, car, pets, it goes on and on...
Cigarette burns on your clothes or in the house, car, wherever
Risk of second hand smoke to people around you (and your pets too)
Nonsmokers don’t like kissing smokers. There is nothing sexy about smoking.

Ways To Make Quitting Easier (It’s Not Easy For Most People)

Pick a date to stop, if you can’t stop today. Choose one two to four weeks from now so you can get ready to quit. If possible, choose a time when things in your life will change, like when you're about to start a break from school. Or just pick a time when you don’t expect any extra stress at school, work or home. Of course life is very unpredictable so you just can't wait for there to be NO stress in your life. Wouldn't that be easy.

Make a list of the reasons why you want to quit. Keep that list available so you can look at it when you have a nicotine craving. Make a list of what you like about smoking also.

Keep a record of where, when and why you smoke. You may want to make notes for a week or so to know ahead of time when and why you will crave a cigarette. Plan what you will do instead of smoking (see list above for ideas). You may also want to plan what you'll say to people who pressure you to smoke.

Throw or give away all of your tobacco. Clean out your room if you have smoked there. Throw or give away your ashtrays and lighters, just get them out of your house and or room.

Tell your friends that you ’re quitting. Ask them not to pressure you about smoking. Find other things to do with them besides smoking. If you have to avoid being around people who smoke, do that for a while. But do let friends know why you are avoiding them. You’re doing this for YOU, not them.

When your stop date arrives, STOP. Plan little rewards for yourself for each tobacco-free day, week or month. Buy yourself a new top, get some new chewing gum, ask a friend to see a movie. Take a friend to get your favorite dessert or decaf... whatever.

Why Quit Smoking?

2009-06-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

When you quit tobacco, you will regain taste and smell within a few days.

When you quit tobacco, you will regain a more regular and natural breath.

When you quit tobacco, you will regain a steadier rhythm of life,
a real refreshing sleep.

When you quit tobacco, you will regain serenity and a forgotten taste for life:
stress, anxiety and irritability that are provoked by weaning will rapidly fade away (therapeutic methods can help) and the related advantages will quickly take the upper hand over the displeasures.

When you quit tobacco, you will spend less money, and even save some.
“Putting aside” the money that was initially spent on tobacco in a project that one has set his heart on is a good motivation.

The weight gain observed whilst weaning stabilizes on average within three months.

When you quit smoking, your skin and hair will regain a healthier appearance,
as well as your fingers, teeth and breath, which no longer show your habits.

When you quit smoking, you will regain your place in society;
the appearance of numerous non-smoking places allows you to live a healthy and normal life whilst avoiding permanent tobacco temptation.

No matter whether you are a regular, occasional, younger or older smoker, it is always time to quit smoking,
even if you have to try several times.

Numerous effective methods exist today. Medical or associative help can be considered, before or after you decide.

About Acne. Treatment and Prevention

2009-06-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Acne is the bane of existence for nearly 17 million people
who suffer from some form of acne.
Acne is not only embarrassing but also causes psychosocial effects such as: anxiety, depression, inferiority, insecurity, frustration and self-consciousness.

Acne can be in the form of blackheads, whiteheads, pimples or cysts. Can be on the face, neck, shoulders, upper back or chest.

The different definitions of acne are:

Acne blemish: A flaw in the skin Acne pimple: A small, prominent, inflamed elevation of the skin.

Blackhead: A condition of the skin characterized by a black
tip.

Whitehead: A condition of the skin characterized by a small,
firm, whitish elevation of the skin

Cysts: When the clogged pore is swollen, infected and forms a bump it's called a ''cyst'' Those most susceptible are teenagers and adolescents but it also affects many adults.

Although the exact cause of acne is still unknown.. there are certain triggers that might possibly contribute to it such as bacteria, blocked pores, hormonal changes, excess oil and genetics may also play a large part in it.

One thing you can be sure of..contrary to popular belief, poor hygiene and food such as chocolate does not cause acne.

Acne Diet and The Money Factor: You Can't Sell a Healthy Diet

Ask any medical doctor if there is a connection between diet and acne and almost all of them will claim there is none. Quoting from the Journal of the American Medical Association: "Diet plays no role in acne treatment in most patients…even large amounts of certain foods have not clinically exacerbated acne".

With years of medical education and clinical experience behind these claims, how can we the simple folks who suffer from acne challenge these statements and think otherwise? The answer is: doubt. Doubt, if its stays in the borders of reason, can open many doors otherwise will stay forever shut. Believe it or not, doubt can change reality. Doubt can cure your acne and doubt can even save your life.

Fact is, countless of acne sufferers have reported that their acne seemed to get worse when they consumed certain foods and saw dramatic positive change over their acne condition when they eliminated the same foods from their diet and when certain foods with specific nutritional value were incorporated into their diet.

So why do dermatologists so stubbornly insist that diet does not cause acne? The answer: you can't make a profit promoting a healthy diet. At least not as much money as you could make by selling drugs and over the counters. There is a huge pressure upon doctors coming from the drug and pharmaceutical companies to prescribe expensive medications and lotions that create dependency. The truth is, that your doctor is in a way, a hostage by the trillion dollar drug companies. Did you know that the drug companies, who have no interest in producing something that they cannot control financially, sponsor most medical schools?

The right diet, although not a solution by itself, can, in many cases, dramatically reduce inflammation and even completely clear one's acne (if you're one of the lucky ones who's acne is triggered by allergic response to food). Promoting a clear skin diet simply means less profits for the drug and pharmaceutical companies.

The truth is that conventional medications will never cure your acne, simply because they are pre-designed NOT to fix the internal cause of acne. They are pre-designed to deal with the external symptoms of a disease as they create more and more dependency and more dependency means making more money all at our expense and ignorance.

The Theory That Diet Doesn’t Cause Acne Is A Myth

The dogmatic theory that diet does not cause acne and that acne is merely an incurable genetic disorder was based upon two dated researches published in 1969 and 1971 that were aimed at studying the connection between diet and acne.

These studies were the foundation of the ‘acne symptoms treatment strategy’, meaning, because acne is a genetic disease that cannot be prevented, the only way to deal with acne would be to tackle its symptoms (bacteria, inflammation, puss, redness, greasiness), by applying creams, antibiotics, taking prescription drugs and over the counters.

Surprisingly enough, years after the above studies were published, clinical trials and in depth researches experimenting the acne diet link have found that the studies from 1969 and 1971 had came to the wrong conclusions and were in fact seriously flawed.

Recent studies have clearly found a significant connection between diet and acne. It appears that the wrong diet is now thought to be one of the leading acne contributing factors that can negatively affect hormonal regulation and the natural process of toxic elimination, which can seriously aggravate one’s existing acne.

