Quit Smoking Now – Quit Smoking Advice, Facts, Products and News
Most people that smoke ideally want to Quit Smoking Now. To quit smoking now requires resolve, support and in most cases, outside assistance. Even though, to some, smoking is relaxing or sexy, it is a detriment to one’s health and they realize that to quit smoking means sidestepping, in the end, many adverse side effects related to cigarette smoking.
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Zero Nicotine is an innovative quit smoking patch that does not contain nicotine! It contains the same natural herbal ingredients as Finally Free of Nicotine™ which is dispensed in pill form. Each quit smoking patch lasts 3 days and the effects are immediate. Zero Nicotine helps you to quit smoking safely and naturally without putting more nicotine into your body. |
Nicocure Quit Smoking pills are a proprietary blend of all natural herbal ingredients to help you quit smoking without putting more nicotine into your body. Nicocure pills contain Lobelia Inflata extract which improves the respiratory tract and acts as an expectorant for the lungs. Lobelia Inflata also alters the taste of tobacco, making it unpleasant to the smoker. |
Finally Free Quit Smoking Aids are Herbal Supplements Designed to Eliminate Your Nicotine Addiction without the use of Nicotine! Unlike other smoking cessation programs that rely on drugs, FINALLY FREE of nicotine addiction™ is an all-natural smoking cessation program that is dispensed in pill form. Also contains Lobelia Powder, a lung expectorant. |
It’s simple: physical harm will come to your body if you do not quit smoking now or in the near future. As you may know by now, there is a threshold or point of no return where physical harm will occur even if you decide to stop smoking. Areas of your body affected by smoking include the genito-urinary, digestive, musculoskeletal and reproductive systems.
For example, you may experiences irritation to the eyes, nose, throat and gums if you are a long-term smoker. The tissues in these areas typically thicken and undergo cellular changes that can eventually lead to cancers of the mouth, throat and esophagus. If you don’t Quit Smoking, you could also experience gum disease and tooth loss, both very common health effects. You can also experience relaxing of the facial muscles – a look comparable to partial facial paralysis.
On the other hand, if you quit your smoking habit, the chance that you could get cancers of the mouth and esophagus during the first 5 years after smoking cessation decrease by 50%. However, as in most cases, ex-smokers always face the risk that cancers may appear when compared to those that have never smoked cigarettes.
Cigarette smoking also affects the larynx tissues and the outward manifestation of this is a noticeable deepening and/or hoarseness in the voices of chronic smokers. Other health effects you may experience if you do not stop smoking include vocal cord polyps that rarely disappear without surgery.
Quitting Cigarettes is a Two-Part Process
A cigarette habit is composed of two variables: there is the nicotine craving and there is also the habit of smoking. People, places (house, yard, balcony, car), foods and other things might trigger a mental need to have a cigarette. Quit smoking products will assist you in eliminating the craving to smoke a cigarette and some will work further to purify and restore your organs. But, in the end, you must face your habit. That is, eliminate the stimuli associated with smoking. You begin with the intention to quit smoking then you work to change your behaviors and surroundings, i.e., vacuuming and deodorizing your car.
There are myriad quit smoking products and services on the market today, i.e., herbal supplements, lozenges, gums, patches, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, etc. Some contain nicotine. Some don’t. Some use drugs. Some use herbs. Some are pill or capsule based. Others are gelatinous or hard candy look-a-likes. Choose the product that appeals to you, to your senses, to your taste, to your timeframe. If one doesn’t work to curb your cigarette habit, then move to another product or service. You will find a product right for you and most of all, your will or intention to quit smoking perseveres.
Mel Gibson Quits Smoking
Don't know when Mel Gibson quit smoking cigarettes, or fags as he lovingly refers to them. But, he recalls the quit smoking process. Gibson quit smoking cold turkey it appears and he recalls the first three days without a cigarette as "torture". He felt like an axe murderer, he says. The implied reason he quit was because of the birth of his eigth child, Lucia, with his partner Oksana Grigorieva. Having kids will do it.
Parents will endure any sacrifice, no matter how painful, for their children. Ironically, Gibson's mother smoked "when I was in her womb". Gibson began smoking at age nine.
Quit Smoking Statistics
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, about 90% of those that smoke began smoking before the age of 18. Today, the average age for someone to begin smoking is 13 years.
The good news is that over 38 million Americans have quit smoking. Something's working. Quit smoking pills and capsules. Lozenges. TV ads. Radio ads. Peer pressure. Societal regulations (many restaurants and bars now prohibit smoking in and around their premises), the birth of kids, etc.
- More women than men will attempt to quit smoking although more men, on average, will have successfully quit smoking (5+ years)
- More blacks than whites will attempt to quit smoking although more whites will have successfully quit smoking (1+ years)
- Younger smokers in the age range of 20-44 years will attempt to quit smoking than older smokers
- Smokers who are educated are more likely to attempt to quit smoking than those without an education
- Of those that have successfuly quit smoking, 70% tried mroe than once, 22% made 3-5 attempts before quitting and 9% made 6+ attempts before quitting smoking
Let's Get Caught Up on The Risks of Smoking
Does smoking cigarettes cause permanent physiological damage to the body?
Yes and no. If a smoker quits smoking soon enough then the irreparable harm associated with smoking can be overcome. Normally, if a smoker quits in time, the body has a chance to repair itself. We don't really know what that time expanse is because two of the variables involved are 1) family health history including heart disease, susceptibility to diabetes and circulatory issues, and 2) stress. In about a year's time, the chances of disease and/or cancer associated with smoking cigarettes is said to be halved. After 10-15 years, the body has effectively ridden itself of the effects of those years of smoking and the body returns to normal.
Are filtered cigarettes a better alternative than non-filtered cigarettes?
Yes. Filtered cigarettes may offer a slightly lower risk of lung cancer or heart disease than non-filtered cigarettes. The risks of heart attack and emphysema may still persist.
Are cigarettes addictive?
Yes, pretty much. Substance addiction includes the following:
- Compulsiveness - where smoking cigarettes becomes involuntary and, therefore, not just recreational;
- Tolerance - where more cigarettes have to be smoked in order to gain the same satisfaction that less cigarettes used to give;
- Physical dependence - where smokers experience withdrawal symptoms - urges, personality changes (crankiness, edginess), dry-mouth - as they try to stop smoking.
Are low tar and low nicotine cigarettes a better alternative than high tar/high nicotine cigarettes?
Yes, you'd think so. And theoretically they are better. However, smokers tend to compensate for the lower levels of tar and nicotine by smoking more cigarettes and, at times, dragging longer and deeper on the cigarette which, in effect, negates the effect for which they were intended to offer. Additionally, more smoked cigarettes leads to greater levels of inhaled carbon monoxide. Like ammonia, arsenic, and acetone, carbon monoxide is just one of many harmful ingredients found in cigarettes.
What are the withdrawal symptoms I can expect from someone that has or is about to quit smoking?
A smoker that is quitting smoking or is about to quit smoking will experience:
- changes in heart rate;
- changes in digestion;
- changes in muscle tone;
- changes in appetite;
- changes in temperature, and
- changes in personality, perhaps including irritability, anxiety, urges, and insomnia.
Update on Geoff Spice - the Castaway Smoker
Geoff Spice is 56 years old and up until the beginning of August, 2009, had smoked 30 cigarettes a day for 43 years. He tried every type of quit smoking aid on the market but could never see it through. Finally, he decided to maroon himself on a deserted island called Sgarabhaigh (pronounced Scaravay) in the Outer Hebrides just off the coast of Scotland. Thus far, it is good news for Mr. Spice. He came home a few days earlier than expected after spending 3 1/2 weeks on the island. He didn't smoke obviously and had quite a bit of time to know nature and himself. He lived in a tent for all that time and, apparently, Sgarabhaigh experienced some of the worst summer weather in years.
Now, his second test lays ahead. The first test was detoxifying his body and getting used to not holding and smoking a cigarette. This upcoming one will test his cravings as he finds himself in familiar settings where he once smoked. We call it the cigarette habit. What will he do when confronted with the smell of cigarette smoke or the sight of cigarette smokers? I guess we'll find out. But, he does have two things going for him. He has made the intention to quit. In addition, he has become sort of an international celebrity because of the media attention and it now will be the pressure of that celebrity that just may get him through the real-world cravings he is sure to encounter.
Tanning Beds Are Carcinogenic to Humans - Now Ranked with Cigarettes, Alcohol and Asbestos
Granted, this news comes out of the UK where Britons are known to have paler skin than Mediterraneans for example or even those living in sunnier climes. However, if you use a tanning bed (or sunbed) to tan, then you may want to think twice. Did you know that there are tons of women in their 20's, in their TWENTIES, living in the UK that suffer from malignant melanomas caused by tanning beds? They are so dangerous that they are now classified with cigarettes, alcohol and asbesots as the leading causes of cancer.
New Quit Smoking Approach - Isolate Yourself on Deserted Island off the Coast of Scotland
Sgarabhaigh (pronounced Scaravay) is a 40-acre deserted island in the Outer Hebrides, an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. There aren't any houses on Sgarabhaigh so overnights must be spent in tents and campsites. There isn't electricity or water, either. So, why would a rich investment banker decide to spend 30 days there?
To quit smoking, that's why.
Geoff Spice is 56 years of age and has smoked for 43 years. He currently smokes 1 1/2 packs of cigarettes a day. He has tried nicotine patches, nicotine gum, a self-help quit smoking book, the "cold turkey" method and probably a host of other quit smoking products.
How did he find this remote deserted island? He Googled "uninhabited Scottish islands", of course.
Geoff Spice plans to begin his quit smoking mission on August 1st and return 30 days later to his wife and kids - cigarette addiction-free. To the island, he will bring with him a camp stove, bottled water, cellphone, laptop computer, guitar and an iPod that contains 120 books. The cellphone and laptop will be powered by a photo voltaic solar cell but he'll have a windup handle with him to generate electricity in case he needs a backup power source.
David Hill is the owner of the island and has arranged for Geoff to be dropped off and picked up. Of course, David and family members will field his phone calls if he calls desperate for a cigarette but they will not come get him unless they feel his situation becomes dire.
Good luck, Geoff! We wish you the best. We'll catch up in 30 days after you've successfully kicked the cigs.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
According to one highly regarded professional online marketing firm, textual linked ads embedded in content are more effective enticements in getting readers to click than, say, a banner ad.
