As people continue to explore the amazing ways of quitting smoking then it is imperative that they also look at the possibilities of changing their lifestyle. Of course there is a possibility that some of the advice that is given will not work but the person should be on the lookout for new developments. For example some people claim that multivitamin treatments help them to keep healthy and avoid smoke. That is a matter of personal choice and preferences. Here are a few pointers:

• Honesty is the best policy: An honest assessment of the journey that the person has taken and the vulnerability that they face might be the best way of ensuring that they do not give up on the journey. Knowing that smoking is bad is just the beginning of the battle. The next phase of the battle is to ensure that the person can effectively quit the habit in time. Honesty will help you to deal with the down times when nothing seems to work.
• Read about the consequences of smoking: Some people do not realize the gravity of the situation that they are in. It takes them time to fully understand that the smoke will kill them if nothing is done. That is where it is imperative that they take the time to look at the different elements that make this habit toxic. A few films showing the symptoms of lung cancer might wake you up.
• Complement the nicotine patches: It is important not to concentrate on just one strategy. It might fail and the person will have nowhere to run. It is better to complement the strategies with different elements so that if one fails there is always an alternative. The patches might be complemented by therapy. Of course it is imperative that the patient does not take an overdose of the patches.
• Hypnosis might not work: Some people say that hypnosis works for them while others say that it is not thing but a waste of time. It is important that the person is able to make the right distinctions and not fall into the trap of just taking up smoking for the sake of it. They also have to think about the down time when there will be no therapist to hold their hand. That is when quitting becomes a real challenge. They should be prepared for the good times and the bad times.

A list of possible solutions for smokers

Smokers are in something of a conundrum. They have to find ways of quitting the habit. It is a bit like learning how to stop smoking pot. There will be many temptations and the person has to have the discipline to overcome them. Here are ten tips to quit:

• Drinking water: This is a good habit in any case but it also cleanses the body. In any case the process of preparing the water might help the person to overcome the temporary urges.
• Honest assessment: The individual that is trying to quit has to look at their problem squarely in the face and then start the process of healing and recovery. Pretending to give up is not a good idea.
• Get rid of the memories: The aids to smoking will be a temptation and therefore must be removed from the environment. They are unnecessary distractions to the things that you are trying to achieve.
• Independence: Do not rely on others to tell you why you should quit. The decision is personal. This is not an area where you can rely on the props from other people in order to succeed.
• Publicize the decision to quit: This will ensure that you cannot be openly hypocritical about the situation. The publicity will mean that you are under an obligation to remain clean.
• Increase the exercise regime: It will keep you occupied and help you to look much better. It is also part of the healthy lifestyle that you are trying to emulate. Certainly it has worked for people that wish to achieve certain goals.
• Keep a diary of progress: This will focus your mind on the task ahead. This might be a private affair or you could put it on the social media networks. People normally respond to share their experiences. Of course you might get some abuse but that goes with the territory.
• Ask for help when you need it: This means that you are not dealing with the problem in isolation but with the support of the community around you. The family will be especially important at this time in your life.
• Get friends that do not smoke: They will put pressure on you not to smoke in their presence. They will also keep you occupied with activities that are not likely to get you back to the habit.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) said every extra day after quitting helped smokers reduce their risk of heart problems in the future.

It came as the charity continued its Under My Skin advertising campaign, with thousands of posters appearing on billboards around the UK to remind smokers of the damage their habit causes to their health.

BHF medical spokeswoman, Dr Charmaine Griffiths, said: “Smokers’ risk of having a heart attack plummets after quitting.

“After just two weeks, your circulation has improved and blood vessels are becoming more efficient at carrying blood and oxygen around your body.

“A healthy heart is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your loved ones.

“The lead up to Christmas is a good time to plan a quit attempt and success can be just a phone call away.”

The latest campaign, which includes TV and radio ads, features the disturbing image of a lump rippling under a smoker’s skin to symbolise the unseen damage caused by smoking.

It also carries the message that every 35 minutes a smoker dies needlessly from a heart attack when a blood clot blocks a coronary artery.

