If you smoke, consider substituting swimming for your cigarettes. Smoking and swimming each affect your health, smoking negatively, swimming positively. Smoking and swimming also each directly involve lung function, smoking negatively, swimming positively. Swimming can actually help you stop smoking.
Smoking Has Negatives
Avoid smoking.Photo Credit smoke from a cigarette image by Sergey Kharitonov from Fotolia.com
Habits good or bad can be hard to break. As evidenced by numerous smoking-cessation programs and support groups such as those promoted by the American Cancer Society, quitting smoking can require significant effort. However, the payoffs include the decreased likelihood of getting lung, throat or mouth cancer; improved cardiovascular and pulmonary function; fewer respiratory infections; and better breath and dental health. In America, there is an increasingly negative stigma to smoking as well, Finally, cigarettes are expensive; in the USA a single pack costs, on average, $5 a day, or $1700 yearly, per MSN Money -- not counting medical treatments.
Swimming build fitness and friendships.Photo Credit swimmers image by astoria from Fotolia.com
Swimming Benefits describes how the sport improves lung and heart function, muscle strength, immunity and even mental health. Swimming is renowned for its mood-elevating endorphins, neurotransmitters that increase pleasurable sensations of well-being. Swimming also builds all-around physical strength and endurance.
Lung Function
Smoke shuts down lung health.Photo Credit thorax x-ray of the lungs image by JoLin from Fotolia.com
If you smoke, your lungs are susceptible to infection and inflammation caused by smoke's carcinogens and other toxins. Your lungs contain alveoli, tiny air sacs across the membranes of which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged. This gas exchange is harmed by first-hand and second-hand smoke inhalation but improves significantly with exercise. Muscle Mentor details alveoli activity within the pulmonary system and explains how aerobic exercise increases the actual number of alveoli in the lungs and therefore markedly boosts overall oxygen uptake and cardiopulmonary fitness.
Addiction
Swimming generates calming brain chemicals that can help you sleep well.Photo Credit sleeping woman #6 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com
The American Heart Association states that nicotine is an addictive drug, causing your brain to increasingly crave it. Without enough nicotine, you experience withdrawal pains. Swimming can be addictive, too. In 2008 MSNBC printed an Associated Press report that exercise such as swimming excites similar neurological pathways, hooking the brain on its own feel-good chemicals, and possibly changing brain chemistry enough to prevent drug addiction. Swimming addicts typically also improve muscle tone and cardiac fitness, and, as described by ReadySetGoFitness, naturally increase serotonin, an endorphin that governs restful sleep and a sense of calm.
The Choice is Yours
Try to break the cigarette habit.Photo Credit two stubs of cigarettes image by terex from Fotolia.com
Swimming's dangers lie in the possibility of drowning, but are minimized by proper technique and lifeguards. Pool chlorine can irritate your eyes, nasal passages and throat, but these irritations are rarely as severe as repeated smoke inhalation. If you are serious about your health, the American Lung Association provides numerous resources to help you quit smoking ... so dive right in.
For further information log on website ;
http://www.livestrong.com/article/266883-smoking-and-swimming/
A cigarette in an ashtray.Photo Credit Dorling Kindersley/Dorling Kindersley RF/Getty Images
Finding anything positive to say about the effects of cigarette smoking on the body is essentially impossible. Smoking leads to decreased lung capacity, which leads to shallow breathing, lower energy levels and lower immune system function. Simply put, if you want to be successful as a runner on any level, quit smoking. If you are a runner who is continuing to smoke,you may be interested to know some facts about how the smoking habit is affecting your running habit.
Decreased VO2 Max
As a runner, your maximum volume of oxygen (VO2 max), or the amount of oxygen your body can use per minute, is a key component to how well you perform. The more oxygen your body can access, the better you can adjust to running faster and for longer distances. A 2008 study led by NASA's Wyle Laboratory's Larry T. Wier looked at VO2 max levels of runners who smoked regularly. Runners were grouped by how many cigarettes they smoked on an average day. Each group saw significant decreases in VO2 max as the level of smoking exposure increased, making their running performance suffer as compared to non-smokers with the same amount of training.
Concentrating on getting enough sleep and eating foods that will fuel your body are essential to having energy to perform as a runner. As a smoker, even if you have incredibly disciplined eating and sleeping habits, you have an uphill battle for adequate endurance in running. A 1999 study by a cardiopulmonary research team at the University of Louisville finds that even during light activity, the average male smoker expended 6.3 percent more energy than a non-smoker. In other words, simply by quitting smoking, your performance has the capacity to improve by over 6 percent, which could be all you need to get to your next personal record.
