Empowering Resolutions: Smoking Facts

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This month we will be keeping tabs on your New Years Resolutions, in

order to empower you, help you to stay on track and give you some

great tips for keeping your promise to yourself.

Empowering Resolutions: Smoking Facts

Stop Smoking Today!

Tobacco, in the form of cigarettes, is the most addictive drug in the

world. Nicotine is one of the strongest stimulants known, and smoking

is one of the most efficient drug-delivery systems. Smoking actually

puts drugs into the brain more directly than intravenous injection.

It is true that one of the "benefits" of smoking is the brief relief

of internal tension; unfortunately, within 20 minutes the tension is

back stronger than before, demanding another fix. Many of the

chemicals in tobacco smoke also affect the nonsmoker inhaling the

smoke, making "secondhand smoking" another important cause of lung

cancer. It is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths

annually.

Lung Cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women. An

estimated 180,900 new cases of lung cancer and an estimated 160,880

deaths from lung cancer will occur in the United States in the

following year. Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. Lung

cancer may also be the most tragic cancer because in most cases, it

might have been prevented -- 87% of lung cancer cases are caused by

smoking. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different

chemicals, many of which are proven cancer-causing substances, or

carcinogens. Smoking cigars or pipes also increases the risk of lung

cancer.

The more time and quantity you smoke, the greater your risk of lung

cancer. But if you stop smoking, the risk of lung cancer decreases

each year as normal cells replace abnormal cells. After ten years,

the risk drops to a level that is one-third to one-half of the risk

for people who continue to smoke. In addition, quitting smoking

greatly reduces the risk of developing other smoking-related

diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, emphysema and chronic

bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis may result from prolonged exposure to bronchial

irritants. Cigarette smoking, environmental toxins, and inhalant

allergens can all cause chronic irritation of the bronchi. The cells

lining the bronchi produce excess mucus in response to the chronic

irritation; this excess mucus production can lead to a chronic,

productive cough. Bronchitis can be particularly dangerous in the

elderly and in people with compromised immune systems. These

individuals should see a doctor if they develop a respiratory

infection.

Low-tar, low-nicotine cigarettes offer no great advantages. People

tend to smoke more of them, or inhale more deeply to get the same

amount of nicotine. Pipes and cigars, if not inhaled, do not cause

lung cancer and emphysema, but do increase the risk of oral cancer

(as do snuff and chewing tobacco).

There are many programs available to help you quit: acupuncture,

hypnotherapy, and support groups. There are also a many products -

nicotine patches and gum, for instance - on the market that work for

some. None of these methods works reliably for everyone. Most

successful quitters do it on their own after one or more unsuccessful

attempts. Going "cold turkey" also seems to work better than

gradually cutting down.

Don't get discouraged. If you can't quit today, you may be able to

tomorrow. You want to be motivated. You need to do this for yourself,

not because someone else wants you to. You have to believe that you

can!!

Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac

http://peacefulmind.com/stop_smoking.htm

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit