Thursday 7 June 2012


KLINIK KESIHATAN TANGLIN
 POLIKLINIK KOMUNITI 
STOP SMOKING CLINIC ( BLOCK - D)
Jalan Cenerasari, Tasik Perdana, 50480, Kuala Lumpur.

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   QUIT SMOKING INFOLINE   03-8883 4400    
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                                                   It is easir quit smoking if you know how!
                                               QUIT SMOKING IINFOLINE AND CLINIC
Since January 2007, the Health Malaysia has provide a hotline service tp aid smokers in giving  up their habit. This hotline is known as Infoline Berhenti Merokok at 03-88834400. It operates daily during work hours. Calls outside working hours will be recorded and the caller will be contacted within 24 working hours on the next working day. Infoline Berhenti Merokok is hosted by the Health Education Division of the Ministry of Health Malaysia.

                                           OPERATING HOURS
                                  8.00a.m. - 5.00p.m., Monday to Friday
                                                 (working days only).
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You Can Stop Smoking
We already know all we need to about the dangers of smoking. Yet we keep on doing it. Why? Of course, nicotine addiction...keep reading to learn how to stop smoking by transforming the deep seated reasons for your compulsion to smoke.
The Stop Smoking program summons really works. You will release your self-denying delusions and enjoy a more enlightened perception of yourself along with the opportunity to improve your health. You will find more energy as you feel better about yourself.
You'll be pleasantly surprised as you discover the usual symptoms of withdrawal are not there. You won't have cravings and you will feel calmer and more relaxed. You will also be delighted to forgo the weight gain that is often associated with stopping smoking. You may even find yourself reducing weight while you feel encouraged to make healthy choices in many areas of your life.

If you are on the verge of making a decision to quit smoking please read further, if you already have made the decision then the Stop Smoking program will do more than just help you stop smoking, it is also designed to be a transformative experience on many different levels.
Many clients who finally decide to try this program have tried to quit smoking for years and decades, and by the time they try this program they usually are feeling pretty self defeated. I Am Smoke-Free Now Program is the success that will also build self-esteem as it increases the determination needed to stay smoke-free.                                                   
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                      How to Quit Smoking Naturally

Reading the tips above may engage some hope that quitting smoking is possible. Sure, our rational mature self with the best of intentions tells us we must quit. But that mystified part of us, perceiving life through a smoke screen, is completely freaking out, mistakenly believing that nothing is going to comfort us like smoking. That's why we have featured the following program to help you stop smoking with the support you need for long lasting results.
                                  It’s easy to Stop Smoking….. 
TIPS TO QUIT SMOKING
     1.   DELAY ( MELENGAH-LENGAHKAN)
           Wait for 5 minutes, or say “later”.

     2.   TAKE LONG BREATHS ( MENARIK NAFAS PANJANG)
           Slowly breathe in 3 times.

     3.   DRINK WATER (MINUM AIR)
           Drink boiled water, avoid caffeinated drinks.

     4.   MAKE YOURSELF BUSY ( MENYIBUKKAN DIRI)
           Engage in activities to distract yourself and forget about the need to smoke.

     5.   DISTANCE YOURSELF( MENJAUHAN  DIRI)
           From places with smokers.

     6.   AVOID ( MENGELAKKAN DIRI)
           Places, environments and occasions with smokers.

     7.   CHEW SOMETHING ( MENGUNYAH SESUATU)
           Such as candy or fruits and avoid sweets.

     8.   WASH  YOUR HANDS ( MEMBASUH TANGAN)

     9.   BATHE/SHOWER OFTEN ( MANDI DENGAN KERAP)

     10. STRETCH YOUR MUSCLES (MEREGANGKAN OTOT)
           When feeling sleepy.

     11. MEDICATION (MEDITASI)

     12. PRAYER (MEMOHON DOA)
           Pray for resolve and willpower.
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BE  HEALTHY  FOR  LIFE
  •  DO PHYSICAL 
  • ACTIVITIES HEALTH EATING
  • MANAGE STRESS WISELY
  • DO NOT SMOKE

Do Physical Activities
Daily moderate physical activities carried out for 30 minutes cumulatively can benefit health.
  • Walk to the workplace
  • Use the stairs instead of elevators at the workplace
  • Do light stretching exercises at your desk
  • Take a walk inside or outside the office after sitting for a long time    ( between  1-2 hours)
  • Use a fitball as a chair at the workplace
  • Do Deep Breathing exercises 5-10 times per session within two hours
  • Join physical activities organized by your employer
  • Use physical activities facilities provided by your employer
Health Eating
Practising healthy eating contributes towards optimal health and this influences a worker’s productivity, morale and happiness.
  • Eat a variety of foods
  • Eat fruits and vegetables  at each meal
  • Eat whole grains, legumes, nuts and cereals as part of your daily meals
  • Choose food and drinks with less sugar
  • Limit and reduce fried and fatty food
  • Food intake and physical activities should be balanced accordingly to achieve your healthy body weight
WORKERS IN A SMOKE FREE WORKING ENVIRONMENT ARE HAPPIER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE
Are You a smoker?
  • Take the following steps immediately to stop smoking
  • Decide to quite smoking
  • Understand when to quit smoking
  • Set a date to quit smoking
  • Have self-confidence
  • Write a reminder
  • Say ( to yourself) “I am not a smoker”
  • Always think positively
  • Get support
  • Fight the urge to smoke
  • Use Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
  • Continue getting treatment from Quit Smoking Clinics
  • Plan a daily routine that excludes smoking
           If you are not a smoker,

           Ensure that you do not turn into a  passive smoker.
Who are passive smoker?
Non-smokers who are exposed to cigarette smoke for at least 15 minutes within two days for a week (WHO)

Voice out your right to work in a smoke free environment
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MEDICATION

NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY AND OTHER STOP SMOKING MEDICINES
 Note:-  Before you Take Medication Consult your Doctor or Specialist.

