Cigarette smoking poses very serious health risks. There are so many negatives about cigarette smoking-the smell: on person, clothes, in the car and in the house and the high financial cost of the cigarettes but the biggest negative and the highest cost is to the health of the smoker and those exposed to second hand smoke. Cigarette smoking causes cancers of the mouth and lungs, cardiovascular diseases and many more serious health conditions. The leading cause of preventable death in the United States is cigarettes smoking which causes 443,000 deaths per year in the U.S.A according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The addiction to nicotine in cigarettes can be an extremely powerful addiction but it can be overcome …you can quit! The compulsion to smoke-the physiological and psychological need to smoke must be evaluated by each individual smoker. Cigarette smokers really need to find healthy long-term alternatives to smoking-every smoker must analyze the roots of their smoking addiction and substitute it with a healthy alternative to succeed in quitting. In the short term, there are many products-some which contain nicotine and others which do not-which can help a smoker overcome nicotine withdrawal symptoms and ultimately quit in order to transition to a non-smoking lifestyle.
Some smoking cessation products which contain nicotine include nicotine gum, smoking cessation patches and electronic cigarettes. Other non nicotine smoking cessation products include prescription pharmaceuticals, non-nicotine gum and lozenges and lifestyle changes which promote endorphin production, stress relief and improved overall fitness. Some healthy lifestyle changes include aerobic exercise programs, tai chi, yoga, and healthy eating in which fruit and vegetables are dominant in the diet. Eating healthy does not mean eliminating all sweets, special treats or desserts. Eliminating cigarettes and depriving yourself completely of your favorite desserts is not a recipe for success. Allow yourself small treats on occasion so you can maintain an overall healthy eating plan without binges or reaching for a cigarette which can result from feeling deprived.
It doesn’t matter how many times you have tried to quit before. That should definitely not prevent you from trying again. If you are determined you will quit and your past failures will help you succeed in the future. It is also important to understand what your high risk triggers are for smoking such as drinking alcohol, being in a specific environment or in the company of specific people.
One of the most important steps you can take for your overall well being and health is to quit smoking. Share your smoking cessation goal with family and friends to gain social encouragement and stay committed to your goal of quitting smoking and focused on the many benefits of a non-smoking life. You can quit smoking!