Diet Shapes Who You Are (Including Your Acne)

In the same way that crashing waves shape beach cliffs and just like the wind shapes the canyon walls, slowly and methodically over time, so does eating shapes and effects our physic, our internal system, our physical and mental being, from the organ down to the cellular level.

The idea that an object foreign to our body that is inserted by the food that we eat, has no effect on us, or has no impact on chronic conditions such as acne is absurd. Diet is the primary thing that affects and shapes who we are.

Diet has cumulative effect on our bodies, and that includes our skin condition and acne, which is a manifestation of a chronic internal problem slowly shaped and built by the wrong daily dietary choices over the years.

Acne Diet and The Kitavan Islanders

While in the U.S, more than 80% of teenagers between 16 and 18 have acne and more than 17 million Americans suffer from some form of acne, there is an interesting evidence that native people that live and eat in traditional ways, have significantly lower to no occurrences of acne.

In 2002, Dr. Cordain and his colleagues published a landmark study that examined 300 people living in the Kitavan Islands off the coast of Papua New Guinea that showed that none of the islanders had even one blemish on his or her face. Similar to the Kitavans, no case of acne had been observed when the same experiment had been conducted upon the South American Indians called the Ache, living in a remote jungle in eastern Paraguay.

The natives of Kitavan and the South American Indians had no access to the latest over the counters, topical creams or conventional acne medications and they had no dermatologist to consult with. The only vast difference between them and American or European citizens is their diet.

Acne Diet and Sugar: The Sweet Poison

Aside from the fact that sugar is a 100% pure chemical with zero nutritional value, recent studies have clearly shown a connection between the consumption of sugar and the aggravation of acne.

When you consume any form of refined carbohydrates (white sugar, white flour, white rice) here's what happens: right after you insert that 'sweet poison' into your body, it rapidly spikes up your blood sugar levels. Your body needs to bring those levels down so it secrets a surge of insulin, other male hormones and an insulin-like growth factor called IGF-1. The excretion of these hormones overwhelms your liver and your internal system in general. The excess of male hormones encourages the skin to excrete large amounts of sebum oil: The greasy substance that encourages the p.acne bacteria to grow, resulting in the aggravation of your acne.

Acne Diet and Dairy Products: Got Milk? Got Acne

If you thought sugar can aggravate your acne, here's another major nutritional player in the formation of acne: behold the miracles of milk. Milk (all dairy products included) is the most harmful, mucus forming, allergenic and acne aggravating food you can find. Surprised? I thought so. After years of constant brainwashing by the media, who can blame us for thinking milk is good for strong bones and healthy teeth? The truth is: every sip of milk contains 59 different raging hormones, (which trigger the hyper-production of sebum oil resulting in more acne), saturated animal fat, steroid hormones, dead white blood cells, and cow pus in abundance!

Did you know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows 750 million pus cells in every liter of milk (about two pounds) produced in America? Think about it, the next time you pop a pimple.

Scientific studies already point the finger at milk as one of the worst acne aggravating foods: "As pointed out by Dr. Jerome Fisher, 'About 80 percent of cows that are giving milk are pregnant and are throwing off hormones continuously.' Progesterone breaks down into androgens, which have been implicated as a factor in the development of acne...Dr. Fisher observed that his teenage acne patients improved as soon as the milk drinking stopped."

If there's one element you should remove from your diet in the quest for clear skin make it this one. Not only will you see an immediate improvement over your acne, you'll feel a huge weight has been lifted from your body. If you worry about calcium intake, don’t! Milk being acidic forming food creates a leeching effect where calcium is taken from your bones to balance the acidity. Milk actually deprives your body from its calcium resources. Green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds are not only excellent sources of calcium they also have the powers to help you fight your acne symptoms.

Diet Is Only One of The Factors That Cause Acne

Dairy products and sugar are not the only acne aggravating foods. The two above cannot sum up the list of western made acne triggering foods. There are several other foods you should clearly stay away from if you ever wish to clear your acne. The good new is that there are tons of other foods such as essential fatty acids that are not only excellent for your skin, they can actually help you clear your acne, by re-balancing your body and promoting to an acne-free environment.

The right nutrition plays an important part in the complex process of acne formation. When doctors claim there is no link between diet and acne because certain individuals can eat specific foods and get acne while others eat the same foods and don't, these doctors have failed to realize that there are several factors involved in the formation and aggravation of acne and diet is only ONE of them.

The Final Verdict On The Acne Diet Connection: How To Finally Overcome Your Acne Challenge

Acne is a complex condition that is triggered by several underlying factors. The only way to neutralize your acne condition is to tackle all these acne-contributing factors-holistically. Since the wrong diet is only one of these acne-triggering factors, in most cases no special diet can cure acne.

There is a however, a tight connection between diet and acne formation. Dietary factors can trigger and aggravate your existing acne. Avoiding the wrong foods such as milk, sugar and hydrogenated oils, and eating cleansing and hormonal balancing foods such as green leafy vegetables and essential fatty acids, can help your skin heal itself from the inside out and dramatically reduce your acne symptoms.

There are also several important dietary principals that you must understand and follow if you ever want to cure your acne for good.

Taking responsibility over your body and adhering to these dietary principals along with taking the necessary steps to tackle all acne contributing factors, holistically, will not only cure your acne permanently and give you the flawless acne free skin you deserve, following these principals will also significantly improve your overall health, mental well-being, look and feel.

Popular Methods To Quit Smoking

2009-06-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

Most smokers would rather be ex-smokers. They know their habit is unhealthy, dirty and becoming very costly. Most smokers would like to do their health and pocketbook a favor and kick the habit. But its not easy.

Smoking becomes an addiction which takes a great deal of will power to break. If youve decided to quite the puffing habit (as ordering this report indicates) your next step is to decide how youre going to do it.

As many methods to quit smoking have been devised as there are brands of cigarettes. The ten methods outlined in this report, from the cheapest to the most costly, have worked for millions.

Your best bet is to study these ten methods and decide which one is best for you. You may want to take the following facts into consideration:

- cost usually increases commitment

- programs with follow-up sessions have the best success rate

- shy people do better when they do it alone

- outgoing people do better in the group methods

- young people lean toward the acupuncture and hypnosis methods

- older people very often choose individual counselling

1. ON YOUR OWN

Cost: $0 - $10

Time Commitment: Its up to you.

There are many ways to quit on your own. You may try cold turkey, cut down by one cigarette a day, or make a bet with someone who also wants to quit. Libraries and bookstores are full of advice from published ex-smokers.

Whichever method you choose to go it alone, youll need to be really sure that you do want to quit. If youre sure its what you want, youll be able to quit smoking on your own and save lots of money.

Success Rate: Not too high. About 75% of those who try to go it alone end up failing.

