The Scary Smoking Facts That Don’t Make Any Difference To Kids

There are an estimated 440,000 smoking-related deaths every year in the USA, and health care for smoking-related illness costs over $150 billion a year. And here we are, with 3000 kids a day ignoring the educational messages with these alarming statistics, and calmly taking up a habit they know is likely to cause them irreparable damage.

We know that over time, one in three of these young people will be killed by illnesses directly related to their smoking habit. It is very important that the adults around them empower young people to make the right decisions for their health and longevity. Yes, young people will experiment, and take risks they don’t understand, but in the long run they look to us, the adults in their lives, to provide them with direction and support in making the right choices. Educators and health professionals are clearly missing the mark with their warnings – talking up the facts about the harm smoking can do is not having any impact on the rates of young people taking up this dangerous habit. The fear factors which seem most important to adults – cancer, emphysema, heart disease, and death – simply have no impact on these kids, whose average age is just 16.

The Under-Emphasised Smoking Facts That Really Matter To Kids

As part of their project work, students in our Certificate IV in Business, mostly under 25 years of age themselves, have identified key smoking disadvantages which actually matter to kids. They present these smoking facts on their own website, with cartoons, bullets, and images, to create a contemporary anti-smoking message that might actually make a difference to the health of the next generation. We need to emphasise the smoking facts that are meaningful to the Millennials – the generation of instant gratification, multi-media, and "what’s in it for me – today?" These kids don’t give two hoots about something that might happen when they are 40, or even 30. We need to choose the smoking facts that matter to them in the here and now – relatively minor points such as: smoking makes your breath smell, cigarettes are expensive, and smoking makes you look less intelligent.

Sometimes it can seem to us that we are powerless to do anything about smoking in young people, but the research tells us otherwise. We simply need to speak in terms which young people understand, and can relate to. It is not our own perceptions, and what we consider important, that will make the difference – we really need to be speaking in terms which make immediate sense to young people in the "here and now", today.

Using The Facts About Smoking To Influence Young People Adults often forget that to young people, something that will happen in ten years seems as though it will simply never happen. Even three years can be an unimaginably long time to a teenager. If you want to influence young people to quit smoking, or to avoid starting in the first place, find out which facts about smoking are the ones to emphasise in your communications. Don’t ever think that there is nothing you can do – our young people need your commitment and your stand for them. Armed with the right information, you will be able to make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of the next generation. Meg Trainer has a degree in Psychology, and specialises in helping people to oversome their emotional limitations and create the live they really want to live. Find out which smoking facts really matter to young people today at Under25Health.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meg_Trainer
http://EzineArticles.com/?Smoking-Facts—Why-Young-People-Are-Ignoring-the-Facts-About-Smoking-and-Health&id=4888745

Are you addicted to smoking? Keep in mind that the substance in cigarette smoke, nicotine, can be just as highly addictive as heroin or cocaine. Smoking is not only a physical kind of addiction, it is also considered as an emotional addiction too. Nicotine causes damage to the heart, lungs, blood vessels, metabolism and brain. If you feel quite hopeless now, have hope as there are many things that you can do to quit smoking, and there are many heart healthy tips out there that can give you a guideline or a detailed plan to help you quit.

We all know that there are lots of good reasons why smokers should quit their detrimental habit for good. Of course, one of the major reasons would be to enhance the quality and length of your life.

Yes, it’s high time to give up. Let me help you come up with a detailed plan on how to quit with these heart healthy tips:

1. Come up with a list of the things you can do, or good alternatives once you feel a craving hit you. I’ll give you a few good suggestions, but you can come up with your own. Do what works for you: you can chew on a gum, chew on a straw, do yoga, brush your teeth, listen to a meditation CD, etc. What we are trying to do is to substitute the negative vice or habit with a positive one.

2. Make a list of what you like about smoking and what you don’t like about the habit. Come up with a pros and cons list of sorts. Take a deeper look into why you started the habit in the first place.

3. Make a list of the challenges you will face as soon as you quit. Prepare your body and mind.

4. Get a journal and jot down your thoughts and feelings as this will motivate you to move forward.

Remember, it’s possible to prevent, reverse and control any heart disease if you make a decision to quit smoking now.