However, what works in mainstream online marketing may not be as effective when it comes to getting people to quit smoking. The latest smoking statistics have not yet been released but we can't imagine them to be much better than they were even 2 years ago though revenue-challenged state governments like California are placing every tax they can think of on a pack of cigarettes.
Is a picture worth a thousand words? Well, The World Health Organization (WHO) thinks so. To coincide with World No Tobacco Day on Sunday, May 31, 2009, WHO, always looking for ways to decrease cigarette smoking, is launching a marketing initiative aimed at shocking those smokers with unappetizing smoking pictures placed on cigarette packs. These graphic and sickening pictures are already making strides in over 20 countries including Canada, Brazil, Singapore and Thailand where statistics indicate less cigarette smokers. There is much work to be done, however, since those 20+ countries only account for 10% of worldwide smokers.
Of course, the more energy and focus an anti-cigarette campaign receives the more ways smokers will find to help them quit smoking. This can only be good news for the "quit smoking" pill, capsule and patch manufacturers such as Nicocure, Zero Nicotine, and Finally Free.
Maybe a picture is worth a thousand words!
Weight Loss Not So Important In This Economy
In an uncertain economy, such that we have in the United States currently, Americans learn to do without. We don't go out to eat as often; we might rent movies instead of going to the theater; we might not take that European vacation and instead make day trips to the beach; we'll delay the purchase of a new home and rent longer; we drive less.
We also find savings in the food that we eat. While organic and/or healthy foods are more expensive, it appears that more Americans are opting for the cheaper and less healthy foods which, of course, increase the chances for weight gain, heart disease, stroke or diabetes.
- 57% of Americans say that the economy has affected their ability to take care of their health
- 32% have delayed preventive care appointments, stopped medication treatments or skipped the dentist in the first half of 2009
- 25% of existing gym memberships have been cancelled in the first half of 2009
- 42% will buy fewer fruits and vegetables
While gym memberships are dwindling, the study doesn't report if Americans are seeking free alternative forms of exercise. And while skipping the dentist is not a good idea, it is understandable since our uess is that many Americans do not carry dental insurance with their medical plans. The alarming figure is that fewer fruits and vegetables will be purchased. Although it is always preferable to purchase fresh fruit, an alternative is canned or frozen. The problem is that fast food restaurants have reduced their prices so sharply that $20 can feed a family of four in 2009. Fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, fish, cereal, eggs and milk are still expensive and thus, a meal for a family of four could cost upwards of $40-$50.
Cigarette Smoking Prevents Allergies
Ok, so cigarette smoking is bad. The upsdie is that smoking cigarettes helps prevent allergies by decreasing the body's reaction of its immune cells to allergens. When treated with cigarette smoke, mast cells could not release inflammation-inducing proteins. Although the study was performed on mice, the same effects will probably be the same for humans.
Naltrexone Helps to Quit Smoking and Drinking
Naltrexone Quit Smoking Trial Background
Naltrexone is an opioid used to treat alcohol dependence. Since it affects the same endorphins in the brain as smoking, a study was developed to see if heavy drinkers that smoked socially could stop smoking. And since the smoking cessation trial was directed at heavy social drinkers and not strictly toward a smokers-only group, other smoking aids were used, as well.
Naltrexone Study
In this smoking cessation trial, only alcohol drinkers that smoked were included. The range of alcohol drinker included light to heavy drinkers. Participants did not have any other addiction.
The results of the study indicated that drinking rates and smoking rates decreased. All participants in the trial were given nicotine patches to ease their withdrawal symptoms along with behavioral counseling after the quit smoking date. What's more interesting though is that heavy drinkers fared better than lighter drinkers in the study presumably because both nicotine and alcohol stimulate the brain to create endorphins and dopamine. Endorphins are the natural chemicals in our brains that make us feel good. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that affects the brain's pleasure system as well as attention and learning.
Conclusion
It is believed that Naltrexone can help people who use nicotine and alcohol concurrently to decrease those intake levels respectively. Since the study was performed on 78 people, 34 of which received Naltrexone while 44 received a placebo, it is not entirely conclusive and therefore the possibilities of a larger study are being researched. Naltrexone was approved by the FDA in 1994.
"Worried"
Seems alot of quit smoking programs and efforts are initiated from Europe.
The latest quit smoking program comes the UK where on Friday, February 20th, 2009, a quit smoking ad appropriately titled "Worried" is launched.
"Worried" - more of a Quit Smoking Now effort - is not aimed at teens but rather their parents. The message is that teenage children worry about their parents health because of the side effects of smoking. Findings in the UK indicate that nearly half of all UK teenagers are more concerned with their parent's ceasing smoking than divorce, money or even bullying at school.
The hope of the "Worried" quit smoking campaign advertisement is that it encourages parents quit smoking with the help of local stop smoking services. It is reported that there are 150 NHS Stop Smoking Services in the UK that offer advice and assistance to smokers.
Facebook Helps Smokers to Quit
A new quit smoking application has been designed for Facebook users. It’s called the QuitClock and it tracks the amount of time between smoked cigarettes and gives you an idea as to the amount of money you’ve saved in the meanwhile. And, of course, since Facebook is all about social networking, the quit smoking application allows friends and family to guide and encourage you along the way. It is a good idea since twenty-somethings smoke the most out of any other age group.
