March 2nd, 2010

To kick a habit like smoking with sheer willpower is really a fantasy in the mind of most smokers. I should know, I used to smoke two packs a day. The idea of quitting smoking cold turkey “just like that” was a dream I entertained, usually when I was smoking! But is it a realistic prospect?

As a former smoker, I would have to say that to quit smoking cold turkey is absolutely possible, but with certain conditions – namely the altering of one’s mindset. Something that non-smokers fail to understand is the extent to which smokers develop an emotional attachment with their habit. When I smoked, cigarettes seemed to fill the hole of just about every emotion for me. If I was anxious, I would smoke. If I was ecstatic, I would smoke. If I was bored, I would smoke. If I drank, I would smoke. Cigarettes weren’t just a habit – they were an extension of me.

I believe that is something many smokers can empathise with. Non-smokers see it as just a habit, whereas smokers are well-aware that cigarettes have become part of their identity. It’s not just a simple case of stopping a habit…it’s a case of slicing off a limb. It’s like one is saying goodbye to an old friend, feeling they will never be quite the same again.

So with this in mind, it seems like a monumental task to quit smoking cold turkey. It’s like breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend you have a deep love/hate relationship with, but then having that same partner move in next door to you. You have to live with the knowledge that this partner, with whom you shared such a deep relationship, is just around the corner. To attempt to kick smoking overnight is like being told “Okay, now avoid thinking about your ex and under no circumstances knock on her door.”

If we could all ditch the tobacco habit without any kickbacks, then we would surely do so. According to non-smokers, it’s simply a question of willpower. But it is far, far more than that. Willpower is just about having the mental fortitude to get through the day and to “suck it up”. Quitting smoking has more emotional gravitas than that. Rather than simply getting through the day, it’s about being able to let go. It’s about being able to make your peace with the habit and wave it farewell.

Millions of people manage to quit smoking cold turkey, but I have no doubt the vast majority of them are haunted by smoking for the rest of their lives, just as we would be by our ex-partner living next door to us. If you wish to beat smoking for good, simply ensure that you are changing your mindset while you’re at it. It shouldn’t need “willpower”. You have to fall out of love with smoking, you have to know why it’s a bad habit, you have to know why you don’t need it, you have to know why it’s not a part of you. You need to answer all these questions to quit the habit for good, and ensure that being an ex-smoker isn’t a day-to-day battle for the years to come.

March 2nd, 2010

Why is it in these days of education that smokers still need to look for reasons to quit this disgusting habit? If you’re one of the lucky ones who’s seriously thinking about stopping, then you may want to write at the top of a note pad, ‘Reasons I’m quitting smoking’ just so you don’t forget!


Some folks got for alternative therapies such as hypnosis. Quit smoking help with hypnosis involves consultations and sittings with a hypnotherapist, who generally squeezes out the reasons for one’s smoking and the reasons for wanting to quit. There are many reasons as to why people should stop smoking but by far the biggest is the health issue.


Quitting smoking is easier said than done, but this is not something a non-smoker could even begin to understand. It really is a difficult task for many, but once they’ve listed all the true reasons, and have adopted the mental attitude to replace smoking with other things that will provide better benefits, the task of quitting becomes much, much easier. To lead you to the strength you’ll require to effectively quit smoking, you will need to evaluate yourself and discover the real reasons behind why you are still smoking. The first and foremost of the reasons to quit smoking is your health and the health of those around you.


Anyone with any common sense will know there are more reasons to stop smoking than to continue, but many smokers don’t realise just how quickly some of the gains come once they manage to quit? Besides the horrifying facts of smoking tobacco, many still relapse time after time, but don’t be too hard on yourself. When it comes to quitting smoking just think progress, not perfection, and you’ll soon get there once the seed of determination is planted firmly in your mind.


The reasons why people begin to smoke in the first place are varied, but it’s important to note that many folks get hooked on this awful habit at a very early age, where they are vulnerable and easily influenced by their peers. So quite often by the time someone wants to quit, they have been life smokers and it had become a part of who they are. It’s crucial that non-smokers support their friends and family members that are trying to give it up and not give them a hard time if they fail.