Research shows that support from the NHS Stop Smoking advisors combined with nicotine replacement therapy can increase a smoker’s likelihood of quitting by up to four times.

Dr Griffiths said: “If all smokers were to trade cigarettes for nicotine patches or chewing gum tomorrow, we would see a dramatic fall in the number of deaths from heart disease.

“On average, UK smokers who die in middle age lose 21 years of life – so being smoke-free can actually add years to your life.”

Public health minister Caroline Flint said: “We know that smoking is the biggest cause of heart disease in this country.

“One in five deaths from coronary heart disease are directly attributed to smoking and could be avoided.

“It is important that people are made aware of the damage they are doing to their bodies by continuing to smoke.

“This advert is an effective way of communicating the risks to a wide audience.

“I am confident that it will act as a motivation for people to contact the NHS Stop Smoking Services for their best chance of giving up for good.”

The BHF is urging smokers to call their helpline – 0800 169 1900 – or visit their website www.bhf.org.uk/smoking for advice on quitting.

Source: Daily Mail

Nowadays, tobacco companies continue to expand with new variants of the “light”, “mild” and “low tar” cigarette campaigns so popular in the 20th century. Nowadays, they reassure health concerned smokers by offering with their new products the illusion of safety. They continue to take their old and new customers to more insidious levels of deception by promoting and selling new products disguised under healthier names, fruity flavours or more attractive-looking packaging.

Objective

The purpose of World No Tobacco Day 2006 is to encourage countries and governments to work towards strict regulation of tobacco products. We will do this by raising awareness about the existence of the wide variety of deadly tobacco products. Regulation should also help people get accurate information, remove the disguise and unveil the truth behind tobacco products – traditional, new, and future.

JOIN PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD ON THE CELEBRATION OF WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY 2006. START RAISING AWARENESS NOW ABOUT TOBACCO: DEADLY IN ANY FORM OR DISGUISE

Source: World Health Organisation

Cotinine is a chemical that is made by the body from nicotine, which is found in cigarette smoke. Since cotinine can be made only from nicotine, and since nicotine enters the body with cigarette smoke, cotinine measurements can show how much cigarette smoke enters your body.

As far as we know, cotinine itself is not harmful. Cotinine is used simply to measure how much tobacco smoke has entered your body. However, many studies show that some of the 4,000 other chemicals found in tobacco smoke are harmful

The only way to reduce your cotinine level is to stop or reduce your exposure to cigarette smoke.

Depending on how high your level is to begin with, your level could drop to that of a nonsmoker in 7 to 10 days.

Cotinine has an in vivo half life of about 24 hours. Nicotine’s half-life is about 30 minutes. Timing of sampling relative to the last cigarette smoked may account for some fluctuation of cotinine levels in steady smokers. For smokers with a fairly constant smoking pattern, cotinine levels reach a steady state, varying only by 15%-20% over the course of the day. Levels should be lowest in the morning as there is typically minimal exposure to cigarette smoke overnight. Once a sample is collected, metabolism ceases and cotinine levels should not change; however, saliva or urine left at room temperature for extended periods may experience degradation of cotinine due to bacterial contamination.

The methods for flushing out Cotinine are much the same as Nicotine, which we discussed in How Long Does Nicotine Remain In Your Body? Hours? Days?.

Related:

Cotinine
FBR Cotinine Pamphlet
Cotinine FAQ

Women with 10 or more TV/movie appearances

45 Sarah Jessica Parker
36 Kristian Alfonso
34 Bette Davis
32 Sheridan Smith
32 Mädchen Amick
31 Andrea Parker
30 Maura Tierney
28 Barbara Stanwyck
28 Catherine Deneuve
26 Joan Crawford
25 Melanie Griffith
25 Sherilyn Fenn
24 Lara Flynn Boyle
24 Natalie Casey
24 Drea de Matteo
22 Karen Black
22 Marlene Dietrich
22 Joan Collins
21 Lucille Ball
21 Parker Posey
21 Romy Schneider
20 Deborah Kara Unger
19 Linda Fiorentino
19 Vanessa Lengies
19 Debi Mazar
19 Ava Gardner
19 Kirstie Alley
19 Jennifer Tilly
19 Rosanna Arquette
19 Isabelle Huppert
19 Jennifer Jason Leigh
19 Beverly D’Angelo
19 Virginia Madsen
18 Kay Francis
18 Maggie Cheung
18 Susan Sarandon
18 Annabella Sciorra
17 Helena Bonham Carter
17 Susan Hayward
16 Jane Fonda
16 Jeanne Moreau
16 Jacqueline Bisset
16 Jessica Lange
16 Ginger Rogers
16 Anna Levine
16 Patricia Arquette
16 Kim Cattrall
16 Juliette Lewis
15 Daniela Nardini
15 Elizabeth Ashley
15 Shirley MacLaine
15 Miranda Richardson
15 Brenda Bakke
15 Anita Ekberg
15 Sharon Stone
15 Faye Dunaway
15 Janeane Garofalo
15 Sean Young
14 Diane Keaton
14 Jan Hooks
14 Charlize Theron
14 Ashley Judd
14 Helen Baxendale
14 Suzanne Pleshette
14 Ann Sheridan
14 Rita Hayworth
14 Lauren Ambrose
14 Natalie Wood
14 Lana Turner
13 Jasmin Tabatabai
13 Myrna Loy
13 Ida Lupino
13 Frances Barber
13 Judy Davis
13 Rachel Griffiths
13 Janet Leigh
13 Diane Lane
13 Traci Lords
13 Christina Ricci
13 JoBeth Williams
13 Theresa Russell
13 Markie Post
13 Joanna Lumley
13 Natasha Lyonne
13 Elizabeth Perkins
13 Gina Gershon
13 Ellen Barkin
12 Charlotte Rampling
12 Ally Sheedy
12 Nathalie Baye
12 Gwyneth Paltrow
12 Leslie Hope
12 Emmanuelle Béart
12 Maya Rudolph
12 Lauren Bacall
12 Pamela Gidley
12 Joan Bennett
12 Amanda Plummer
12 Elizabeth McGovern
12 Helen Mirren
12 Béatrice Dalle
12 Stella Stevens
12 Molly Ringwald
12 Bonnie Bedelia
12 Mia Kirshner
12 Goldie Hawn
12 Helen Shaver
12 Tara Fitzgerald
12 Delta Burke
12 Beverley Callard
12 Stefanie Powers
12 Cathy Moriarty
12 Jennifer Beals
12 Anne Francis
11 Wendie Malick
11 Anne Heche
11 Natasha Richardson
11 Jennifer Rubin
11 Lolita Davidovich
11 Anna Friel
11 Daryl Hannah
11 Julie Christie
11 Carole Lombard
11 Lee Remick
11 Juliette Binoche
11 Karen Allen
11 Franka Potente
11 Louise Delamere
11 Stockard Channing
11 Christine Lahti
11 Meryl Streep
11 Jean Smart
11 Dominique Swain
11 Jean Harlow
11 Brigitte Bardot
11 Lili Taylor
11 Simone Signoret
11 Barbara Hershey
11 Marisa Tomei
11 Joanne Whalley-Kilmer
11 Kari Wuhrer
11 Madonna
11 Gene Tierney

11 Anne Bancroft
10 Teri Hatcher
10 Shelley Winters
10 Perdita Avery
10 Winona Ryder
10 Lesley Ann Warren
10 Eleanor Parker
10 Natalia Wörner
10 Martha Plimpton
10 Mary Tyler Moore
10 Carol Lynley
10 Diane Venora
10 Shirley Henderson
10 Greta Garbo
10 Rosalind Russell
10 Claire Forlani
10 Amanda Peet
10 Martha Hyer
10 Lesley-Anne Down
10 Christina Applegate
10 Eve Arden
10 Demi Moore
10 Elizabeth Taylor
10 Cameron Diaz
10 Ann Dvorak
10 Mary Steenburgen
10 Dana Delany
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10 Margot Kidder
10 Holly Hunter
10 Asia Argento
10 Gena Rowlands
10 Carol Cheng
10 Anne Archer
10 Carol Kane
10 Mare Winningham
10 Amy Madigan
10 Annie Potts
10 Hayley Mills
10 Debra Winger
10 Martina Gedeck
10 Marg Helgenberger
10 Alyssa Milano
10 Carolyn Jones
10 Angelina Jolie
10 Molly Parker
10 Anjelica Huston
10 Leah Remini
10 Sigourney Weaver
10 Kathryn Harrold
10 Nicole Kidman
10 Sue Lloyd

196 women with 10 or more appearances

Related:

Celeb Smoking
Female Celebrity Smoking List

We have more information on Quitting or Stopping Smoking in Australia here.