Quit Smoking Philanthropists Focus on Russia, India, China and Africa
Philanthropy is a wonderful act of altruism that typically supports the less fortunate. At the same time, philanthropy is a well designed concept by the government to ease its burden of having to expand the welfare state. Philanthropy is also a way for citizens to create their own domestic policy. If, say, there is not enough money allocated by the government to support a needy cause, citizens can step forward and address it on their own.
Philanthropists are rich people or groups that donate vast sums of money to an array of altruisitc not-for-profit organizations whose mission again is to improve lives. Philanthropists want to do good with their donations and, at the same time, increase their tax deductions and in some cases, gain a PR boost that will sell more of their widgets. This is not a skeptical comment - the more widgets a company sells, hopefully the more money it will donate to their cause the next time around.
The issue is the PR boost that comes with philanthropy - well, not really the PR boost but the charitable programs that yield the PR boost. For example, giving millions to the homeless in Appalachia is not going create the type of headline that a donation to, say, the American Humane Society or Climate Control will. So, what do you do when you want to make your charitable idea acceptable to the mainstream and to make it "ok" and "trendy" to give to it? You get the idea on TV, radio, in newspapers and on the Internet. And you then corral highly regarded, powerful, relevant (read: newsworthy) and rich people together for the official As-Seen-On-TV pledge.
Last week, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg did just that. They got together and told the world that it was time that smoking was just as important an issue as AIDS, Animal Protection, Blindness, Cancer, Child Protection, Civil Rights, Consumer Rights, Crime, Environment, Gun Control and Health (Diabetes, Heart, etc.).
Recognizing the need to address the 1 billion smokers in the world, especially those in developing countries, Gates and Bloomberg pledged to contribute $375 million to anti-smoking initiatives across the globe. With a capital infusion of $250 million and $175 million respectively, Bloomberg and Gates will support tobacco and quit smoking campaigns in Russia, India, China, Africa, Indonesia and Bangladesh. The agenda of these campaigns is to raise tobacco taxes, support local quit smoking programs, ban cigarette advertising, and protect non-smokers from cigarette smoke.
The combined efforts of these two very well known and wealthy philanthropists is also designed to raise awareness among other philanthropists, hoping to not divert funds from other important charities and causes but to increase philanthropic support to include anti-smoking.
Video-coaching your way to quitting smoking
Over 10 million smokers and friends and family of smokers have purchased Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking book or DVD or have attended his clinics all over the world. if you visit Allen Carr's website, you'll see celebrities announcing that they quit smoking with his method: Ashton Kutcher, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Richard Branson, Ellen DeGeneres and Lou Reed.
Carr's belief is that a quit smoking program should be approached from the smoker's perspective, to change the smoker's mindset about cigarettes being enjoyable and a crutch to pass away stressful situations or thoughts. The Easyway method also eliminates the fear (also a crutch and the urges to follow) of stopping and the deprived feeling one gets when stopping. After one year, success rates are said to be 50%.
Since it's worked so well on DVD, in clinics and in published hardcopy form, Carr is teaming with Ubisoft and Nintendo to create a video game to help smokers quit smoking. The video game is said to combine entertainment, some sort of challenge (read: game and fun) and a quit smoking lesson or de-programming.
What we do know amongst the sketchy details thus far is that the video game is customizable to the smoker's cigarette habit. The smoker, also known as the video game player, selects a personal quit smoking coach and begins playing the game with assigned activities.
The Easyway to Stop Smoking video game by Ubisoft is planned for release on the Nintendo DS system late in 2008, just in time for the stress of the holiday season.
Relearn Life without Cigarettes - BecomeAnEx.org
There are millions of smokers in the United States – millions more worldwide. Newly updated smoking statistics state that over 45 million people smoke in the U.S. – about 21% of the population. That’s one in five people. So, it comes as no surprise that quit smoking education and products remains a growing market.
The latest to join is BecomeAnEx.org which focuses on teaching smokers to quit, why they smoke, and the lifestyle they lead that promotes smoking. BecomeAnEx.org is sponsored by the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation and is pushing their agenda heavily on TV these days.
BecomeAnEx.org focuses on re-learning what is was like before smokers began to smoke. The quit smoking plan focuses on 3 distinct phases:
- habit
- addiction
- support
The Quit Smoking Habit
The habit of smoking centers on triggers. What are the triggers in our every day lives that remind us or urge us to smoke? Does your body crave a cigarette when you wake up, when you drink your cup of coffee, while you’re driving, when you’re stressed at work or in a relationship? Do you crave a cigarette while you relax? Identifying the triggers that promote smoking, we get a clearer view of how our routine is focused on habit and thus, we can create a plan focused on that routine.
Cigarette Addiction
The habit of smoking is but one part of quitting smoking. The nicotine in cigarettes causes addiction, as well. Understanding how nicotine affects the brain is the 2nd way to understand the “habit” and how to rid yourself of it through pills, gums, lozenges or meditation.
Quit Smoking Support
Reach out to those you trust in order to gain support for your smoking addiction. Do not reach out to people that judge you or look condescendingly upon your habit. Look to people that will truly support you and sustain you in challenging times and celebrate with you in more triumphant times.
