Bent on quitting smoking?
Saturday, March 17, 2007
By Jonathan M. Hicap
THE hardest decision for smokers is quitting. They always say they want to quit smoking but have a very hard time doing so. And those few who tried ended up in a relapse and found themselves puffing and huffing again and again.
The fact is smoking is not just a mere habit but a chronic addiction, according to Dr. Salvador Castaneda, Medical consultant for Tobacco Dependence of Johnson & Johnson.
“The addiction/dependence on cigarettes can stem from three angles: physical, behavioral and psychological. The active ingredient of cigarette is nicotine, which induces craving to smoke. A single cigarette stick contains 4,000 other substances, nine of which are Class 1 carcinogens, or those that can cause cancer,” Castaneda explains.
“If cigarettes are withheld, smokers may start to experience withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, decreased concentration, depressed mood, anxiety, nervousness and increased appetite,” he adds.
The behavioral aspect can best be illustrated by the triggers that prompt a person to smoke. Many people have to smoke while drinking coffee or alcohol, or after a meal.
The bottom line is that addiction to cigarettes is the main reason why it is hard for a smoker to quit. And this addiction is the reason why about two of five 20-year-old Filipino adults are smokers, according to the latest results of the National Nutrition and Health Survey.
This is despite that it is a well-known fact that smoking tobacco is the leading cause of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases including the dreaded lung cancer. About 5 million people worldwide die of smoking-related diseases every year, which is estimated to double to 10 million by 2030.
Castaneda says quitting smoking will bring you boundless benefits for your health. Within 20 minutes after you had your final cigarette, your blood pressure and pulse will return to normal. In about 8 hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood are halved and oxygen levels in the blood return to normal. In 24 hours, the lungs start to clear out the build up of tar. Within two days, one’s sense of taste and smell are greatly improved. After 3 days, breathing becomes easier. Within 2-12 weeks, circulation improves, making sports activities a lot easier. In 5 years, the risk of having a heart attack is halved. After 10, years the risk of lung cancer is halved.
Smokers who want to stop smoking but cannot do it immediately may cut down on cigarette intake before attempting to stop. Experts say this is a clinically proven method that seems to produce effective results. So if a smoker consumes one pack of cigarette daily, he should start by cutting down his daily consumption in half.
“The good thing about cutting down before completely quitting smoking is that the smoker (and future quitter) is left to be in control of the program. Studies have shown that cutting down by 50 percent will increase one’s chances of success. This can be done within 6 weeks,” he advises.
One effective way of easing cigarette intake and eventually kick the smoking habit is using the nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to manage some withdrawal symptoms. After cutting down the daily cigarette consumption, one can continue cutting down until zero cigarettes a day is achieved. Ideally, zero cigarettes should be achieved within six months from the start of cutting down.
A prime example of NRT is Nicorette nicotine gum, which replaces the craving for cigarette but without the damaging tar and carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke. Castaneda says Nicorette, backed by 25 years of clinical trials, works by providing the body with the nicotine that it craves while quitting smoking.
“The gum is used only to alleviate the strong urges and cravings for cigarettes that come when quitting,” he said. Nicorette gum works by releasing nicotine into the saliva. This nicotine is absorbed through the lining of your mouth and enters your bloodstream. And any nicotine that is swallowed in saliva is broken down in your stomach and released as waste.
In the end, only a strong sense of determination will help a smoker quit.
By Jonathan M. Hicap
THE hardest decision for smokers is quitting. They always say they want to quit smoking but have a very hard time doing so. And those few who tried ended up in a relapse and found themselves puffing and huffing again and again.
The fact is smoking is not just a mere habit but a chronic addiction, according to Dr. Salvador Castaneda, Medical consultant for Tobacco Dependence of Johnson & Johnson.
“The addiction/dependence on cigarettes can stem from three angles: physical, behavioral and psychological. The active ingredient of cigarette is nicotine, which induces craving to smoke. A single cigarette stick contains 4,000 other substances, nine of which are Class 1 carcinogens, or those that can cause cancer,” Castaneda explains.
“If cigarettes are withheld, smokers may start to experience withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, decreased concentration, depressed mood, anxiety, nervousness and increased appetite,” he adds.
The behavioral aspect can best be illustrated by the triggers that prompt a person to smoke. Many people have to smoke while drinking coffee or alcohol, or after a meal.
The bottom line is that addiction to cigarettes is the main reason why it is hard for a smoker to quit. And this addiction is the reason why about two of five 20-year-old Filipino adults are smokers, according to the latest results of the National Nutrition and Health Survey.
This is despite that it is a well-known fact that smoking tobacco is the leading cause of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases including the dreaded lung cancer. About 5 million people worldwide die of smoking-related diseases every year, which is estimated to double to 10 million by 2030.
Castaneda says quitting smoking will bring you boundless benefits for your health. Within 20 minutes after you had your final cigarette, your blood pressure and pulse will return to normal. In about 8 hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood are halved and oxygen levels in the blood return to normal. In 24 hours, the lungs start to clear out the build up of tar. Within two days, one’s sense of taste and smell are greatly improved. After 3 days, breathing becomes easier. Within 2-12 weeks, circulation improves, making sports activities a lot easier. In 5 years, the risk of having a heart attack is halved. After 10, years the risk of lung cancer is halved.
Smokers who want to stop smoking but cannot do it immediately may cut down on cigarette intake before attempting to stop. Experts say this is a clinically proven method that seems to produce effective results. So if a smoker consumes one pack of cigarette daily, he should start by cutting down his daily consumption in half.
“The good thing about cutting down before completely quitting smoking is that the smoker (and future quitter) is left to be in control of the program. Studies have shown that cutting down by 50 percent will increase one’s chances of success. This can be done within 6 weeks,” he advises.
One effective way of easing cigarette intake and eventually kick the smoking habit is using the nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to manage some withdrawal symptoms. After cutting down the daily cigarette consumption, one can continue cutting down until zero cigarettes a day is achieved. Ideally, zero cigarettes should be achieved within six months from the start of cutting down.
A prime example of NRT is Nicorette nicotine gum, which replaces the craving for cigarette but without the damaging tar and carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke. Castaneda says Nicorette, backed by 25 years of clinical trials, works by providing the body with the nicotine that it craves while quitting smoking.
“The gum is used only to alleviate the strong urges and cravings for cigarettes that come when quitting,” he said. Nicorette gum works by releasing nicotine into the saliva. This nicotine is absorbed through the lining of your mouth and enters your bloodstream. And any nicotine that is swallowed in saliva is broken down in your stomach and released as waste.
In the end, only a strong sense of determination will help a smoker quit.
posted by Jonah | 4:52 PM
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