It’ usually only when kids become adults and more mature that they sit up take note of the damaging effects of smoking. They will find themselves one day listing the reasons they want to quit and then setting a date for that first attempt. Whether you are a man or woman there can be a variety of common reasons for starting smoking in the first place and another range of common reasons for quitting smoking across the sexes.


Knowing what we know about nicotine addiction in the 21st century, do you really need to look for reasons to quit smoking? Start a healthy new life today and make that decision to stop! You will go on to feel fitter, healthier, and happier than you could ever recall. Remember, stopping smoking never killed anyone, but continuing continues to kill millions worldwide every year. Still need a reason to stop?

March 1st, 2010

I do not smoke, never have, and admit to being one of those ‘pain in the butts’ (OK, bad pun!) that go on about the foul stench, and anti-social behaviour of smokers, especially in public places.

You can imagine my joy when one of my local pubs recently banned smoking. Shortly after the ban had come into force I spotted a guy poised with cigarette in hand, and was about to get huffy and even confrontational. Fortunately I held back and continued my beer – but was puzzled. The cigarette was unlit and yet he was putting it near his mouth, flicking the imaginary ash and generally acting as if he was smoking it. Curious about this I eventually enquired, only to find out this was his own rather unorthodox approach to keeping his hands busy and therefore, as he put it, keeping his weight down.

Although everyone knows that smoking is detrimental to health, it’s surprising how many smokers cite fear of putting on weight as a reason to not quit smoking.

The simple fact is that it is not quitting smoking that affects your weight, but the change of habit can result in you increasing your food intake.

But there are plenty of ways to ensure this does not happen to you.

There is no need for a special diet when you stop smoking, but you must use your common sense. If you eat chocolates instead of smoking then you are very likely to gain weight!

Monitor your diet for a fortnight before you stop smoking – write a food diary, noting everything you eat and when. You simply use this to make sure that what you eat post-quitting follows a similar pattern.

In a similar way, note how much exercise you can do as a smoker. When you stop smoking, you can begin to compare how much more exercise you can do with ease. This will inspire you to the possibility of becoming fitter in other ways, and will actually help you through the tough period of giving up the addiction.

Even moderate amounts of exercise can reduce tobacco cravings. A recent study found that women that maintained a rigorous exercise regime coupled with a stop-smoking programme were twice as likely to succeed as those who didn’t. Frankly, exercising is incompatible with smoking, and you are also more likely to be mixing with non-smokers.

Let’s face it, if you smoke 20 cigarettes daily, you are putting your hand to your mouth at least 200 times a day. When you quit, you need to keep your hands busy. How about peeling fruit for snacks, doing jigsaws or maybe even knitting.

Keep visualising yourself as a fit non-smoker, especially when your motivation starts to flag. You can always get help with this through the use of hypnotherapy. As in so many behavioural issues, it is simply a matter of re-programming our mind. Giving up smoking is tough, and self-hypnosis is a method that many are discovering as a simple way to help keep the mental attitude and motivation on course.

Like the chap in the pub, you may find your own method of coping with your quit smoking challenge, and well.. if it works – great!

February 28th, 2010

First of all, a smoker must really want to stop. He needs strong motivation. Many smokers fail to quit because of doubt-they doubt their ability to succeed.

Can the various antismoking programs and chemical preparations aid in quitting? Evidently they have helped some. There’s nothing magical about it. If you don’t want to stop, nothing is going to work.

The Will To Stop

Success depends almost wholly on the smoker’s determination and will to stop. Without this determination, no antismoking remedy will succeed. But with it, a person can quit without paying for some expensive antismoking remedy.

For many, constantly reminding themselves that smoking is deadly has provided them the will. Some antismoking programs cultivate this fear, emphasizing the terrible damage smoking does to the body.

Aids In Giving Up Smoking

Keep in mind all the reasons for giving up smoking. Write them down and refer to them often. Is it your health that you are most concerned about? The health of your family who are breathing in your secondary smoke? The high cost of smoking? The fact that it is a dirty habit, and your breath and body smell of nicotine?