The advertisement, which will be launched on national television tonight, seeks to revive the element of shock in the campaign by focusing on a consequence few people associate with cigarettes — gangrene.

Smokers are 2 times more likely to develop peripheral vascular disease, a blockage of the arteries in the legs and arms which can cause the infection. In the most severe cases, amputation is the only option.

About 800 Victorians are diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease every year . It usually affects older people, but vascular surgeon Mark Westcott said some smokers in their 30s had been affected and had major amputations. “It’s a bit despairing when there is nothing more that can be done,” he said.

For Fotios Tsigaridis, 78, the campaign comes too late. A father of three and former railway labourer, Mr Tsigaridis learned the brutal lesson some 13 years ago when, after 50 years of smoking, he developed gangrene in his right leg and had to have it amputated.

With a prosthetic limb and two walking sticks, Mr Tsigaridis, whose name means cigarettes in Greek, can walk short distances but do little more on his own.

In the past five years, more than 1500 amputations have been performed in Victoria. Of the 125 patients who had major amputations at St Vincent’s Hospital in that time, 100 were current or former smokers. Yet a recent survey showed that almost 75 per cent of smokers did not accept that smoking could cause gangrene.

Source: The Age

Recent studies have shown that Honey can help with quitting smoking.

Writings on the healing and curative powers of honey date from ancient Egypt. Fortunately for us, these writings have been faithfully documented and archived through the ages, leaving us a legacy of honey that is truly unique in recorded history.

It is probably safe to say that no other food source in the world is as rich. In fact, the variety of components contained in honey range across such a broad spectrum of vitamins, enzymes, proteins and amino acids, that it is actually classified as a complete food.

Grape Juice – Grapefruit

There are claims that a six week-treatment with grape juice has been known to wash cancer out of the blood. There are also numerous claims that skin cancer will dry and “flake off” using this remedy. If your stomach becomes queasy or loose, start the treatment from the beginning but use smaller amounts of grape juice, mixed half-and-half with water, and gradually increase your intake of the grape juice. When your stomach adjusts, take the grape juice straight. Continue this treatment for six weeks.

This cure is thought to have been brought to New York by English doctors and is said to have been used sucessfully to cure hopeless cancer patients. One undocumented report states that of 100 patients sent home to die after being diagnosed as terminally ill with cancer, all subscribed to the treatment and were saved. The total treatment can be had for under $25. The treatment is especially recommended in the case of leukemia patients. Six weeks of this treatment is supposed to be enough.

Natives of the West Indies like to chew on licorice sticks or on sugar cane stalks. Inspired by this, one doctor recommended that his patients chew licorice sticks to break the smoking habit. The idea has apparently been very successful. Ex-smokers like having something to chew on or hold in their mouths. The licorice stick is a safe substitute for a cigarette.

Other Names of Licorice Root
Liquorice, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Fisch., Radix Glycyrrhizae, Gan Cao, Kan-Tsao.

Used Part, Taste and Property
Root and rhizome; Sweet and neutral; non-toxic.

Common Use in Chinese Herbal Formulas
Vital energy tonic, fatigue, weakness; Sore throat, cough, Addison’s disease. Used in Patent Formulas of Si Jun Zi Tang, Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang, Er Chen Tang and this herbal quitting formula.

Main Chemical Components
Triterpenoid, saponin (glycyrrhizin), flavonone (liquiritin, liquirigenin), chalcones, isoflavan, licoricone, etc.

Many people do recommend if you trying to quit smoking you should eat licorice. Black or Red makes no difference. Licorice has a ‘calming the nerves’ affect, helps lower Cholesterol and is non-fattening.