WHAT IS NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (NRT)?
Nicotine products such as Patches, Tablets, Filter and Gum are often called Nicotine Replacement Therapy, or NRT for short. They help you to deal with nicotine withdrawal cravings, and double your chances of successfully going smokefree. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) gives your body nicotine without the harmful effects of smoking or chewing tobacco. The idea is to gradually reduce your addiction by using a low nicotine dose to take the edge off the cravings.
There are many options available in addition to nicotine patches and gum, including microtabs (small tablets), lozenges, nasal sprays and inhalators. You can get free NRT (terms and conditions apply) from the Stop Smoking Service.

CAN ANYONE USE NRT?
Nicotine Replacement Therapy is suitable for most people, but you should check with your Stop Smoking Specialist or doctor if you are pregnant, have a heart or circulatory condition, or if you take regular medication.

CAN I USE NRT WHILE I'M PREGNANT?
Most pregnant women can use NRT. It's important to talk it through with your Smokefree Pregnancy advisor, doctor or midwife first. They can help you to weigh up the risks of continuing to smoke against the benefits of stopping using NRT. Using NRT is safer than smoking because it doesn't contain poisons like tar or carbon monoxide.

WHERE CAN I GET NRT?
You can get Nicotine Replacement Therapy products FREE when you take the next step with the Stop Smoking Hospital or Clinic. You will get free NRT (terms and conditions apply) to help you through the process.

WHAT IS ZYBAN AND WHO CAN USE IT?
Zyban is a medicine that alters the way your body responds to nicotine. You start taking Zyban a couple of weeks before you quit and then continue the treatment to help you through the withdrawal cravings.  Zyban is only available on prescription.Thousands of people have used Zyban and found success. However, in general success ranges from person to person and advice from medical professionals should always be upheld.
www.quit-smoking-central.com/zyban-side-effects.htm

WHAT IS CHAMPIX AND WHO CAN USE IT?
Champix is a stop smoking medicine that is only available on prescription.
Champix works by reducing your craving for a cigarette and by reducing the effects you feel if you do have a cigarette. You set a date to stop smoking, and start taking tablets 1 or 2 weeks before this date. Treatment normally lasts for 12 weeks. So, if you are here reading this, then chances are that you are serious about quitting smoking and that is itself a great thought, but one that cannot be achieved without prompt action and determination.
www.champixtablets.org.uk/

News:- (The two drugs are prescription therapies and meant to be used as part of a comprehensive quit-smoking plan that includes education and counseling).www.smokersnews.net/

Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Zyban and Champix can all help you manage your cravings.

Many ways to stop smoking, includes using the drug. One of the drugs on offer is varenicline, a first non-nicotine drug to stop smoking.

Varenicline works on nicotine receptors in the brain by reducing symptoms of craving oraddiction and reduce the feeling of pleasure arising from smoking.

For the problem of pleasure, it will release nicotine affect dopamine endofrin that cause pleasure. When given varenicline, he (varencline) will block the receptors to suppress a sense of joy that in his four alpha. If the beta of two, will reduce cravings.
By taking varencline, the patient was reluctant to smoking and felt that cigarette was not enjoyable anymore. According to a study in the United States, varencline four times more effective in helping patients quit smoking compared with no drug.
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The Better Way To Stop Smoking Is To Avoid Places Where You Used To Smoke

Try not to hang around people who are smoking or going back to the places where you would normally light up when you are trying to stop smoking. Chances are that you will return to your old habit.

Watching others smoke and breathing in the smoke will not help you to stop smoking. That’s like being on a diet and watching children eat Halloween candy. Why would you want to put yourself through this torture? If it means dropping some friends for a time, then do it. After all, your life is at stake!
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Poison by Any Other Name
EVIL CHEMICALS
What image springs to mind when you see the word...
nicotine?

If you smoke, you may have a warm, fuzzy feeling, but for a lot of us, poison comes to mind. Nicotine makes tobacco products addictive, so it cannot be good. See the diagram at right; it's used as an insecticide! It kills bugs! It must be bad! Of course, nicotine is merely a chemical. But chemicals are bad, right? Even a natural one that comes from a plant (like tobacco)? Even one with a short, pronounceable name?