Puneet regularly writes about Cardiac problems, Non-invasive heart therapy, and Ejection Fraction. He recommends a natural-therapy called Wrudved. If you need more help, or want to rejuvenate your heart, log on to RejuvenateYourHeart.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Puneet_Aggarwal
http://EzineArticles.com/?Heart-Healthy-Tips—Why-Quitting-Smoking-is-Essential-to-Heart-Health&id=4902676

Lung cancer. There was a time when this was a heavily disputed issue between the medical community regarding whether or not smoking cigarettes leads to lung cancer. This is no longer the case as we have too much information pointing in that direction. Yet, so many people still smoke thinking that they will not in fact develop lung cancer or close their ears and refuse to acknowledge the data.

Emphysema. If you have ever spent time walking on a cardiopulmonary unit in a hospital then you know that you do not want to end up with emphysema. Smoking will lead eventually to emphysema in most cases.

Circulatory issues. Among the top 10 cigarette smoking effects, it is the circulatory problems that develop as a result of doing this. This can lead to many other serious problems over time.

Shortness of breath. It is just about impossible to be able to have the same lung capacity as a non-smoker if in fact you participate in sports. Clearly, smoking can lead to a shortness of breath that can sometimes lead to conditions such as asthma.

Bad breath. Complex chronic halitosis is usually an accompanying result of taking in of nicotine. You can eat as many lifesavers and chew as much gum as possible but it is very difficult to remove smoker’s breath.

Nicotine stains. This surely fits in the top 10 cigarette smoking effects. If you smoke long enough then you probably already know that the yellow film that covers the fingers and other parts of the mouth are due to taking nicotine.

Teeth stains. Inhaling smoke will also lead to a Browning or yellowing of teeth.

Decreased stamina. There is also a positive correlation between smoking and decrease amount of energy.

Dizziness. This is especially true for newer smokers but also can affect people who have been doing so for long. Over time, the oxygen does not get to the brain in the same way that it would for a non-smoker.

Taste. One of the other top 10 cigarette smoking effects relates to one’s palette.

The Top 10 Cigarette Smoking Effects

Find out more about Cigarette Smoking Effects.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Isabella_Thera
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Top-10-Cigarette-Smoking-Effects&id=4326041

Author: News Canada

The decision to quit smoking is one of the best choices a person can make for their future health. In fact, 70 per cent of smokers want to quit, but if it were that easy, everyone would do it. The addictive nature of smoking is the culprit, and without plans in place to manage the physical and emotional stress related to quitting, the journey can lead to failure for many smokers.

One of the greatest challenges is managing the withdrawal symptoms – irritability, frustration or anger, and anxiety can all contribute to the stress associated with quitting. A successful quitter will put a plan in place that will help alleviate these stresses as they go through the journey of becoming smoke-free.

Smokers should look for new ways to alleviate stress and help them through the process of becoming smoke-free, such as going for a walk, take time to breathe or something as simple as a good laugh, to keep them from turning back to cigarettes.

Laughter is the best medicine

We’ve all heard the saying that humour and laughter are good medicine. Interestingly, this saying has proven true, as a number of studies support the benefits of laughter in coping with stress. Laughter can have a lasting effect on your body as it often reacts to stress for a long period of time even after the laughing stops.

"Laughter is a great stress reliever and helps to address the symptoms of withdrawal that can come with quitting smoking," says Dr. Andrew McIvor, respirologist and professor of medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. "Smoking is more than a habit, it involves a nicotine addiction, and while you certainly can’t laugh it away, you can use laughter to calm your nerves and relieve tension. Don’t forget that dealing with withdrawal symptoms is just one aspect of quitting. It is also important to create a plan, and to speak with your doctor about other options available to help you quit, such as medicines and counselling."

Think about simple changes you can make, like laughing more, to help set yourself up for success. And remember to see your doctor who can work with you to develop a quit plan that is right for you.

More information is available online at www.itscanadastime.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/humour-helps-relieve-stress-when-you-quit-smoking-2297067.html

About the Author

For over 25 years, News Canada has been providing the media with ready-to-use, timely, credible and copyright-free news content. Editors, broadcasters, web and video content providers rely on News Canada for newsworthy content to effectively enhance their websites, newspapers and broadcasts.

www.newscanada.com

Quitting smoking is one of the toughest things to do and that’s why so many people fail. You need to understand the rewards of putting an end to your smoking era. I’ll make a list of a few of these and hopefully this will help you decide which road to take. I know one thing for certain, the quit smoking road will be much better and longer than the other one filled with pot-holes and wash-outs.