Supportive friends, especially ones who themselves have conquered the smoking habit and can therefore affirm that it can be done, are valuable aids. So seek out such friends. Let them know of your decision to stop smoking, and ask for their support. Or, give up with a friend or relative. That way you can support each other to stay smoke free.

What is the best way to stop? Is it by reducing the number of cigarettes consumed each day, thereby gradually quitting? Or is it by setting a day and stopping abruptly on that day?

Contrary to what many think, a comprehensive study of ex-smokers showed that smokers are better able to overcome withdrawal symptoms by stopping suddenly. Researchers have found that cutting down slowly may actually prolong smokers’ agony by intermittently reinforcing their symptoms and smoking behavior. This will often lead to relapse and a return to smoking.

Some suggest picking a date to stop and sticking to it. It doesn’t matter which date, but choosing a date will help you to prepare yourself.

The first few days after quitting may be the most difficult. So, as an aid, think about the benefits of not smoking. One is the money saved. It can amount to quite a lot! Try putting the money you`d spend each day in a pot or box and see how much it amounts to after a week. Write down something you want to spend that money on. Set it aside and buy it for yourself when you’ve achieved your goal.

With strong determination, many smokers have quit for a week or so, enduring the initial agony of withdrawal. But, a difficult phase begins, usually starting between the first and the third week. So the battle needs to continue!

Whenever you feel a need for a cigarette, breathe deeply two or three times. Keep oral substitutes handy. Pop into your mouth things like raisins, nuts and sunflower seeds, or eat carrot and celery sticks, or chew gum. Drink more fluids-wholesome drinks such as fruit or vegetable juices or just plain water. Also, arrange for a more balanced diet.

Getting more exercise can be a real aid. Perhaps try activities such as jogging, tennis, cycling or swimming. Find something you enjoy and stick to it, especially when you’re feeling vulnerable. If you enjoy gardening, get out and work on the garden. If you enjoy decorating go do some work on the house; take a bath; do something to take your mind away from smoking. Get plenty of rest. Go to bed early so as to avoid nervous fatigue. Concentrate on learning to relax.

Avoid past triggers to smoking, like hanging around certain friends, being in a smoky environment. Even for a while after quitting try to avoid temptations if your friends or colleagues smoke. Alcohol is a common gateway so you may need to restrict your alcohol consumption.

Each day you don’t smoke is another day closer to kicking the habit for good, and you are nearer victory.

If you really want to, you can stop smoking!

February 28th, 2010

If you are reading this article then you are most likely a smoker who has at least considered the possibility of quitting. There are a great many quit smoking programs, products, and techniques available, one of them being the NicoCure quit smoking patch. Smokers often have varying reasons for wanting to quit such as improving their health, increasing their lifespan, being around to take care of their families, or just to avoid the harassment that todays smokers often receive from the anti-smoking sector. An ideal quit smoking product would be all natural with no dangerous drugs, does not use nicotine substitutes, has a high success ratio, and controls the dreaded nicotine withdrawal symptoms. NicoCure claims that it does all these things and this article looks at the validity of these claims and investigates whether the NicoCure quit smoking patch really does help people quit smoking.

The NicoCure quit smoking patch uses an all natural herbal based remedy that contains the extract of Lobelia Inflata which is a North American herb that is said to improve the respiratory tract of anybody that takes it. In addition to helping to clear the lungs, it is said that Lobelia will remove all cravings in as little as 10 days but may take up to 30 days to be completely effective. The manufacturer of NicoCure also makes an interesting claim that if a smoker lights up while wearing the patch, the Lobelia extract will interact with the tobacco and make the taste extremely unpleasant giving further incentive to quit smoking. Being an all natural herbal extract, the NicoCure patch does not contain any nicotine.

Many quit smoking cures rely on nicotine replacement to curb the smokers cravings while trying to quit and to many people this philosophy may appear ludicrous. After all, it is the nicotine that the smoker is addicted to and it should be the goal of a quit smoking program to remove the nicotine addiction instead of replacing it with a different source such as gums and nicotine patches. Many smokers who use some type of nicotine replacement therapy often fail to quit mainly because while they may quit the smoking habit for awhile, they never break the powerful nicotine addiction. It is even said that some people who do manage to quit smoking remain addicted to the cure and cant quit using the gum or nicotine patches.