A Positive Effect
Happily, there is a more pleasant side-effect of smoking on running that has become quite prevalent. Once you quit smoking, you will probably feel the need to fill one addiction with another, and many are now turning to running as a way to quit smoking. You'll celebrate your newly found lung capacity and possibly bond with and find support from others who have quit smoking for a healthier habit by joining a local running group. Even celebrities are getting into the idea of trading cigarettes for running shoes. Actor Matt Dillon says, "After running four miles, the last thing you want to do is light up a cigarette."
For further information log on website ;
http://www.livestrong.com/article/211426-the-effects-of-smoking-on-running/
I am generally opposed to the concept of "addiction" which implies that we are completely at the mercy of our biology - and prefer to focus on the concept of "habit" and conditioned response, which we can control and change with increased awareness, knowledge, skills and practice.
The approach of relaxation, hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness (becoming more self-aware) is an effective treatment programme for addictions and chronic habits.
A Multi-Component/Toolbox Approach A very similar programme to the Smoking Cessation programme this treatment programme has worked effectively with many clients who have drinking habits or drug habits that they wish to change.
This is what is called a "multi-component" approach - it combines many different techniques into a coherent effective programme to change habits and prevent relapse
Addictions = habits = conditioned reflexesA habit is simply an automatic way of responding to a given stimulus - an automatic reflex. Usually a positive experience has become associated with a particular action; this is nearly ALWAYS a reduction in stress, anxiety, emotional distress, agitation or boredom/restlessness - and a consequent feeling of relief. Sometimes pleasure, rather than lowering of stress, is the dominant associated emotion.
Negative behavioural habits are nearly always associated with lowering stress (self-soothing) and/or pleasure.
Triggers for negative habitual behaviour are usually agitation, boredom, uneasiness, emotional distress, mild or medium levels of anxiety or stress - or sometimes simply not getting sufficient pleasure and satisfaction from other areas of our life.
Treatment for Simple Habits: Nail-biting, hair-pulling, nervous tics etc
Simple habits like nail-biting, hair pulling etc. the approach used is called Habit Reversal Training. This is delivered in a single two hour session with a one hour follow-up session 7-14 days later. Habit Reversal Training for simple habits is remarkably effective with a study of 300 clients showing an average 90% reduction in the habit after the 2 hour session, improving to 97% reduction in habit after one month. (Nunn & Azrin, 1977)
Treatment Programme for behavioural habits: drinking. drug use, over-eating etc.
The treatment plan for overcoming habits or addictions like drinking, drug use, over-eating and similar habits is as follows:
(please see here for information on the treatment programme for stopping smoking)
i) Becoming more aware of trigger situations and emotions and keeping a diary of the habit (developing self-awareness and self-monitoring.)
ii) Increasing motivation noting costs of negative habits and benefits of change). Hypnosis can be used to explore deeply and experience the costs and benefits - leading to a profound increase in motivation to change.
ii) Learning rapid deep relaxation techniques to lower stress, anxiety, agitation etc. Also to lower our reactivity. Tension increases reactivity, relaxation lowers it. As negative habits are negative automatic reactions therefore relaxation gives us greater self-control (rather than be at the mercy of tension induced habitual responses)
iii) Learning hypnosis and self-hypnosis to increase relaxation and build confidence (relaxation and confidence go hand-in-hand)
iv) Mapping out and challenging negative beliefs and then replacing negative beliefs with positive beliefs, self-talk, images and coping statements.
v) Developing a daily schedule that avoids trigger situations and learning how to handle trigger situations.
vi) While in hypnosis imagining negative trigger situations/emotions and rehearsing alternative positive responses (note: we repeat this enough times to create a new reflex/automatic response).
vii) Hypnosis to consciously develop a more positive self-image and imagine yourself changing and developing the qualities and behaviours you wish for yourself
Relapse Prevention:
Relapse is avoided by making sure that clients have the resources - positive habits and new experiences and understanding - to stay on their chosen path of being free from the habit. The whole programme fosters a deep sense of self-belief and this is essential for change and relapse prevention.
My goal is for clients to become 'addicted to' positive habits... in particular deep muscular relaxation and the ability to accept feelings (rather than try to change them). When one is able to experience deep muscular relaxation at will then the mind is calm and negative habits lose all meaning and purpose. In addition all reflex responses are lowered when our muscles are more relaxed (e.g. reflex response at the knee.)