1. You’ll never have to worry any more about that next cigarette – planning your day around it makes this a full time job. Cigarettes really do make slaves out of us.

2. Imagine the money you’re going to save – a pack a day equates to about $4500.00 per year or payments on a brand new car!

3. Finally, you’re going to smell better, taste better and look better. Those yellow teeth and wrinkled skin will only improve each day that passes without smoking.

4. Now you can feel the energy surge! Your body has new life and you can breathe normally again!

5. You’re lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke and reducing your chances of lung problems.

6. You’re also reducing your chance of hearing problems and eyesight impairment.

7. You’re reducing the risk of cancer.

8. No more worrying about second-hand smoke damage to other people, especially your own kids.

9. How stressful is worrying about the seriousness of cigarette smoke? Not to worry anymore!

10. Your circulation and respiratory systems are going to improve tremendously every day that passes by.

11. You can now feel more comfortable and relaxed when staying in hotels and flying with the airlines.

12. Your vital organs can function normally again with less malfunctions.

13. Carbon monoxide poisons your blood and unhealthy blood will cause all sorts of health problems.

14. Your good cholesteral (HDL) increases and bad cholesteral (LDL) decreases when you stop inhaling first or second hand smoke.

15. If you really want to see the breakdown of the money a teenager saves over a period of 30 years of smoking, I’ll have this information on my website in the near future.

16. Never worry again about burning down your house or car with cigarette butts.

17. No more yellow or burnt fingers.

18. Better all around sex with much improved potency.

19. No more static from your kids about the stink from cigarette smoke.

20. You’re ruining your teeth and gum disease is a major concern from cigarette smoke.

21. Your snoring sounds like a light breeze on a summer night, not a freight train in the middle of the night.

There are many more benefits of quitting smoking and most of these are health related. Statistics say that every cigarette smoked takes about 11 minutes off your life. Figure this out at a pack a day for 20 years and you’ve lost almost 4 years of your life over 20 years. It has been estimated that someone could lose 10 to 15 years of their life for smoking for 40 years or more and the most important benefit of quitting smoking is:

22. LIVING HEALTHY AND LONGER!

Now that you understand the daily benefits of quitting smoking, you can prepare a plan of action to eliminate cigarette smoking from your life entirely. CLICK HERE to access my website and find the best and quickest natural way to achieve success in your goal to quit this filthy habit.

http://helpquitsmokingtips.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Konotopetz
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Are-the-Daily-Benefits-From-Quitting-Smoking?&id=3829087

Just about every smoker on the planet has managed to quit smoking for days, weeks and months. But how do you stay quit from smoking for good? How do you manage to go that stage further than the last time you tried to stop.

I have quit smoking on four occasions now but I have finally managed to stay quit for 13 months and I tell you, it feels great. I have not thankfully become one of those annoying anti-smoking ex-smokers because I understand the mind of a real smoker, understand the pleasure a person gets from smoking and so I cannot possibly criticize anyone who smokes. What I can say though is that once you have stayed quit for over 6 months it becomes much easier and you actually don not think about it as often.

So how did I quit and stay quit once and for all? Well I took some advice of a friend who quit about three years ago.

He recommended that I detox my lungs as soon as possible. This is not pleasant and lasts about a week. The detox is not painful or anything but if I were to say that you actually see what a mess is inside your lungs first hand, then I think you get what I am talking about.

What it does is fast track the breakdown, and removal of toxins that have collected in your lungs over the period of time that you have been smoking. Once you are rid of these toxins then your body removes the physical cause of craving for a cigarette and just leaves you to cope with the mental side. Stopping smoking is a much easier thing to deal with once the physical cravings have been removed and you will find that even after a few days your getting a more positive outlook on life and a belief that you can stay stopped.

The funny thing is I actually remember hearing about this remedy many years ago, probably in my teens, so it has clearly been around for a while so I imagine many people have stopped and managed to stay quit from smoking over the years using this method.

Good luck with quitting smoking and I hope you begin feeling the benefits very soon.

Here is the lung detox plan I used. As I said, it is not very pleasant for few days at the beginning so make sure you have plenty of tissues at hand. It does work though: LUNG DETOX

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Stan
http://EzineArticles.com/?Quit-Smoking-and-Stay-Quit-For-Good&id=3565988

You may also join a quit smoking help association to get aid to stop smoking cigarettes, and multitudinous non-profit organizations also offer smoking free videos to supply additional quit smoking tips. No matter which process you choose, the most important aspect of trying to stop smoking cigarettes is the truthful desire to be smoke-free and well again.

A focused mind is one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

There are many prescription medicines that provide aid to stop smoking cigarettes. Quit smoking cigarettes antidepressant medications are becoming more and more popular as doctors realize that smokers tend to be more depressive than the rest of the general population. By treating these depressive symptoms while also reducing nicotine cravings, medication smoking stop treatment has proven to be highly productive in helping individuals to stop smoking cigarettes.

If you are wary of medication to assist stop smoking cigarettes, you might consider one of the natural stop smoking cigarettes products on the market today. There is a growing market for laser smoking cessation treatments and acupuncture cessation smoking methods. Both of these stop smoking cigarettes aids work to boost your endorphin levels, giving you a high of sorts that blocks some of the nicotine cravings that make people begin smoking again. These additional stop smoking cigarettes methods do not have much scientific research to back them up, but there are many individual reports that state that the laser smoking stop therapy worked in one or two treatment sessions.

A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood. General George S Patton

In addition to these commodities, you can also find aid to stop smoking cigarettes at your local grocery store or drugstore. Nicotine replacement stop smoking cigarettes aids provide smokers with a means to manage their cravings and to gradually diminish their dependence on nicotine. These stop smoking cigarettes products come in the forms of nicotine gum, the patch and a smoking cessation shot. All of these methods help to cut down a person’s dependency on nicotine, and they also lend a hand to reduce the symptoms connected with the nicotine withdrawal process. These symptoms can be somewhat severe if a individual stops smoking cold turkey. However, there are a variety of stop smoking cigarettes methods that make the process easier than it has ever been.

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

Even if you try to quit without the aid of medication or nicotine supplements, you will even need help to stop smoking cigarettes. This help can come in the form of quit smoking support groups, friends, family or co-workers. The more people you have supporting you on you voyage toward superior health, the better off you will be. You can also turn to any number of non-profit organizations to receive the help you need.

Thanks for taking the time to read this quit smoking article. You should continue researching for additional information to help you down the road to a smoke free life.

Stop smoking. Not only will this help keep your blood pressure in line, you’ll also diminish your risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Smoking is main risk factor for atherosclerosis. Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. So even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure.

If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.

Weight Reduction. Obese patients should lose weight.There’s a direct link between being overweight and having high blood pressure. The more overweight you are, the greater the risk. Start by making small changes. Cut 200 to 300 calories from your diet each day — about the equivalent of saying “no” to two chocolate chip cookies.

Decrease salt intake. High salt intake is linked to high blood pressure. You should consume no more than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day (about one teaspoon of salt). The average American consumes twice that, often through canned soups, frozen dinners, soy sauce, pickles, olives and processed cheeses, which are loaded with sodium. Read food labels and select reduced-sodium products. Try to select food with low salt.

Add more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products to your plate. Eat one additional fruit or vegetable with every meal. Shrink the size of your daily meat intake to six ounces, and designate at least two dinners a week as meat-free.

Fatty diets do not directly affect blood pressure. However, saturated fats and cholesterol in foods raise blood cholesterol, which increases the risk for heart disease. Foods high in fats also are high in calories, which must be reduced if you need to lose weight. Like smoking high cholestrol is also a major risk factor for atherosclerosis.

Limit alcohol consumption. Drink no more than one 12-ounce beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine or one swallow (1.5 ounces) of 80-proof whiskey if you’re a woman. Men can double these amounts. Anything more elevates blood pressure. You can reduce your blood pressure by 5-10 mmHg by just restricting Alcohol intake.

Exercise. First, get the green light from your physician. Then, slowly introduce aerobic exercise into your life, increasing the time and intensity at a pace that feels right, aiming for at least a 30-minute workout most days of the week. Young people should jog for 30 minutes three times per week and elderly patients should walk longer distances than usual.

Decrease Stress and Anxiety: Yes stress and anxiety  also play role in high blood presure.If You want your blood pressure with in normal limits, try your self to get happy all times. Try extra curricular activities to make your mind stress free.

Stress can make blood pressure go up for a while, and it has been thought to contribute to high blood pressure. But the long-term effects of stress are as yet unclear. Stress management techniques do not seem to prevent high blood pressure. However, such techniques may have other benefits, such as making you feel better or helping you to control over-eating.

