:::WHAT THE ELDERS SAY
Here are some quotes from Elders on tobacco:
"If your parents smoke, you will smoke. If you and your girlfriend smoke, your children will smoke and suffer."
"Tobacco was seen by our people as a gift from the Creator which would enable us to communicate with him. We were given tobacco because it affected the way we were able to think. It would give us an immediate feeling of heightened awareness because the tobacco we inhaled was that strong. We were given knowledge to fashion a pipe with which we could take very small puffs of tobacco smoke. We would only take small puffs, and then we would immediately blow out the smoke because smoke was not meant to be taken into our body and held there. The smoke needed to leave us in order to rise to the Creator with our prayers and thoughts. If we held it in our body, it would be an unnatural presence there.
Immediately after taking the puff of smoke, our minds would race, and our whole body would be affected by this smoke since tobacco is a very powerful medicine. It has a specific purpose which must not be abused." - Elder Danny Musqua.
Source: http://www.ayn.ca/quit/en/c3_2_spiritual_use.asp
Just how does smoking harm my health?
[This was posted to AS3 so long ago that the source has been lost. If
anyone knows where this is from, please e-mail
liorah@interport.net.]
* Lung Cancer risk increases roughly 50 to 100 percent for each
cigarette you smoke per day;
* Heart Disease risk increases roughly 100 percent for each pack of
cigarettes you smoke per day;
* Switching to filter-tip cigarettes reduces the risk of Lung Cancer
roughly 20 percent, but does not affect the risk of Heart Disease;
* Smokers spend 27 percent more time in the hospital and more
than twice as much time in intensive care units as nonsmokers;
* Each cigarette costs the smoker 5 to 20 minutes of life;
* A smoker is at twice the risk of dying before age 65 as a
non-smoker!!
Source & For More Info:
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/support/stop-smoking/faq/part4/
If They Think Stopping Smoking Is Hard, There's One Man They Should Meet: The Scotsman
"I'm going to cure the world of smoking," shouted ALLEN CARR. She didn't know what to think. She'd been on at him about how he'd have to do something about his bronchitis, but it must have seemed a bit extreme. Fifteen and a half years later, he hasn't saved the world, but he hasn't done bad. The first clinic he opened within six months of that flash of comprehension has led to 40 others worldwide, from Joppa to Jerusalem, Quito to Kent. His first book, Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking, has been a best-seller in 20 languages (last year alone, it topped the German non-fiction list and was second in the Dutch: he stopped counting its British sales once it went past a million). He wrote another, more detailed book about nicotine addiction, and has just published a third, on how to stop children smoking. Between the books, the videos and the clinics (he has personally treated 25,000 clients), no man in the world has or is doing more to stub out our cigarette habit. . . From a smoker's point of view, the psychology of Carr's method is spot-on. The drug's to blame, not the smoker. Again, it's basic stuff, but if you realise how you are being manipulated by a chemical and how you then rationalise that feeling (got to smoke: it's a post-meal/post-coital/pre-deadline/coffee/social/firing squad/whatever kind of thing), it's quite easy to change that habitual behaviour. As Derek McGuff, whose Edinburgh clinic is Carr's only one in Scotland, points out: "Giving up smoking is no big deal. The idea that it is is part of the brainwashing." . . . HOW TO STOP YOUR CHILD SMOKING by Allen Carr is published by Penguin Books.
Source: http://www.tobacco.org/resources/health/healthnews.html
Waiting To Exhale Without Smoke--And Extra Pounds Chicago Tribune
"When you're a smoker, you're talking about an average of between 300 and 600 trips to the mouth in a day," he says. "That's the traffic pattern. If you stop smoking, what is one of the earliest tips you hear? Put something in your mouth. It started with candy and gum, then for a few years we got healthy with carrots. Now it's non-consumables--straws, toothpicks." But he says those substitutes keep cravings alive. . . "A lot of people make radical change," he says. "That seems to be a prime contributor to difficulties. If you're quitting, it should be a very quiet ceremony, like putting a baby to sleep. You tiptoe away, you don't poke it and prod it."
Source:
http://www.tobacco.org/resources/health/healthnews.html
A Brief Natruropathic Perspective
Dear Natural Choice Journal
I have smoked for many years and have tried to quit a number of times. Is there anything that you would suggest that I can do to make it easier or to help me quit smoking? .
Patricia Jackson, Halifax, N.S.
Response from Nutritional Consultant, Heather Scott, R.N.C.P.
Smoking causes nutritional deficiencies so your body will require additional help during this time. Since smoking affects blood sugar levels, do not be surprised if your appetite increases. That is normal and to be expected. Eat regular meals to maintain an even blood sugar level making sure to balance proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Be sure to eat a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables daily, in particular asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, sweet potatoes, turnips apples berries, cantaloupe, cherries and grapes. Eat plenty of whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and high quality protein such as eggs, fish and chicken.
It is imperative that you avoid all junk foods, processed and refined foods, sugar and white flour products. A large component of cigarettes is sugar, so you may experience strong sugar cravings. L-glutamine is helpful with sugar and alcohol cravings. Coenzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant that protects the cells and lungs. Vitamins B complex, C, E and A are all important nutrients and antioxidants.
Many people have found live juice fasting a successful way to stop smoking. A live juice fast can quickly remove nicotine and other damaging chemicals from the body. A five-day fast is particularly effective.
Heather Scott, RNCP practices in Wallace, N.S., (902) 257-2428
Response from Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Matt Targett, N.D.
Smoking is a hard habit to overcome, and your best chance at beating it is to develop a plan. A naturopath can help with this plan by helping to detoxify the body of nicotine, which will help reduce the physical withdrawal symptoms. This is accomplished through a detoxifying diet or juice fast with the addition of cleansing herbs such as milk thistle and dandelion. Other herbs such as lobelia, valerian and oats will calm the nervous system to further help with withdrawal. Epsom salt baths are another useful trick to help rid the body of nicotine. Keeping lots of healthy snacks around, such as fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts, will also help ease the process. Lastly, acupuncture has been found to be a valuable method for helping people deal with addictions. Tiny needles can even be placed in the ears and left in all week, which a person can press and stimulate themselves to help overcome cravings.
Dr. Matt Targett, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor working in Summerside, PEI (902) 436-2674.
Source: http://www.naturalchoicejournal.com/Articles/July_Augustarticles/AsktheexpertJuly_aug.htm
Smoking and Heart Disease
Heart Disease:Smoking and Heart Disease Most people associate cigarette smoking with breathing problems and lung cancer. But did you know that smoking is also a major cause of heart disease for men and women?
About 20% of all deaths from heart disease in the U.S. are directly related to cigarette smoking. That's because smoking is a major cause of coronary artery disease.
A person's risk of heart attack greatly increases with the number of cigarettes he or she smokes. Smokers continue to increase their risk of heart attack the longer they smoke. People who smoke a pack of cigarettes a day have more than twice the risk of heart attack than non-smokers. Women who smoke and also take birth control pills increase several times their risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.
Cigarette smoke not only affects smokers. When you smoke, the people around you are also at risk for developing health problems, especially children. Environmental tobacco smoke (also called passive smoke or second-hand smoke) affects people who are frequently around smokers. Second-hand smoke can cause chronic respiratory conditions, cancer and heart disease. It is estimated that around 35,000 nonsmokers die from heart disease each year as a result of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
How Does Smoking Increase Heart Disease Risk?
The nicotine present in smoke causes:
- Decreased oxygen to the heart.
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate.
- Increase in blood clotting.
- Damage to cells that line coronary arteries and other blood vessels.
How Can Quitting Smoking Be Helpful?
Now that you know how smoking can be harmful to your health and the health of those around you, here are some ways quitting can be helpful. If you quit smoking, you will:
- Prolong your life.
- Reduce your risk of disease (including heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema, ulcers, gum disease and other conditions).
- Feel healthier. After quitting, you won't cough as much, you'll have fewer sore throats and you will increase your stamina.
- Look better. Quitting can help you prevent face wrinkles, get rid of stained teeth and improve your skin.
