Brians Story

Brians Story is not everyones story but the fact remains that SMOKING KILLS.  When we are smokers the habit is so bad that we justify it with "it won't happen to me" or "I feel fine".  It doesn't matter if this story happens to you at 33 or 73 - the fact is - Some form of smoking diesease will happen to you if you continue to smoke.  I smoked for 33 years.  I was at the doctors the other day and saw a brochure on COPD.  I have quit smoking for 4 1/2 years so of course I think I'm cured, but I asked the question anyway.  "Doctor, I said,  do I have any chance of getting COPD?" He stated " Of course you do - you were a smoker for many years, but we will continue to keep an eye on you and there is a good chance you won't get it since you have quit smoking".  The fact is the lungs recooperate, but I have done damage to my body. The good news is, there is a chance and hope.  Try quitting today if you can, get help in any form that is confortable to you.  You can do it !  I did it after 33 year, my mom of 77 did it after smoking for 62 years !  You can do it too !  I want to quit smoking NOW - Show me how .

Tough smoking laws Impacting Tourism

The Tourism Bureau of Taiwan said it would coordinate establishing smoking rooms at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. This was after a Japanese Tourism Association complained that the strict smoking ban kept Japanese tourist away.

The airport did create two outdoor smoking terraces in January after complaints, and considered setting up indoor smoking rooms with air filtering equipment. Liu His-lin, chief secretary of the bureau said this could not be accomplished unit legal issues were resolved. The previous plan to set up nine indoor smoking rooms also was aborted after anti-smoking groups said it violated the act.


There are many smokers in Japan and according to report by travel agents and related industries, the Japaneese may have decided not to visit due to the strict anti-smoking laws. Since Japan is one of the main sources of visitors, Liu bureau being a government agency is in charge of local tourism promotion has a responsibility to coordinate and help resolve this issue.

.



.

Attack Your Smoking Habit

How did you do on keeping track of your type casting your smoking habit? Were you surprised or did you pretty much know your smoking habits? Whatever you discovered, now you can take these results and start attacking your smoking habit. Your goal will be to develop a “plan to quit smoking”. You know you’ve heard the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” Well that holds true for quitting smoking. What you want to do is pick a quit day and starting that day decrease your cigarette intake by one cigarette. It doesn’t matter what type of cigarette it is or what time it is, it just matters that you decrease it by one. If you start on Sunday, by Friday you will be smoking 6 less cigarettes a week. You may also enlist in a smoking cessation product to help you get less nicotine in your body as well. Some people have decrease their cigarette intake by more than one the first few days, but the minimum that you should do is one a day. It is up to you, but you must keep consistent in your efforts.

What should I start with you say? There are no rules or magic. You should do what will offers you the greatest success. You can start with the “Pairing Cigarettes, the Must Have Cigarettes” or a combination. Some people start with cutting out the cigarette after their morning coffee. I know that was one I thought would be hard for me but despite my love for a coffee and cigarette, I had my coffee without the cigarette and conditioned my mind I did not need to “pair” them together to get the enjoyment out of my morning coffee.

Look at it this way, you did not initially start smoking a ½ a pack or a full pack a day, no your habit started gradually. So doesn’t it make sense to quit gradually. That is the way I did it. I found by using a smoking cessation product, decreasing my cigarette intake daily and changing my thought patterns I could finally be successful at quitting. So far it has been going on 4+ years that I have been smoke free. The hardest part was just starting and once I did I had to keep at it. Day by day, just one day at a time, sometimes just hours at a time. Remember I smoked for 33 years so it wasn’t a cake walk for me to quit smoking. I know it won’t be for you either, but I also know you can do it !

 Beat the Habit w/ Revolutionary New Alternative to Smoking - Premium Electronic Cigarettes

Who’s Keeping Score ?

One of the best ways to find out how to change a habit is to learn how much of a habit we have. In other words what type of a smoker are you. Most of you already know, but keeping track of it and actually seeing it in black and white will give you a better idea of what you are really dealing with and how to effectively stop smoking. I think you will be surprised of your findings.

First off there are several types of cigarettes we smoke each day. See how many of these fit your smoking style. There are :

# 1. Cigarettes we must have. These are the cigarettes that our body physically aches . We would do anything to have one. Get up in the middle of the night and go to the liquor store, smoke old butts, and smoke one after another if need be. You might even feel panicky if you don’t have a cigarette. These are the hardest to quit and many times why we go through withdrawal symptoms. But once resolved to quit we get through the withdrawals and this is one reason why I know I will never pick up not even one cigarette again, I simply do not want to go through the withdrawals again.

#2. Smoke out of habit. These are cigarettes we light up out of habit and do not even think about it. Sometimes we may have two cigarettes going at once. These cigarettes will be easy to give up, because we really don’t even have a need for them, it is purely out of habit. To create a new habit you only have to change your will (mind) and repeat for 30 days. Just think 30 days to a whole new lifestyle!

