15. HOW TO QUIT SMOKING – METHOD 4

Statistics show that 47 million adults in the United States and 1.3 billion people around the world are smoking and the world smoking population is expected to rise to 1.7 billion people in a few years time. Unfortunately, 1 out of the 2 will die from a smoking-related disease. This should be good reason enough to stop people from smoking.

The battle in breaking the smoking habit must involved many fronts.  One should know the reasons for quitting, the benefits from quitting, the techniques in quitting, what to eat after quitting, and how to avoid the temptation to smoke again. The good news is: breaking the smoking habit is achievable.

Recognizing the bad effects of smoking is the first step to start the process of quitting. Smoking is hazardous to your health; every pack of cigarette bears such warning.  This habit will cause addiction and will affect not only the individual smoking but also those around him. What's even more alarming is that the second-hand smoke (that which is inhaled by those around you) from cigarettes is said to be a lot more harmful than what you, as the smoker, gets to inhale. Medical studies show that smoking harms almost all organs of the body especially the lungs which would eventually lead to lung cancer.

In addition to already known effects of smoking, the diseases caused by smoking has been expanded to leukemia, aneurysm, cataract, cervical cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, pneumonia, stomach cancer, and effects to the baby's development in the womb if the smoker if pregnant.

The second step in quitting the smoking habit is realizing the benefits you can get out of it after you quit.  Studies show that the risk of acquiring lung cancer is reduced to zero after 10 years of quitting. Other health benefits include the lowering of chances in acquiring coronary heart disease, cancer of the mouth, bladder cancer, stroke, ulcer, cancer of the larynx, obstructive pulmonary disease, artery disease, cervical cancer, and the list goes on.  These should give one more reasons to start the process of quitting.

Quitting the habit of smoking is a process and the process takes time. And to start is already half the task.  The consequences and benefits of smoking should be enough to motivate you to start the quitting immediately. Here are some tips to a successful quitting method:

1. Believe that you can win over smoking. 

2. Always remember, there are more important things in life than smoking.

3. Consider writing a journal of your progress.

4. Write down all the bad effects of smoking.

5. Know all the benefits of quitting, not only for yourself but benefits to your family as well.

6. Set a specific day you want to forever stop smoking.

7. You must have a doctor to guide you in the process.

8.  Have your family, friends, and relatives to support your decision.

9.  Avoid going out with friends who smoke and doesn't support your decision.

10. Begin an exercise program. Exercise take out the stress out of your body and help your body recover from the damage cause by smoking. Start slow and gradually, walking exercise could be a good start.

11. Do breathing exercises for 5 minutes a day. Breathe in slowly and exhale through your mouth.

12. Visualize yourself as a healthy non-smoking person.

13. Reduce your smoking gradually until the day you totally quit smoking.

14. Find people or groups of people who are trying to quit smoking or who have already won the battle.

15. Have your teeth cleaned regularly.

16. Drink much water as you can to help wash out the nicotine and harmful chemicals from years of smoking.

17. Know and avoid situations that could trigger your desire to smoke.

18. You may replace cigarettes with a straw or artificial cigarette when you can't control your desire to smoke.

19. Take multi-vitamins regularly.

20. Sign up for regular email messages aimed to give you more encouragement.

21. Read self-help books on quitting the smoking habit.  Reading true to life stories of former smokers would greatly help.

22. Stop being too negative on your self and be patient.  Remember you are trying to quit a long time habit; it will take months or even years to overcome it.

23. Also consider some alternative method to help you break the smoking habit such as: Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy, Laser treatment, Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Zyban (buproprion), and the use on inhalator.

Smoking is a bad habit and no matter how hard it is this habit can still be broken. If you want to be successful on your goal for a smoke-free life, always be reminded of the bad effects of smoking and the benefits of quitting. And lastly, your best motto for the battle should be - "If you can't do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones."