Here is a link to How to Quit Smoking: billy-path-explained.blogspot.com Here is my Following the Way of Growth blog: followingthewayofgrowth.blogspot.com Here is my Essence of Truth blog: billy-path.blogspot.com Here is the link to my tweets twitter.com How to quit smoking. Lets start by talking about failure. There are only two ways we fail in life. The first is by doing too much which leads to the second failure of doing nothing. We fail to overcome our addictions because; 1) We dont have the right method. 2) We dont want to face ourselves. Lets start by saying youre smoking two packs a day. So for the first month all youre going to do is evaluate that assumption. So in the morning you lay out two packs & dont smoke anymore than that. Youre going to want to do more but dont. Lets assume two packs a day was accurate. Now lets proceed to the second month. For the second month youre going to smoke two packs minus one cigarette or 39 cigarettes. Assuming a pack has 20 cigarettes in it. Notice all we are doing is implementing disciple in small ways. Youre going to want to give up more than one cigarette per month but avoid the failure of doing too much. Notice you are disciplining yourself to smoke less & youre disciplining yourself to not do too much. Missing one cigarette a day will improve you life but not much. It should be easy to deal with. However, there maybe some minor issues to deal with but you should be able to deal with them. By the months end you shouldnt even …

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For some people it is very hard to stop smoking. In this video experts from the Mayo Clinic explain why. The video illustrates the way in which cigarettes deliver nicotine to the brain causing changes in the brain that lead to addiction. When a person stops smoking they often experience difficult withdrawal symptoms and powerful urges to smoke. The urges and withdrawal symptoms make quitting very hard for many smokers. But hope and help for smokers can be found at the Mayo Clinic website, www.mayoclinic.org

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Things are really heating up with the latest news that The FDA is calling electronic cigarettes dangerous to your health. This undeserved blow comes shortly after the FDA slapped Chantix and Zyban, two drugs already approved by them as Nicotine Replacement Therapies, with a warning label indicating their high risk of suicidal thoughts, aggression, depression, and hostility.

Quickly rising to the surface of the controversy is the concern that perhaps the FDA doesn’t have the general public’s health in mind as their primary focus. It seems that the FDA approved drugs are getting more negative attention as electronic cigarettes continue to gain ground as the safer smoking solution of choice. The largest portion of this fight is over why e-cigs are being targeted as a health risk instead of rightfully being compared to the existing health risks of tobacco cigarettes, or even other NRTs.

Many manufacturers of the e-cigarette point to a study conducted by Health New Zealand. Their study did not test for Diethylene Glycol which was one of the chemicals the FDA has drawn attention to in their findings. This isn’t outside the realm of reason since it is not on any of the manufacturers ingredients lists, nor is it a known carcinogen found in traditional cigarettes. According to the MSDS for Diethylene Glycol, it is known to cause lesions and other forms of damage to the kidneys and liver.

Reading further along the MSDS, I found the first aid section. In it, it advises you what to do in case of inhalation of the substance – remove yourself to fresh air, away from the source. Seeking information about the carcinogenic properties of Diethylene Glycol brought me to the toxicological information. The MSDS stated no carcinogenic suspicion now or in the future. For a human to ingest a toxic amount of DG, they would be hammering down 855.925g before being fatal. That is assuming the dose required to kill half the lab rats at 12.565g/kg could be extended to humans.

Also in the FDA’s statement concerning their findings on e-cig risks, they explained DG as the primary ingredient in anti-freeze. The EPA paints a different picture, however. They state, “Some manufacturers promote a propylene glycol based solution (vs. ethylene glycol) which is less toxic.”

Either way, no matter which ingredient is active in the suspension, the stigma of antifreeze being dangerous actually comes from the fact that it is often disposed of improperly. This is only important because during service and use of the product, heavy metals contaminate the fluid (particularly dangerous is the lead contained in the metals). Yes, straight antifreeze is toxic, but its active ingredient is Ethylene Glycol and the main hazard stems from the heavy metals absorbed in used, recycled, or improperly discarded antifreeze.

What about Nitrosamines? Nitrosamines are carcinogens. Tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) are found in the liquid used by Ruyan in their cartridges. According to the Health New Zealand report, the amount increases with the amount of nicotine, and the average is 3.928 Ng (or parts per billion [ppb]).

The specific listing is as follows: Nitrosamines In Cartridges: 0mg ” 0.260 Ng (ppb), 6mg ” 3.068 Ng, 11mg ” 4.200 Ng, 16mg ” 8.183Ng. As indicated above, the cartridge with the highest nicotine volume contained the highest level of TSNAs. What is significant about this is that by comparison, the FDA approved NRT Nicorette Gum contains 8Ng (the same as that of the highest strength nicotine cartridge). Putting this number further in comparison, tobacco cigarettes contain approximately 1,230ppb TSNAs before burning, and moist snuff pulls in between 1,000 and 2,400ppb.

The FDA remained silent on equally yoking their findings, which begs the question of their integrity in their studies. Are they seeking to protect the public health, or prevent an unapproved NRT from taking shares from the pharmeceutics and Big Tobacco which they have just gained control over?