# 3 The Stress Cigarette. Every time I was under stress, the first thing I would reach for was a cigarette. The fact is taking deep breaths or going for a walk would of relaxed me more. Many times reaching for the stress cigarette was just another excuse for having another cigarette. Now, when I am under stress I often take a deep breath and every once in a while if I do get a cigarette urge I push it aside and the thought goes away in 5 minutes or less. (there is light at the end of the tunnel).

#4 The Pairing Cigarette. You’ve heard of pairing wines with food? Well many (most, including myself) smokers “pair” smoking with a pleasurable experience such as drinking coffee, after dinner cigarette, after sex cigarette, going out for drinks etc. Because most smokers do associate smoking with pleasurable events it makes it harder to quit those types of cigarettes, but not impossible . Think about it that would be like saying non-smokers cannot enjoy dinner, sex coffee or drinks. We simply have to acknowledge those times when we smoke and train our mind to find the same or more pleasure without the cigarette. Again, one day at a time, with the 30 day rule you will be able to conquer this one too!

#5 Looking Good Cigarette : Some people, mostly younger people like the way cigarettes make them look and feel. They like to lean over and have their friend light their cigarette, it feels romantic. They also like the feel of the cigarette, matches, lighter etc. This type of smoker can easily over come these habits with replacement romantic gestures or things to hold in their hands.

Now that we have identified the types of cigarettes we smoke each day, the next step is to keep track of the time of day you smoke , the type of cigarette it is (#1 – 5) and how important it is to you scoring it One – Three. One being least important, Three being most important. Do this for one week. By the end of a week you will have a pretty good idea of what type of smoker you are and where you can start cutting back.

5 Reasons to Quit Smoking

 5 Of all the many reasons to quit smoking I always did have a fear of cancer or worse yet getting a disease that the doctor would just tell me “it could have been prevented only if you would of……. “ and you can fill in the blanks. Well as it turned out after not having taken birth control pills for 30+ years I decided to take birth control at a ripe old age. I knew at my age and the health risk associated with smoking and the birth control that would leave me at very high risk. It turned out to be a major decision in my life. Whatever your reasons are, and however long it takes, you should be aware that smokers are more at risk for the following should you not decide to quit smoking :

• COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD makes breathing extremely difficult. . Emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis are included under COPD. Smoking is attributed to 80% of the patients who have COPD. People who have never smoked, hardly ever have this disease. Treatments include medications, oxygen therapy, surgery and pulmonary rehabilitation. I remember that in my younger years I had a sales representative who was about 15 years my senior. Long after our business association we remained friends. I had a occasion to visit out of state where he lived and was shocked to see him on oxygen. He, his wife and I were always so full of life and very active in business and business gatherings. I remember how saddened I was to see how difficult it was for him to breath. Since I was still smoking I also thought to myself “that could be me in a few years. It took me another year to finally quit smoking

• Heart Disease
Smoking is the leading cause of coronary heart disease along with atherosclerosis which is a buildup of fatty substances in the arteries. Over the years, Smoking consistently lowers your blood pressure, lowers stamina for exercise and increases the tendency for blood clots. If the arteries that supply blood to the heart become severely narrowed, decreasing the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart, especially during times of increased activity additional strain on the heart may result in chest pain. If 1 or more of the coronary arteries are completely blocked a patient may also suffer a heart attack.

• Stroke
My Aunt was a smoker all her life, and worse than a heart attack I believe is a stroke. Her quality of life was never the same and she could never walk or talk again. I must say, I still continued to smoke after that for about another ten years ! Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of strokes and heart attacks. Smokers are 3 times more likely to suffer a stroke than non-smokers. The good news is if you quit smoking early, your risk of a stroke is drastically reduced.

• Lung Cancer
Cigarette Smoking is directly linked to the increase numbers of patients who suffer from lung cancer. Furthermore smoking is responsible for 90% of all cancer deaths. Being responsible for more cancer deaths than colorectal cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer combined in both men and women.

• Oral Cancer
Common symptoms of oral cancer include white or red patch of skin in the mouth or under the tongue, a lump in the mouth, throat or tongue, a sore throat that doesn’t go away within a normal period of time and difficulty in swallowing or chewing. All forms of tobacco addiction increases your risk of oral cancer.

I am concerned about my health risks and want to quit smoking now

ALTERNATIVE CIGARETTE ALLOWS SMOKERS to SMOKE ANYTIME, EVEN in PUBLIC WHILE HELPING SMOKERS QUIT

An alternative cigarette called Smoke Assists allows smokers to smoke without inhaling harmful chemicals or releasing second had smoke into the atmosphere. This new product may revolutionize how and where we smoke!