Quit Smoking with Cold Laser Treatment - The Followup
Not long ago I spoke about a new company that helped you to quit smoking with cold laser treatment. Well, I followed up on this company, called Quit By Laser.
I spoke with Dr. Tabak in Glendale, California. He seemed nice enough and entertained my questions for a good 20 minutes. He explained to me that he was new at treating a smoking habit with cold laser and that I should refer back to him in a few months once he got all the kinks worked out. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't be treated right away but I understood his points and appreciated his candor. He believes in cold laser and says that the New York office has reported excellent success in treating not only smoking addiction but also alcohol addiction, weight control issues and gambling addiction.
So, readers and smokers alike, give Dr. Tabak a few more months to perfect his cold laser techniques in the treatment of smoking addiction. I will report back to you and tell you whether everything they report on their website is true, i.e., that post-laser treatments of smoking addictions leaves one euphoric, are long lasting, painless, and effective.
Quit Smoking with Cold Laser Treatment
There is a new way to quit smoking and according to Quit by Laser – offices in New York, New Jersey and now Los Angeles – it does not involve pills or capsules, patches, gums, lozenges, hypnosis, aromatherapy, or music. There is nothing to ingest and there is no prolonged program.
Quit by Laser is as it implies: a cold laser helps you to quit smoking. It is a one-time, 30 minute treatment that is not painful or invasive. It is said to be very safe.
Here’s how it works:
No medications or anaesthetics are required or needed with cold laser therapy to quit smoking. The cold laser used is an infra-red laser, double diodes with a maximum power of 6 watts which they say provides optimum skin penetration and nerve stimulation. Their success rate in helping clients quit their addictions is 90%.
The cold laser treatment targets energy points all over your body. Light receptor cells absorb the infrared light, convert it to biochemical energy and then gradually release the energy over a 2 month timeframe. The energy released causes the body to release endorphins. Endorphins are natural chemicals - natural narcotics actually - that give the body a sense of euphoria and relaxation. Endorphins also relieve pain and stress.
So as you can imagine, a cold laser that prompts the energy points in your body to release endorphins will leave you – at least temporarily – a bit ecstatic, even euphoric. And this is what commonly occurs. Patients report that they leave the Quit by Laser offices on a “high”. This “high” or sense of euphoria reduces nicotine cravings, urges and withdrawal symptoms. Concurrently, the body is stimulated by the cold laser to detoxify itself of the unhealthy nicotine – a natural cleansing if you will.
Reading testimonials on the Quit by Laser website provided a bit more insight. It seems that this cold laser quit smoking treatment is a one-time treatment that takes only 30 minutes. The program includes a consultation, cold laser treatment, and another cold laser treatment within 6 months if desired. According to one patient, because of the daily stress of a Wall Street job, he schedules monthly treatments just to relieve his stress and to revisit that high. He apparently successfully quit smoking after his first laser treatment.
The cost of the Quit by Laser program is $295.00. There is a $50 discount per person for a group of 2 or more.
Quit by Laser purports to help you quit not only your smoking addiction but your alcohol addiction, gambling addiction and weight problem.
We Honor Our Friends That Support Our Quit Smoking Message
- Kevin Bush - LancerMedia.com
- Lisa Nichols - NorthernKentuckyNews.blogspot.com
- Anthony Pierpont - AnthonyPierpont-Winelovers.blogspot.com
- Douglas C. Melvin - Boise Idaho - DACCAssociates.com
- Cat Schwartz - HiTechMommy.com
- Zero Nicotine Patches - GetZeroNicotine.com
- Nicocure Quit Smoking Pills - Nicocure.com
- Finally Free Quit Smoking Capsules - Finally Free Product Facts
Figuring Life Span by the Length and Number of Moles You Have
I know, sounds silly. But imagine if you could somewhat predict your life span? Would you want to know how long you will live? There's a study that was performed in London and reported by the Internet Journal of Emerging Medical Technologies in July, 2007, reporting that a large amount of skin moles on your body, more than 100, translates to longer years of living, by up to seven years. There are many ways to eliminate skin moles, especially if you are prone to skin cancer, but before you do, first consider the telomere length of your moles.
The Twin Research Unit performed this study and the research was released by the King's College London and it suggests that people with a large amount of moles also had longer telomeres. A telomere is like the plastic tip of a shoelace. In this case, the telomere prevents chromosome ends from splitting and sticking to one another, basically helpingto protect and duplicate chromosome ends.
Moles usually appear in our childhood years then disappear from middle age onward. Therefore, there seems to be a correlation between mole appearance/disappearance and age or as we call it, longevity. Telomeres enter the picture because they appear to get shorter as we age and so do the amount of moles we have. The study showed that people that had alot of moles, more than 100 of them, also had longer telomeres. Those people with shorter telomeres usually had fewer moles - less than 25 moles.
Here's the punchline: those with longer telomeres, an indicator of a large amount of moles, lived longer, about seven years longer than people with shorter telomere lengths and fewer moles. Amazingly, this study was not influenced by outside variables such as weight gain, significant weight loss, or smoking.
So, can we predict how long we will live? No. But we can, according to this study, add on a few years if we see a slower decline of disappearing moles from our bodies.
Will the Smoke-free Workplace lead to Smoke-free Employees?
You're company accountant would say yes, absolutely!
