Maximize Your Chances For Success In Quitting

July 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you are thinking about quitting smoking, whatever else you do, counseling has to be part of it. Studies have shown that whether smokers choose nicotine replacement therapies, such as gum or patches, or they get a medical prescription from their doctor, or they seek out alternative therapies such as acupuncture, talk therapy is the key component to successful and long lasting quitting.

The National Cancer Institute has set up a free, national help line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. This important call is free to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Trained counselors are available for thirty to forty minute sessions to talk to you about your individual needs for setting up a successful quit smoking plan and what you can expect regarding withdrawal symptoms and cravings. 1800-QUIT-NOW counselors are also great resources for individual counselors trained in smoking cessation and addiction behavior in your area.

Quit Smoking ForeverIndividual counseling is especially helpful in identifying what role cigarettes play in your life and what triggers your cravings. Group therapy sessions, on the other hand, are also irreplaceable in addition to counseling. Just as A.A. has been so successful with helping alcoholics to stop abusing alcohol, group counseling whether online, by phone or in person lets smokers and quitters hear each other’s stories and offer advice.

The good news about quitting smoking is that you are not the first person to go through it…..I’m living proof!

While everyone reacts differently to this important life change, there are so many different treatment plans that one is sure to fit your needs. Or more than one; many quit smoking devices can be used in conjunction with others so really you are building an individualized quitting program to meet all your quitting needs.

Talk to your doctor about the possible benefits of using a prescription such as Chantix, to help you through the initial few weeks. Often you will begin taking the prescription ten days before quitting. Your Quitting Date will be chosen ahead of time and may even become a kind of second birthday for you. As years go by and your smoking days become part of history, you can celebrate yourself and your strong constitution when your quitting anniversary comes around.

Herbal remedies, taken as capsules, gum, sprays and lozenges have been reported to help many people through the initial withdrawal period and also after. Behavior takes longer to change than body chemistry so you definitely need a two-pronged approach.  The Lobelia Plant is now accepted as the most effective herbal ingredient for smoking cessation. The effects of Lobelia on the brain mimic that of nicotine satisfying the craving without feeding the addiction. Other herbs are known for easing tension (Passion Flower and Skullcap) and still others immediately start acting on repairing the body smoking has caused. Coltsfoot and horehound eliminate tar from the lungs, Safflower contains anti-tumor properties. If you are interested in pursuing a natural support system for your quitting plan, look online under herbal remedies to stop smoking, for more information.

I’ll be back later this week with some more electronic cigarette news, but I figured I’d go off topic today and offer my two cents on other types of methods you can use to quit smoking.

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Do Electronic Cigarettes Save You Money?

June 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Many people battle with the actual savings involved with smoking electronic cigarettes instead of smoking traditional tobacco products.  While people generally make the switch for the ability to smoke “Anywhere,” some make the move to e-cigarettes to enjoy a cost savings.

Electronic Cigarette Savings CalculatorBut do e-cigarettes really save you money?

I have a close knit group of friends that has a stern argument that says NO.  They feel e-cigarettes are on par or even more expensive than traditional tobacco smokes.

However, I’ve debunked that notion and even made a calculator to show people my math.

Sure, some people DO spend more money smoking electronic cigarettes.  The reasons are plenty, but here are a few of them.

1.  They don’t shop around for the best price, buy at the right time, or use the bulk discount options offered by most of the electronic cigarette brands.

*I’m an advocate of passing around coupon codes.  (I have included these in all of my e-cigarette brand reviews here.)  I also buy in bulk.  Furthermore, many companies have store-wide sales at certain times of the year.  These are the best times to make your purchases, as you can save up to 30%.  Imagine taking your cost down on ANY fixed cost you have by 30%?  That’s serious savings.

2.  Some electronic cigarette cigarette smokers will actually smoke electronic cigarettes more often than they would a traditional cigarette.  The reasons are many, abut being an e-cig smoker myself, here are a few.  For starters, you can smoke them anywhere and they don’t run out as fast as a cigarette.  Meaning, I spend many nights on the computer or on the sofa where I will vape for hours on end.  With a cigarette, I constantly have to light, then re-light the cigarette, often times stopping to get new ones.  This doesn’t make it very efficient or desirable to continue smoking.  With an e-cig, I can put it down on my lap, in my pocket, or wherever else I want to place it and not have to worry about the risk of fire.  Second, many times I’ll smoke an e-cig in places where I would not have been able to have a drag of a cigarette.  This makes it easy to continue vaping and the mere act of smoking is something my life needs.  It’s become a habit I won’t ever break.  That constant sweeping motion of smoking won’t ever be something I’ll be without, so enter the e-cigarette and now I have the ability to do that with much more frequency.

3.  Just do the simple math.  I have made a calculator, albeit a very scaled down version of one, but it works like a charm.  Do the math, and when you compare apples to apples, you’ll find out just how much money is being saved with e-cigarette use.

The math doesn’t lie – electronic cigarettes will save you money.  If you don’t believe me, use the e-cigarette calculator on the right. People are finding electronic cigarette smoking as a nice alternative without many of the carcinogens, tar, and obvious second hand smell of smoke lingering around at all times.

I’m Darren Peterson, and I’m an advocate of electronic cigarettes.  Thanks for reading.

 

 

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