The e-cigarette has an atomized filter that gives the smoker the flavor of nicotine without any harmful effects. This realistic cigarette emits water vapor instead of smoke, leaving ones clothing and surrounds free from the smell and harmful effects of real tobacco. A cartridge lasts approximately the same as a pack and a half of cigarettes.  Yes, I want more information.

7 Smart Tips if you want to Quit Smoking for Good

When I made the decision to quit smoking and the key word here is “I” , I intellectually knew the top 3 benefits would be : 1. lower risk of lung cancer, 2. breathing better 3. lowering my health insurance premiums (my family’s health was also a big bonus ). It was still one of the most difficult things I did in my life. Here are some things I took into consideration :

1. I Quit for myself : Over the years it didn’t matter how many times other people told me I needed to quit, the fact of the matter was, if I didn’t want to – I wouldn’t succeed and I knew it. If you have a loved one that does not want to quit right now – be patient and understanding. There will come a day when they are ready, and don’t give up hope – My mom was 75 before she quit!

2, Considered Quitting Cold Turkey, but I couldn’t . After 33 years and several packs a day, although my mind wanted to, my body resisted. I initially used the help of a smoking cessation product, for a short time until my body adjusted to minimal amounts of nicotine, once done, I never looked back. I knew that it would only ever take one puff and I would be a full fledged smoker again. If you are the type that can quit cold turkey, you should only have a short time of intense withdrawal symptoms then your body will rid itself of all nicotine. After a month or two those intense cravings should go away.

3. Don’t have “just one puff” or put yourself in a situation where you will be tempted to have a cigarette As previously stated, having one puff is like undermining all the good work you have done thusfar – at least for me it would have been. When you smoke you will reintroduce the nicotine back into your system and it will make it that much harder to give it up again. Also, in the beginning I tried not to put myself in situations where I would normally have a cigarette. I passed on that morning cup of coffee, going out for a drink with the girls and changed my habits after dinner.

4. Try electronic cigarettes If you feel the need to have something in your hand or mouth, you can avoid all those carcinogens by using electronic cigarettes. They don’t have tar, or any other carcinogens found in regular cigarettes and tobacco. They will satisfy your cravings, and are healthier than any of the more common forms of nicotine.

5. Deal with stress naturally Before I quit smoking iIt was always natural for me to grab a cigarette and light up when I felt stressed. Now I had to pick another way to deal with my stress. I picked simply “deep breathing” I noticed this would calm me down because I had to really concentrate on taking deep breaths and as I was doing so I was doing “self talk” and creating a more calming atmosphere for myself.

6. Eat regularly By eating regularly, you keep your blood sugar level up and this will help you to avoid low blood sugar or feeling too hungry. e. If you’ve quit smoking, it’s very important to eat regularly in order to avoid feeling too hungry or encountering low blood sugar situations.
Many smokers smoke in order to deal with stress. However, think back to a time when you weren’t a smoker, maybe when you were fourteen or fifteen. You faced difficult and stressful situations, and dealt with them without resorting to nicotine. You could do it then, so surely you can deal with stress now that you’re older and more mature, without needing cigarettes as your crutch. It may seem difficult at first, but over time you’ll find that you’re actually able to deal with stress better without cigarettes.

7. Let Your Family and Friends Know You are Quitiing Smoking This helps in a variety of ways. . Your family and friends can give you support and encouragement when you need it. It will also help them understand your mood swings that you might experience, now that your “old friend is being taken away from you”. In addition many times when people “tell” others who are close to them of their decision to quit, they do not want to let their friends and family down, it helps them be more determined to quit.

Many say smoking is as addictive as heroin use, it certainly was one of the most difficult things I ever had to quit doing. At the same time, it was very rewarding to Kick the Habit and now tell everyone, when asked
 I Don’t Smoke!

Be Supportive to a Friend who Has Decided to Quit Smoking

Helping a friend quit smoking is basically Not bugging them, but finding out what is motivating them and then supporting their decision to quit smoking. I know that when I wanted to quit the last thing I wanted to hear was people nagging me about quitting, or ex-smokers telling me all about how important it was to quit.

Most people have success quitting smoking when they have decided on their own to stop smoking. Some quit smoking cold turkey, while others use hypnosis or decrease their exposure to nicotine through nicotine cessation products which decrease their cigarette consumption. That being said here are some ways to encourage a friend or family member who is deciding on their own to stop smoking:

1. Whenever successes are talked about be positive and uplifting. Go ahead and talk about your own successes.

2. Recognize that mistakes or setback will be made, again share your experiences, so your friend doesn’t feel alone. Let them know this is normal, but don’t dwell on them and assure them they can still be successful.

3. If their quitting strategy differs from yours – support their choices ! What worked for one person doesn’t always work for everyone.

4. Let them know what helped you stay away from smoking situations which could defeat your success in quitting smoking .

5.Listen, Listen, Listen first and foremost be their friend!

I Want To Quit Smoking Now