Stage 1 (7 days): You smoke at your normal rate and use the QuitKey smoke button to record every cigarette you smoke. QuitKey uses this information to form your personal quit plan.

Stage 2 (14 to 34 days): QuitKey helps you follow your quit plan by prompting you when to smoke. Each day you smoke less and gradually reduce you nicotine dependence while preparing yourself to quit for good.

Here’s why QuitKey is the best way to treat your tobacco addiction:

• Gradual Self-Help: You break your habit at your own pace.
• Personal: Your program is based on your habit.
• Flexible: Adjusts if you have a bad day.
• Scientifically Based: Combines the best nicotine withdrawal knowledge with behavior modification principles.
• Convenient: QuitKey is a hand held computer.
• Free Support Hotline: Just pick up the phone to reach our QuitKey Support Staff.
• Safe and Natural: Uses no drugs or gimmicks.
• Proven: Clinically tested by major medical research institutions.
• Pays for Itself: Costs less than two months’ worth of cigarettes for the average smoker.

Development and evaluation of the QuitKey approach was funded, in part, by Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants awarded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Here are some of the reports and published articles associated with these studies.

Buy the QuitKey now!

• People – With whom are you most likely to want to smoke?
• Places – Where are you most likely to want to smoke?
• Things – With what, e.g. alcohol, coffee, on the phone, are you most likely to want to smoke?
• Times – When are you most likely to want to smoke, e.g., after meals, when you first get up?

Important: Times when you may be most tempted to smoke may include times when you feel certain ways, e.g. stressed, angry, bored, lonely, sad.

Additionally, it may also help you to anticipate what “feelings” you may experience as you begin, and what you may possibly do to overcome them. Here are some common complaints from other people who quit, and what they did to feel better. Of course, no two people are exactly alike. Some people have some of these complaints; others don’t have any.

As for specific examples..

• Finishing a meal. Get up from the table immediately and start a pleasurable activity. Try a walk or a new hobby.
• Drinking coffee. Change the way you have coffee: the place, the coffee mug, everything that you did when you were smoking. Wait until you are at work to have your morning coffee.
• Talking on the telephone. Use a phone in a different room when you are at home. At the office, there may be little you can do to change location. Have small objects nearby to handle while you are on the phone.
• Between tasks. Instead of smoking a cigarette before moving on to your next project, try taking a short walk or reading a section of the newspaper or a chapter of a novel you’re enjoying.
• After an argument, disappointment, or negative event. If you are still feeling angry or upset, let off the steam by walking briskly around the building.
• In the car. Since smoking has been banned in so many workplaces, cars are becoming a popular place to smoke. Remove the ashtray from your car, or fill it with potpourri or tiny strips of paper on which you’ve written the reasons you don’t want to smoke anymore. Instead of smoking while you drive, play your favorite music on the stereo and sing along.

I managed to deal with all the triggers, and so can you!

If you need more information on a trigger that isn’t here, and you aren’t sure how to cope, you can always search quitspeed, or drop us a line and we’ll get back to you.

The best thing you can do with this craving is just wait out the urge. The urges tend to last only a few minutes, instead of smoking choose to do some exercise; go for a walk around the block. And you can always practice the four D’s -

• Distract yourself
• Deep breathing
• Drink water
• Do something else

Cravings for a cigarette can be confused with hunger pangs and oral craving – desire for something in the mouth. Oral fixation is a common problem with ex-smokers and those people trying to quit.

Drink water or low-calorie liquids; be prepared with low-calorie snacks. The best I found was strips of carrot or apple, tasty and healthy too, plus gives you something to munch on rather than biting your fingers.

More info is available in our article on How to Quit or Stop Smoking Cold Turkey and Will I gain weight if I quit smoking? And how much will I gain?.