Obviously, nicotine withdrawal can be very unpleasant causing symptoms such as irritability, weight gain, nervousness, and insomnia and is the main reason that many smokers trying to quit give up. The NicoCure quit smoking patch claims that it will reduce these terrible cravings as soon as you begin wearing it and completely remove them within 10-30 days, all without using any nicotine or other drugs. The manufacturer says that NicoCure utilizes the healing properties of its all natural herbal formula to completely eliminate the smokers body of its need for nicotine. This sounds great but does it really work?

The NicoCure team says that the quit smoking patch was extensively researched and tested for 10 years and claims a quit smoking success rate of 97% compared to around 20% for nicotine replacement programs. It comes with a 30 day money back guarantee for those that dont find it to work as claimed. NicoCure claims that there is nothing similar to its quit smoking patch available on the market today. The manufacture says that it has developed its own special blend of herbal extracts concentrated to allow the use of only 1 patch while other herbal remedy products require you to take 3 or more formulas each day just to achieve the same potency of NicoCure.

As with most quit smoking programs and products, NicoCure makes claims that may seem too good to be true. NicoCure claims a very high success rate but then most products that are trying to make a sale make the same claim and if all products worked as well as claimed, there would be very few smokers left in the world. While it is hard to substantiate the claims of most quit smoking programs including NicoCure, testimonials show that many people have benefited from this program and it may very well work for you as well.

February 27th, 2010

While popular in Europe and Canada for over 22 years, laser smoking cessation treatments have only gained popularity in the US for about 5 years.


Clinical trial studies are currently being conducted in the US, with several cold laser manufacturers. One manufacturer has submitted substantial clinical trial records to the FDA for possible clearance. If approved, it will be the first laser in the US to be cleared as a quit smoking laser, making it an approved medical device.


It is now relatively easy to become smoke free with just one or sometimes two, fast, painless and non-invasive cold laser treatments. Some cold laser clinics are boasting an 85+ percent success rate for smoking cessation. Even with an apparent lack of fully accepted, FDA approved data, tens of thousands of smokers have given their two thumbs up to this method of treatment for over two decades.


With over 46 million smokers in the US, there is no doubt that people will be lining up in groves once these quit smoking laser treatments become mainstream. Lighting up while driving, after eating, after sex, and when stressed, nervous or bored, has a calming effect that smokers expect and enjoy. Thanks to a rush of endorphins such as dopamine and serotonin, smoking can make you feel good, however due to nicotine it can be highly addictive.


The Curse & “Cure” of the Nicotine Addiction.

The addictive components of smoking cigarettes are tri-fold: physical, mental and emotional. The cold laser treatment addresses the physical addiction most effectively, through its stimulation of the secretion of endorphins. It also exhibits a balancing and calming effect on the body and mind, which lingers sometimes for weeks. The most effective laser addiction treatment clinics offer support and incorporate a rounded program, which also addresses the mental and emotional components of smoking, including relationship to foods, caffeine, alcohol and costs associated with smoking vs. saving.


The highly addictive act of smoking cigarettes bombards the body with over 6000 chemicals, tars, odors, carcinogens and toxins that contribute to it being an extremely high health risk. The facts are in and the results show that cigarettes are the cause of over 1,200 deaths daily in the US, or 438,000 deaths annually. To prevent or avoid disease and premature death, quitting smoking is the #1 best decision one can make.


Smoking Cessation Options:

The options for helping to quit smoking include, pills, patches, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, counseling and cold laser therapy. All of these methods will work to some degree, however growing evidence suggests that cold laser therapy offers an impressive 85% success rate. The suggestion that laser smoking cessation therapy lacks supportive scientific data has been shot down by the thousands of satisfied, now ex-smokers.


Many people who were two or three pack a day smokers for 20-40 years report that they were able to easily quit smoking after just one laser treatment. Laser smoking cessation has been used at a steadily increasing rate throughout the world for over 22 years. Perhaps the tobacco companies are playing a role in preventing such an effective method from becoming mainstream in the US. After all, who has the most to lose by it being easy to quit smoking?