Treatment Length
Depending on the depth of the habit usually between four to six sessions.
Get help now for addictions, habits and drinking with a certified hypnotherapist - with clinics in Central and North London.
'Hypnosis is the most effective way of giving up smoking"
- New Scientist ( vol. 136)
Contrary to many claims from hypnotherapists stop smoking does require some will-power and motivation. However studies indicate that with hypnotherapy you are five to fifteen times more likely to succeed than by willpower alone.
Imagine a life as a non-smoker...
Better health and a longer life
More freedom (and more money!)
More energy and confidence
No more worries about what you are doing to your body!
Increased libido!
Younger looking skin
More in control of your life (more professional and social opportunities too!)
You will smell great (at last!)
Your body clear of poisonous toxins like nicotine
Tired of being "controlled" by smoking? Nicotine: a powerful neuro-stimulant
When you smoke your heart rate soars and your whole nervous system is stimulated into greater agitation. A cigarette gives you a two minute fix of dopamine (brain chemical that feels good) combined with 48 hours of an agitated nervous system. You keep going back for that good feeling to counteract the agitation.... only to increase the agitation. Cigarettes hold out a promise of relaxation that they NEVER deliver!
"It feels wonderful to be free of cigarettes after years of trying..."
In these Stop Smoking Hypnosis sessions we use the most powerful techniques available to ensure you get the best chance to quit you will ever receive. We don't take a cookie-cutter approach that relies on one technique. Instead we use a whole range of techniques to create a unique treatment session for you.
These methods are individually proven in research studies to be effective ways to stop smoking and are broadly based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Clinical Hypnotherapy. Each technique on it’s own could be 100% effective for you—however as one can never tell exactly which approach will “click” with a client we use several techniques in a powerful combination.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Of all psychotherapies CBT has the strongest evidential backing and is now the treatment of choice under the NHS. CBT aims to change thoughts and behaviours to bring about positive changes.
Clinical Hypnotherapy
Clinical hypnotherapy works by taking you into a state of heightened suggestibility where your critical mind takes a break and we can work directly and deeply with your imagination and subconscious to create new beliefs, patterns and habits. (Read more about hypnotherapy here.)
CBT & Hypnotherapy combined
Research studies where CBT and hypnotherapy are applied together have shown that they are strongly complementary and their effectiveness is raised many times when used in combination.
Individual and Group Programmes available
Read on for information about Individual sessions.
What Happens in a Session?
First we have a phone interview to assess your habit and motivation. If I don’t think your motivation is strong enough or if you have a lot of current stress in your life (for example a recent divorce) I will not recommend we proceed at that time as I don’t want you wasting your money and effort. Providing your motivation is good I’ll give you some ways to prepare to stop and we’ll meet a week later.
The actual session lasts 2 hours – during that time we’ll review your habit and motivations in depth. I’ll then use a whole package of techniques to dismantle your habit—basically we throw the book at it! And remember it only needs one of these techniques to work for you to stop. This session includes working deeply with your subconscious in hypnosis, giving you the skills, belief structure and deep inspiration to stop smoking immediately.
I’ll train you in the session to ensure that you have the skills you need to remain a non-smoker. I also give you several “last-resort” tools that you can use during challenging moments in the weeks following, including self-hypnosis CD’s and phone support.
Most people require only one session which is a specially extended session lasting approximately two hours - and is tailor-made to your needs. The session is uplifting, very inspiring and deeply relaxing.
"But I've tried to stop so many times!"No problem. In fact there is good evidence to show that the number of failed attempts to stop smoking is a good predictor of final success.
Smoking Cessation Success Rates
'Hypnosis is the most effective way of giving up smoking, according to the largest ever scientific comparison of ways of breaking the habit.' - New Scientist v136
In 1992 New Scientist Magazine published the results of an extensive clinical study on the most effective smoking cessation methods. A meta-analysis, statistically combining the results of more than 600 studies (over 72,000 individual cases) showed that single session hypnosis increased a smoker's success chance by 1000% from 6% to 60%. Here are the success rates for different smoking cessation methods:
60% - Single session Hypnosis
24% - Acupuncture
10% - Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
6% - Willpower alone
These impressive figures are for hypnosis alone - and include many hypnotherapists using hypnosis alone and often antiquated methods. Using modern clinical hypnotherapy combined with cognitive behavioural therapy these results are likely to improve considerably.