Quit smoking has evolved from passive ad campaigning to legislation banning smoking in eating and drinking establishments to businesses and corporate establishments partitioning select outdoor places for smoking. It's becoming more difficult to smoke in public. Now, businesses are going a step further and are proactively trying to help their employees to quit smoking. About 33% of companies with at least 200 employees now offer quit smoking programs to their employees in an effort to improve their employees health but skeptically, there's a better reason: to reduce their insurance premiums. With large enterprise corporate entities, it is believed that up to 67% offer quit smoking programs.
The new corporate quit smoking programs are the latest in improving employee health and reducing insurance costs following wellness programs such as weight loss and diabetes.
The cost savings for these programs is significant and seemingly a no-brainer for companies. Quit smoking pills and capsules, programs, patches, lozenges, gums et al cost about $900 per employee whereas medical costs in the long run cost upwards of $16,000 per employee.
Chantix - 40% Chance of Quitting Smoking
Chantix is a prescription quit smoking pill to help adults quit smoking. It does not contain nicotine. However, it does adhere to the same brain receptors as nicotine medication thereby giving the brain the same pleasure motivator as dopamine without the nicotine. Even when you smoke while taking Chantix, the prescription quit smoking pill blocks the nicotine from attaching to the brain receptors. As a result, it’s easier to quit.
Smokers that ingest nicotine pills, patches, gums and capsules are successful in quitting smoking 20% of the time. Those that took Chantix were successful 40% of the time.
The interesting component to Chantix is that you can smoke while taking the pills. Most people set a quit smoking date of one week forward while beginning the Chantix regimen one week before. Some need a few weeks on Chantix before their quit smoking start date.
Chantix is new and does not have a generic counterpart yet. It is basically a 12-week regimen but it can be taken for longer periods of time to ensure the smoking habit really stops. Each month’s supply of Chantix will cost you about $130 and it is quite normal to increase your dosage as time moves forward. Expensive yes, but it’s the same price of a carton of cigarettes per week.
The probability of quitting smoking increases the more you intend to quit smoking. You really have to want to do it. Quit smoking products like Chantix will help, and may help more than other pills, gum or lozenge products, but you have to work to do other things or ingest other foods when you feel the urge.
One of the main benefits Chantix offers is that it makes cigarettes not taste so good.
Forever Non Smoker eBook Released
Quit Smoking Hub announces the release of the Forever Non Smoker eBook, now available on this website. Forever Non Smoker relies on information and strategy to kick the smoking habit, not gums, lozenges, pills, capsules or hypnosis. Quit Smoking Hub does not imply that Forever Non Smoker is the only method by which smokers can quit smoking. There are as many accepted methods, it seems, as there are smokers. And that's the point: some people prefer a capsule, others a programmed strategy. As long as there's a method out there that works for you - and it is helpful and safe - we will look to support it. It is, at least, our obligation to tell you about it.
The Forever Non Smoker ebook, retailing for $14.95, first deals with the guilt issue. You know you need to quit but find it hard to quit. Everyone's telling you to quit smoking, but it's difficult to do and you wish they would all understand that. This eBook eliminates the guilt and deploys as pain-free a plan as is necessary. For instance, Forever Non Smoker begins by targeting one day per week where you delay the smoking of your first cigarette by one hour. So, if you always smoke when you wake up, wait until after breakfast to light up. Try that each week - just one day per week. Then, gradually, delay your first smoke by 2 hours - again, just one day per week. You get the idea. Gradually, you're getting your body used to less nicotine while making subtle yet dramatic leaps in curtailing the habit of it all. Forever Non Smoker was written by Roman Richards.
Smoking Cigarettes Gets an R Rating
In Hollywood movies and on billboards, smoking cigarettes has always looked cool. In men, a cigarette enhanced an image. With women, it was a sexy prop. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is concerned that there's too much smoking in PG-rated movies and that the kids to whom the movies are targeted are in themsleves, unduly targeted by cigarette companies. So, unless a cigarette is essential to a movies' plot, the MPAA will now assess a rating of R to movies containing cigarette smoking.
Take a Hike!
It looks like a quick 5 minute walk can naturally curb a smokers appetite to light up. The study, performed by experts (who are these experts?) at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, have conclusive evidence that exercise, even short amounts of it, will reduce cigarette cravings. However, they don't know why. They are addressing brain imaging techniques and mood centers of the brain right now and hope they'll find a clue there. But, in the meanwhile, take a hike.
Supermarkets Can Play The Game, Too
There must be alot of smokers in the world because the quit smoking product market is expanding like never before. A new entrant, Tesco, is about to begin offering an array of quit smoking products through its supermarket chain. Tesco will launch its own self-labeled Quit-Aid products to copete in just about every quit smoking category: gums, nasal sprays, tablets and lozenges. I guess the only "product" missing is hypnotherapy which could be a service offered as you wait for your Deli order to be prepared. Tesco is going after the big guys like Nicorette, Niquitin CQ and Nicotinell. Tesco is based inthe UK and has 200 in-store pharmacies.
Anti-smoking Legislation: From Spain to Hawaii
As of mid-November, 2006, there is a new law that bans smoking in all public places in the state of Hawaii. No longer can residents and tourists smoke in restaurants, bowling alleys, bars, malls or airports. Moreover, smoking is not allowed 20 feet from doorways or windows. This new anti-smoking policy seemed sure to pass since many Hawaiian counties already had enacted legislation to curtail smoking in public places. But, now it's a statewide law.