The Smoking Cessation Process with Cold Laser Therapy.

To quit smoking with cold laser therapy is easy. Here is how it is done. You find a certified cold laser clinic, pay an agreed upon fee of generally $195 to $400, and fill out an informed consent form that shows that you are participating in a clinical trial study.


An Investigational Review Board (IRB) keeps track of many clinical trial studies. It’s the studies, which are what will eventually make it possible for the FDA to finally start approving laser therapy for quitting smoking, as a medical device for mainstream use. It’s only a matter of time before using lasers for smoking cessation will be commonplace worldwide.


Now back to the treatment room. Just sit back in a comfortable chair and relax as a trained laser clinician treats key acupuncture points of the ear, face, hands and wrists. The treatment is completely painless and the laser is extremely safe, often referred to as a cold laser because it produces a specific laser beam at an intensity that will never heat or damage tissue.


The procedure is quite calming and only takes about 30 minutes to perform. The points used are based on the 5000 year-old practice of Chinese acupuncture, however when treated with the correct type of laser, gives smoking cessation results in often one or two treatments rather than 6-10 treatments with needles.

February 27th, 2010

Nicotine is one of the most addictive chemicals readily available. Millions of people are addicted to smoking and cigarettes and wish that they could stop. Because of this, there are lots of treatments out there directed at helping people stop smoking. From doctor-prescribed medicines to special diets, everyone has an answer to help you stop smoking. Included in these options are stop smoking laser treatment programs. However, these laser treatments see a lot of discussion about their effectiveness, both for and against. If you’re considering using a stop smoking laser treatment, you should learn about them before you spend your money, and make the decision for yourself.

Practitioners of stop smoking laser treatment programs state that two or three short treatments of low level laser treatment can take away the smoking urges of most tobacco users. The device used is a kind of laser pen, placed on the face, ears, neck, and other such areas. Packages of stop smoking laser treatments are about $300 each. Generally, those offering these kind of treatments state that a package of treatments is enough to keep most people from wanting to smoke. The theory is that a stop smoking laser treatment releases endorphins similar to those gained by smoking, reducing the need to get these endorphins through nicotine.

Critics of stop smoking laser treatment programs state that the success rate is only as good as a placebo treatment. They feel that any benefit gained from stop smoking laser treatment is all in the mind. Around twenty percent of people treated with lasers in an attempt to stop smoking find that they do not receive the desired effect, and some do need to return for additional treatments. This is something that you should consider if you’re thinking about laser therapy for smoking.

Those who are proponents of this kind of therapy state that the laser targets the addiction to nicotine, as well as treating points of the body to help you control the urge to over eat after stopping smoking. They also state that the laser therapy will help you to decrease stress, reducing the irritability than negative feelings that are often side effects of ceasing smoking. Stop smoking laser treatments are said to help a general feeling of well being overcome you while you remove your addiction to nicotine.

As with any medical therapy, it’s important to read up on laser treatments to help you stop smoking before you pay for one. Try to talk to real people who have had these treatments so that you can decide for yourself whether it will be worth it to pay to get help with your smoking problem. Only you can decide if laser treatments to help you stop smoking will be right for you.

February 25th, 2010

I know alot of pot heads and Ive seen alot of pot heads. Ive even smoked it and traveled on adventures called “L rides” but Ive never heard one fatal story about it. I dont like to drink. I hate alcohol because I think it has a bad taste, some brands burn when you drink it down but I hear of alot of horrible alcohol storys.

Now if marijuana was grown clean with out other products and compared to alcohol, which would be more harmfull to a person?

February 24th, 2010

i personally think it should be legalized. drinking alchohol is far worse for your body than marijuana. smoking weed kills brain cells and if you smoke alot of it every day it could damage your lungs but drinking alchohol occasionally damages your liver. plus, when was the last time you heard someone kill someone because they were high off pot. alot of people make stupid mistakes when they are drunk, including harming people physically. anyone agree with me?

