Find out how smoking affects your health and the health of those around you.

There’s always a first time for everything, To Quit Smoking is not exceptional. The question in today’s Smoking Fact - reiVRE Hot Pulse is – "What can you do give up and where can you get help?"

Smoking causes numerous diseases and health problems, some fatal, among both smokers and non-smokers. For this reason, smoking is prohibited in a growing number of public places and a wide range of support services has been developed to help individuals quit smoking.

Reasons to quit smoking

People give up smoking for many reasons, from a desire to improve their health and to save money, to wanting to appeal to the opposite sex or reduce any potential harm on someone else's health.

Avoiding a smoking habit

Many smokers say they started smoking before the age of 18, even though the law prevents anyone selling tobacco, cigarettes or cigarette papers to those under this age. Avoiding the temptation to smoke at an early age is therefore important to prevent you developing a habit.

Improving your health

In the UK one person dies from a smoking-related disease every four minutes. Smoking causes:

1. lung cancer (smoking causes over 80 per cent of all lung cancer deaths)
2. other cancers eg mouth and throat cancer
3. strokes
4. stomach ulcers
5. heart disease
6. bronchitis
7. leukaemia
8. gangrene

It can also worsen colds, chest problems and allergies like hay fever, bronchitis and emphysema, as well as have unpleasant side-effects such as wrinkles and bad breath. Smoking can also make you cough, sneeze or feel short of breath when you exercise.

Saving money

Calculate how much your smoking habit is costing you in terms of money and you might be surprised how much you could save.

Protecting other people's health

Breathing in other peoples cigarette smoke, called secondhand smoke, can also cause cancer.

1. smoking around children - children exposed to secondhand smoke are twice as likely to get chest illnesses like croup, pneumonia bronchitis and bronchiolitis, and more likely to get ear infections, tonsillitis, wheezing and childhood asthma
2. mothers-to-be and smoking - smoking during pregnancy can affect both you and your babys health, and if you are exposed to secondhand smoke this can pass on harmful gases and chemicals to your baby
3. smoking in public - smoking is banned by law in many public places, including: all forms of public transport; theatres; cinemas; and public buildings

Using a support service

NHS Stop Smoking Services - smokers are four times more likely to quit by using NRT together with support from NHS Stop Smoking Services - compared with using willpower alone. Find your nearest service by:

1. visiting the NHS 'Giving up smoking' website (England and Wales only)
2. texting GIVE UP' and your full postcode to 88088
3. telephoning the NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169 0 169)
4. asking your local GP practice, pharmacy or hospital

The Together programme is a government initiative, in England only, designed to help you quit smoking using a wide range of support materials.

The NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169 0 169) in England and Wales offers free practical advice about giving up smoking, as well as a free information pack, while in Scotland, Smokeline (0800 84 84 84) provides free confidential advice and support

The 'Giving up smoking' website also offers people in England and Wales an Ask an expert service. The Smokeline website offers a similar private and confidential service in Scotland.

NB: For more valuable information and guideline visit: Quit Smoking

"You are welcome to give your comment! Do you have anything you'd like to add or challenge about this hot issue? Any bad or good experience lets share. Your contribution will educate and benefit many readers".

Thank you for reading and comments if any: - ranci endo

If you liked this post, please don't forget to stumble or digg it so even more people can read it and benefit!"

How to Help a Friend Quit Smoking

There’s always a first time for everything, Quitting smoking is not exceptional. The question in today’s Smoking Fact - reiVRE Hot Pulse is – "Is it possible to encourage a friend to quit smoking?"

Help a friend quit smoking by consistently being there as an encouragement to them. Support their goal to stop smoking with enthusiasm and vigor -- this well help them face their smoking demon. The power of a supportive family member or friend is amazing to anyone who is trying to quit smoking.

How to Encourage

Many people that are close to a smoker do not know how to encourage them without being a nag. Encouragement is a wonderful gift to your friend or family member and can easily be accomplished. You do not need special skills to encourage...you just need a kind heart and a willingness to listen.

Once quitting has been identified as a possible goal it is time for you to step in with encouraging words. It is important not to be overly focused on helping the person become smokeless. Instead use encouraging words to let your friend or family member know that you are there for them if they need anything.

Becoming smoke-free is a long and difficult process. Your job as the encourager is to help your friend forget about the mistakes or slip-ups and encourage all the progress they are making. Most smokers do have an occasional slip up, don't encourage a slip up but don't berate your friend when one happens. Everyone is human and will make mistakes; it is what happens after the mistake that counts. Help your friend get back on track to reaching their non-smoking goal.

Nicotine and tobacco are very addictive substances that can take months or even years to truly get out of a person's system. Even after quitting some smokers say they continue to have urges to start smoking again. Your loved one will welcome your continued support as they struggle to stay smoke-free.

How to Quit Smoking

It does not matter how a person chooses to quit smoking. Some people feel that they have to quit smoking cold turkey, while others cannot imagine the horrors of that. The gradual decrease of nicotine is the most common way for smokers to quit smoking. They gradually decrease their exposure to nicotine through decreasing their cigarette consumption and often time using a nicotine patch.

For encouragement purposes you can help support your friend or family member no matter how they have decided to quit smoking. Some important tips to help encourage the smoker's in your life to stop smoking:

1. Be positive and uplifting when you talk about their successes.

2. Acknowledge when mistakes are made but don't dwell on them

3. Support their choice in quitting strategies

4. Help them steer clear of highly charged smoking situations

5. Be their friend!

You do not have to be a counselor to be good at encouraging. Simply be there for your friend or family member as they struggle to quit smoking. Encourage them every moment you get and they will soon have control over their desire to stop smoking. Remember that every person is going to quit smoking in a different way, so be supportive of the way your friend has decided to quit smoking and don't judge them.

Credit to Quitting smoking

NB: For more valuable information and guideline visit: Stop Smoking

"You are welcome to give your comment! Do you have anything you'd like to add or challenge about this hot issue? Any bad or good experience lets share. Your contribution will educate and benefit many readers".

Thank you for reading and comments if any: - ranci endo

If you liked this post, please don't forget to stumble or digg it so even more people can read it and benefit!