So nicotine is bad...except when it isn't!
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Cigarette Smoking And Its Health Risks
Smoking and your health:
Cigarette Smoking And Its Health Risks Care Guide
Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of illness and death in the United States. A large number of Americans smoke cigarettes, and each year more than one million children and adults start smoking cigarettes. Many people die every year from illnesses caused by smoking. People who smoke die earlier than those who do not smoke. The risk of disease increases if you smoke a lot, inhale deeply, or have smoked many years.
Why are cigarettes bad for you?
Cigarettes are filled with poison that goes into the lungs when you inhale. Coughing, dizziness, and burning of the eyes, nose, and throat are early signs that smoking is harming you. Smoking increases your health risks if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or high blood cholesterol. The long-term problems of smoking cigarettes are the following:
·         Cancer: Smoking increases your chances of getting cancer. Cigarette smoking may play a role in developing many kinds of cancer. Lung cancer is the most common kind of cancer caused by smoking. A smoker is at greater risk of getting cancer of the lips, mouth, throat, or voice box. Smokers also have a higher risk of getting esophagus, stomach, kidney, pancreas, cervix, bladder, and skin cancer.
     ·         Heart and blood vessel disease:
o    If you already have heart or blood vessel problems and smoke, you are at even greater risk of having continued or worse health problems. The nicotine in the tobacco causes an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure. The arteries (blood vessels) in your arms and legs tighten and narrow because of the nicotine in cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke increases blood clotting, and may damage the lining of your heart's arteries and other blood vessels.
o    Carbon monoxide is a harmful gas that gets into the blood and decreases oxygen going to the heart and the body. Cigarette smoke contains this gas. Hardening of the arteries happens more often in smokers than in nonsmokers. This may make it more likely for you to have a stroke (blood clot in your brain). The more cigarettes you smoke, the greater your risk of a heart attack.
  
 ·      Lung disease:
o    The younger you are when you start smoking, the greater your risk of getting lung diseases. Many smokers have a cough which is caused by the chemicals in smoke. These chemicals harm the cilia (tiny hairs) that line the lungs and help remove dirt and waste products. Depending upon how much you smoke, your lungs become gray and "dirty" (they look like charcoal). Healthy lungs are pink.
o    Chronic bronchitis is a serious lung infection which is often caused by smoking. Emphysema is a long-term lung disease that may be caused by smoking cigarettes. Cigarette smoking also makes asthma worse. You are at a higher risk of getting colds, pneumonia, and other lung infections if you smoke.
·  Gastrointestinal disease: Cigarette smoking increases the amount of acid that is made by your   stomach, and may cause a peptic ulcer. A peptic ulcer is an open sore in the stomach or duodenum (part of the intestine). You may also get gastroesophageal reflux from smoking. This is when you have a backflow of stomach acid into your esophagus (food tube).
Other problems: The following are other problems that smoking may cause:
§  Bad breath.
§  Bad smell in your clothes, hair, and skin.
§  Decreased ability to play sports or do physical activities because of breathing problems.
§  Earlier than normal wrinkling of the skin, usually the face.
§  Higher risk of bone fractures, such as hip, wrist, or spine.
§  Higher risk of starting a fire. This may happen if you fall asleep with a lit cigarette.
§  Men may have problems having an erection.
§  Sleeping problems.
§  Smoking is an expensive (costly) habit. You will save money if you choose to stop smoking.
§  Sore throat.
§  Staining of teeth. 
·         Women and smoking: You may have a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke if you smoke and use birth control pills. This risk is more serious if you are 35 years or older. The risk of losing your unborn baby or having a stillborn baby is higher if you are pregnant and smoke. Babies born to smoking mothers often weigh less, and are at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). You may have a harder time getting pregnant if you are a smoker. Women who smoke may have a higher risk of osteoporosis (also known as "brittle bones"). Women who smoke also have a higher risk of incontinence, which is when you are unable to control when you urinate.
Are there risks with smoking cigars or pipes?
The risks are the same for people who smoke cigars or pipes as they are for cigarette smokers. There is a risk of getting cancer of the mouth, lip, larynx (voice box), or esophagus if you smoke a cigar or pipe.
What are the risks of using snuff or chewing tobacco ("smokeless tobacco")?
People who use snuff or chewing tobacco have an increased risk of getting mouth or throat cancer. The risk of heart disease, stroke, blood vessel disease and stomach problems is the same as it is for cigarette smokers.
What is "passive smoking"?
Tobacco smoke is dangerous to others. The effect that smoking has on nonsmokers is called "passive smoking". Nonsmokers who breathe tobacco smoke have the same health risks as smokers. Children who are around tobacco smoke may have more colds, ear infections, or other breathing problems.
Why should I quit smoking?
The benefits from quitting smoking happen right away. Your sense of taste and smell will improve. Your body, clothes, car, and home will not smell of tobacco smoke. Your chance of getting cancer will be reduced as compared to a person who does not quit. As a former smoker, you will live longer than people who continue to smoke. Women who quit smoking before getting pregnant have a better chance of having a healthy baby. You will decrease the health risks of nonsmokers if you stop smoking. By stopping smoking you will also save money.
What is the best way to stop smoking?
·         A large percentage of people have tried to quit smoking at least once. Most people who try to quit smoking go through a series of stages. Following are the stages you may go through to stop smoking:
o    Thinking about quitting.
o    Deciding to quit on a certain day.
o    Quitting smoking.
o    Successfully staying an ex-smoker. 
·         You must be strong in order to quit smoking. When you decide to quit, you can get help from your caregiver or others. You will learn that there are many ways to stop smoking. Talk to your caregiver about the best method for you when you are ready to quit smoking. Ask your caregiver for more information about how to stop smoking.
Care Agreement
You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
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Effects of giving up smoking

As we stop, our bodies are going to ,well not like us for taking away something it got very use to having. You have to know that it’s not so bad because you have to be truthful not with yourself but to yourself. Once you make the choice just tell yourself that you can’t change your mind. Tell yourself whatever it takes to make that decision as solid as a rock within yourself. giving up smoking is like making the choice not to drink and drive! It’s wrong for so many reasons!      