Smoking is bad for your health; you can get cancer, and die from it. You’ve heard it all before, but still you can’t seem to quit smoking cigarettes. Maybe you just haven’t tried hard enough, or often enough to succeed.

One of the most popular choices to quit smoking cigarettes is the method of going to the doctor and getting medicine. Though you have side effects that you will need to work through in this way. Not only that but you will still need to deal with those darn cravings when they happen too.

Another way to quit smoking cigarettes is to try hypnosis or even acupuncture. This way you will not have those side effects from any prescription medicines that may have been given to you by the doctor. There are different studies that do show some positive results from this way of quitting.

Cravings for that nicotine can seem unbearable at times, and that’s why others will look into hypnosis as an option to help them quit smoking cigarettes. Studies show mixed results on this and it’s not really known if it helps any more than the other choices you have to stop smoking.

Those people who’ve quit smoking cigarettes in the past will say that cravings are huge at times. Especially when you smell someone else smoking, that’s why you may need to seek out a group to join to help with quitting.

In closing, though it is a hard habit to stop, you can succeed. Many will succeed in quitting smoking each day of the year. Finding the right foods to stop your cravings that will not add on weight is also important. People who have smoked for years can quit, so can you, think positive and keep trying.

When you are a smoker you will see tons of products to help you quit. If you have decided to take this next step, congratulations. Now, you just have to decide what products to use. With so many claiming to offer you a quick and easy method, you will become confused. While some of these may work for a while, others will not. A much easier and safer way is to use hypnosis to quit smoking. Here are how other products compare:

Patches: You can find plenty of different patches on the market. They all claim to help you quit smoking easily and safely. They use patches that you stick onto your arm usually. These patches contain small traces of nicotine and perhaps some other ingredients. These are all aimed to help you quit by giving you moderated amounts and lowering them over time.

This product is sworn by by many people. What they don’t realize is that in a year’s time they will probably be back smoking again. This is because, unlike hypnosis, the patches do not find and cure the actual problem.

Gum: The gum that you get for quitting smoking is also nicotine based and works in the same way as the patches. They release smaller amounts of nicotine into the system safer than cigarettes. The only thing with gum is that many people get addicted to that instead. This is usually because smokers use cigarettes as a stress management aide. They still have something to chew on, so will keep using gum.

If smoking is a nervous or stress related habit, chewing can be soothing. Hypnosis however, will find out why you handle stress in this way and can cure you by giving you another, healthier way to cope with stress.

These products are the most common and people spend a lot of money on them over and over. Rather go to a hypnotist just once and be cured for life.

Comfort food is something we crave when we are tired, sad, lonely, stressed or even happy. We all have our own favorite comfort food, for me it is Jack in the Box tacos. If you had this food as an adult for the first time, you would never eat it again, but still you are drawn to it. It is just not logical!

The logic is simple, you have an emotional attachment to the food you are craving. I can justify eating it because I think it will make me feel happy, content or calm, I am guessing you feel the same way. You may know it is not good for you, but subconsciously you think it will. After a while you start to believe the food will make you feel better and because our mind believes this, you do feel better, but the effect is not long lasting.

As the taco is disappearing, a bite at a time, the guilt kicks in. You might have guessed this does not stop me from eating one taco, or even my second! I am sure you know this feeling, and it is very frustrating. I know I should not be eating the greasy and oddly textured taco, but I really feel like eating it. I have the same cravings, longing and urge to devour that taco, the same as you.

Inhaling the taco is a habit and the habit was learned through different ways. For me, I remember being seven or eight years old maybe. I was with my family on the way to the beach in Southern California. We were talking about Jack in the Box tacos. My mom and aunt talked about how good and greasy they are. We talked about how perfect the tacos would be to have at the beach. All of us were all happy and having a good time. It was a warm, sunny day at the beach, and we were going to play and enjoy ourselves, it would be a good day. We reached Jack in the Box and ordered the tacos, they were amazing! Some sand got into one of my tacos, but I did not care, we were having a fantastic day. Memories which are important are typically vivid and more influential than everyday random memories.

Just the thought of getting a taco from Jack in the Box triggers good feelings and sends me into a taco craze! Sometimes the actual memory comes with it and sometimes it does not. It is important to understand how we relate feelings to different things in our lives, things like food, music or a voice.

For example, I used to love Aerosmith. I would listen to their songs over and over again, but never get sick of them. All this changed in the early 90’s when I took my then girlfriend to an Aerosmith concert. Things did not get well and since then I don’t care for Aerosmith much, each song reminds me of her.

Growing up my parents had a van with pin stripes, and the interior was tangerine orange with matching carpet. Now try not to laugh too hard but it was SoCal in the 70’s. I was about six years old and encountered a large black widow spider in this van. My parents freaked out and made me and my brothers’ get out of the van quickly. For years I had an embarrassing fear of spiders. I was able to link it to this memory. I am now able to kill spiders, but if I see a big one I still get nervous, but nothing like it use to be.

