Effects of Smoking

Quit Smoking In this article we are going to disco...

Balaji Sampath — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:42:00 +0000

Quit Smoking
In this article we are going to discover some of the ways in which Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire can help you to stop smoking. The benefits of stopping smoking are endless. You will of course be generally much healthier, and of course much more empowered when you are no longer at the mercy of a little white stick. Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire is a hypnotherapy practice based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. We are dedicated to ensure that you give up smoking with ease and speed. This is why we offer two choices to our clients who are interested in quitting smoking and a free consultation.

When you make the decision to use Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire to help you quit smoking, we initially want to make sure that you are completely motivated to do so and that you want to give up smoking for all the right reasons. For example, one of our clients said that he really enjoyed smoking but that his wife hated it and that he wanted to stop smoking for her. Fortunately, the hypnotherapist identified this mans lack of motivation to achieve the goal for himself. If they’d have carried out the hypnotherapy there is little chance that it would have been successful due to the fact that the client didn’t have the desire to want to quit smoking.

At Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire, we use a range of different hypnotherapy techniques to assist our clients so that they are able to stop smoking. Here are some example of how we do it:

Away from techniques- At Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire we have many facts about the negative impact smoking has on the mind and body. When our hypnotherapist bombards you with this information you will feel compelled to move away from smoking forever.

Moving towards techniques- We also have lots of information about the positive impact quitting smoking and remaining a non smoker has. At Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire we are keen to set goals for the future that wouldn’t have been attainable whilst you were a smoker. Now that you are a non smoker you can explore new ways to relax, to exercise and to spend your money.

Metaphors- at Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire, we believe that if you can lay back and enjoy the experience of quitting smoking, then you should! That’s why we use tailor made metaphors, which give very specific instructions to you subconscious mind and suggestions to give up smoking. However, consciously, you don’t even need to listen, you can just lay back and relax.

Empowering alternatives- Wouldn’t it be fantastic to know that you can, not only give up smoking, but that you can also look forward to doing something really and truly meaningful to do instead, such as spending time with your family, which, no doubt, if you didn’t quit smoking, you wouldn’t have had that time to do.

Anchoring- At Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire, our hypnotherapist’s are all also qualified in NLP. This means that throughout your intervention there is a strong chance that the hypnotherapist will also use some NLP techniques. One such NLP techniques is called anchoring. This allows the hypnotherapist to create for you, a really powerful positive resource that you can fire off at will, should you find yourself tempted by cigarettes.

Now I know that I mentioned before that Hypnotherapy Hertfordshire offers two choices to clients who want to stop smoking, and here they are. Once you have made the decision to quit smoking, you can choose if you would like our free support for the next 6 months or for the rest of your entire life. This means that at any time within those time frames, should you start smoking again, we will work for free to get you to quit smoking again. And, in both of these circumstances, we will have you quit smoking in just one session. That’s it, just once. Then you are a non smoker and you do not need to return. And yes, the consultation is free too.

About The Author

Gemma Bailey is qualified hypnotherapist and NLP Master Practitioner. She is based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and has helped many clients and patients throughout South East England. For more information on Hypnotherapy, NLP therapies and Life coaching, visit http://www.gemmabailey.co.uk

Quitting Smoking : Why Women’s Health May Benefit ...

Balaji Sampath — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:39:00 +0000

Quitting Smoking : Why Women’s Health May Benefit More

There are a lot of reasons to quit smoking. We all know the life threatening reasons, but we don’t necessarily understand the the full impact that smoking has on our bodies and minds, and possibly even on others around us.

Women especially are susceptible to some of the more hidden dangers of smoking, and may actually benefit in different ways than men when it comes to smoking cessation.

For example, many women probably do not even know this, but lung cancer is now killing more women every year than breast cancer. That’s right, lung cancer is actually more deadly to a woman than breast cancer, which is by far more talked about in women’s health than lung cancer.

Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer since nearly 90% of all cases are traced directly to smoking, so it’s important that women really understand the health benefits of quitting smoking.

There are actually a lot more health issues that a woman needs to think about if she is a smoker as well. For example, most contraceptive pills carry warnings on them that the patient should not take the contraceptive birth control pill if she is a smoker.

Her risk of developing heart problems is greatly increased if she is smoking while on the pill, since smoking increases blood pressure, and the pill is known to also increase blood pressure. This creates a double hazard for heart issues.

Another concern may be for a woman’s children. Children many times can develop asthma and other types of breathing problems if the child is exposed to cigarette smoke at a young age. This is also a concern for men, since they are not exempt from this rule either!

There are also a myriad of other health problems, inconveniences and even just “cosmetic” reasons that a woman may want to consider smoking cessation in order that she may be her “best self”.

These don’t necessarily fall into the category of life threatening or imminent dangers, but they certainly can affect your quality of life, as well as your appearance, which is held in high regard in today’s aesthetically concerned society. These additional health and well being benefits to smoking cessation are as follows :

1.) Your skin is greatly affected by smoking, and not in a good way as you can probably imagine. As we age, our skin cell turnover tends to slow down. Smoking actually speeds the process of this slower turnover up, making us essentially age faster.

Add to this the fact that smoking essentially robs our body of oxygen and creates more free radicals, which are skin’s number one enemy and aging’s number one comrade, and you have a recipe for accelerated aging, and sagging, colorless skin.

Most women see a marked improvement in the tone, clarity and firmness of their skin just a few weeks after they quit smoking, especially if they were a heavy smoker.

2.) Your teeth and mouth will thank you. Smoking not only gives you bad breath, but it also turns your teeth yellow, or sometimes even brown from nicotine residue and tabacco staining.

3.) Quitting smoking can greatly help with your mental state. What do I mean? I mean that smoking may seem at first like it is a relaxant, since it tends to immediately feel like it is relieving tension and anxiety once the cigarette is in your mouth and you begin to inhale. Contrary to this belief that cigarettes "calm" you, studies have shown that in the long run smoking actually increases anxiety.

We all know that depression and anxiety tend to go hand in hand, so quitting smoking may also greatly benefit a woman’s psyche.

4.) No more coughing, weezing, and possibly even a reduction in allergies. If you quit smoking, chances are you will breathe a lot easier.

It takes a lot less time for your lungs to heal than you think. Studies have shown that even the most blackened smoker’s lungs have made full recoveries within just a few months after they have quit smoking.

Copyright 2006 Danna Schneider

About The Author

Danna Schneider is the founder of http://www.herbal-therapeutics.com , where several natural remedies, including smoking cessation aids can be found. She also co-manages http://www.spoozer.com a men's online magazine .

The Bad Effects of Smoking Smoking is a slow pois...

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 17:04:00 +0000

The Bad Effects of Smoking

Smoking is a slow poison. Following are the cigarette smoking effects and reasons why should you quit smoking

Harmful Effects of Smoking on your Body, Lung and Health

90% of lung cancer occurs in those who have smoked. Each package delivers the equivalent of one chest x-ray and affects lungs
Cigarette smoking causes heart disease and stroke. Studies proved that these diseases can be found in smokers
The smokers lives 7 years lesser than someone who never smoke
Smoking may cause shortness of breath
Smoking causes damage to small blood vessels and thus increases the risk for cellulite.
Smoking is an important risk factor for respiratory illnesses and its effects causes 85,000 deaths per year from pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia
Nicotine in Cigarettes stimulates the central nervous system and increases the heart rate and blood pressure.
Smoking is the one of the major cause for Lung Cancer
Smoking have been proved to decline the quality of sperm.
Smoking raises the risk for diabetes problems.
Children and adolescents who are active smokers will have increasingly severe respiratory illness, as they grow older

Harmful Effects of Smoking on your Appearance, Skin and Hair

Smokers are four times more likely to have gray hair than non-smokers. Even worse, smoking has been conclusively linked to accelerated hair loss.
Smoking may cause "Smoker's face" because a series of noticeable changes in skin complexion and colour is caused by toxins
Smoking dries out the skin as result reduces skin's ability to regenerate
Smoking reduces the level of collagen in the skin which leads to loss of elasticity and the quick formation of lines and wrinkles
Smoking causes blood vessel constriction of the top layers of skin which reduces the oxygen levels which leads to a dull complexion

Harmful Effect of Smoking cigarettes on young people and Pregnanent Women

Among young people, the smoking cause respiratory and nonrespiratory effects, addiction to nicotine, and the risk of other drug use. The main effect of smoking, is the young people who smoke may smokers for rest of their life.

The resting heart rates of young adult smokers are two to three beats per minute faster than non-smokers

The bad effects of smoking cigarettes are more dangerous that every year thousands of people died out of it. The smoking effects on Pregnanent Women are far more dangerous.

The Reasons Behind Smoking by: Rob Mellor So...

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 17:03:00 +0000

The Reasons Behind Smoking

by: Rob Mellor

So what are . Both you and me know that it is not good for our health? There are very many reasons to it but in this article we will look over the biggest reason in today’s world and that is to release STRESS. So what is stress, can we get rid of it through smoking, if not then how can we get rid of it, lets look at the reason behind smoking.

Stress – What is it?
Stress is the result of feeling helpless, incapable to perform, not able to meet the deadlines and pressurized. Stress could be due to any reason, be it down to pressure at the office, home or even a bad financial situation, or it could be due to anything your not happy with.

Can smoking get rid of it?
Can we get rid of stress through smoking? Will smoking make us relax and even feel better about life? Well lets look at it like this, will smoking get you out of that bad financial situation or do your work for you at the office or even ease things at home. I don’t think so! Then why carry on smoking, it’s not going to cure the problems but just ease it for a few minutes at the very most.

So what do you do?
Then what should I do in a stressful moment? The answer is to confront it head on. You need to find a long term solution to the problem. If you having financial trouble, go to the bank. Trouble at the office, see your boss. Don’t go to the shop and buy more cigarettes, they won’t sort the problem out long term. By confronting it head on you will ease your stress over time.

Don’t Smoke
Smoking is bad for you. Smoking increases the chances of death due to lungs and breast cancer by a number of times. It wrecks the lungs during sports. One good way of easing stress for the short term is to do sport, it can control it way better than smoking can.

Tobacco the chemical contained in the cigar narrows the blood vessels and strains our heart. This gives you a larger risk of strokes and heart disease. If you haven’t stopped yet them you need go for a stress free way of stopping. That way you’ll not feel worse off than when you smoked.

About the author:
Rob Mellor owns the website helping normal people stop smoking in less than 40 minutes. Please visit the site for more information on our stop smoking program

Reasons Why You Should Quit Smoking by: Charle...

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 17:03:00 +0000

Reasons Why You Should Quit Smoking

by: Charlene J. Nuble

Smoking can hook you because cigarettes contain nicotine which is highly addictive. But being hooked is not an excuse why you cannot quit smoking. Smoking has been proven by several researches to be great threat to one's health, that is why there is no reason why one who is already hooked to it should not quit smoking.

It is tough to quit smoking. People try at least 2 to 3 times before they can finally quit smoking. It takes hard work and lots of effort but if you're really determined then you can quit smoking for good.

Why quit smoking?

There are at least five reasons why you should quit smoking.

* First, if you quit smoking, you will definitely live longer and better.

* Second, each time you smoke, you take about 5 to 20 minutes off your life. Your chance of getting lung cancer, stroke or heart attack increases if you don't quit smoking.

* Third, the people you live with, especially the children, will be healthier only if you stop smoking. In fact, second hand smoke is more dangerous than the actual smoke users get from smoking.

* Fourth, if you quit smoking, you will have extra money to spend on other things than cigarettes.

* And lastly, if you’re pregnant, chances of having a healthier baby is more likely if you quit smoking.

So the next and most crucial question is "how do I quit smoking?"

Here are five ways that can help you quit smoking:

1. Get ready and prepare yourself to undetake your quit somking program? Set a quit smoking date. Change your environment by getting rid of all cigarettes in places you frequent and not allowing people to smoke near you or at your home.

2. Get support and encouragement. Studies have shown that you'll have better chances in quitting smoking if you can get support from families, friends, and co-workers.

3. Learn new skills and behavior. Always remember that your goal is to quit smoking, so distract yourself from urges of smoking. Change your routine in your first try of quit smoking program. Do something to reduce your stress such as taking a hot bath, exercise, or reading. Plan something to do enjoyable every day.

4. Get medication and use it correctly. Medications can help you lessen the urge to smoke. Five approved medications that can help you to quit smoking are: Bupropion SR, nicotine gum, nicotine inhaler, nicotine nasal spray, and nicotine patch.

5. Be prepared for a relapse. If you quit smoking, chances of a relapse is high. Most relapses occur after 3 months of quitting, so watch out for situations that may trigger you get back to smoking such as alcohol, other smokers, weight gain and depression.

Everyone can quit smoking so don’t hesitate to at least try to quit smoking also.

Quit smoking now and I guarantee you a healthier, better and longer life.

About the author:
Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For updated links and information about quit smoking, please go to: or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to:

How to Stay Quit by: Llewellin Jegels We ...

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 17:02:00 +0000

How to Stay Quit

by: Llewellin Jegels

We have all met different people who claim that 'quitting smoking is easy.' They generally say this as they are puffing on a cigarette. Sure -- it's easy to quit for an hour or a day, but it is the steadfastly remaining quit part which is demanding.

According to the US Surgeon General's report the advantages of giving up smoking begin almost straightaway and increase the longer you keep away from smoking. After just 20 minutes of nonsmoking your blood pressure comes back to normal. Eight hours later, your system has flushed the carbon dioxide. During the three months after quitting, your lung capacity increases by 30%.

One year after quitting your risk of heart attack has become half that of a steady smoker. After five years your risk of sudden stroke has normalized and after 10 years your expected risk of lung cancer is half that of a steady smoker.

These increased physical health benefits are one and the same regardless when you quit. If you quit when you are young you have a much better probability of regaining normal health within a shorter time. But even if you quit when you are 60 your life expectancy and primary standard of living will significantly intensify.

Unfortunately, what is going to happen 10 years down the road is often of little direct importance during a spell of nicotine craving. The longer you quit smoking the less often these cravings will readily occur. But smoking is more than just a physical addiction, it is also a behavioral habit, and long after the physical need for nicotine has been finally overcome you may still feel the need to smoke in special circumstances.

Identifying the current circumstances which cause you to reach for a cigarette can be of great help in overcoming the inclination to smoke. If you usually recognize that you feel like smoking at parties, you may especially need to avoid them for a particular interval of time until you break the habit. Also, if current conditions of stress make you want to smoke, finding alternative ways to deal with stress will help you stay smoke-free.

Despite all your best efforts, you may find that you have had a relapse and have taken up smoking again. If this results, don't let this discourage you -- many people have to try four or five times before they successfully quit. The most important is immediately to stop smoking. Even if you are in the middle of a cigarette, put it out and discard the balance of the package. Don't get down on yourself or think that you have failed -- each time you reaffirm your commitment to quit it becomes stronger.

Look for moral support from family and confidantes. If you deeply feel like smoking, talk to somebody about it and let them know what you are going through. Some communities have solid encouragement groups for people who are trying to quit. With regular scheduled meetings and contact with other group members you can support one another and offer encouragement and expert guidance.

Some companies besides offer programs for employees who wish to quit. Take advantage of all of these services -- your long-term commitment to quit smoking is helpful not only to you but also to your family, friends, and associates.

About the author:
Find out how easy it is to Circulated by Article Emporium

Effective Ways To Stop Smoking Cigarettes ...

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 17:00:00 +0000

Effective Ways To Stop Smoking Cigarettes

by: Steve Hill

A purpose is the eternal condition for success.

Every former smoker can tell you just how hard it is to stop smoking cigarettes. However, there are a range of stop smoking commodities that can assist you on your transition to a smoke-free lifestyle. Though there is no cure for smoking, there are a variety of smoking free videos, quit smoking aid groups and prescription and natural stop smoking aids that will make your endeavour to quit smoking cigarettes much easier for you.

Quit Smoking Tips

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. Lao-tzu, Tao-te Ching

You may feel like you will never possess enough commitment power to quit smoking cigarettes. However, trying to stop smoking is just like all things else in the world. It takes practice. Very few individuals stop for good on the principal try. Each time you try to stop, it will get a little easier, especially if you are knowledgeable of some of the best ways to quit smoking.

These days, there are a variety of goods on the market that can assist you to stop smoking cigarettes. There are laser smoking restraint treatments, acupuncture cessation smoking methods, and even a smoking cessation shot. You can also see your physician to obtain a stop smoking antidepressant. These medicines help to relieve stress and to also cut down on your cravings, serving you to stop smoking faster and more permanently.

A person with some doubt but taking action is better than one with no doubt taking no action. Michael E. Angier

If you are interested in nicotine interchange methods to help stop smoking cigarettes, you might consider purchasing the patch or nicotine gum. The patch is just a patch that you apply everyday that delivers a stable amount of nicotine into your system. Rather than dealing with nicotine withdrawal symptoms such as irritation or hunger, the patch allows you to gradually wean yourself off of the drug by gradually reducing the amount of nicotine every week or so. The patch has proven to be one of the best ways to quit smoking.

Nicotine gum is another method that can help you to stop smoking cigarettes. Nicotine gum works greatly like the patch, except that you can control the amount of nicotine you are receiving. Every time you have a cigarette hunger, you can reach out for a new chunk of gum rather than a cigarette. If you strictly follow the directions that go along with these nicotine gum stop smoking products, you will discover that your cravings are drastically reduced. Rather than spending your entire day fighting your cigarette cravings, you can feel a bit more normal while you are trying to stop smoking.

A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken a new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided. Anthony Robbins

No matter what stop smoking methods you use to stop smoking cigarettes, you can rest assured that it is worth it. You will have much more energy once you boot the routine, and you will also save a lot of cash. All of these benefits pale in comparison, however, to the fitness benefits you will giving yourself and the people around you.

I hope you have gotten some good quit smoking advice from this article and that you are able to use them.

About The Author

Steve Hill discusses the quit smoking process at: http://blog.stop-smoking-tobacco.com/blog and http://www.best-way-to-quit-smoking.com/blog/.

info@stammering-stuttering.co.uk

The Tobacco Conspiracy Why You Have Not Been ...

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 17:00:00 +0000

The Tobacco Conspiracy

Why You Have Not Been Able to Quit Smoking

Billions of dollars are at stake. Millions of deaths result. Top corporate executives sit around the boardroom and discuss ways to improve their market share. Their success depends on keeping you smoking and getting people that don’t smoke to start. It’ s all about the billions.

The tobacco companies have very deep pockets. They have spent billions of dollars in advertising over the years and they know how to keep their customers. They want you to die a smoker. Their bottom line depends on it. And you will if you do not quit.

What if I told you that stopping smoking was easy? That smoking is a body and mind addiction. Yes, body AND mind!

I don’t know anyone that actually picks up a cigarette and goes, “ mmmmm, tastes great!” Do you? Of course not. Your body rejects it. It coughs, hacks, spits, and does everything that it can to tell you this is bad stuff. You started because your mind was thinking how cool you will be, how much older it will make you look and your body is obeyed. Now you are addicted.

Everyone starts this way. EVERYONE. You had to use your mind to convince your body or you would reject it.

I find it fascinating that almost all methods of quitting smoking do not take into consideration the mind. There are pills and patches and inhalers and gums. All these programs have a very low success rate.

Doesn’t it make sense to use the very part of you that started the whole thing - Your mind?? Or course it does.

Everyone starts to smoke for some sort of motivating reason. If I gave you a piece of food that was stinky, burned your throat and made you cough and gag, how many pieces would you eat? I don’t think very many. See, it would be unnatural for you to want more.

Smoking is not natural or everyone would be smoking. You cannot grow a cigarette tree in your backyard or a cigarette plant in your garden. They are not natural. Tobacco may be natural but cigarettes are far more than tobacco with an estimated 4000 ingredients added! The list is highly guarded and protected by law as a trade secret. Imagine that. It’s the public’s health and it’s a trade secret. Something isn’t right.

But one thing that is right is the decision to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is the one thing that will immediately improve your life and the life of those around you. When a person realizes that quitting IS a Body and Mind process it makes the process much easier.

© 2003 Rick Saruna
All rights reserved

QUIT SMOKING the painfree way. No stress, no cravings, no weight gain, no pills, patches or gums. Check out our website and why we can boast a 90% success rate with our 100% fully guaranteed Quit Smoking Right Now Program:
Quit Smoking Without Pills

The Effects Of Smoking On Your Appearance by:...

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 16:59:00 +0000

The Effects Of Smoking On Your Appearance

by: Catherine Olivia

The Surgeon General of the United States has stated "Smoking cessation or stopping smoking represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives." It may also be the most important step that you can take to improve the quality of your appearance. In 1985 the term "smokers face" was added to the medical dictionary. A study done in Norway in 1998 cited that women emphasize the effect of smoking on physical appearance as a general motivation to quit, whereas men mentioned general health benefits.

I have to say truthfully that vanity had something to do with my decision to quit smoking. I had started smoking at the age of 16 when I started dating a smoker. Unfortunately, when the relationship ended the smoking didn't. I was left with a habit that would haunt me.

It was in the late 70's when I worked in a medical office where we administered chemotherapy to cancer patients. I knew more about the health consequences than most people witnessing it first hand on a daily basis. I even had an ashtray at my desk and smoked in the office. Like most smokers I was in a state of denial. I was in my early 20's and felt invincible. I said to myself "it won't happen to me". Besides, I enjoyed my cigarette and cup of coffee in the morning, and nothing could beat relaxing with a cigarette after a good meal. It seemed all my friends smoked too.

I was in my mid-30's when I met a man whose parents were smokers. When I looked at his mother's aged and horribly lined face I thought "Oh my God, that could be me in twenty more years." Seeing her made an impression on me that I'll never forget. She was obviously a long time smoker with the tell-tale vertical lines all around her mouth. She had a grayish tinge to her skin, which was as thin as it could be. She looked a full 10 years older than her true age. Her fingers were actually stained yellow by nicotine. It was a wake up call for me.

There is no denying the negative effects of smoking on your appearance. Smoking dries out the skin. Smoking causes blood vessel constriction of the top layers of skin which reduces the oxygen levels which leads to a dull complexion. Due to this constriction of blood vessels and poor circulation a smokers skin is thinner than a non-smokers skin. It has been shown in studies to be up to 40 hinner. Smoking reduces the level of collagen in the skin which leads to loss of elasticity and the quick formation of lines and wrinkles.

Of course you have everything to gain trying to quit smoking aside from just the improvement in your physical appearance. Another report released by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2004 entitled "The Health Consequences of Smoking," revealed that smoking (or living with a person who smokes) can cause disease in nearly every organ of the body, in men as well as women.

I was lucky that I successfully kicked the habit almost ten years ago. I do have a trace of those tell-tale lip lines and although you may not notice them, I do. I have spent a fortune over the years in skin care products. I'll never have the face I would have had if I had never started smoking. But today I am a much happier and more importantly, a much healthier person for having stopped.

Whatever your reason, vanity or health - just quit!

About the author:
Article courtesy of http://www.stop-smoking-questions.com

400,000 Reasons to Stop Smoking by: Kathy Burn...

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 16:37:00 +0000

400,000 Reasons to Stop Smoking

by: Kathy Burns-Millyard

from The Health and Fitness Information Network
http://www.health-and-fitness-information.com

Most of us know that smoking is a habit that can have many serious implications on everyone's health, but there's a tendency to view the problem lightly. It's important that every smoker be aware of the facts concerning smoking. So here are some eye openers for you to stop smoking...

The World Health Organization has been studying smoking trends and statistical patterns across the globe and has come up with the following statistics:

A good deal of variation exists from one part of the world to another. Many more women smoke in Eastern Europe than in East Asia and the Pacific Region. Eastern Europe itself has a particularly high rate of smoking, with up to 59 percent of adult males smoking.

Most smokers begin early in life, before they are 25 years old. According to World Health Organization studies, the majority of smokers in affluent countries begin in their teens. A decline in the age of starting smoking has been observed worldwide.

As with other substances of abuse, such as alcohol and cocaine, the global frequency of tobacco use varies by social class, historical era, and culture. Historically, smoking had been a pastime of the rich. This trend has changed dramatically in recent decades. It appears that economically advantaged men in wealthier countries have been smoking less. The more years of education you've had, the less likely you are to be a smoker.

As a wannabe quitter, you are in excellent company. People all over the world are trying to quit and stay away from cigarettes. There appears to be a correlation between a country's standard of living, level of education, and income and the number of people who have quit smoking. The more and better-informed people are, the more likely they are to quit smoking.

Current estimates are that over 1 billion people in the world smoke. (In other words, approximately one in three adults on the planet smokes.) The majority of these smokers reside in countries on the low end to the middle of the socioeconomic spectrum. Of this majority, about 80% live in low and middle income countries. The total number of smokers worldwide is expected to keep increasing.

In the United States, an estimated 25.6 million men (25.2%) and 22.6 million women (20.7%) are smokers. These people are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke. The latest estimates for persons age 18 and older show:

- Among whites, 25.1 percent of men and 21.7 percent of women smoke

- Among black or African Americans, 27.6 percent of men and 18.0 percent of women smoke

- Among Hispanics/Latinos, 23.2 percent of men and 12.5 percent of women smoke

- Among Asians (only), 21.3 percent of men and 6.9 percent of women smoke

- Among American Indians/Alaska Natives (only), 32.0 percent of men and 36.9 percent of women smoke

Studies show that smoking prevalence is higher among those with 9-11 years of education (35.4 percent) compared with those with more than 16 years of education (11.6 percent). It's highest among persons living below the poverty level (33.3 percent).

And These Figures Spell Death...

· One out of every five deaths is caused by tobacco

· An average of 400,000 Americans die each year from tobacco

· Tobacco and nicotine are some of the most potent carcinogens and are to blame for a majority of all cancers of the lung, trachea, bronchus, larynx, and esophagus

· Tobacco is blamed for many serious pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases

· Impotency is sometimes to blame from addiction to nicotine because of its ability to reduce blood flow

Tobacco use also produces cancers in the pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix

Smoking is an important risk factor for respiratory illnesses, causing 85,000 deaths per year from pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia

· Smoking during pregnancy causes about 5-6% of prenatal deaths, 17-26% of low-birth-weight births, and 7-10% of pre-term deliveries, and it increases the risk of miscarriage and fetal growth retardation

· Children and adolescents who are active smokers will have increasingly severe respiratory illness, as they grow older

· Cigarettes are responsible for about 25% of deaths from residential fires, causing nearly 1,000 fire-related deaths and 3,300 injuries each year

So, are you ready to try and quit smoking now?

Visit http://www.health-and-fitness-information.com/Quit-Smoking/ to learn how you can finally quit smoking fast, easily, and all naturally!

About the author:
© 2004 Kathy Burns-Millyard and The Health and Fitness Information Network

This article is provided courtesy of http://www.health-and-fitness-information.com

Effects of smoking on Fitness

Balaji Sampath — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 15:57:00 +0000

Smoking affects physical fitness in terms of both performance and endurance.

Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in the body. As oxygen is important in production of energy, the fitness gets affected.

Carbon monoxide created by smoking reduces the oxygen released from blood into the muscles.

High levels of carbon monoxide from smoking reduce the amount of oxygen absorbed into the blood from the lungs.

Smoking causes a two to three-fold increase the rate at which air moves in and out of the lungs called airways resistance.

Smoking also causes chronic swelling of the mucous membranes of the airways, which adds to airways resistance.

Carbon monoxide in the blood also reduces the amount of oxygen that is released from the blood into the muscles.

Decline in physical fitness and lung function among healthy middle aged men was considerably greater among smokers than among nonsmokers

Tobacco to blame for many serious pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases

Smoking tobacco is known to produce cancer in the pancreas, kidney, bladder, and the cervix

Tobacco the chemical contained in the cigar narrows the blood vessels and strains our heart.

Each time a person smoke, 5 to 20 minutes of his life get reduced. Chance of getting lung cancer, stroke or heart attack is more

Nicotine present in Cigarettes stimulates the central nervous system and increases the heart rate and blood pressure and thereby reduce your fitness

There is no doubt that smoking reduces your fitness