2. CHEMICAL SUBSTITUTES

Cost: Under $10

Time Commitment: Whatever time it takes to obtain them.

Various substances are being tested in an effort to find a bio-chemical method to quit smoking. Silver nitrate, a substance that irritates the mucous membrane, renders smoking chronically unpleasant. Lobeline, a herb used to replace tobacco has not been too successful. Sodium bicarbonate can decrease ones craving for nicotine. However, the most effective chemical substitute to date to aid you to quit smoking is nicotine. Nicotine is, of course, the active drug in tobacco. It has been put in chewing gum, which a smoker would chew when he has a craving for a cigarette. Test show that people find it easier to give up the gum than cigarettes.

Success Rate: About 38%

Contact: The nicotine chewing gum is available non-prescription in Canada, Sweden and England. Otherwise, consult your doctor.

3. THE 5-DAY PLAN

Cost: $5 - $15 donation

Time Commitment: 90 minutes a night for five nights.

This is a group system sponsored by the Seventh Day Adventist Church but is largely non-sectarian.

The idea is to quit cold turkey with group support. The groups vary in size from 15 to 50 and they employ the buddy system. Youll be teamed up with someone with whom you will communicate a couple of times a day for mutual support.

Emphasis is on changing habits. You will be encouraged to also give up coffee, tea, alcohol and salty snacks. You will be encouraged to go for long walks and drink lots of water. The 5-Day Plan does have follow-up programs. Success Rate: About 50% of those who complete the whole five days.

4. AUDIO CASSETTES

Cost: About $50

Time Commitment: Varies depending on how often you repeat the exercises.

This method combines a book, an instructional guide and a series of cassette tapes. You are encouraged to keep a smoking diary and a relaxation diary. The book, entitled Become an Ex-Smoker, is a supplement to the tapes. The four tapes combine lectures with exercises to help you gradually quit smoking.

Success Rate: No studies to show success rate at this time. Contact: BMA Audio Cassettes, 200 South Park Avenue, New York, NY 10003.

5. ACUPUNCTURE

Cost: $50 - $200

Time Commitment: One hour a week for one to four weeks.

There are, of course, various procedures varying with each acupuncturist. But the basic method involves needling or stapling one of your ears at three points related to the areas of your body where smoking urges begin. The needles or staples stay in your ear for one to four weeks and you are advised to tap or press them when you feel the urge to smoke. During your visits to the acupuncturist you will be given verbal instruction to reinforce the effects of the acupuncture, and given facial massages.

Success Rate: 28% - 56%

Contact: The American Journal of Acupuncture, Boulder Creek, CA 95006, or The Acupuncture Foundation of Canada, Suite 302, 7321 Victoria Park Avenue, Markham, ON L3R 2Z8 Canada.

6. HYPNOSIS

Cost: $50 - $300

Time Commitment: One hour a week for one to three weeks.

Soon after visiting your hypnotist you will find yourself in a mild trance which will induce a state of concentration. The hypnotist will then take you through a series of exercises to help you relax and focus on the negative aspects of smoking. Other exercises will be done, depending on the hypnotist. The emphasis will be to teach you to hypnotize yourself, by yourself, whenever you need to.

Success Rate: 25%

Contact: Look in your phone directory yellow pages under Hypnosis.

7. PRIVATE THERAPY

Cost: $150 - $600

Time Commitment: One hour a week for three to ten weeks.

The main advantage of private therapy is that your therapist can assess your situation and design a program specifically for you.

Your therapist will want to know all about your smoking habit - how much you smoke, when you usually light up, how you smoke.

Many therapists encourage you to smoke rapidly, puffing every six seconds. It is believed that this rapid smoking makes it easier to focus on the negative aspects of your habit.

Success Rate: No studies done at this time but success rate is believed to be very high.

Contact: Look in your phone directory yellow pages under Mental Health Professionals and look for behavior therapists.

8. SMOKENDERS

Cost: $345 - $445

Time Commitment: Two hours a week for eight weeks.

During your first few sessions youll listen to ex-hard-core-smokers tell you how they kicked the habit. Youll share your feelings about the smoking habit with the other 20 or so smokers in your group.

Youll be advised to keep a smoking diary of when and where you smile each cigarette. Youll be advised to brush your teeth more and get rid of your lighters. You will smoke your last cigarette at bedtime on the night after the fifth meeting.

Finally, you must deposit each butt you smoke in a water-filled jar - an unpleasant sight!

Success Rate: 39%

Contact: In U.S. call 1-800-642-4772 toll-free to find out about sessions nearest you. In Canada check your local telephone directory or call 604-684-1815.

9. SHICK

Cost: $545

Time Commitment: One hour a day for five consecutive days.

This method uses aversion therapy and rapid smoking techniques. You are treated in a one-to-one situation with a therapist employed by Shick.

You will sit in a booth with wires attached to your forearms. Your therapist will give you a mild electric shock and increase the voltage until you choose a degree which you can handle, but which is annoying.

Next you will light up. One cigarette after another. But you must not inhale. When you inhale, you will get the shock.

These are the basic techniques used in the Shick program. Follow-up meetings are designed to keep you from forgetting what you learned.

Success Rate: Shick claims it is well over 50%.

Contact: Listed in most telephone directories in California, Texas, Florida, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

10. LIVE-IN THERAPY

Cost: About $900

Time Commitment: Five days.

For five days you will take up residence in an environment designed to help you concentrate on one thing - quitting smoking. You will be well away from work and family problems. Individual counseling and group support are a vital part of a live-in program.

Diet, stress management and exercise programs keep you busy during your stay. A follow-up newsletter is sent to you monthly.

Success Rate: about 40%.

The Mother of All Stop Smoking Programs – YOGA!

2009-06-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is not exaggerating to say that the boss of all stop smoking programs is the Indian origin practice of bodily postures – a set of which together is popularly known as ‘Yoga’.
Its relevance to every aspect in a common man’s life and its effectiveness in gifting the doer what he started it for has rolled in plenty of people from all around the globe into it. And the ball is rolling and only getting bigger by day. There will also be a yoga instruction centre in your city if you find the right way to find it. You will be told over there, first thing, that Yoga, when followed regularly and in the right way, is the most rewarding stop smoking program.
It works above and over all stop smoking medications, stop smoking aids, stop smoking hypnosis, stop smoking pills and stop smoking drugs!And the good news is that you, looking frantically for a stop smoking program, need not learn by rote the hundreds of postures (known as Aasanas in Sanskrit language) to just quit this one deadly consumption.
There exists in Yoga, a particular set of Aasana, called the Pranayama, only learning and practising which suffices. The results of this miraculous science are best reaped when practised early in the morning (even before sunrise if possible) after brushing the teeth and having a glass of water. However, they can be performed whenever an urge becomes stronger.
Two types of pranayamas exist and are listed below. They can all be comfortably practised at home if you do not wish to attend classes. Perform them one after the other, slowly in the beginning then picking up pace as days pile up.
Kapalabhati: Sit in a meditative pose and keep the spine, neck and head straight. Close the eyes and keep the palms resting on the knees. Then, while exhaling contract the abdominal muscles sharply, raising the diaphragm and forcing the air out of the lungs. Inhalation should be passive and silent, while exhalation forceful, brief and audible. Gradually increase the speed. Return to normal position slowly.
Bhastrika: This is the climax part of the stop smoking program. Squat on the floor, straighten the back and close the eyes. Close the right nostril with the right thumb and exhale. Immediately inhale through the left nostril. Then close the left nostril, exhale and inhale through the right. Repeat alternatively, and slowly return to initial speed.The above are not only useful as effective stop smoking program, but have been scientifically proven for curing several diseases like bronchitis, tension, depression, insomnia and high blood pressure.