The side effects of smoking can cause a snow balling effect creating many different diseases.  As many don’t feel or see the short-term effects on their body, the long-term side effects create many problems, causing the body to fail much faster and earlier than those of non smokers.  Let’s take a look at some of these side effects that smoking can cause.
Although some of the obvious facts are known to some, the thing to remember is the ability of each disease that can create branches of problems with in itself. The negative effects can start to look like a never-ending list. 


  • Coronary heart disease has been the leading cause of death of smokers.  While smoking the heart is put under heavy duress due to the plaques and toxic smoke that is caused from smoking, which in turn has a sub side effect that branches into the hardening of arteries, blood clots, strokes and cardiovascular disease.
  • Smoking can cause the long-term effects of high blood pressure and can also show signs of immediate increase of blood pressure.
  • Lung cancer and emphysema:  Over the long run smoking increases the chance of lung cancer and emphysema in large strides.
  • Increased heart rate has been seen in long time smokers and with those who have just begun.
  • Smoking has also shown the ability of blood vessel damage.
  • Just from smoking, your chances of respiratory problems are more than doubled.  Smokers become more susceptible to Chronic Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and shortness of breath, flues, and Asthma.
  • Stomach problems that can be found due to smoking are cancer of the stomach, pancreas and colon.  Another one of the many stomach smoking side effects is Aortic aneurysm.
  • Increased aging process:  The skin takes a long-term effect, causing wrinkles to show much quicker than non smokers.  Smoking increases the process of aging not only with in other areas of the body but also to the outer appearance of the body, your skin.

    Although smoking habits tend to be picked up at a very young age, looking into the long-term, as well as short-term effects should be taken into high regard for your own life’s benefit, as well as others.  This is a small list of side effects that smoking has been known to cause.  The list is an ever-growing one and continues to take its toll on smoker’s everyday.
We would like to take this time to thanks KWSPKT (klinik Warga Sihat) for there support in our fight against smokers. The help they gave us as an authority in their field of H.E.D for programming to aid people of stop smoking. They help people fight the battle of their life.  Cancer is the darkness that’s in everything in this world as it fills the heart or your mood, it is the evil. This is cancer. Support Ministry of Health Malaysia of Love in their fight to help Quit Smokers.
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Side effects of Nicotine

Regardless of their age, smokers can substantially reduce their risk of disease, including cancer, by quitting.
Although most people know cigarette smoking is dangerous, most find it hard to quit. The reason is nicotine. Nicotine is a drug found naturally in tobacco. It is as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over time, a person becomes physically and emotionally addicted to (dependent on) nicotine. Studies have shown that smokers must deal with both the physical and psychological (mental) dependence to quit and stay quit.
When tobacco is smoked, nicotine enters the lungs and is quickly taken into the blood system and distributed throughout the entire body. Nicotine and its breakdown products can remain in the body for up to 3-4 days after inhalation. Nicotine causes pleasant feelings in the smoker, which makes them want to smoke more. In addition, over time, the body builds up a tolerance to nicotine, meaning that a larger amount is required to get the same pleasant effect.
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STOP SMOKING PREVENTION
The effects of smoking on human health are serious and in many cases, deadly. There are 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes, hundreds of which are toxic. The ingredients in cigarettes affect everything from the internal functioning of organs to the efficiency of the body's immune system. The effects of cigarette smoking are destructive and widespread.
The earlier a smoker quits smoking, the better. While lung damage begins with the first cigarette, lungs can repair themselves up until the point in which they become diseased. Once a diagnosis of a smoking related illness is made, the smoker should quit immediately to prevent further damage to the lungs and to lessen the chance of death.
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 WARNING Cigarette Causes
  • Mouth Cancer
  • Premature Birth
  • Neck Cancer
  • Gangrene
  • Miscarriage Baby
  • Lung Cancer
  • Throat Cancer
Parents are the single biggest influence in their children’s lives. You’ve got to let your kids know, and know often that smoking is bad news. Your teens may seem to be tuning you out and accuse you of lecturing, but they are listening. Discuss the dangers of teen smoking with them early and often.

The smoking facts below have been compiled with teens in mind. It’s full of knowledge and information to arm yourself with that will get your child’s attention.
Cigarettes when burned, create toxic, harmful chemical compounds. Cigarette smoke emits nearly 4,000 poisonous chemical products of which 53 may cause cancer.Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer. It is the most usual form of cancer in men and closely related to smoking habits. If you have it, the chances of recovery are slim.
Be proactive! Give your children a solid anti-smoking foundation that will help them resist outside influences encouraging them to smoke as they go through their formative years. It’s up to us as parents to do all that we can to protect our kids from the dangers that tobacco use presents. Education about nicotine addiction is the best place to start.
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Effects   of   Smoking
- Smoking's Impact on Other
  • Smoking affects Everyone
  • Smoking affects Children
  • Smoking affects Pregnant women
-  Your body gets more than nicotine when you smoke  -
The ashes, tar, gases, and other poisons in cigarettes will harm your body over time. They also make it harder for you to taste and smell things, and fight infections. They lower down your body immune system, and damage your heart and lungs.