Interestingly the latest research on NRT (see "NRT hyped" on BBC website) shows a success rate of only 7.2%, barely better than willpower alone! Yet NRT is the currently recommended treatment for smoking cessation under the NHS.
It's never to late too quit!
It's never too late to quit smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, about half of all smokers who keep smoking will die from a smoking-related disease. Quitting has immediate health benefits. .
Better Health After Quitting
Time after last cigarette
Physical Response
20 minutes
Blood pressure and pulse rates return to normal.
8 hours
Levels of carbon monoxide and oxygen in the blood return to normal.
24 hours
Chance of heart attack begins to decreases.
48 hours
Nerve endings start to regrow. Your ability to taste and smell increases.
72 hours
Bronchial tubes relax and the lungs can fill with more air.
2 weeks to 3 months
Improved circulation; lung function increases up to 30%.
1 to 9 months
Decreased rates of coughing, sinus infection, fatigue, and shortness of breath; regrowth of cilia in the airways, increasing the ability to clear mucus and clean the lungs and reducing the chance of infection; overall energy level increases.
Long-Term Effects
After a year, risk of dying from heart attack and stroke is reduced by up to 50%.
Want to train to be a hypnotherapist?
Read more about how to train to become a hypnotherapist at The UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy website here: hypnotherapy training courses
For further information log on website ;
http://www.inspiredhypnosis.co.uk/hypnotherapy_stop_smoking.htm
Have you selected your New Year’s resolution yet? If not, here’s one to consider: quit smoking. It’s a brand new day, after all, and that means it’s a great time to look at bettering your health by putting an end to an unhealthy habit. If you’re a smoker, you probably already know that smoking cigarettes has serious health consequences. Smoking increases one’s risk of lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and can have negative effects on almost every organ in the body. Quitting smoking, however, can reverse these negative effects. For instance, within a year of quitting, your risk for heart disease drops significantly, and other health risks decrease over the following years, as well. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health.
Psychiatrist Dr. Julia Wood from Blount Memorial Parkway Psychiatric Service says if you are considering quitting smoking, there are two important things to remember. “First, you want to look at when you want to quit,” Wood said. “I suggest people pick a ‘quit date,’ and write it down. Share this date with friends and family members who will support your efforts to quit. If your co-workers typically invite you to smoke on a break, let them know you are quitting. Smoking is a strong physical addiction, and minimizing being around others while they smoke is important. It is hard to quit, but trying to do so while you watch others indulge makes it even harder,” she explained.
“The second thing to consider is how you’ll quit,” Wood continued. “Once you pick a date, plan your method of quitting. While going ‘cold turkey’ can work, most people prefer to use other methods to help ease symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and cravings for cigarettes. There are three medication treatments that have been well studied in helping people quit smoking. They include nicotine replacement therapy, also known as NRT; bupropion, which go by the trade names Wellbutrin or Zyban; and varenicline, which you probably know as Chantix. These treatments have shown to be equally effective in scientific studies. The latter two, varenicline and buproprion, can only be obtained through a prescription. However, nicotine replacement therapy can be obtained over the counter at a pharmacy without a prescription,” she explained.
“If you choose to use nicotine replacement therapy, pharmacists often can be helpful in guiding you through your choices,” Wood said. “Generally speaking, patches come in three strengths with the highest strength, 21mg, being equivalent to one pack of cigarettes daily. The most-common side effects include irritation at the site of patch application and vivid dreams. Some people remove the patch at night to avoid the dreams, however, the first cigarette of the morning is the hardest to kick, and removing the patch at night can make this more difficult,” she added.
Wood says sometimes it also can be beneficial to tackle the habit in multiple ways at once. “I always recommend that people combine the nicotine patch with nicotine gum or lozenges,” she said. “While the patch offers a steady stream of nicotine, people often have breakthrough cravings that can be managed with gum. It is, of course, important to follow the proper instructions for using nicotine gum. It is not simply chewed. Rather, it is chewed and then placed between the gum and cheek to deliver nicotine in to the bloodstream,” she explained.
“Over time, most people are able to decrease the strength of nicotine patches, come off of them entirely and also stop chewing the gum,” Wood said. “Still, it is not uncommon for people to have to make several tries before they actually succeed in quitting smoking entirely. The important thing to remember is that, if you don’t succeed the first, second or third time around, just keep trying. Quitting smoking is a gift to yourself, to your family and, in the long run, to your pocketbook,” she added.
Wood sees patients at Parkway Psychiatric Service, located at 220 Associates Blvd. in Alcoa. For more information or to schedule an initial appointment, call Parkway Psychiatric Service at 865-980-5377.