How to quit smoking once and for all

2009-06-02T08:54:00.001-07:00

So what if it is really that easy? What if all your beliefs about how hard it is going to be to quit are completely false? What if, after just one session of hypnotherapy or NLP you find it incredibly easy to become and remain a happy, confident non-smoker for life?
The reason why hypnotherapy & NLP are so successful is because both our beliefs about smoking and our habitual smoking behaviours reside within your unconscious mind. So whilst consciously we may wish to quit, all too often our all powerful unconscious mind simply would not let us.
You see when smokers first start; they buy into years of conditioning telling them that smoking made them feel somehow better, more confident and more relaxed. And as a result of lighting up those first few cigarettes, smokers permanently install these extremely unhelpful beliefs directly into their unconscious, beliefs that also included the concept that quitting was going to be really difficult.
At the same time, smokers make a conscious decision to choose those perceived benefits of feeling better, more relaxed and more confident, over the initial physical reactions of inhaling the poisonous fumes. So as time goes on and those uncomfortable physical reactions start to subside, as a result of their newly formed nicotine addiction, they started to mistake the relief of feeding that addiction with feelings of relaxation and confidence.
So many years later, after smoking tens of thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands) of cigarettes, they have re-enforced those unhelpful beliefs about smoking and how hard it is to quit and, they have also trained their unconscious minds to wrongly associate the process of lighting and smoking a cigarette with feeling good, confident and relaxed.
Hypnotherapy and NLP allow us to retrain the unconscious mind of a smoker to disregard those false beliefs about smoking and how hard it is to quit, and to swap those unconscious benefits for something altogether more exciting and fulfilling - feeling absolutely great!
So as a result, the all too familiar withdrawal pangs of irritability, mood swings and cravings, the primary reasons why people fail to permanently quit smoking, will be replaced with feelings of relaxation, improved self confidence and overall happiness.

Twenty Useful Tips To Help You Quit Smoking

2009-06-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

1. Taking 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 3 times a day will help you quit smoking. The soda neutralizes the body acids, retains nicotine in the blood, and thus reduces the desire for tobacco.
2. Eat plenty of fresh lemons and lemon juice to reduce your desire for cigarettes. Eating lots of salads and other fruits will also help. Avoid meat and alcohol.
3. To avoid irritability: take 1 tryptophan (667 mg.) tablet 3 times a day, plus 1 Vitamin B complex (100 mg., time release) with your evening meal.
4. Before breakfast, take 1/2 teaspoon each of Rochelle Salts and Cream of Tartar.
5. Try chewing Ginseng Root; swallow the juice.
6. Dont keep cigarettes by your bed. When you wake up, breathe deeply and brush your teeth right away.
7. Eliminate situations in which you normally smoke; for example, give up one coffee break each day. Exercise or go for a walk instead. After dinner, brush your teeth immediately or go for a brisk walk.
8. Dont take your cigarettes to work or anywhere else.
9. Always sit beside non-smokers in public situations such as meetings.
10. Always put away your cigarettes, lighter and ashtray so that getting them will require an effort.
11. Change your brand of cigarette often. Each week smoke a brand with a lower nicotine and tar content.
12. Switch to a brand of cigarette you dont like; change to filter if you prefer non-filter, menthol if you prefer regular.
13. Cut back on drinks which encourage your smoking habits; for example, eliminate lunchtime coffee.
14. Make a point of having your first cigarette a bit later each day. Stop smoking a little earlier each night.
15. Alternate between giving up a morning, afternoon and evening cigarette.
16. Avoid smoking in certain habitual places, for example, on the telephone, while watching TV or sitting with the newspaper.
17. Make a list of the reasons you want to quit and keep it with you all the time; whenever you feel the urge, read your list.
18. Always choose seats in No Smoking sections of restaurants, trains and other public places.
19. Initiate a 3-day program, each day smoking 1/2 of what you smoked the day before.
20. Limit your smoking to alternate hours; the next day or the next week increase your no-smoking periods to 1-1/2 hours; then increase them to 2 hours, etc., until you have stopped altogether.

How to Quit Smoking. Stop Now

2009-06-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

Quit Smoking Support – How Necessary It Is?

Smoking is highly addictive and once it becomes a habit it is very difficult to get rid of for a number of reasons. Quit smoking support usually acts as a back up system that ensures that the smokers have the most conducive atmosphere possible for getting rid of the habit. What Does Quit Smoking Support Do For You? Actually, the rate of success that smokers meet with when deciding to kick off the habit very much depends upon the quality of quit smoking support they receive.
1.Family members – the first and the most intense quit smoking support comes from your immediate family such as your spouse, siblings, parents, etc. Once you make your decision known, they would rally to help you stay focused. Their support inside the home and outside is often critical to your success.
2. Professional counseling – this is another very important quit smoking support that helps you understand the process and advises how to fight some of the worst withdrawal symptoms. Most people hate the withdrawal symptoms so much that they rather choose to continue smoking than to continue experiencing them. The counseling inputs would prepare you mentally for this and thus increase your ability to recognize and fight it.
3. Quit smoking aids – it is possible to quit smoking cold turkey and many people do just that. However, for this method you need to have nerves of steel and an even stronger will power. Why not use some of the excellent quit smoking aids as your quit smoking support. This would help reduce the withdrawal symptoms, while at the same time prevent the craving for nicotine.
4. Plan B - a good strategist would always have a stand-by plan – just in case the original plan fails. Here, you could take the example of the popular adage, ‘Use a thief to catch a thief’. Just so, you could have something else to substitute your addiction to smoking; something that is not harmful to your health – such as chewing gum, no-nicotine cigarettes, peppermint mouth fresheners, clove, cardamom, etc. This quit smoking support can reduce the urge to reach out for a cigarette and ensure your success in beating the habit.
5. Medication – another very important quit smoking support is the medication you may need to ward off and/ or prevent some of the more unpleasant side effects of the exercise. Consult with your family doctor before you start the quit smoking process so you would have the prescribed medicines ready when you need them.