Smoking Affects Everyone
Smoking generally causes problems for everyone, regardless of ages.
    Damages the eyes (when the thousands of chemicals get into your bloodstream when you inhale cigarette smoke and it can circulate throughout your body. The chemicals deal damage to the macula, causing tiny blood vessels to burst through it and also kill the cells slowly. In the end, it would lead to loss of vision.
    • Reduces fertility.
    • Increases likelihood of impotence.
    • Contributes to thin bones.
    • Affects mental capacity and memory.
    • Reduces levels of folate, low levels of which can increase the risk of heart disease, depression, and Alzheimer's disease.
    • Affects ability to smell and taste.
    • Increases risk of depression in adolescents.
    • Increases risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure.
    • Increases risk of diabetes.
    • Increases risk of cancer.
    • Causes breathing problems.
    • Reduces immune system and get colds and flu more easily.
    Smoking Affects Children
    Children have weaker immune system than most adults. As a result of inhaling smoke from cigarettes, they tend to be affected greater than others.
    • Asthma
    • Ear infections (like pneumonia)
    • Lung infections (like pneumonia)
    • Growth of lungs affected

    Smoking Affects Pregnant 
    Do the new lives get to choose their own destiny? Can they grow up to be as healthy as others of their ages? 

    Nevertheless, they do not have a choice. Is it fair to them that they are born unhealthier than others just because their mothers are smokers?

    • Their babies may suffer from birth defects (which include mental and physical disability).
    • Their babies may be born small or low-birth-weight.
    • They may have premature babies.
    • Their babies are more likely to die of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
    • Their children may be cranky, restless, and get sick more often.
    • Their children are more likely to have learning problems.
    • Their children have higher risk of obesity and diabetes later in life.
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    Why Quit Smoking? 
    It has been over decades that the holy fight to reduce smoking in countries does not show gigantic progress. Today, an estimated of one in four men and one in five women still smoke. 

    To non-smokers, it has always been a mystery why smokers continue to smoke despite all the health damage discovery of smoking. Smoking is the number one killer in America for it increases the risk for heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke and other health problems, tremedously. 
      
    Is smoking a habit that really worth the risk?

    Most smokers do realise the dangers of smoking but they do not seem to be wary of these until the problems surface, and sadly, it would be too late to reverse anything. Smokers (mostly in developed countries) also can feel the stress financially but they seem to be able to overcome this problem. Some smokers can skip meals but not smoking. 

    The fact that the nicotine in cigarettes is highly addictive stops smokers from quitting smoking. In addiction, smoking does provide psychological comfort to some smoekrs. After all, quitting smoking is too difficult.  
    There are researches done in regarding to quit smoking. The benefits of quitting become more visible over the years and the drawbacks of not quitting have been clear. 

    Smoking impacts and ruins your looks. 

    1. There are many ways that smoking can cause damage to your physical appearance. Looks is the first thing anyone would judge you on, and so why do you want to get a lower rating? 
      1. Bags under your eyes 
    Smokers are four times as likely as non-smokers to suffer from feeling unrested after waking up due to nicotine withdrawal that make them tossing around on bed. Having poor sleep, you may suffer from bags under your eyes.
      1. Psoriasis 
    Psoriasis is an autoimmune-related skin condition that creates patches of marks on your skin. The risk for getting psoriasis increases the longer you smoke. If you smoke a packet of cigarette a day, psoriasis risk will increase by 20% of a non-smoker; if you have been smoking for the past 20 years, your psoriasis risk is 60% higher; and if you smoker longer than that, the risk doubles or more. Second-hand smoking for pregnant ladies and children is the cause of psoriasis as well.
      1. Icky teeth 
    Nicotine stains teeth. Smokers have high risk of getting yellowish teeth. Teeth whitening procedure is costly.
      1. Premature aging and wrinkles 
    Smoking increases the risk of skin wrinkling and smokers age faster than non-smokers. Smokers look 1.4 years older than non-smokers, on average, due to the smoke hampering the blood supply that keeps skin tissue looking supple and healthy.
      1. Yellow fingers 
    The nicotine not only stains your teeth but your fingers and nails too. The person who does handshake with you may be turned off by your hands and it creates a very bad impression.
      1. Hair drop and gray hair 
    The toxic chemicals in smoke damage the DNA in hair follicles and generate cell-damaging free radicals. Smokers will suffer from thinner hair and their hair will turn gray earlier. With thinner hair, smokers will suffer from hair drop and thus they have higher risk of becoming bald.
      1. Scarring 
    Nicotine causes vasoconstriction. Smokers' blood vessels are being narrowed and oxygen-rich blood may not be able to reach their tiny blood vessels in their faces or other parts of the bodies. Therefore, healing process of wounds would take longer and thus smokers will have bigger and redder scars than non-smokers.
      1. Tooth loss 
    According to a 2005 U.K. study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, smokers are up to six times more likely than non-smokers to develop gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss.
      1. Natural glow is gone 
    Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, which displaces the oxygen in smokers' skin. With the aid of nicotine, which reduces blood flow, smokers' skin is dry and discoloured. Nutrients such as vitamin C are depleted, reducing their skin's self repairing and protection ability. A 1985 study came up with the term Smoker’s Face to describe certain facial characteristics, such as wrinkles, gauntness, and a gray appearance of the skin, caused by smoking. Smoking is so not cool.
      1. Slower wound healing 
    Smokers do not heal as well after surgeries such as tooth extractions, periodontal and face-lifts procedures. Some surgeons will not perform cosmetic surgery for smokers until they agree to kick the habit.
      1. Warts 
    Warts can be caused by a large family of viruses known as human papillomavirus. Smokers are more susceptible to such infection. Female smokers are four times as likely to suffer from gential warts than non-smokers.
      1. Skin cancer 
    smokers are three times as likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common type of skin cancer, than nonsmokers.
      1. Stretch marks 
    Nicotine damages fibers and connective tissue in smoker's skin to make them lose elasticity and strength. Cigarette is one of the causes for stretch marks and red skin striations other than gaining weight rapidly.
      1. Flabby tummy 
    Smokers have more visceral fat than non-smokers and it pads internal organs and can accumulate in midsection, ultimately increasing the risk of other diseases such as diabetes.
      1. Cataracts 
    Cigarette smoking can increase the risk of cataracts by putting oxidative stress on the lens of the eye. The amount of cigarettes smoked was a more important risk factor than how long someone smoked. 

