Quit Smoking to Avoid Blindness ?
July 24th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Here’s something that you may find interesting. Most people know that smoking cigarettes has been linked to lung cancer, stroke, heart attacks, etc. But most people do not know smoking is also linked to blindness.
In a recent British study, teens indicated that they are more concerned about blindness than the other smoking related diseases. However, very few of the smoking teens even knew that blindness was a risk of cigarette smoking.
So if you need another reason to quit smoking, perhaps blindness will be more motivating to you than lung cancer.
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Relax and Stop Acting Like a Cigarette Addict
July 15th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
I never realized how much I acted and felt like an addict until I quit smoking cigarettes. Perhaps you can relate to this.
My cigarette habit did not always make me feel like an addict…however laws began limiting where I could smoke. I could no longer smoke in my office, I could no longer smoke in public buildings, I could not smoke in airports and on planes and in restaurants, etc. As these laws began to take effect, I knew fewer and fewer smokers……Smoking was not something you wanted to advertise, it was not acceptable.
The more smoking became limited and the less smokers I knew, the more I started feeling like an addict. I was constantly thinking about when I could have my next cigarette. When I went into a business meeting, I thought about how I could not smoke. When I was flying somewhere, I would wait until the last possible minute before entering the ariport.
I wanted to smoke as much as possible, as though I was storing nicotine in my body to help me make it through a long plane ride.
This is ridiculus. You can not store excess nicotine in your body, these thoughts and actions were not rational.
However, I saw a lot of other people doing the same. A whole line of smokers were outside the airports puffing up a storm. We all looked like we would never be able to have another cigarette again.
All of these actions and thoughts are those of an addict. I did not realize how much cigarettes were controlling me. I could not even go to bed unless I had at least one cigarette for the next morning.
After I quit smoking, this all changed. In fact, it wasn’t until I was taking my first plane ride as a non-smoker that I realized how much calmer and relaxed I was.
I arrived at the airport early, I did not have to hang around outside feeding my habit. I had a nice relaxed breakfast and slowly made my way to the gate. I window shopped, arrived at the the gate early and read while I was waiting for the plane to board. The sense of relaxation, confidence and overall well-being I felt was amazing. At that moment, I became increadibly proud of my quit smoking accomplishment. In fact, whenever I am tempted to start smoking again, I think about how I felt at that moment. I was completely relaxed and at peace with myself.
I realized how severely cigarettes impacted my prior behaviour. How much I used to act and feel like an addict.
- as a smoker I was always anxious and nervous when I knew I would not be able to smoke for the next 1 1/2 hours or more;
- when I was with non-smokers or in non-smoking places, I would also be thinking about how and where I could sneak a cigarette;
- I would smoke whenever an opportunity existed, because I knew that opportunities were limited;
- I would try to find hidden places to smoke, because I felt like a social outcast. I knew smoking was frowned upon; etc.
These feelings and actions have a negative impact on your sense of well-being, confidence and your self-esteem. It was difficult to focus and stay centered when these feelings overcame me, which was more often than I care to admit.
Does this sound pathetic, perhaps. But I know I am not alone. If you are a smoker, you probably feel the same way whether or not you realize it.
This is just one more reason why you should stop smoking. Not only is smoking bad for your physical health, it is also bad for your mental and emotional health.
I’m sharing this experience in the hope that it will help others to quit smoking or remain ex-smokers. If you have a similar experience, please share it with us.
To Your Health,
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It’s Too Late for Me To Quit Smoking.
May 9th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
People who have been smoking for 5-10+ years often use the excuse that it is too late for them to quit smoking. They erroneously believe that they have already done too much damage to their body which is irreversible. Although they have done a lot of damage, this damage can be reversed or at least significantly reduced. The human body has an amazing ability to heal itself, provided you give it the chance.
If you or someone you know is using this excuse to continue their nasty smoking habit, you are lying to yourself. This excuse is merely a cop out and a cheap excuse to continue smoking.
There are numerous health benefits to quitting smoking regardless of how much you smoke or how long you have been smoking. Here is a sample of some of the more significant short term health benefits, which begin almost immediately:
20 Minutes After Quitting
- your pulse rate drops
- your blood pressure drops
- your body temperature increases in your hands and feet
8 Hours After Quitting
- Your blood oxygen level returns to normal
- Your blood carbon monoxide level drops to normal
24 - 48 Hours After Quitting
- Your chance of heart attack decreases
- Your sense of smell and taste begins to improve
- Your nerve endings start to regrow
- Your sinuses begin to clear and you notice an improvement in your breathing
2 Weeks To 3 Months After Quitting
- Your blood circulation improves
- It is easier to walk up stairs and exercise
- Your lung function begins to increase by as much as 30%
1 To 9 Months After Quitting
- Coughing, fatigue, and sinus congestion is noticeably reduced
- Shortness of breath is significantly reduced
- Your skin begins to improve
1 Year After Quitting
- Your risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker
This is merely a list of the health benefits that you will begin to experience during your first year as a non-smoker. There are numerous other long term health benefits that you will also realize.
Smoking negatively impacts nearly every part of your body: your brain, your eyes, your skin, your teeth, your lungs, your heart, your blood sugar levels, your cholesterol level, your risk of developing numerous types of cancer, etc.
I hope by reading this you realize that it is never too late to quit smoking. The sooner you quit smoking the sooner you will begin to realize the physical, emotional and financial benefits of smoking cessation.
Stop making excuses and just do it!
To Your Health
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