How to Stop Smoking in a Second

Cold turkey, stop smoking classes, nicotine patches, nicotine gums- people have been trying to help these smokers quit their habit and change their lifestyles. But are these alternative solutions really effective? Do they even work at all?
These regimens may all seem relative to many because success can be defined by thousands of standards.In the real setting, these quit smoking programs are considered to be having minimal effect on the people that signed up for it. In another perspective though, it does not necessarily mean that they should be snubbed and not tried at all. A smoker’s main mentor in order for him to quit his smoking habits is none other than himself.
Unless he tells himself that he can do it and that he will stick to his regimen, nobody else can help him. The success of any treatment depends on the person involved. There are those who say that smoking is an addiction and that it is a hard habit to break. But as said earlier, the smoker should be the one to decide whether or not he would quit. His confidence regarding this matter is the main stepping stone of the whole treatment.
Once he makes a firm decision that he will commit himself to quitting then he won’t have such a hard time when the program starts. The main ingredient of cigarettes is nicotine which is a chemical that elevates the person’s mood, lessens the user’s anxiety and makes the person more alert. But like every abused substance, too much would cause the user’s bodily functions to be altered. If addiction occurs, quitting will be a problem and withdrawal symptoms will occur. Their brain would crave for nicotine and cause irritability and his focus of concentration would be hard to establish.
This is why a smoker’s firm resolve to quit is essential in any program that he enlists in. There are a lot of groups and courses of treatment that would help a smoker to quit. Some may cost you nothing at all while some will squeeze your wallet dry. Expensive programs do not assure total renouncement of the smoking habit. It depends on the smoker and if the treatment plan is well suited for him. Always check out the program before signing up for it to get the most of your time and money.
Ask yourself if you see its courses beneficial to you and if the programs suits you well. Check for the staff’s credentials to determine if they are well trained and qualified. Just remember that if you see a program promising you everything that you wanted to hear and you think that it is too good to be true, then it probably is and search for another program.

Secondary Hypertension

2009-06-01T03:29:00.000-07:00

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is classified as "essential (primary)" or "secondary". Essential hypertension does not have an apparent cause. It may be due to such things as genetics (family members who have the disease) or lifestyle. Most people with high blood pressure have essential hypertension.

Secondary hypertension, on the other hand, is less common and is the result of another condition, such as:

* Disorders of the adrenal gland (small organs, located above the kidneys, that create hormones), including Cushing's syndrome (a condition caused by an overproduction of cortisol); hyperaldosteronism (too much aldosterone); and pheochromocytoma (a rare tumor that causes oversecretion of hormones like adrenaline)

* Kidney disease which may include polycystic kidney disease, kidney tumor, kidney failure, or a narrow or blocked main artery supplying the kidney

* Drugs such as corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory drugs like prednisone), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Motrin, Aleve, Naprosyn, Celebrex), weight loss drugs (such as Meridia), cold medications that include decongestants, like pseudoephedrine, birth control pills (the estrogen component), and migraine medications (such as Imitrex).

* Sleep apnea, a condition in which a person has brief spells in which he stops breathing during sleep. About half of patients with this condition have high blood pressure.

* Coarctation of the aorta, a birth defect in which the aorta is narrowed

* Preeclampsia, a condition related to pregnancy

* Thyroid and parathyroid problems

How Is Secondary Hypertension Diagnosed?

After you are diagnosed with hypertension, your doctor may perform other tests such as blood and urine screening to make sure you don't have secondary hypertension.

How Is Secondary Hypertension Treated?

In order to treat secondary hypertension, your doctor will address the condition or disorder that is causing the hypertension (adrenal gland disorder, kidney disease, sleep apnea, etc.) and try to correct that.

In some cases, this may mean that you will have to undergo surgery; for example, if you have a kidney disorder or coarctation of the aorta. Not all patients will be eligible for surgery, however. Your doctor may also choose to treat you with antihypertensive drug therapy, whether or not you have surgery.

If you have secondary hypertension that is caused by a drug, your doctor may suggest that you stop taking or decrease the dose of the drug.

Hypertensive Crisis

2009-05-23T00:58:00.000-07:00

When blood pressure gets critically high, organ including heart damage may occur and blood pressure must be reduced immediately.

Symptoms are associated with organ damage:

- Chest pain (angina)
- Heart attack
- Eclampsia (occurs during pregnancy)
- Aneurysm (Bulging blood vessel)
- Fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema)
- Heart failure
- Bleeding into the brain (stroke)
- Changes in mental status such as confusion or coma (encephalopathy)

However hypertensive crisis is rare and can be triggered if the hypertensive person does not take his medicine.

Symptoms of Hypertensive crisis:

- Swelling or edema (fluid buildup in the tissues)
- Headache
- Chest pain
- Seizure
- Shortness of breath

When Hypertensive crisis occurs some cautions must be taken as blood and urine testing, regular monitoring of blood pressure and eye exam to look for swelling and bleeding.

In a hypertensive crisis, the first goal is to control the hypertension as quickly as possible with intravenous (IV) hypertensive medications to prevent further organ damage.

Hypertension Symptoms

2009-05-22T23:54:00.000-07:00

There are generally no symptoms of hypertension, so you usually don't feel it. This is dangerous because you may not know that you have it. The only way to find out if you have high hypertension is to get your blood pressure checked on a regular basis.

Even so, in some cases or when the hypertension is at dangerous levels there may be certain symptoms as:

- Severe headache
- Chest pain
- Blood in the urine
- Irregular heartbeat
- Vision problems
- Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue or confusion
- Pounding in your chest, neck, or ears

Hypertension can lead to serious problems, including stroke, heart disease, kidney failure and eye problems so when you have one or more of above symptoms see a doctor immediately.

Hypertension Prevention

2009-05-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

What can you do for hypertension prevention?

- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Getting regular exercise
- Reducing salt intake
- Drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all
- Reduce Stress

Paying attention on your diet can also help in hypertension prevention.

- Potassium can help having a normal blood pressure. Many fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, and fish are good sources of potassium.
- Calcium. People with low calcium intake develop hypertension. Dairy foods like low-fat selections of milk, yogurt, and cheese are good sources of calcium. Low-fat and nonfat dairy products have even more calcium than the high-fat types.
- Magnesium can rise your hypertension. Magnesium is found in whole grains, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and dry peas and beans.
- Fish oils are omega-3 fatty acids and are found in fatty fish like mackerel and salmon and taken in large amounts can reduce hypertension. However, you may find fish oil pills very unpleasant.
- Garlic is improving cholesterol and reducing some cancers and lowering hypertension levels.