Restaurant, bar and hotel employees seem concerned that legislators did not think through the ban citing the fact that much of their tourism comes from Japan where 45% of Japanese men smoke.
Nevertheless, officials say, as time moves on people will get used to the fact that there have to be designated areas to smoke, where non-smokers are not subjected to secondhand smoke. They're probably right. Remember the days when smoking was allowed in hopsital beds, on airplanes, in supermarkets? Everyone got used to it. It's what we do. We adapt. We can also adapt to smoking fewer cigarettes.
Anti-Smoking Legislation Responsible For Smoking Cessation in Spain - playfuls.com
At the beginning of 2006, Spain adopted non-smoking legislation preventing cigarette smoking at work. It further ruled that larger sized restaurants and bars establish smoking zones. Smaller restaurants and bars had to opt whether to allow or prohibit cigarette smoking for all patrons.
Since the law was passed, it is reported that cigarette sales have dropped by about 5% while heart attacks in active and passive smokers have decreased by 10% from 2005. Spain's attitude is that legislation was the more preferred method of curbing the smoking habit rather than leaving it in the hands of its countrymen to decide.
Can't Quit? Tried Cold Turkey? Tried Nicotine Replacements?
How About Cigarette Reduction? - psychcentral.com
You want to quit smoking but it's hard, right? You know what the side effects are. Your family tells you. All of the commercials on television warn you. The problem is that quit smoking patches, pills, capsules, even hypnosis - none of it has worked for you. You still feel the urge to smoke. You hope that the quit smoking vehicles will help make cigarettes taste bad or at least supplant enough nicotine so that you don't crave a cigarette. Many anti-smoking groups will advise you to change your routines but how easy is it to move to another apartment or house? or to change your job?
There is news that will surprise you. You've probably thought of it but have been marketed and advised against it. You see, you don't have to just quit cold turkey.
According to a study that will be published by the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Journal, reducing the amount of cigarettes you smoke each day is an accepted way to quit smoking in many European countries. It is not advocated, per se, in the United States. The study found that smoking reduction led to increased smoking cessation. They do advise that you supplant the void with nicotine replacements.
Is Weight Gain Unavoidable When Quitting Smoking? - infozine.com - Kansas City
Yes. The answer is yes. Unfortunately, weight gain when one quits smoking is not a myth. It is fact. But, weight gain does not occur in every person that quits smoking cigarettes. It is a subjective affliction. The reason weight gain occurs is because a lower metabolic rate results from the lower intake of nicotine. In fact, nicotine is the cause of a higher metabolism which is the body's ability to burn calories faster. With a lower metabolism (less nicotine), the body burns calories slower but the intake rate of food is usually left unchanged.
If you already engage in a healthy, non-snack, non-soda, exercise regimen, you probably will not gain weight. But, if you do snack and do not exercise, you probably will see a relative increase in weight gain. The answer is to alter your eating and exercising behaviors along with your quit smoking behavior. Consume less snacks and eat more vegetables. Exercise more.
Lobelia Plant Reduces Cravings and Anxiety When Quitting Smoking - QuitSmokingHub.com Research
If you're a cigarette smoker and want to quit, there may be a low cost alternative for you. It's called Lobelia or Lobelia Inflata. The Lobelia plant helps to reduce cravings and anxiety (withdrawal symptoms) associated with cigarette smoking. It is also an expectorant (helps remove mucous from the lungs), a diaphoretic (makes you sweat) and emetic (causes nausea and vomiting - mainly to combat food poisoning). In the 19th century, it was employed to combat respiratory ailments and convulsions.
The principal herb in Lobelia is lobeline which stimulates deeper breathing. Lobelia also cleanses the blood, relieves chronic bronchitis and even asthma. It possesses sedative qualities as well which is why it's not only advocated for smokers wanting to quit the cigarette habit but for 19th century childbirthing.
The tincture of Lobelia, when employed topically, alleviates bruising, sprains and skin diseases.
Over-the-counter Lobelia bottle (capsules) prices range from $4-$8.
Warning: do not take excessive amounts of Lobelia because it can produce depression, nausea, cold sweats, and possibly even death. Consult your physician before using.
Miramax Founders Launch Quit Smoking Campaign - Hollywood - zeenews.com
Harvey and Bob Weinstein, founders of Miramax Films and The Weinstein Company (after they sold Miramax to Disney), have launched a quit smoking campaign aimed at kids and teens. The Weinsteins produce and distribute many films that are targeted to kids and teens and have decided to include anti-smoking and quit-smoking public service announcements in all forthcoming DVDs. The public service ads will begin with the DVD release of "Clerks II" in December, 2006. Harvey quit smoking last year.
The latest Quit Smoking Product - Non-Nicotine Patches - Florida - pr.com
It appears that a quit smoking patch is on the market that actually reduces cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms without the use of nicotine. The Zero Nicotine Quit Smoking Patch is composed of herbal ingredients that simulate nicotine and it’s these herbs that give the body its nicotine fix, not nicotine itself. This is amazing news since many quit smoking aids - gums, lozenges and patches in particular - contain some degree of nicotine. This quit smoking non-nicotine patch contains the same ingredients as Finally Free Quit Smoking Pills. It is up to you as to what you feel most comfortable with – pills or patches.