When I hear my wife yelling my name, I know it is time for me to hide in the garage or look busy fast! Sometimes a stern voice makes me feel like I did something wrong or I am in trouble. Most people like me, feel like a child, especially when someone uses my first, middle and last name. This is just one more way we associate feelings or emotions, and hold on to those attachments.

Enough about me. The point of all this is to show you common sense examples of learned behaviors. Emotions associated with memories trigger very powerful, behind the scenes reactions and decisions in our minds.

If you are not sure whether or not a person can really quit smoking, let me promise you that anyone can do so. By deciding to stop smoking, you could live for many more years.

Here are some very important steps that have proved to work over time as a positive aid to help you stop smoking.

1. The first thing you need to do is make up your mind that you are going to stop. Once this has been accomplished you have taken the most critical step, if you must quit smoking. Next, you need to set a specific date and stick to it, do not allow yourself to make any excuses.

2. Clear your home and automobile of any smoking related items. Get rid of anything related to smoking, including lighters, ashtrays, cigarettes and any other forms of tobacco. You want to clear smoking from your everyday life.

That being said, have some activities ready to help take your mind off smoking. It would be best if these were healthy activities like walking, exercising or reading.

3. We all know that drinking water is important, but even more so when you begin to stop smoking. If you do not like water, try some herbal tea or fruit juice instead. Sip it slowly and continuously. The goal is to distract yourself from smoking and keep your mind occupied with other matters and healthy activities.

4. Based on your overall health and wellness, make the choice to be more active. It can be little things like going on a walk around the block, or making the choice to use the stairs instead of going on the elevator or escalator. Here is a easy tip – on your next outing to the grocery market, park your car at the very end of the parking lot, instead of close to the front doors. This way you can have a nice walk and maybe protect your car from damage by others.

5. Have a positive attitude about what you have set out to do and take pride in your decision. You will experience some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, but this is a normal and an expected part of the process. Don’t allow the inevitable cravings or bouts of irritability deter you from reaching your goal. You’ve made the decision to quit smoking; now it’s time to put your choice into action.

6. Change up your routine; do not go to places where you would usually go where there are cigarettes always ready and available. Do something without much thought, something that does not include smoking.

7. Do not procrastinate; do not allow little events to stop you from doing the most crucial thing to your overall health – stop smoking immediately. The world we live in has many problems and each of us deals with this in different ways, every day of our lives. Don’t use these problems as an excuse and put off what you need to do – quit smoking.

8. Positively reward yourself for making such as great change in your life. Since every pack of cigarettes that you do not purchase is basically extra money in your pocket, use these funds to enjoy a night out for yourself, or with a friend or a loved one. Naturally, you should select an activity that does not involve smoking.

9. Don’t count on junk food to satisfy your cravings for a smoke. When we quit smoking, our hands and mouth are left without their customary activity; you can be ready for this and fix up some healthy fruit and raw vegetable snacks.

10. Keep in mind that tomorrow will be easier than today, and the next day will be even easier. If you have the urge to smoke a cigarette, keep in mind what you have to lose by smoking, and all the benefits you gain by quitting smoking.

“Today is the first day of the rest of your life,” is an oft-repeated expression; I’d like to alter that to say, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life as a non-smoker, breath deeply and enjoy the treasure of life.

A very misunderstood self-help and relaxation subject is hypnosis. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that hypnosis is misunderstood is that most people are only familiar with stage hypnosis. During all stage sessions, participants are pre-qualified, and only the most suggestible subjects are actually brought into the performance.

The second common misconception is that people believe a hypnotist can force them to do strange things like clucking like a chicken. The fact is that a hypnotherapist can’t make you do anything that you don’t want to do, or are incapable of doing. If it’s against your nature, you won’t do it, hypnotized or not. The subjects on stage performing outrageous acts are uninhibited and outgoing by nature, and that’s why they’re on stage in the first place.

Hypnosis is only a form of guided relaxation. That’s it. Even without the magic, hypnotherapy can work wonders for retraining your brain (e.g. to quit smoking or change a destructive habit). When your brain is open to suggestion, you are more likely to absorb positive affirmations, and the goal of hypnosis is to help you open yourself to suggestion.

Another way to look at hypnosis is that it’s positive affirmations or positive self-talk made when the mind is relaxed. So there’s nothing mysterious about hypnosis. If you understand meditation, you understand hypnosis, i.e. leading your body and mind into a relaxed state.

Some people are more suggestible than others and some people are naturally averse to hypnosis altogether. About one out of five people will likely be resistant to hypnosis, but others will be able to implant positive messages into their subconscious, relax, and put themselves to sleep.

Smoking in particular is a good candidate for hypnotherapy because much of the addiction is psychological, and that is an area the self-hypnosis can help you address. Considering the expense of cigarettes, and the expense of typical cessation programs like nicotine gum, the patch, shots, and the like, the modest investment in a simple hypnotherapy audio that you can listen to in the comfort of your home is appealing.

At the very least, hypnosis will help you lower stress levels, relax, and balance yourself. If you are a smoker, a hypnosis smoking cessation program might be exactly what you need, and you can safely participate in one without worrying about clucking at odd hours of the day!