Medications Can Cause Hypertension

2009-05-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

Some medications can make hypertension so if you already have high blood pressure it can get even higher and dangerous.

Such medicine that can rise your hypertension include pain relievers, anti inflammatory as they can make your body retain fluid and cause your kidney reduce it's functions. What's the name of those medications? Naproxen, Ibuprofen, Aspirin. You must be careful when treating a cold for example because medications for it includes those. You can ask for alternatives as acetaminophen instead of ibuprofen.

Cough and cold medicines contain decongestants. Decongestants can rise your hypertension and may prevent your high blood pressure medication from working properly. So, when you have cold, flu, or sinus problems it's necessary to ask for alternative ways to ease the symptoms.

Migraine headache medications constricts blood vessels throughout your body making your hypertension rising to dangerous levels.

Weight loss medications may do more harm than good. Meridia is one of those.

So, when choosing medications read labels before buying and make sure it doesn't contain decongestants or other ingredients that can rise your blood pressure.

One last word. Herbals also can increase hypertension. It is well known that tea can be used for tweaking both high and low blood pressure.

Hypertension Causes

2009-05-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

Hypertension is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls and is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood through arteries. Hypertension contributes to hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis and the development of heart failure.

When speaking about blood pressure there is a 4 stages classification:
- less than 120/80 - normal blood pressure
- 120-139/80-89 - pre hypertension
- 140-159/90-99 - stage 1 hypertension
- 160 and above/100 and above - stage 2 hypertension

So, if you fall under one of the last 3 categories you need to consult your doctor about methods of lowering your blood pressure.

Some causes and factors of hypertension include:
- older age
- stress
- hypertension in family history
- adrenal and thyroid disorders
- too much salt in your diet
- smoking
- alcohol consumption
- chronic kidney disease

Hypertension tends to run in families and is more likely to affect men than women and is greatly influenced by diet and lifestyle. People with hypertension are "salt sensitive," meaning that anything more than the minimal bodily need for salt is too much for them and increases their blood pressure. Other factors inducing hypertension can be obesity, diabetes, insufficient potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Hypertension can also be triggered by tumors or other abnormalities that cause the adrenal glands to secrete excess amounts of hormones.

Hypertension - What Is High Blood Pressure?

2009-05-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hypertension, meaning high blood pressure, is the most common cardiovascular disease.
Many find out about high blood pressure during routine checkups. In this case you must see your doctor and control how to control and bring your blood pressure to normal.

Blood pressure works as air pressure in tubes. It is the force of blood pushing on artery walls. When blood pressure is too hing it can damage arteries, heart disease or even cause strokes.

In United States approximately 73 million people have hypertension. High blood pressure is the most common cause of heart attack.

When reading blood pressure we get two numbers. The first represents the blood pressure when the heart is pushing blood through arteries and the second the blood pressure when the heart is at rest.

Blood pressure rise and fall with changes in activity or emotional state and this is natural. Normally at childhood blood pressure must be somewhere at 90/60 and for healthy adults at 120/80. You must not alarm when your blood pressure gets bigger because you jogged, had a speech or another emotional activity.

Hypertension can damage the brain, eyes, and kidneys along with injuring blood vessels.

So when to ask for medical advice? If your pressure is reading values of 140/90 or higher your doctor will start to give you some medication because you present hypertension. If your blood pressure reads values of 200/120 your have high risk hypertension and you will need treatment immediately. Also, in case you have diabetes and your blood pressure rises below 130/80 you must be treated because persons with diabetes have high risk of heart diseases.

Why knowing if you have hypertension is so important? Because people with hypertension don't feel any pain and it rarely causes symptoms even if your body present high damage.

Who can have hypertension? Most people with hypertension have ages above 55 or are overweight, drink excessively, smoke and eat foods with lots of salt(sodium) or / and fats.

What causes hypertension? It is widely known that hypertension is caused by diet and lifestyle.

Obesity, diabetes, stress, insufficient intake of potassium, calcium, and magnesium and chronic alcohol consumption are the very common causes of hypertension.

Other hypertension causes are hormonal disabilities like adrenal grands secreting more adrenaline than needed or kidney diseases

Homemade Treatment for Acne

2009-05-20T18:11:00.000-07:00

Maybe some people will find this useful when treating acne (acne vulgaris):

1. Drink at least 4 glasses of water every day. Water will help your skin eliminate toxic waste. Including green vegetables and fruits will increase water levels in your body and also boost your vitamins.

2. Squeeze tomatoes and mix tomato pulp (not packaged) and mix with rose-water and honey them apply this on your skin for about 20 minutes. Wash it up after.

3. Every night before going to sleep apply on your affected skin a mix of lemon juice, glycerine and cream. Keep it some minutes then clean it.

4. Keep your hands out of your face. Hands are almost every time oily, even if washed. Also keep your hair out of your face.

5. Keep your face as natural as possible. Make-ups are clogging your pores.

Stop Drinking Coffee for Treating acne

2009-05-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

Caffeine is a stimulant boosting your energy for some hours, leaving your body without after. Caffeine is a highly addictive substance. Caffeine may work to trigger or worsen acne.

Think if you really need that coffee to wake up in the morning. If you order your diet you will be able to wake up at 5.30 in the morning and do your day job without problems and not even eating in the morning.

Caffeine is also known as cause in hormone disruptions and this is not a joke especially if you are a woman.

Where we can find caffeine. Firstly in normal coffee. On the second place come all caffeinated sodas.

Fats, Oils and Acne Treatment

2009-05-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

I will have some words regarding fats and oils. It is well known now that your diet is causing acne and fats and oils are part of your diet for sure.

Together with sugar hydrogenated oils compete on the list of toxic ingredients of our food.

Hydrogenated oil definition: Vegetable oils that are bubbled with hydrogen so they are not liquid any more at room temperature. After hydrogenation oils become creamy, almost solid.

Studies concluded that brain activity decreases after eating Hydrogenated oils.

Also hydrogenated oils inhibit the absorption of good, healthy oils.

Hydrogenated oils fill up your body capacity of storing fats so, after eating them, if you eat, let's say fish meat, your body is full of fat - hydrogenated. The fish fat will go to waste. When your body tries to use hydrogenated oils it will do what is intended to do with normal fats only that the hydrogenated will not fit or will fit badly and will act more like a poison.

If you had 25-30 years of eating hydrogenated fats it will take months till your body will cleanse if you stop eating them.

So, avoid peanut butters, crackers, cookies or other similar products.

What to replace hydrogenated fats with?

Maybe the best answer is seeds. Seeds are used as food till dark ages and they have a huge fat content. But, avoid roasted and flavored seeds because they get oiled with hydrogenated fats during the process. Nuts are the best nutrient containers - natural ones, roasting burns out all the good nutrients inside.