Zero Nicotine herbs not only simulate nicotine but they work further to simultaneously reduce nicotine levels in your body. These herbal ingredients also possess antioxidant characteristics that further reduce nicotine levels and actually detoxify the body of nicotine.
The Zero Nicotine Patch is quickly absorbent – at least more absorbent than a quit smoking pill, gum or lozenge. Being a patch, Zero Nicotine, of course, is absorbed through the skin and the manufacturers say that you only need 1 patch application every 3 days. It doesn’t reduce mobility or affect your daily life, activities or regimens. You can still work out, run or even swim because the patch is waterproof. You know that quitting smoking is not easy. That’s why when quit smoking breakthroughs come about, we report them. Quitting smoking requires resolve, intent and outside resources. At times, it takes smokers two to three attempts before they can successfully quit. Online Future, Inc., the makers of Zero Nicotine, say there is no going back once you start on their quit smoking patch regimen, which you'd expect them to say. Their website states that cravings should subside in 10-15 days. Like most quit smoking aids, Zero Nicotine is guaranteed - in this case - for the first 100 days after purchase. It’s available online and you don’t need a prescription to order.
Free phones for quitting smokers - New Zealand - tvnz.co.nz
The latest news out of New Zealand is that cellphones will be given to college-aged adults as an enticement to quit smoking. The Health Research Council of New Zealand has allocated $1.5 million to Auckland University researchers to develop a video and text messaging quit smoking program aimed at 18- to 24-year olds. The Quitline service says that the 18-24 year age demographic is the most eager to stop. Up to 1,300 young people will be recruited to take part in the program of which 200 will receive a free video phone upgrade. They will be sent video from people who have quit smoking along with games and text messaging.
QuitSmokingHub.com thought: something for the people at MySpace.com and Verizon to consider. Any takers?
Chimpanzee developing beer addiction in order to quit smoking - China
A chimpanzee, now housed in a zoo in Urumqi, China after retiring from the circus, is trying to quit smoking by drinking beer. Or should I say that the zookeepers are trying to get it to quit smoking. I think the chimp rather enjoys it. After all, it does seem to get a bit anxious and uneasy if it isn't supplied its cigarettes. We don't know how much beer the chimp is consuming a day but it has reduced its cigarette intake from 15 to 4 cigarettes per day. Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. They have been giving it beer in a bid to stop it smoking. The chimp is now on less than four cigarettes a day.
Pregnant Women Incented to Quit Smoking - Scotland
The BBC reports that a Health Board in Scotland is planning to incent pregnant women to quit smoking by
offering free cinema tickets and grocery vouchers.
The incentives will last the duration of the pregnancy
and for 3 months after the birth if the women can pass
a breath test.
It is medical knowledge that smoking by pregnant women can cause very premature birth, low birth weight and respiratory illnes. It also seems as if the smoking gene is passed on to the baby as statistics indicate that children of women that smoked during their pregnancy are more apt to smoke themselves.
Rewards are said to be up to 50 pounds per month.
Quick Behavior Tips for Quitting Smoking - Swazi Observer, Swaziland
The Swazi Observer listed the 5 Keys for quitting smoking:
- Get Ready
- Get Support
- Learn New Skills and Behaviors
- Get Medication and Use It Correctly
- Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations
You will note that Quit Smoking Hub has long endorsed these 5 keys and even expanded them to 18 keys. Please visit the Quit Smoking Hub Help page for more information.
Hypnosis As A Quit Smoking Aid? - Colorado, US
Even if a smoker abides by all the rules and behavioral guidelines to quit smoking, it is often difficult to sustain that momentum. More often than not, smokers that have quit revert to smoking again.
The Medical Hypnosis & Counseling Center believes that hypnosis, while not a cure for quitting smoking, is certainly a longer-term measure in sustaining the momentum gained by former smokers. Hypnosis, they say, is not a cure but a suggestion to the subconscious mind. Hypnosis is a normal state of consciousness defined by concentrated (or directed) daydreaming. The more the suggestions to quit smoking are repeated, the more those suggestions are implanted into the subconscious. The hypnotist is a guide. Therefore, the one being hypnotized can only do things that he/she wants to do. Unless you really want to quit smoking, you really won't in the end.
Quitting Smoking? Watch The Pounds - Detroit, MI
Researchers from The University of Michigan and The University of California have reanalyzed data from an old study performed in 1998 of almost 6,000 American smokers. They claim that former smokers gain up to 20 pounds more in weight than the anticipated 5 to 15 pounds. The study is not intended to dissuade smokers from quitting. Researchers suggest that smokers, when planning to quit, incorporate a weight control regimen consisting of dietary and physical programs.
Smoking is Linked to Socio-Economic Status - Toronto, Canada
Death rates between rich and poor men between the ages of 35 - 59 years are significant in number and The University of Toronto has just released a study indicating that if the poor quit smoking, their death rates would drop at least by 50%. A number of tactics employed to-date have already been responsible for deterring the poor class from continuing smoking: higher tobacco tax rates, warning labels, and better employment conditions. The Commission on Social Determinants of Health, a group within the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) is addressing not just smoking cessation but all health issues related to class.
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