Here is a fact – it’s hard to quit smoking. This is a trap that many smokers fall into. You see, it seems so easy to quit smoking. Many people believe that they can quit any time they wish to.

This is only true, if you never wanted to smoke in the first place. Its a mind-thing.

But the good news is this, there are methods to help you quit smoking painlessly. But painlessly is actually quite relative. Some people have such a low threshold for pain that any discomfort is deemed as “pain”. For these folks, then I am sorry, nothing is painless.

Here are 3 methods to quitting smoking painlessly:

1. Cutting back. This is actually a proven method to help you stop smoking. Notice that I do not use the word quit. Humans are expert at procrastinating. So, just put off smoking “till later” each time you wish to smoke. Then go do something interesting. When you finally cannot take it any more, go smoke. Slowly, you will cut back on the number of smokes you take a day. This method is particularly effective for those who smoke one large pack or more a day.

2. Smokeless cigarette with nicotine. Yes, it works. The trick here is that you are actually getting rid of the “smoke”, but easing yourself off the nicotine. This is a clinical method and has been proven to work.

3. Hypnosis is one method that many people has sworn to work for them. Personally, I have had no experience with this. But the theory is sound. Smoking in many instances is more of a habit, a way of life, a state of the mind then it is substance addiction. For substance addiction, the above two methods can help you to start quitting smoking painlessly. But if you are not addicted deeply, then it is really a lifestyle choice and a habit.

There are many other ways where you can quit smoking painlessly. If you are serious about quitting smoking, then you will need to experiment and discover them. After all, your life is worth it.

Read more: Quitting Smoking Painlessly

For those who know, Singapore is a fine country. Yes, it’s a little cliche by now, but it is still somewhat funny. Smoking in Singapore is an expensive habit.

There is a hefty tobacco tax. But the reality is this, even if cigarettes were really cheap, do you really want to keep smoking? Smoking harms you. Smoking harms those around you too. A smoker not only damages his own health, but also that of his family.

In Singapore, there is a lot of help available to quit smoking. I really could not say if you can easily quit smoking using such services, but no harm giving it a try.

This is the official government health site for smokers in Singapore:

http://www.hpb.gov.sg/smokefree/default.aspx

Remember that ciggies are expensive in Singapore? Well, they actually have a Smoking Calculator to help you figure out how much money you save if you quit smoking!

Smoking Calulator

Innovative idea. But the fact is, you can quit smoking in Singapore because there is help available, and also because it is just so expensive to continue to habit!

Read more: Quit Smoking in Singapore

A doctor was wondering why his patient had such a bad asthma attacks that she needed multiple hospital admission even though he put her on effective medicaton.

Investigation had ruled out that the girl did not take her medication as instructed. This carried on for 2 years.

Miracle happened. The girl started to get better and it was around the same time that the  doctor noticed that the grandpa was  bringing her for consultation and not her mum. He found out that both parents were posted to China to work, and the girl now lives with grandpa. Upon more probing, doctor discovered that both parents were smokers and grandpa stayed clear of cigarettes.

Well, the girl is a victim of passive smoking.

The harm of passive smoking is first discovered by Japanese reseacher, Takeshi Hirayama in 1981. He found a link between lung cancer in non-smoking Japanese women and her husbands who were smokers. The link has since been confirmed by many studies and new scientific evidences.

Even if parents smoke outside the house, the levels of respirable suspended particles including nicotine were still higher in the homes. Boston researcher, Jonathan Winickoff coined the term “3rd hand smoking” as the cocktail of toxins linger in carpets, sofas, cloths and other materials even days after the cigarette is put out.

(information adapted from “Mind & Body”, 21 Jan)

Additional reading:

Quick Smoking Today

Hypnosis To Change Your Life by Steve G Jones.

Read more: Quit smoking for your kid’s sake

By Mellisa McJunkin

Even though we are both in our 40′s now, my oldest brother and I still get a kick out of teasing each other like we did when we were kids. This childish behavior was no exception during his recent visit. Besides the occasional “noogie” or “biff” upside the head, you might have heard my brother chant “my little sister’s ugly, my little sister’s ugly”. And of course my witty retort was “my brother’s a dumbie, my brother’s a dumbie.”