One caution: Do not exaggerate with nuts especially in case of acne. Maintain diversity in your diet. Eating nuts means eating fats and getting your fat levels too high is not a good ideea when having acne.

Treat Acne by Eliminating Sugar

2009-05-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

The more sugar you eliminate from your diet, the more chances to get rid of acne.

I am speaking here about refined sugar and not the sweet substances found in fruits.

People consume huge quantities of sugar every day even if they realize that sugar is not good for health.

Among all the bat things sugar can do to your health I want to enumerate some:
- Suppressing your immune system and defenses against infectious diseases
- causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium
- can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children
- increases fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia
- has been connected with cancer development in breasts, rectum, lungs, stomach, etc.
- causes tooth decay and saliva to become acidic
- contributes to osteoporosis
- lowers vitamin E levels
The list can be 10-15 times bigger.

How do you stop eating sugar? You won't succeed to eliminate sugar 100% but you can diminish the quantity at maybe 80% without having to feel big frustrations.

First of all stop drinking any kind of soda or juice. If you want to treat your acne you must decide. Drink those chemical and sugar full liquids or having a beautiful face?? Better squeeze some fruits in a glass and drink. This is healthier and is sugar free.

Second thing. Stop eating candy and all kind of junk food. Better chew a carrot, eat 2-3 apples. It will be better for teeth, not speaking for overall health system.

Cure your sugar addiction by replacing the sugar with something else. Honey may be of help for you.

Treat Acne by Cleansing Your Colon

2009-05-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

Eliminating waste matter from your bowels is the first thing to do when treating acne. If you are doing this once in a day or two and this is not good. You are constipated. Having one bowel movement after each meal is ideal. Try eliminating red meat from your meal.

Also consider the time needed to have a full bowel movement. If you need to read a newspaper when doing it you may be constipated. It must take no more that 30 seconds and must be as easy as urinating.

It is important to pay attention to your diet. The food must be digested quickly and the waste eliminated as soon as possible. Your colon must not be like a waste warehouse. Instead it must be empty and free. The food that can't be digested quickly will stay in your bowels for days and the colon will assimilate all the poison inside it.

Keep this in mind: Improving your colon improves your health.

If you are constipated you can consider some remedies for that but keep in mind that you must not have diarrhea each time you sit on the "chair". This is also not good for health and your comfort.

The best way to cleanse your colon is to use laxatives but pay attention! Read prospects and use only herbals as they contain less chemicals that can be also poisonous.

One last thing. Parasites !!! It is quite common to have parasites. Not only a sheep or a dog can have - It's quite sure that you do have yours. Parasites are disturbing the normal flow inside bowels and sometimes are poisoning the entire system. It's best to use a herbal parasite cleansing formula once a year.

Herbal Remedies for Acne

2009-05-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Chinese herbalists prescribe honeysuckle flower and cnidium seed in tea or tincture.

Drink lavender or chamomile tea because it has relaxing effects. Specialists say that another contributory cause for acne is stress.

Specialists recommend combination of nettles and cleavers tinctures. Drink tea made with tea tree oil, calendula, echinacea, goldenseal.

Herbs with anti-inflammatory properties like Witch hazel, Flaxseed and flaxseed oil, Licorice root are reducing the multiplication of acne bacteria in the clogged pores.

Basic Anti Acne Skin Treatment

2009-05-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

Scratching, pipping, popping of squeezing your pimples can cause scarring and infection.

Hair contain oils especially when now washed daily. Try to keep away your hair from your face and shoulders.

On the areas prone to the acne avoid using make-up cosmetics because it block your pores. Use only fragrance or hypoallergenic free make-up only if you really must.

When shaving use a fresh new shaving blade and avoid nicking the pimples. Avoiding shaving as much as possible minimizes the risk of infection.

Use soap that contains benzoyl peroxide twice a day to clean your acne affected skin. When washing your skin with mild soap don't scrub and try to keep it clean all the time.

Acne and popular remedies

2009-05-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

Acne is a skin disorder produced by hormones acting on sebaceous glands provoking eruptions commonly called pimples. This is a skin disease and can be chronic. This affects mostly teenagers and when occurs on face or neck it can be very frustrating.

Maybe you don't know but constipation is the major cause of acne. Because the body can't eliminate waste matter the skin will try to eliminate the excess waste resulting in skin disorder.

Another cause of acne is your wrong diet, wrong eating hours, excess of fat, sugar or condiments. Another cause is the lack of water in your body. If water is insufficient your skin won't be able to eliminate waste through pores because it won't be fluid any more. So, drinking more water helps your skin. Transpiration washes your skin pores.

Some remedies people find useful:

If you apply 15minutes, 2 times a day, lemon juice on your acne scars you will get rid of those ugly scars.

Crush up aspirin to powder and mix with water that it makes a paste. Apply it on your acne and leave it all the night. Rinse your face in the morning.

Wash your face scrubbing the affected area with apricot scrub. Use hot or at leash warm water and then pat your face with a clean towel to dry it off. If you have white heads pop them out then apply alcohol rubbing your skin. Attention: Do not apply alcohol on all your face because it will dry it out. After alcohol apply toothpaste only on your acne and wash it after it dries with apricot scrub. Now apply clerasil on your acne and after it some oil free moisteriser so your face doesn't dry out. Do this every day, 2 times a day and you will see the results. Some get clearing up in the next day.

Get your sink full of hot water and put your face over the sink. Don't touch hot water with your face because you will get burns. Cover your head and the sink with a big towel. The idea is to keep your face in hot steam, so fats from your pores will melt and drain from your face skin.

There are many more advices from people which suffered because that acne. Keep in mind that our skin needs to be clean so the pores are clean. In this way, your skin will transpire and drain out most wastes. When you feel your skin oily you know that your skin kicked something out. wash it out regularly.

Acne Remedies

2009-05-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

I want to present you some remedies for acne and general skin health

Basil Tea
Burdock Root
Turmeric
Calendula Flowers
Strawberry Leaves / Strawberries
Tea tree oil
Haemafine syrup
Neem Vegicaps
Sandalwood
Echinacea root
Alfalfa leaf
Red Clover
Dandelion Root
Capsicum

Diet against acne

2009-05-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

It's good to seek advice of a qualified nutritionist. You will have to make appointments, go to the clinic, wait... , after ask yourself if someone may have been better... Anyway the people are not even considering body's metabolism. You will need some exams for showing your nutritionist how your body is working internally.

So, if you don't have the time for exams or waiting at the clinic, you can try to improve your diet to an optimum for your body and your comfort as well.

First of all don't smoke at all. It can produce lung cancer and introduces in your metabolism lots of chemicals, tar and nicotine.