                            http://www.livestrong.com

    1. Smoking harms you financially.
      Money cannot buy happiness, but without money, you cannot buy many things. Why do you want to burn your money away? Even if you are rich, why don't you contribute to the society by donating the money spent on cigarettes to the needy, instead of causing harms?
      1. Smokers are poorer than how rich they are supposed to be.
        Cigarettes are expensive. In countries where efficient governments have foreseen the health hassle caused by smoking, they have resolved to set laws and campaigns to strongly discourage smokers from smoking. One useful ways to force smokers to reduce or even quit smoking is to increase the tax of cigarettes, in such a way that smokers have to pay higher price in order to damage their own health. Smokers also have to buy refreshers to eliminate their bad breath or perfume to cover up their body odour. For every stick of cigarette burnt, it is similar to burning a piece of dollar note.
      2. Smokers, on average, have poorer health than non-smokers.
        And as a result, smokers have to visit the doctors more often. Since there is a higher chance for smokers to be contracted with diseases, they may have to pay more to cure their illness in future.
      3. Smokers have to pay higher price when they buy insurance.
        Life insurance for certain insurance companies cost more than twice as much for smokers versus non-smoker. Smokers also have to pay higher amount of money for medical insurance. Since smokers' houses are more likely to catch fire, home insurance is more costly as well.
      4. Smoking in car can dramatically drop its resale value.
        The smoke not only creates awful smell but also stinks on the interior of the car.
    2. Smoking causes your health.
      You may be one of the few lucky ones who are not affected in your health, but can you be assured that you are one of them? Why do you want to risk your own health?
      1. Smokers on average hit the bucket about 10 years quicker.
        Due to all the harmful effects of smoking, most smokers have shorter lifespan than non-smokers.
      2. Smokers on average cannot focus as well as non-smokers.
        They have to depend on puffing each time to regain their concentration but each cigarette can only last them for a limit period of time.
      3. Smokers on average have poorer health than non-smokers.
        Due to the effects of smoking, smokers tend to cough (known as smoker cough) more often and have weaker immune system and thus weaker health. Smokers also have higher risk of getting cancer, heart attacks, strokes, early death and cataracts. Smokers' sense of smell and taste may be affected as well.
      4. There are numerous of proven effects of smoking.
        which smokers are meddling with. Cigarettes are disastrous.
    3. Smoking creates social problems for you and others.
      No man is an island, and thus you have to maintain good relationship with others. But smoking often gives non-smokers bad impression and sometimes it does create conflicts. Besides, smoking affects yourself in other aspects as well.
      1. Smokers on average are less presentable than non-smokers.
        They may have dirty teeth and bad breath, or even body odour. This will certainly give bad impression to some people. To some people, smokers are recognised as hooligans or at least they give the impression.
      2. Smokers are more hated.
        If you open your eyes wide every day, you can see that there are obviously more non-smokers than smokers in this world. Some smokers are hated by non-smokers greatly because of the impacts that the smokers have caused on them, such as second hand smoke. Basically, smokers have higher chances to be hated by others, especially regarding the issues of cigarette litter and smoking in public places.
      3. Smokers waste more time than non-smokers.
        Cigarette breaks take up time. Buying cigarettes can be time consuming. Sometimes, smokers even have to search for lighter. Imagine the amount of time smokers can save if they have quitted smoking, more useful stuffs can be done.
      4. Smoking is prohibited in many places.
        Smokers get "locked out" of places like shopping centres which do not allow smoking. During outings with friends, they often have to stay outside in open areas to finish up their cigarettes before they can go in to join their groups of friends. At times, they also have to worry if their current locations are smoking prohibited.
      5. Smokers set bad example for youngsters.
        Smokers are human beings and they are basically kind. Most smokers know the effects of smoking but they continue to smoke. However, they do not wish their children or the younger generation to smoke, but they do not realise they are actually influencing the younger generation to smoke by doing it. This is also known as parental smoking.
    When other smoking cessation aids have failed to help you quit, perhaps you should give addiction counseling a try, because it just might work for you.