It’s recommended for various things including:

• Alcohol withdrawal support
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Depression
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Menopause symptoms
• Photosensitivity
• Psoriasis
• Surgery and recovery support
• Urinary tract infection

Staphysagria is homeopathic remedy made from the seeds of the Delphinium Staphisagria, which has lovely purple-blue flowers, and in its raw form is highly poisonous, historically used to kill vermin. The homeopathic remedy, through its preparation, is no longer toxic yet remains extremely powerful. This remedy highlights ferocity in human emotion which society has tried to groom out of us. It is frowned upon when we have angry or passionate outbursts. We are supposed to ‘control ourselves’ and ‘get hold of our emotions’. What do we do when rage thunders through our bodies? If we show it, we are considered uncivilized.

Staphysagria
Increases will power and helps break the smoking habit

Tabacum
Controls the body’s desire for tobacco

Lick a little salt with the tip of your tongue whenever you feel the urge to smoke. This is said to break the habit within one month.

One way to curb smoking is to eat foods that are high in alkaline (the opposite of acid). This may work by changing the preference of your taste buds. In India, boiled oats have been used for many years to treat opium addiction. A welcome side effect of this alkaline treatment was that addicts often lost interest in cigarettes as well as opium. Other foods that may make it easier for you to quit smoking by increasing your body alkalinity are spinach, beet greens, raisins, figs, dried lima beans, dandelion greens, and almonds.

When a Chinese smoker wants to quit, he or she tries this traditional remedy: Mix grated fresh radish with 2 tsps. of honey and drink it like juice.

Natives of the West Indies like to chew on licorice sticks or on sugar cane stalks. Inspired by this, one doctor recommended that his patients chew licorice sticks to break the smoking habit. The idea has apparently been very successful. Ex-smokers like having something to chew on or hold in their mouths. The licorice stick is a safe substitute for a cigarette.

In the southeastern United States, particurally in Appalachia, people who want to stop smoking chew on a birch branch to help curb the oral fixation related to the smoking habit.

If your New Years resolution is to quit smoking here’s a tip for you. You may have heard about offices in Japan circulating essential oils of Lemon, Peppermint and Cypress through the air conditioning systems to keep office workers alert. Well, an interesting side effect, it seemed to reduce their urge to smoke..

U.S. scientists say grapefruit juice may help some smokers stave off cancer. Researchers stress smoking is an unhealthy, potentially fatal habit that should be avoided. However, they found drinking grapefruit juice may help reduce the risk of developing cancer from tobacco use. In a small study of 49 smokers, researchers at the University of Hawaii found drinking three 6-ounce glasses of grapefruit juice a day reduced the activity of a liver enzyme called CYP1A2, thought to activate cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke.The findings were presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

• Vitamin E is a very important antioxidant needed to repair cell damage cause by smoke.
• Vitamin A helps repair the mucus membranes which are damaged by smoking.

For cravings cayenne desensitizes the respiratory linings to tobacco and chemical irritants. It’s an antioxidant that stabilizes lung membranes preventing damage. The warm peppery taste reduces cigarette cravings.

Ginger and lobelia prevent nausea and helps quitting reduces anxiety ginger produces perspiration which helps to shed toxins generated from smoking.

I always knew it was an issue, but I didn’t realise until I quit what an impact it has, how much tastiness you are missing out on, and of course the smells (both good and bad).

In our article on Recovery Times – After your Last Cigarette, you can see taste and smell will increase about 48 hours after your last cigarette.

There really is a noticeable difference.

Tobacco smoking is the most concentrated form of pollution that most people will ever be exposed to. It impairs the ability to identify odors and diminishes the sense of taste. Quitting smoking improves the smell function.

If you smoke cigarettes, your sense of smell may not be as good as it should be. Smokers have more trouble identifying odors than nonsmokers do, and about twice as many smokers as nonsmokers have a reduced sense of smell. Smoking affects the sense of smell in both young people and older ones.

The sense of smell is more important than you may realize. Much of the flavor of food actually comes from its smell, rather than its taste. People who can’t smell don’t enjoy their food as much as other people do. The sense of smell is also important for safety. For example, people with an impaired sense of smell would be less able to detect the odor that is added to natural gas (the kind of gas used in gas stoves) to alert people to gas leaks.

You also can’t smell the lovely Malaysian sewer smell and your colleagues farts…but well you have to live with those when you get your smell back!