A Healthy Alternative to Smoking the Cigarette

There are many unique and alternative ways instead of smoking the cigarette that can help in reducing or even kicking the habit. However many people do not give these methods a proper chance to help them succeed. Most people will try the different ways for a short period of time and then dismiss it as a waste of time. If you are adamant that you want to try to make yourself healthier and kick the habit then read on. By following the advice provided and actually giving it an honest and deserving go you will find that in no time at all you are on the way to living a healthier life style.

One of the best known methods is the nicotine gum. Nicotine gum has actually been on the market for many years now and works in a way that when you chew the gum it delivers small amounts of nicotine to your body. This is absorbed through the thin tissues situated within the mouth. When using the gum you will notice whilst chewing that you start to receive a slight tingling sensation, at which time you are supposed to stop chewing and let the juices resonate in the mouth. This process is continued until all the nicotine has left the gum or your cravings are satisfied. The continual usage will allow your body to become accustomed to the small amounts of nicotine which are reduced throughout the course, until the point arrives where you no longer use the gum.

Another popular treatment is the nicotine patch. The Nicotine patch came in to circulation shortly after the gum and was easily purchased over the counter at chemists and pharmaceutical stores. The patch is a simple device which is attached to the skin. This works by slowly releasing nicotine directly through the skin and into the blood stream. Again the theory being that by reducing on the amounts you will slowly kick the habit.

Hypnosis is another programme used to try to help people kick the habit. Also known as smoking cessation programs, the process works by placing the individual under hypnosis and implementing negative thought patterns every time they crave the sensation of lighting up a cigarette. The process implements such unpleasant factors that it should have such an effect on the individual that they no longer want to smoke.

Other methods that have recently hit the market place are the electronic cigarettes. The electronic cigarette has been created to provide a similar smoking experience to the cigarette. You smoke an electronic pen like stick which works in conjunction with cartridges that provide nicotine and water vapour when inhaled. The result is a sensation of smoking a cigarette; however they contain none of the harmful chemicals resulting in a healthier method of smoking. This alternative method of smoking can help to reduce cravings and as a result help kick the habit.

Why Smoking is Dangerous For Your Health

Smoking has many negative effects on our body. A lot of people who are trying to quit smoking cannot quit because they are already too addicted to nicotine. Even if they try to stop, they experience withdrawal symptoms and it makes them feel bad. Some smokers tend to smoke again so they don't experience withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and the need for smoking. Some may even be agitated if they don't get to light up a cigarette.

Studies show that there actually four thousand chemicals other than nicotine that are dangerous for the body. This can cause a lot of damage - so be careful. If you think you can still stop, then do it now while there is still time.

One bad thing about smoking is the buildup of tar due to continuous smoking. What's bad about it is wherever there's tar, nicotine is also there. When tar is inhaled, it goes directly to the bloodstream and to the brain and other parts of the body. In just a matter of 10 seconds, the body becomes full of tar and nicotine. Now, you wouldn't want that happening, right?

Reports confirm that a lot of people are dying due to smoking. Usually, the patients are diagnosed with cancer but there can be other problems such respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well. If you smoke regularly, you are shortening your life considerably.

If you don't care that your health is being compromised, then think of your wife and your children. The effects of passive smoking are more hazardous than active smoking. You should consider quitting if you are endangering the health of your love ones. You wouldn't want your 5-year-old child to have lung cancer by the time he is 13, right?

If tar accumulates in your mouth, your pearly white teeth may also change its color. It may darken the teeth making it yellow and sometimes black. Smelling like tobacco most of the time is also an unpleasant experience as well.

There are no advantages if you smoke. All there is are consequences. Hence, if I were you, I'd try quitting now and forget all about smoking.

How and Why I quit smoking

I wasn't even listening when my doctor told me (for the 100th time!) that I needed to quit smoking. I had heard it all before. I have tried to quit in the past, gum, patch, pill, 'you name it' I told him. He mentioned the Electronic Cigarette to me and I said 'Aren't those expensive and a hassle?'. He said he had been having great success with a few of his patients that had tried them, that they are widely available on the internet now too and there were great advancements in the technologies which make them much simpler to use. Well, that tripped a switch in my head! Hmmmmm....I thought, maybe this could be the answer? Could I actually quit after so many failed attempts? So for the next month I did my research, what were these 'Electronic Cigarettes', their cost, did they actually help anyone quit smoking traditional cigarettes? The answers I got were astounding! The reviews on electronic cigarettes for all who tried them were almost ALL positive! You have your standard 'this one is better' or 'that one is better' of course, but they all seemed to have the same thing in common....they QUIT! Usually within just a few days!