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    What Are The Lung Cancer Symptoms And Signs To Call Your Doctor

     People with lung cancer the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes people with lung cancer show no symptoms. However, these symptoms with a medical condition that can cause cancer. If you are concerned about a lung cancer symptoms and signs on this list, please talk with your doctor.

    - Fatigue                                                                                     
    - Cough                                                                                      
    - Difficulty                                                                                  
    - Loss of appetite                                                                    
    - Pain in the chest when a structure is a cancer of the breast or the lining of the lungs                                          
    - Coughing up phlegm or mucus                                       
    - Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)                                    
    Your doctor will help your lung cancer symptoms and signs, when to   seek the cause of the problem, but a diagnosis. This may, on condition that the symptoms has been the experience and how often.
    For people with lung cancer, which may have no lung cancer symptoms and signs that was discovered in a chest radiograph or CT scan for another reason, including the control of cardiovascular diseases. Most people diagnosed with lung cancer when the tumor is growing in the room, or take action begins with the surrounding structures. Lung cancer may also be liquid, it is possible that in the lung or the space around the lungs and pushing air into the lungs and cause lung failure. This prevents the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, blocking the flow of air into the lungs, or the space needed for oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs.
    Although lung cancer of metastases throughout the body, the sites most frequently affected are the lymph nodes, lungs, bones, brain, liver and kidney structures known about adrenal glands. Metastasis (spread over an area), lung cancer can be from other respiratory diseases, bone pain, abdominal pain or back pain, headache, weakness, seizures and / or language disorders. Rarely, a lung cancer caused by hormones, chemical imbalances such as low sodium or high calcium levels in the blood.
    Lung cancer symptoms and signs such as fatigue, malaise (feeling of being out of step or malaise), loss of appetite and not necessarily due to metastasis. The presence of a cancer in the human body can feel a person is sick in general. Loss of appetite can cause weight loss. Fatigue and weakness can aggravate respiratory diseases.

    If cancer is diagnosed, is the relief of symptoms and side effects an important component of care and treatment of cancer. This can also be symptoms, palliative care or supportive care. Be careful with your health care provider about symptoms you are talking about doing, as new symptoms or a change in symptoms.
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    Quitting Smoking: Why To Quit and How To Get Help

    1. What health problems are caused by smoking?
    Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and diminishes a person’s overall health. Smoking is a leading cause of cancer and of death from cancer. It causes cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia Smoking also causes heart disease, stroke, lung disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema), hip fractures, and cataracts. Smokers are at higher risk of developing pneumonia and other airway infections.
     A pregnant smoker is at higher risk of having her baby born too early and with an abnormally low weight. A woman who smokes during or after pregnancy increases her infant’s risk of death from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 

    2. Does tobacco smoke contain harmful chemicals? 

    Yes. Tobacco smoke contains chemicals that are harmful to both  smokers and nonsmokers. Breathing even a little tobacco smoke can be harmful. Of the 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 250 are known to be harmful. The toxic chemicals found in smoke include hydrogen cyanide (used in chemical weapons), carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust), formaldehyde (used as an embalming fluid), ammonia (used in household cleaners), and toluene (found in paint thinners). Of the 250 known harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, more than 50 have been found to cause cancer. These chemicals include.
    1. arsenic (a heavy metal toxin)
    2. benzene (a chemical found in gasoline)
    3. beryllium (a toxic metal)
    4. cadmium (a metal used in batteries)
    5. chromium (a metallic element)
    6. ethylene oxide (a chemical used to sterilize medical devices)
    7. nickel (a metallic element)
    8. polonium–210 (a chemical element that gives off radiation)
    9. vinyl chloride (a toxic substance used in plastics manufacture)
    3. What are the immediate benefits of quitting smoking? 
    The immediate health benefits of quitting smoking are substantial. Heart rate and blood pressure, which were abnormally high while smoking, begin to return to normal. Within a few hours, the level of carbon monoxide in the blood begins to decline. (Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas found in cigarette smoke, reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.) Within a few weeks, people who quit smoking have improved circulation, don’t produce as much phlegm, and don’t cough or wheeze as often. Within several months of quitting, people can expect significant improvements in lung function.

     4. What are the long-term benefits of quitting smoking? 
     Quitting smoking reduces the risk of cancer and other diseases, such as heart disease and lung disease,    
     caused by smoking. People who quit smoking, regardless of their age, are less likely than those who continue 
     to smoke to die from smoking-related illness.  Studies have shown that quitting at age 30 reduces the chance of 
     dying from smoking-related diseases by more than 90%.  People who quit at about age 50 reduce their risk of 
     dying prematurely by 50% compared with those who continue to smoke.

     5. Does quitting smoking lower the risk of cancer? 
     Quitting smoking substantially reduces the risk of developing and dying from cancer, and this benefit increases 
     the longer a person remains smoke free. However, even after many years of not smoking, the risk of lung cancer 
     in former smokers remains higher than in people who have never smoked .
     The risk of premature death and the chance of developing cancer due to cigarettes depend on the number of 
     years of smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the age at which smoking began, and the presence 
     or absence of illness at the time of quitting.

