Don’t Let Smoking Continue To Rob You Of Health

Smoking is well known for the hold it has on people. There is no denying that trying to quit can be challenging. But it is not impossible, and you can do it.

With motivation and support, along with helpful techniques and tricks like the ones in this article, you can be on your way to success.

Sometimes people think they can quit smoking by switching to a product such as chewing tobacco. This isn’t a good idea because usually, chewing tobacco contains more nicotine. You might end up just replacing one addiction for another. Try nicotine gum instead if you want a product that can help you quit. You can slowly taper off the gum. They don’t usually sell progressively weaker versions of chewing tobacco.

If you are considering quitting, have a frank discussion with a doctor. Your doctor may be able to suggest quitting resources of which you were previously unaware. A physician may also choose to prescribe medication if they feel it is necessary.

Quit smoking to improve your smile. People who smoke often fall victim to yellow teeth, persistent bad breath, and even gum disease. In addition, smoking puts you at risk for mouth cancer. When you quit, your smile will have a chance to become whiter, and you’ll feel more like smiling because your body will be healthier.

Make sure you treat yourself as if you are a smoking addict. Never let yourself take a single puff. This one puff may seem harmless, but it can reignite your inner need for cigarettes. No matter how long you have remained smoke-free, you should keep yourself from ever taking “just” a casual puff.

Reduce the number of cigarettes you have each day until you reach zero. Unless there is a health reason for you to stop smoking immediately, quitting tobacco is easier when you do it gradually. Cut back on cigarettes first, and quitting will be less of a shock to your body.

Have alternate coping mechanisms in place to deal with the stress you used to handle by smoking before attempting to quit. Avoid as many stressful situations as possible in your attempt to quit early. Soothing music, yoga, and massage can help you deal with any stress you encounter.

To stay true to your plan to quit smoking, make up motivational note cards to read whenever you get a craving. Keep these cards on your fridge, in your car, in your purse or wallet, and even in a drawer at work. Any time a craving strikes, read and repeat the message on the card like a mantra to refocus your efforts.

Avoid emptying your ashtrays. If you see how many cigarettes you have smoked lying on the ashtray, you will be less likely to smoke. This will also leave the unsightly butts and their smell behind. This can be helpful because it will remind you how bad the smell of smoke is.

Clean your house and car when you quit smoking. Please don’t spend time in any environment where you look at the surroundings and equate them with smoking. Dispose of butts and ashtrays and clean anything with the smell of cigarettes. Your new environment should reflect a healthier, cleaner you, and some rigorous housecleaning might just let you power through a craving.

It would be best if you stopped smoking immediately. Do not halfheartedly set a quit date two months from now. Make today THE day! If you quit today, you immediately lower your risk of getting cancer or other potentially fatal diseases. The quicker you stop smoking, the sooner you free your family from the effects of secondhand smoke. This might be the factor that motivates you the most to stop.

When cravings strike, remember that they almost always pass within 10 minutes, so do something to distract yourself. Walk to the water cooler, have a healthy snack, meditate, or call a supportive friend to keep your mind off your craving. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it’s over, and your delaying tactics can keep you from giving in.

You’ll be more successful in your attempt to quit smoking if you ease down on how many cigarettes you smoke per day. You can create a schedule for when you can smoke and how many cigarettes per day you’ll smoke, gradually letting yourself smoke fewer and fewer until a set date when you’ll completely stop.

Don’t use weight gain as an excuse to continue smoking. While it is true that some individuals gain weight when they quit, it doesn’t mean that you will. Make healthy eating choices when you’re feeling hungry because you aren’t smoking, and the weight won’t pile on. Even if you gain a few pounds, remember that it is much healthier than continuing to smoke.

Put the cash you would have spent on smoking in a jar and watch it add up! When you’ve reached a good amount of cash, treat yourself to something nice. Seeing all of that money pile up might help you realize how much you were wasting on cigarettes. Being able to treat yourself to something special will become its motivator too.

While it may be difficult, stay away from other smokers while trying to quit or ask smokers to leave their cigarettes at home for a few weeks when they visit. One of the biggest triggers for relapse is simply having the opportunity to smoke, so do not make it easy for yourself to bum one off of anyone.

Cut your caffeine intake in half. Somehow, nicotine cuts the effectiveness of caffeine in half, so after quitting, soda and coffee will be doubly effective. Drop your consumption of these so that you don’t cause your anxiety to become even worse than it already is at this difficult time.

It is a fact that smoking can have a very tight hold on smokers. But it is entirely possible to break free and become a successful non-smoker.

Increase your chances of success by creating a plan that includes helpful techniques and tips like the above article, and break free of smoking for good.