I checked out all the brands and, of course, some are quite expensive and some are very inexpensive, I then researched the reviews of customers of each to see the positives and the negatives of each brand. As I narrowed the list down to a dwindling three companies, I decided to do a test of the customer service of each. I sent an email with a general question to each company. One company never responded (it's been 3 weeks now!) one took 3 days and one responded within 30 minutes! Well, that had me! I decided to try to quit yet one more time and I had found a company that has customer service standards like me! It was a hard decision, why you ask? Because I LIKE to smoke! I truly enjoy it! But I hated the thought of what I was doing to myself for that pleasure.

So I ordered my first electronic cigarette ( www.oursmoketip.com ), it was great because it came with free shipping. I hesitated on ordering more than 1 of the extra cartridges because, well to be honest, I didn't know if it was going to work! I got it in the mail on Saturday, just two days later. Opened it and was quite impressed, it actually looked like the product on the site! Wasn't 'plasticy' but quality. I charged the batteries and set my 'quit' date as Monday morning.

It has been 10 days since I quit (I haven't had a 'analog' cigarette since 10:45pm on Sept 5th, 2010). I don't have the jitters, the crankiness, the CRAVINGS like I did with other methods! I am just happy smoking my SmokeTip electronic cigarette. I have since gone nuts and ordered all kinds of cartridges and accessories! But you don't need them to start on your way(I'll admit my other addiction is shopping!).

I did another test this last weekend, I went to the casino and smoked my SmokeTip electronic cigarette while there, not one person noticed! I then went out to a local bar where a well known local band was playing and I knew there would be quite a few people. I spent most of my time 'out on the porch' smoking my SmokeTip electronic cigarette. The only ones who noticed were the ones I actually pointed it out too, and lo and behold! They wanted to know how it worked because they were looking to quit too!

The interest in the electronic cigarette is growing! At $10 a pack and climbing here in NYS the cost to continue a pack-a-day habit is nearly $300 a month! Even the 'casual' smoker is balking at the cost. I invested a total of $150.70 for my first month (starter kit at $59.95, 4 packs of cartridges at $71.80 and a travel charger at $18.95) and subsequent months should only cost me around $53.00 (actually less because I am not smoking as much as I used to either). Considering I was spending $171.00 a month I have already saved! Not only in my wallet but my health as well!

I am impressed! I hope you will be too! Ask me any questions, I will be happy to answer them and if I don't have the answer, I will find someone who does!! I fell completely in love with the SmokeTip brand and their superior customer service. I had a problem with my travel charger, and emailed them on a Sunday night expecting a reply back on Monday morning, nope, within an hour I had a reply and they sent the replacement charger out BEFORE receiving my defective unit back! That is true service, something I haven't seen in quite awhile. I love it so much that I started promoting them! Check out my new site www.oursmoketip.com to order!

Quit Smoking in 30 Days

Let's talk about each one of them:

The plan:

You need to plan exactly what you schedule will be and what activities you plan on having during these next 30 days. This is critically important because you want to insure that there are as little surprises and stressful events as possible. Every time you go through stressful event you are at risk to start smoking again. Also, do not plan any diet or other radical life style changes during this month. You will have enough to deal with as it is, wouldn't you?

You should also plan special time to exercise, do breathing exercises and sleep properly ( you can't smoke while you sleep). The next thing to do in your plan is to get all the help you can get during this month. To do that you can:

* Ask your friend and family to help you quit smoking. Ask them to watch over you and make sure you are not tempted to smoke.

* Hang reminders at your computer, bathroom, kitchen etc. telling you that you are now an ex-smoker.

* Through away all Tobacco products. This seems obvious, but many smokers who try to quit still keep a cigarette stash somewhere in case they'll need it...don't be one of them.

* Try not to drink any alcohol during this month. That's because we don't want your will power and your judgement to weaken, which tends to be the case when you drink.

OK, so now that we have a plan, let's look at some other ingredients:

Stop smoking aids:

There are a few stop smoking aids that were proven effective. The medicine called Zyban is an effective craving reducer (need prescription). There are also many herbal replacements to Zyban that do not require prescription. Other methods are the shots and the laser treatment. All good methods, but quit pricey. Using these aids might help, but it can't replace your will power.

You will power and motivation:

An absolute must have. You won't make it without a true desire to quit smoking. You really must find that desire within you. Your life will be so much better after you quit smoking, and you must find that desire for life and health.

That's it. Your complete battle-plan for your first 30 days as an ex-smoker. So now that you have it, it's totally up to you. Good luck!