Now before you roll your eyes and write us off as a couple of mean spirited maniacs, indulge me for a moment and let me just say that my brother and I love each other dearly. We have so much fun hanging out together with our kids and just being, well, down right silly sometimes. Nonetheless, when I came across some research material recently that relates to the effects of smoking on the brain, I couldn’t help but feel a little distressed when I thought about my brother.

My brother smokes. He has smoked for years. He says it is stress buster for him. He has tried to quit several times, using several different methods but he always seems to go back to it. I, on the other hand smoked for years too, but I managed to give it up when I found out I was expecting my first child, which was over 12 years ago. I admit I almost always enjoyed the distasteful habit, especially after a big, delicious meal. But I must say I don’t miss the typical downfalls of smoking such as bad breath, stinky clothes, yellow teeth, and the most insidious side effect of all, increased risk of cancer. Plus, based on the new research, apparently I’m not losing as many brain cells either.

Although rather complicated in terms of the study itself, the findings are quite simple, and yet surprising I think to most of us. With over 172 men participating, the test was initially set out to find the long term effect of alcoholism on the brain. While it was made clear that alcoholism does have a long term effect on neurocognitive function, the study also showed that smoking may diminish the speed and accuracy of your thinking, cause memory impairment and it can actually lower your IQ.

Now I don’t know about you, but if the other side effects weren’t enough to call it quits, I think the findings from this relatively new research may just do the trick, at least for my brother. I am quite sure he won’t like it the next time I say “my brother’s dumbie” and actually have to mean it.

Additional reading:

Quick Smoking Today

Hypnosis To Change Your Life by Steve G Jones.

Read more: Does Smoking Making You Dumber?

By Kimberly Ann Scharfenberg

I realize that there are articles and information all over the place about smoking death statistics. However, I thought I would update you and put them all in one article.
Everyone is aware that smoking causes cancer and lung disease, but were you aware that smoking does a lot more.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO):

• Every 8 seconds someone dies from tobacco use. Smoking related diseases kill 1 in 10 adults globally, or cause 4 million deaths. By the year 2030, if current trends continue, smoking will kill 1 in 6 people.
• About 12 times more British people have died from smoking than from World War II. Staggering.
• Cigarettes cause more than 1 in 5 American deaths.
• Half of the long-term smokers will die from tobacco and every cigarette that you smoke cuts at least 5 minutes off of your life expectancy. That is about the time it takes for you to smoke it.
• Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of death and premature death. It is a prime factor in heart disease, stroke, and chronic lung disease. It can also cause cancer, which affects many parts of the body.
• At least ¼ of all deaths from heart diseases and about ¾ of the world’s chronic bronchitis are related to smoking.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death and was among the first diseases causally linked to smoking. Lung cancer is obviously one of the major diseases attributed to smoking. But, did you know that smoking also causes cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, bladder, stomach, and even the cervix, kidneys, and pancreas. It’s true.

Other statistics show:

• Compared to non-smokers, men who smoke are about 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer and women who smoke are 13 times more likely to develop lung cancer. Smoking causes about 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and 80 percent in women.
• In 2003, an estimated 171,900 new cases of lung cancer occurred and approximately 157,200 people died from lung cancer.

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and the leading cause of death by smoking. More than 61 million Americans suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and all of these can be attributed to smoking. More than 2600 Americans die every day because of cardiovascular diseases, that is about 1 death every 33 seconds. Unbelievable.

Smoking related coronary heart disease may contribute to congestive heart failure. An estimated 4.6 million Americans have congestive heart failure and 43,000 die from it each year.

Smoking is related to chronic coughing and wheezing among adults. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, resulting in 118,000 deaths. More than 90 percent of these deaths were attributed to smoking.

And the most startling statistics:

• Among young teens (ages 13-15), about 1 in 5 smokes worldwide.
• Between 80,000-100,000 children worldwide start smoking every day and evidence shows that around 50 percent of those who start smoking as an adolescent go on to smoke 15 to 20 years.

All of these smoking death statistics are unbelievable. Especially when all you have to do to change them is to quit smoking. I realize it is a very hard thing to do, but a happier, healthier, and longer life is waiting for you. Just quit!! Do it!!

Additional reading:

Quick Smoking Today

Hypnosis To Change Your Life by Steve G Jones.

Read more: Effects of Smoking – A Closer Look at Smoking Death Statistics