Avoid processed fats and even natural fats like butter and derivatives like cream and ice cream.

Fried foods like fried potatoes are dangerous for your body. It's getting you fat and contains lots of oil derivatives because of oil boiling and burning.

Sugar is one of the sweetest dangerous substances that you can have in your meal. Because of a process of glucose transformation it binds to our body's cells and act as a barrier against proteins.

When using oils try to use cold processed oils. Refined oils are bad because, said before, contain lots of dangerous derivatives from boiling and burning oil. Try to use cold processed olive oil.

Meat is very tasty. Pork is the best ... But only for the taste. Red meat is known as the worse food possible. Try to replace it with chicken and fish white meat.

Also try to avoid as much as possible wheat in your meal. Eating less is better.

Include not processed vegetables in your meal. You will get lots of fatless proteins and vitamins.

Food can make you suffer

2009-05-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

People with food sensitivities are often hooked on the very food they are reacting to. This can drive them to the point of eating the food that harm them most. Many people speak about those foods as energizers giving them a temporary mood lift and energy. Some scientists say that proteins from that food act as natural body's endorphins and bind to the body's endorphin receptor sites switching of the pain or giving a natural high.

Those suspecting the food as possible factor should stop eating it, one at the moment. Maybe for 2-3 days you will feel worse but, like a drug addiction, the effects will dim and you feel better after.

In diet sensitivities it's important to eliminate one suspected food at a time to identify what's bad for you.

Among the suspected food that may harm your body you must consider anything containing preservatives, colorants, artificial flavors also known as E additives. Many people are sensitive or develop sensitivity to natural products like eggs or egg products, for citrus fruits or dairy products. Also known as not so good for the body are wheat products like bread, pasta, most cereals, cakes, biscuits and many more. Eating wheat products also get you fat.

You should avoid a particular type of food for 3-4 days. Maybe you won't feel any reaction, but try to reintroduce that food in your diet. If you will feel some reactions, or even skin changes you will know that it is causing you problems and therefore it must be avoided.

Another particular food present on our table is smoked meat. It is dangerous ! It contains lots of smoke derivatives known as tar. It can produce cancer among many other.

You may try to eat more fresh meat like vegetables, fruits, rice, unsmoked meats and fish, beans and lentils. Potatoes are good but don't exaggerate because it's getting you fat over time.

If you are testing your food take your time. Always make 5-7 break days between reintroducing something and eliminating another. Also, if you found that you are sensitive to a particular food avoid eating it for at least 6 months before you try it again.

Clear Skin Acne Diet

2009-05-19T01:26:00.000-07:00

Your digestion is not what it could be, and that this is having a knock-on effect on your skin. In this case, you may want to seek the advice of a qualified nutritionist to take you through a full nutritional program or any changes you wish to make. Because of the diverse nature of skin disorders and all the different underlying causes it is impossible to give blanket dietary guidelines which apply to everyone. So below are broad guidelines for an optimum diet:

Water: Have six glasses each day.

Colorful fruit and vegetables: Have five daily servings, including red/orange/yellow vegetables and fruits, purple foods, green foods, onions and garlic,and ‘seed’ foods such as peas.

Fresh seeds: Each day have one tablespoon of mixed fresh seeds, e.g. pumpkin, sunflower, sesame or ground hemp/linseed.

Essential fats: Have a tablespoon of cold-pressed seed oils daily and oily fish three times a week.

Fiber-rich foods: Eat plenty of whole grains, root vegetables, lentils and beans.

Organic foods: Eat organic as far as possible.

Alternatives to dairy products: Try sometimes using alternatives to milk and cheese such as Soya, milk and tofu.

Vegetable sources of protein: Include some Soya, beans, lentils and sprouted seeds.Yoghurt: Have low-fat, live, organic yoghurt.

Alcohol: Avoid completely or limit your alcohol intake.

Tea and coffee: Have no more than two cups a day.

Treating Acne with Water

2009-05-19T01:19:00.000-07:00

Imagine a balloon filled with water - taut and firm to the touch. Let some of the water out and the balloon will shrink; the rubber may even become a little shriveled. Deprive a cell of water and you will get a similar result - both its structure and the way it works will be diminished. The process of removing water - dehydration -leaves all our bodies' cells gasping for replenishment. And this applies particularly to skin cells which are exposed to the harsh elements of the outside world - including sun, cold, heating, air-conditioning and pollution. In normal body processes - through our skin, breathing out, via our kidneys and gut - we lose about 1.5 liters of water every day. (This does not even take into account the amount we lose during strenuous exercise or on a hot day.) So the logical answer to avoiding a deficit is to supply the cells with sufficient water and maintain the health of their membranes so that water does not escape unnecessarily.

Recognizing Thirst

Allowing yourself to become dehydrated seriously compromises your health - it damages your immunity, your cells' ability to regenerate and repair your digestion, your energy production, your thought patterns and even your appetite control. Many of us have got used to ignoring our thirst mechanism -many of our clients say they don't drink water because they don't feel thirsty. Only when they start to increase their daily water intake, do they realize what they have been depriving themselves of Feeling hungry and tired between meals is sometimes actually due to your body's desire for water (i.e. thirst). By not giving it water you can end up eating too much or eating unhealthy snacks which contribute to the body's sugar or toxin load.

Small wonder, then, that ignoring your need for water affects every aspect of your body, not least your skin. Without an adequate supply of water, your cells cannot rebuild your body, nor can they clear waste products which stack up in the cells and your blood. This turns into a vicious cycle whereby the cells cannot receive enough oxygen or nutrients to work or cleanse properly. Deep in your skin, water is a crucial component, providing the basis of a healthy, soft and youthful complexion. Although very little water is actually stored in the outermost layers of your skin, this moisture is also important and is constantly being removed by outside elements.

Ironically, drinking more water-often helps overcome water retention. Various factors can encourage water retention. These include kidney problems, food intolerance and eating too much sugar, but another is not drinking enough water. If you are not supplying your body with adequate water, it will make every effort to cling on to what it does have. Other drinks will not do, only pure water counts. Coffee and tea contain natural chemicals, including caffeine, which interfere with energy production, digestion, detoxification and much more. If you have herbal teas, make sure they are pure leaves or flowers of the plant (such as camomile or dandelion) and not flavored tea which contains additives.

Water Purity

Having said this, the quality of the water you drink is also crucial - if it is contaminated with chemicals or metals (such as lead) it will pollute your body and interfere with all of its processes. Unfortunately, the vast majorities of water supplies are contaminated and should be avoided. Instead, you should drink mineral water if you can afford it. Alternatively, use a good-quality water filter and change the filter regularly. Many companies now deliver mineral water or pure water in large 20-litre bottles, which can be an economical way of getting good-quality water for drinking and cooking.