Caffeine and Blood Pressure: Caffeine in coffee as well as in other drinks, such as tea and sodas, only raises blood pressure temporarily. So you should be able to continue to have drinks that contain caffeine, unless you are sensitive to it or have heart disease and your doctor tells you not to have any.

Eat adequate amounts of potassium-rich foods. Potassium, another mineral essential to good health, works in concert with sodium to regulate blood pressure. Studies have shown that people who consume more potassium have lower blood pressures than those who consume less.

Rich sources of potassium include many fruits, such as cantaloupe, bananas, watermelon, oranges and orange juice, as well as potatoes, spinach, and zucchini. (Important note: if taking medication for high blood pressure, such as diuretics, consult a doctor before using salt substitutes that contain high amounts of potassium.

Even more dangerous than the side effects of prescription drugs to lower cholesterol is not getting cholesterol under control.  Over time, high cholesterol can lead to numerous conditions of the heart and arteries, not the least of which are atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), stroke or heart attack.

Here are 5 steps you can take today to lower your cholesterol without prescription drugs.

Eat right.
May sound simple, but diet has such a significant impact on lowering cholesterol that it should be the number one factor you look at in determining if your high cholesterol is hereditary or a matter of dietary choices.  A low fat and low cholesterol diet is the first step toward lowering cholesterol.

Exercise.
Improving cardiovascular health is a step toward reversing the effects of high cholesterol.  Exercise itself doesn’t directly lower cholesterol, but will strengthen the heart and entire circulatory system.

Quit smoking.
If you smoke, the plaque build up in the arteries due to high cholesterol is accelerated.  When plaque blocks the flow of blood to the heart, the muscle has to work harder to get oxygen.  This can lead to a heart attack.  If the arteries get completely blocked with plaque from high cholesterol then a stroke can occur.

Relax.
Chronic stress can affect cholesterol levels. If you are constantly stressed and eating a low cholesterol diet, you may not see any improvement in cholesterol readings until you learn to relieve stress.

Talk to your doctor.
Not all doctors are quick to prescribe medications.  In fact, the more enlightened doctors will help you form a diet and exercise plan that is suitable for your current overall health and abilities as a first step toward lowering cholesterol.  It is always important to ask your doctor if your decision to follow a specific diet or exercise plan is right for you.  In addition, do not stop taking medications before consulting with your doctor.  You can lower your cholesterol with diet and exercise, and under the care of your doctor, see about removing drugs from the process.

It does not take long to see significant improvements in your cholesterol. Lower cholesterol can be yours in just a matter of weeks.

There are several types of heart disease, but the major ones are the atherosclerosis, coronary, rheumatic, congenital, myocarditis, angina, and arrythmia heart disease. Although it can be deadly, it is also preventable. The most basic and simple ways to prevent heart disease is to exercise regularly, eat heart-healthy diet, maintain healthy weight, avoid smoking, and have regular health screenings. It is never too late for anybody to change lifestyles and practice healthy habits for the betterment ones welfare.

A heart disease is caused by many factors and smoking is one of them. Smoking is very popular when it comes to causing damages to our health. Don’t you agree? Smoking and using any tobacco products are never safe. No amount of tobacco is ever considered safe as well. Cigarette smoking and use of tobacco products are the most preventable causes of deaths around the globe.

The type of heart disease caused by smoking is coronary heart disease. Cigarette and tobacco products users have high risk of developing heart disease caused by smoking that of non smokers. Smokers who have a heart attack are more likely to die within an hour of the heart attack. Doesn’t sounds so scary?

Cigarette and tobacco smoking or any the use of any tobacco products is very rampant. Unfortunately, it increases the risk of coronary disease. All the tobacco products contain thousands of chemicals and nicotine which is very addictive. Nicotine is not only responsible for your bad breath, staining your teeth, but also increases the risk of recurrent coronary heart disease after heart bypass operation.

Smoking increases blood pressure, decreases exercise tolerance, and increases the tendency for. When the blood clots build up and block the arteries, heart attack will occur. Therefore, it is evidence enough that heart disease caused by smoking is coronary heart disease.

Studies also have shown that the risk of developing heart disease caused by smoking, after five years of giving up this bad habit, is the same as for someone who never smoked! I think this is some good news to smokers who struggle to quit and to those who are thinking of quitting. You have all the right reasons to stop. It’s never too late! Practice a healthy lifestyle and quit smoking in order for you to live longer and heart disease free.