February 24th, 2010

Many smokers have a deep desire to quit but they consistently fail because of the dreaded nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Once these symptoms become unbearable, the smoker trying to quit will reach for their cigarettes and once this happens, they may well end up at square one. There are numerous quit smoking products available that all make huge claims to help a smoker quit but few have the ability to relieve the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The Nicocure quit smoking patch claims that it is successful because it removes or greatly reduces nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Before deciding on Nicocure as a possible quit smoking product, you need to understand what nicotine is, what withdrawal symptoms a smoker can expect when quitting, why a smoker gets cravings, and how Nicocure fights these cravings. It is the intention of this article to discuss these topics and determine if Nicocure can live up to its claims.

Nicotine is the substance responsible for fooling your brain into releasing a pleasure chemical called Dopamine and nicotine receptors on your nerve endings receive the Dopamine and create happy nerve cells. Nicotine is a powerful and addictive stimulant and because nicotine stimulates Dopamine production, the nicotine high, in a sense, is a natural high. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on Earth and nicotine addiction is both physical and psychological. Nicotine addiction is the main reason for people continuing smoking while understanding it’s harmful and you will have a much better chance of quitting if you can eliminate or relieve the withdrawal symptoms.

Because nicotine is so addictive, removing your normal source can lead to nicotine withdrawal symptoms and while a small percentage of the population does not have these symptoms, for the majority, this is the reason why they fail to quit. If you have quit caffeine in the past, you know that withdrawal symptoms from any sort of drug are not very pleasant and if you are addicted to nicotine, then the cravings can be extreme. Many quit smoking products work by using nicotine replacement therapy which basically means that the product will supply nicotine to a smokers body from an alternate source. While this will help to eliminate the cravings associated with nicotine withdrawal, nicotine is what you need to eliminate from your body to truly stop the cravings. Because of this fact, nicotine replacement therapy products are self defeating. It all comes down to the fact that to quit smoking you eventually have to get off the nicotine and if you decide to go cold turkey, the cravings will start to diminish within 10 days. Unfortunately, many smokers cant make it through these 10 days of withdrawal without lighting up again. The Nicocure quit smoking patch claims that it will solve this problem.

While Nicocure does not state that it will instantly remove all of your cravings, it does claim that it has properties that will greatly diminish the nicotine withdrawal cravings which will greatly enhance your chances of quitting. Nicocure is based upon one primary ingredient, which is lobelia inflate and Nicocure claims that it works in a completely scientific manner by feeding the nicotine receptor cells in your body with the same sensation provided by nicotine by replicating the properties which effectively fools your body into thinking you are getting nicotine. While you are not actually getting any nicotine, your body thinks you are and this supposedly helps to eliminate or reduce the cravings for nicotine. Nicocure claims that most people feel the cravings for nicotine completely disappear within the first 10 days while wearing the patch and as each day passes, they notice fewer cravings for cigarettes. Nicocure also claims that another advantage of its main ingredient is its ability to make tobacco products taste unpleasant, which also helps to reduce cravings for cigarettes. Nicocure also says that while wearing its patch, the herbal ingredients go directly into the blood stream which provides continuous all day relief from the withdrawal symptoms and allows the body to start healing after smoking. Nicocure states that other than the typical withdrawal symptoms that accompany nicotine withdrawal, you will not experience any side effects if you smoke or use chewing tobacco while taking Nicocure unless you continue to smoke while wearing there patch. Nicocure also suggests that eating fresh citrus and drinking lots of clear water will combat cigarette cravings. Nicocure claims to have been effective with over 97% of those who try it, but like other herbal remedies, it is not recommended for women how are pregnant or nursing babies. Nicocure also states that it contains no sugar and will not react with insulin in any way and contains no drugs except for the natural herbal remedies that it advertises.

Smoking is responsible for disorders in all parts of the body, including the digestive system, respiratory system, and can even cause emotional problems. All smokers recognize the reasons why they should quit and most have a strong desire to do so if they could find a product or aid that would make it happen. Nicocure states that you will crave fewer cigarettes every day and the withdrawal symptoms will be milder due to the natural nicotine substitute, which helps you shake the nicotine habit gradually and that their formula is completely herbal and all-natural. While most quit smoking products will make claims that they are the only product that works, doing a search on the internet about Nicocure will show that there are some positive reviews stating that people have experienced success while using this product.