Health

Cigarette manufacturing companies do not want you to know these following facts. The additives the tobacco are soaked in, seemingly harmless things like honey or chocolate or sugar, are in fact added, so that you will become more addicted to nicotine. Some of the chemicals you will find in every american cigarette: Carbon Monoxide, same stuff you would get if your wrapped your lips around a car muffler; Naphthalene, used to make mothballs and explosives; Arsenic, used normally to kill insects; Cyanide, yes the same stuff used in nazi gas chambers; Phenol and Ammonia, poisonous cleaning agents. So then why does a person keep smoking when they know it is bad for them like I did? Simple: Addiction to nicotine in your brain is more powerful than addiction to heroin! That is right. If I was sticking a needle in my arm and getting high every day from heroin, I could stop that more easily than stopping smoking. I would go through a violent withdrawal for a day and would be over it. The addiction to nicotine, is much more subtle. That is what the cigarette makers want! The key to understanding this is that cigarettes are designed to deliver nicotine into your brain very efficiently. And though it may be true that the nicotine will not kill you, all the other contents of the smoke will. Consider this: When a doctor prescribes you a medication, the chemist has gone through years of research to determine all the effects of that drug on your body. In that case, it is helpful to you. In the case of the tobacco company, they used chemists and rats to determine the best way to get you addicted to nicotine, and keep you that way, so you keep spending money at the expense of your health and the gain of Phillip Morris,Marlboro, RJ Reynolds, and most of the other manufacturers located mostly in North Carolina. The only enjoyment you will ever get from smoking is when you decide to stop! The addiction to this substance, nicotine, is so powerful, that it falsely made me believe it was helping me get a good nights sleep, when in fact, it caused my heart to race and my breathing to become heavy, to compensate for the poison I had just inhaled. I think the real key to quitting the habit is to realize how filthy and disgusting it is. Would you scoop up a pile of camel crap and eat it if it contained nicotine? Probably only if someone fooled you into starting it once, just like a cigarette.

Yes it does.? First of all, there is no benefits other than making tobacco companies richer at the expense of your health.? Second, enough research has been done to prove it causes major health problems including emphysema and cancer.? Hello, what reason is there to do it?? Relief of stress?? Meditate and take deep breathing exercises.? Go to a gym.? Start an exercise program, I did.? Following article by www.darrenmain.com

Q: I am 25 and have been smoking since I was 13. I just watched my father die of lung cancer last year, and I want to quit.

I watched my father die a slow and awful death that devastated my family, and yet I still can’t seem to kick the habit. I don’t want to use a patch or gum because that is just a substitute and would mean I’m weak. Do you know of any natural things that might help?

Thanks,? Smoke Signals

A: First, I am sorry about your father. Countless people like your father die each year. Unfortunately we still have a Congress and president who won’t take more of a stand against an industry that is contributing to so much suffering, disease and death. Its economic, emotional and psychological toll on this country is impossible to estimate.

I also applaud your decision to quit. You may not have kicked the habit yet, but giving it the serious consideration that you have is certainly a prerequisite to quitting. Now you just need to dig in your heels and stay committed. Even with a strong commitment, you will need all the help you can get, so here are a few tips.

1. Use tools. I can understand your resistance to using nicotine to kick a nicotine habit, but the patch really does help. Nicotine is more addictive than heroin, and getting rid of it without the patch is going to be unnecessarily hard. Even with the patch, you are going to need commitment and determination. The patch is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign that your convictions and commitment to your health are stronger than ever.

Zyban is another tool you might want to check out. A prescription drug you take daily while you’re quitting, its generic name is bupropion, the same thing as Welbutrin. It can dramatically decrease cravings and does not contain nicotine — but it can have side effects, so talk to your doctor.

2. Quit caffeine first. There is some evidence that caffeine and nicotine work together to make your addiction to both drugs more severe than they would be on their own. Caffeine is an easier habit to kick for most people, so take a few weeks to wean yourself off coffee, colas and other caffeine sources. This will make the eventual task of quitting cigarettes much easier.

3. Try bodywork. On the first few days of your new smoke-free life, you might want to book a massage or bodywork session. Letting go of nicotine can make you feel as if your entire nervous system is shorting out. Massage is very effective in soothing the nervous system. Foot reflexology is said to be particularly useful.

4. Eat sunflower seeds. I have never seen any hard studies on this, but it is believed that sunflower seeds have a similar effect on the nervous system as nicotine. Before the days of Nicorette gum, many people used these seeds as an aid to help quit. If nothing else, it will help replace the oral craving associated with smoking, and they’re a super-healthy alternative to empty-calorie munchies like chips.

5. Pick up some good habits. Reward yourself and start some good habits to replace the old one. Maybe start a new exercise program or stock your pantry with some healthy food. Keep reminding yourself that you deserve to be healthy.

My quickie research has found the following useful tips:

Sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene is one of the components of behavioral therapy for insomnia. Several simple steps can be taken to improve a patient’s sleep quality and quantity. These steps include:

• Sleep as much as you need to feel rested; do not oversleep.
• Exercise regularly at least 20 minutes daily, ideally 4-5 hours before your bedtime.
• Avoid forcing yourself to sleep.
• Keep a regular sleep and awakening schedule.
• Do not drink caffeinated beverages later than the afternoon (tea, coffee, soft drinks etc.) Avoid “night caps,” (alcoholic drinks prior to going to bed).
• Do not smoke, especially in the evening.
• Do not go to bed hungry.
• Adjust the environment in the room (lights, temperature, noise, etc.)
• Do not go to bed with your worries; try to resolve them before going to bed.

Herbal Supplements and Hormones

• Herbal supplements. There are several herbal remedies thought to help sleep. Examples include chamomile, valerian root, kava kava, chamomile, lemon balm, passionflower, lavender, and St. John?s Wort. These remedies have not yet been scientifically proven to work, although many do try them. Note that the effectiveness of herbal supplements has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Herbal supplements can have side effects. Check with your healthcare professional if you are trying these, as they may interfere with some prescribed medications. St. John?s Wort, for example, can limit the effectiveness of many prescribed medications such as blood thinners, birth control pills and some anticancer medications.
• Melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone whose levels peak at night. It is triggered by dark and levels remain elevated throughout the night until light decreases it. For this reason, melatonin has been studied for use as a sleep aid. However, most study results have not found it to be beneficial when compared to a sugar pill (placebo). Some positive results have been shown in helping adjustment to jet lag and shift workers who work nights. However, it?s unclear whether simple exposure to light at the right time is more effective, and there is no risk of side effects with light exposure. Long term uses of melatonin are unknown.

Supreme Court Allows Law Suits Over Cigarette Marketing

I am getting great support from friends and even people over the internet I do not know personally, whom have also had the difficult task of quitting smoking.? I am pleased to report I have quit and plan never to pick up another smoke again in my life.? Why you ask?? Because there is no benefits to smoking.? The only reason tobacco companies actually still exist and profit, is from their devious marketing tactics.? Did you know there are more toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke than there are in car exhaust fumes?? Think of it this way.? Would you suck on a car muffler pipe?? Of course you wouldn’t.? So then why do we keep buying cigarettes?? Because nicotine is more powerfully addictive than even heroin.? I spoke to one friend, whom I will not name, but who was a needle drug user.? He said he quit using heroin easier than quitting smoking.? Can you imagine?? I also feel the health benefits finally to not smoking.? I can taste food better.? I have a better sense of smell, and I get sick less often with colds and such.? So if you smoke, you might consider what I have said previously.? The only thing you do by smoking is harm your body and give money to tobacco companies that profit from your addiction.? Think it over.? Blessings and Light.

Larry