     6. Should someone already diagnosed with cancer bother to quit smoking? 
     Yes. There are many reasons that people diagnosed with cancer should quit smoking. For those having surgery  
     or other treatments, quitting smoking helps improve the body’s ability to heal and respond to the cancer 
     treatment, and it lowers the risk of pneumonia and respiratory failure. Also, quitting smoking may lower the risk 
     of the cancer returning or a second cancer forming .

     7. What are some of the challenges associated with quitting smoking? 
     Quitting smoking may cause short-term problems, especially for those who have smoked a large number of 
     cigarettes for a long period of time:
    1. • Feeling sad or anxious: People who quit smoking are likely to feel depressed, anxious, irritable, and restless, and may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating.
    2. • Gaining weight: Increased appetite is a common withdrawal symptom after quitting smoking, and studies show that people who quit smoking increase their food intake . Although most smokers gain less than 10 pounds, for some people the weight gain can be troublesome . Regular physical activity can help people maintain a healthy weight.
    Depression, anxiety, restlessness, weight gain, and other problems are symptoms of nicotine withdrawal . Many people find that nicotine replacement products and other medicines may relieve these problems. . However, even without medication, withdrawal symptoms and other problems do subside over time.

      8. Can a doctor, dentist, or pharmacist help a person quit smoking? 
      Doctors, dentists, and pharmacists can be good sources of information
      about the health risks of smoking and  the benefits of quitting. They can
      describe the proper use and potential side effects of nicotine replacement
      therapy and other medicines, and they can help people find local quit
      smoking resources.

     9. How can I help someone I know quit smoking? 
     It’s understandable to be concerned about someone you know who currently smokes. It’s  
     important to find out if this person wants to quit smoking. Most smokers say they want to
     quit. If they don’t want to quit, try to find out 
     why.


     Here are some things you can do to help:
    1. • Express things in terms of your own concern about the smoker’s health (“I’m worried about...”).
    2. • Acknowledge that the smoker may get something out of smoking and may find it difficult to quit.
    3. • Be encouraging and express your faith that the smoker can quit for good.
    4. • Suggest a specific action, such as calling a smoking quitline, for help in quitting smoking.
    5. • Ask the smoker for ways you can provide support.
    Here are two things you should not do:
    1. • Don’t send quit smoking materials to smokers unless they ask for them.
    2. • Don’t criticize, nag, or remind the smoker about past failures.
     10. What are nicotine replacement products? 
     Nicotine is the substance in cigarettes and other forms of tobacco that causes
     addiction. Nicotine replacement products deliver small, measured doses of 
     nicotine into the body, which helps to relieve the cravings and withdrawal  
     symptoms often felt by people trying to quit smoking. Strong and consistent
     evidence shows that nicotine replacement products can help people quit smoking.


     It’s far less harmful for a person to get nicotine from a nicotine replacement 

     product than from cigarettes because tobacco smoke contains many toxic and

     cancer-causing substances. Long-term use of nicotine replacement products is 

    not known to be associated with any serious harmful effects.



     11. Are there alternative methods to help people quit smoking? 

     Some people claim that alternative approaches such as hypnosis, acupuncture, 

     acupressure, laser therapy, or electrostimulation may help reduce the  

     symptoms associated with nicotine withdrawal. However, clinical studies

     have not shown that these alternative approaches help people quit smoking.



     12. What if a person smokes again after quitting? 

     Many smokers find it difficult to quit. People commonly quit smoking and then find themselves smoking again, 

     especially in the first few weeks or months after quitting. People who  

     smoke after quitting should try again to quit. Most people find that they 

      need to persist in their attempts to quit smoking before they quit for good.

      It may take four or more attempts before smokers are able to quit for good

      People who stop smoking for 3 months or longer have an excellent chance

      of remaining cigarette free for the rest of their lives.

      
    SOMATIC

    Did you know…
    Tobacco Death Toll : Quick Facts
    Tobacco’s devastating health effects are not immediately evident. As global tobacco use is rising, years or decades will go by until the wave of tobacco-related illnesses hits.

    6 seconds a person dies from tobacco use
    5 million annual deaths due to tobacco, more than AIDS+TB+malaria combined
    10 % percentage of adult deaths worldwide attributable to tobacco
    8 million projected annual death due to tobacco use by 2030, if unchecked
    100 million tobacco-related deaths in the 20th century
    500 million people currently still alive who will die from tobacco, if current trends continue
    1 billion estimated tobacco-related deaths in the 21st century
    Diseases Chat

    Tobacco & Second-Hand Smoke
    40% of countries lack protection of children from second-hand smoke in schools.
    In total, 80 countries do not ban smoking in either schools or hospitals, or both, thereby failing to protect choolchildren and/or the sick.
    Each year:
    430 cases of sudden infant death syndrome
    1900 pre-term deliveries
    3400 lung cancer deaths

    Exposure to second-hand smoking increases risk of lung cancer in non-smokers by 20-30 percent.
    24500 low-birth-weight babies
    46000 heart disease deaths

    Exposure to second-hand smoking increases risk of coronary heart disease by 25-30 percent.
    200000 episodes of childhood asthma