For further information log on website ;
http://www.blountmemorial.org/secondary.php?nid=391
There's a free local Stop Smoking Service near you. Studies show that you're four times more likely to quit with help. Developed by experts and ex-smokers and delivered by professionals, your local Stop Smoking Service provides expert advice, support and encouragement to help you stop smoking for good.
It offers free one-to-one support along with stop smoking medicines, which are available for the cost of a prescription. When asked if they would recommend the service, 9 out of 10 smokers who've used a local Stop Smoking Service say they would.
What to expect
Your local Stop Smoking Service has trained advisers on hand to support you, either one-to-one or in a group. The sessions usually start a couple of weeks before you quit.
Many people find that sharing the experience with others is really helpful.
Why it helps
Your adviser will be able to tell you about nicotine replacement products and other stop smoking medicines. They can also recommend which product or combination of products could work for you.
Need a little motivation? Your adviser can measure the levels of carbon monoxide in your body (the CO level) using a carbon monoxide monitor. The monitor shows how your CO level drops to the same level as a non-smoker's, just 24 hours after your last cigarette.
Read more at https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/help-and-advice/local-support-services-helplines#5JlzTSo6ST7KmtWd.99
While there are a number of ways to quit smoking, not all of them are equally successful. Here we will break down What Is the Most Effective Way to Quit Smoking that has been used with the most success by those who quit. Keep in mind that success rates will not be the same for everyone. In the end, quitting comes down to a personal decision, the amount of willpower you have and a variety of factors affecting your daily life. But if you want the best chance of success, then these are the methods you should be trying.
Nicotine Replacement
More people successfully quit smoking when they use some sort of nicotine therapy than by almost any other measure. This could involve applying a nicotine patch, using nicotine lozenges, or any other form of nicotine therapy.
What this does is, hopefully, reduce the amount of nicotine going into your body. Gradually, you decrease the amounts you are taking each day and finally get rid of the nicotine and nicotine replacement entirely. This weans your body off of smoking slowly without having to just cut back on cigarettes over time. You will still feel the effects of nicotine on your body, but you won’t be suffering from all the negative effects of smoking a cigarette. It’s not the safest way to quit smoking, but it works the best for the largest number of people.
Trigger Avoidance
For everyone who smokes, there are certain triggers that cause you to crave cigarettes more than you would in most situations. For some people, that trigger is a stressful situation. For others, they simply have a set time and place where they smoke, perhaps when they are on break from work or when they are talking on the phone.
As you quit smoking, these triggers will become even more powerful at creating cravings. If you want to stop yourself form giving in to the cravings, you need to ensure that the triggers never activate. So that means actively avoiding situations that make you feel like you need a cigarette. And if you are used to having a cigarette during something you do every day, then occupy yourself otherwise during those times.
If you would normally smoke while on the phone, then keep a pen and paper handy to just doodle and scribble while you talk. If you would smoke on your lunch break, then do something to keep yourself engaged and distracted from smoking during that time.
Cold Turkey
It may be hard to believe, but the majority of people who have successfully quit smoking have done so by quitting cold turkey. They decided that they would never take another cigarette and they followed through on that promise to themselves.
Now it may seem odd that more people could quit this way than any other, especially since most experts advise that you never try to quit cold turkey. But these statistics come straight from the American Cancer Society. More than 80% of those who have successfully quit smoking did so by the cold turkey method. Now you can’t just decide to stop smoking and have no plan beyond that and expect to be successful. Many of those who have quit cold turkey did so with a lot of support from other people.
The surrounded themselves with people who cared about them and their success and they made a detailed plan about how they were going to go about quitting. This involves lot of willpower, constant reminders why they were quitting and people who were looking out for their wellbeing.
Slowly but Surely
You could also try to quit by just cutting back on your cigarette use until you no longer need a cigarette anymore. This is ideal for heavy smokers who are really deep into their habit. You can just slowly cut back how much you smoke from day to day and week to week.
You take yourself form a pack a day to a pack a week and then a cigarette every other day. This gradually depletes the amount of nicotine in your body and makes the cravings easier to resist, but it may not work for everyone.
And that is the story with each of these methods. They are going to work well for some people, but not for everyone. You may know someone who quit cold turkey, but that doesn’t mean you will be able to do it. Quitting is something personal, and each individual has to find their own best way to do so.
For further information log on website ;
https://quitsmokingcommunity.org/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-quit-smoking/
