SMOKING IS VALEOLOGICALLY DANGEROUS TO HEALTH (15): How to quit-Cont.

[Abbas Bubakar El-ta'alu]

Do not neglect yourself: You should be taking extra care to make sure all your needs are getting met. Eat, according to your coat, a relatively balanced diet, stretch out your meals; eat slowly and wait a bit between bites. Get more sleep. Drink water. This helps you to detoxify more quickly, works well as a craving-buster. Exercise daily: Take few 15 minute walks every day or a favourite physical activity. Take daily multi-vitamin: Cigarette depletes so many nutrients. This may help you regain your energy more quickly. If multi-vitamins are expensive to you. resort to taking a well prepared lamsur (with all its entourages, i.e kulikuli, groundnut oil, small salt, pieces of tomato and pepper); this is an alyernative.

Unconventional Methods to Smoking Cessation

   
   Unconventional smoking approaches are nothing but the use of nicotine gums, counseling, or behaviour modification. The primary benefit of most of these alternative methods is their ability to empower people to change. Individuals come to learn, that they have control over their bodies that they did not think they had before [Thomas Kiresuk, (January, 2007)].

Hypnosis: When applying this method, smokers enter a state of focused attention and concentration and become more susceptible to suggestions that weaken the experience of urges or cravings to smoke, and strengthen their reasons for quitting smoking; picture themselves as non-smokers [Timothy Carmody, (January, 2007)].

Picturing in the Mind: If a smoker can mobilize vivid images in his/her mind at the drop of a cigarette ash, guided imagery may be a technique worth trying. When applying this method, smokers enter a state of relaxation during which they create mental pictures that help tap into his/her unconscious mind and reprogram the nervous system to resist the temptation to smoke.
   Guided imagery is most helpful in preparing smokers to quit smoking, by helping them get ready on the inside, clearing away internal conflicts and obstacles that can block the path to quitting. The guided imagery, here, taps into smokers' own imagination and helps them create other images that can counter the purported appeal of smo9king, showing instead that, it is a toxic poison that they are inhaling [David Bresler, (January, 2007].

Acupuncture: This ancient Chinese technique can be traced at least 2,500 years ago. It has now been found to be no better than sham acupuncture techniques in helping people become smoke-free. The general theory of acupuncture is based on the premise that there are patterns of energy flow (Qi), through the human body, that are essential for healthy being, disruption of which, are believed to be responsible for disease. It has been theorized [Medicine Net. (2002)] that acupuncture may correct imbalances of flow at identifiable points close to the skin. It can help relieve the 'nicotine fits', the jitters, the cravings, the irritability, and the restlessness that smokers commonly complain about when they quit smoking [Thomas Kiresuk, (January, 2007)].
   Acupuncture is a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical locations on or in the skin by a variety of techniques. The most thoroughly studied mechanism of stimulation of acupuncture points employs penetration of the skin by thin, solid, metallic needles, which are manipulated manually or by electric stimulation [Medicine Net. (2002)].

Nicotine Vaccination: A number of vaccines are now being developed, with at least one of them (called NicVAX) now being tested in clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of nicotine addiction [Richard Trubo, (January, 2007)]. NicVAX stimulates the body's own immune system to block nicotine molecules from reaching the brain, and thus interfering with the addictive process, including the triggering of nicotine cravings [Richard Trubo, (January, 2007)]. Researchers hope that the effects of an administered shot, will last for up to a year.

Nicotine Gum: As a temporary aid to quit smoking, nicotine gum medication is employed when a person has completely stopped smoking. A piece of the gum is chewed, when the person feels the urge to smoke, slowly for 30 minutes to release all of the nicotine in it. The method can continue while following a smoking cessation program. Most people use about 10 to 12 pieces of the gum per day. It is recommended [Medicine Net. (2005)] that not more than 30 pieces of the gum per day should be used and less must be chewed as the urge to smoke decreases.
   Nicotine Gum has a peppery-like taste due to the nicotine it contains and may cause a tingling sensation when chewed. The person using it may experience (during the first few days of undergoing the medication) mouth sores, jaw muscle aches, increased saliva production, indigestion, or headache. These side effects disappear as use of the gum is continued. Chewing the gum too fast can cause lightheadedness, dizziness, hiccups, nausea, vomiting or insomnia. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include: rash, itching, dizziness, trouble breathing [Medicine Net. (2005)].

Nicotine Patch: A nicotine patch sticks on the skin and contains a small dose of nicotine which enters blood circulation by being absorbed through the skin.

Nicotine Inhaler: It is a device used to breathe in small doses of nicotine through the mouth en route the lining of the mouth to the blood stream.
Nicotine patches, inhalers and lozenges help stop nicotine cravings and relieve symptoms that occur when a person is trying to quit cigarette smoking.

NOTE: Some of the procedures and reciepes given in all my posts may
             seem too expensive to a common man. You should try and cut your
             cut according to your size, by going low-profile, ofcourse!!!

GOOD LUCK: I also followed the conventional ways to smoking cessation, less the withdrawal cravings!!!