- Improve your sense of taste and smell.
- Save money.
How to Quit
There's no one way to quit smoking that works for everyone. To quit, you must be ready both emotionally and mentally. You must also want to quit smoking for yourself, and not to please your friends or family. It helps to plan ahead. This guide may help get your started.
What Should I Do First?
Pick a date to stop smoking and then stick to it.
Write down your reasons for quitting. Read over the list every day, before and after you quit. Here are some tips to think about.
- Write down when you smoke, why you smoke and what you are doing when you smoke. You will learn what triggers you to smoke.
- Stop smoking in certain situations (such as during your work break or after dinner) before actually quitting.
- Make a list of activities you can do instead of smoking. Be ready to do something else when you want to smoke.
- Ask your doctor about using nicotine gum or patches. Some people find these aids helpful.
- Join a smoking cessation support group or program. Call your local chapter of the American Lung Association.
How Can I Avoid Relapsing? - Don't carry a lighter, matches or cigarettes. Keep all of these smoking reminders out of sight.
- If you live with a smoker, ask that person not to smoke in your presence.
- Don't focus on what you are missing. Think about the healthier way of life you are gaining.
- When you get the urge to smoke, take a deep breath. Hold it for 10 seconds and release it slowly. Repeat this several times until the urge to smoke is gone.
- Keep your hands busy. Doodle, play with a pencil or straw, or work on a computer.
- Change activities that were connected to smoking. Take a walk or read a book instead of taking a cigarette break.
- When you can, avoid places, people and situations associated with smoking. Hang out with non-smokers or go to places that don't allow smoking, such as the movies, museums, shops or libraries.
- Don't substitute food or sugar-based products for cigarettes. Eat low-calorie, healthful foods (such as carrot or celery sticks, sugar-free hard candies) or chew gum when the urge to smoke strikes so you can avoid weight gain.
- Drink plenty of fluids, but limit alcoholic and caffeinated beverages. They can trigger urges to smoke.
- Exercise. Exercising will help you relax.
- Get support for quitting. Tell others about your milestones with pride.
- Work with your doctor to develop a plan using over-the-counter or prescription nicotine-replacement aids.
How Will I Feel When I Quit? You may crave cigarettes, be irritable, feel very hungry, cough often, get headaches or have difficulty concentrating. These symptoms of withdrawal occur because your body is used to nicotine, the active addicting agent within cigarettes.
When withdrawal symptoms occur within the first two weeks after quitting, stay in control. Think about your reasons for quitting. Remind yourself that these are signs that your body is healing and getting used to being without cigarettes.
The withdrawal symptoms are only temporary. They are strongest when you first quit but will usually go away within 10 to 14 days. Remember that withdrawal symptoms are easier to treat than the major diseases that smoking can cause.
You may still have the desire to smoke, since there are many strong associations with smoking. People may associate smoking with specific situations, with a variety of emotions or with certain people in their lives. The best way to overcome these associations is to experience them without smoking. If you relapse do not lose hope. Seventy-five percent of those who quit smoke again. Most smokers quit three times before they are successful. If you relapse, don't give up! Plan ahead and think about what you will do next time you get the urge to smoke.
The good news is your risk of heart disease is cut in half after quitting tobacco for one year. After 15 smoke free years, your risk is similar to that of a person who has never smoked.
Source:
http://www.webmd.com/content/pages/9/1675_57857
Starting at the Tissues
The first step toward neoplasia is cellular transformation. The chronic irritation from cigarette smoke has led to an exchanging of one type of epithelium (the normal respiratory epithelium at the right) for another (the more resilient squamous epithelium at the left). Thus, there is metaplasia of normal respiratory laryngeal epithelium to squamous epithelium in response to chronic irritation of smoking. The two forms of cellular transformation that are potentially reversible, but may be steps toward a neoplasm, are:
Metaplasia: the exchange of normal epithelium for another type of epithelium. Metaplasia is reversible when the stimulus for it is taken away.
Dysplasia: a disordered growth and maturation of an epithelium, which is still reversible if the factors driving it are eliminated.
Source:
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/NEOHTML/NEOPL003.html
