Quit Smoking

• Effects of smoking

• Natural ways to stop smoking

• Other ways to help

• The time it takes for a smoker’s body to heal itself after giving up smoking

Other related links:

• Mild anxiety

• Energy

• Sleeplessness

Everyone knows that smoking is very bad for the health. However, one in every four Britons over the age of sixteen still smoke – that’s over 10 million people.

About half of all smokers die from smoking-related diseases. Long term smokers have a life expectancy that is ten years shorter than that of a non-smoker. Also, the younger a smoker is when they start smoking, the more likely they are to smoke for longer and to die from a smoking-related disease.

In addition to causing life threatening conditions, smoking can age the skin, cause bad breath, worsen colds, chest problems and allergies. It can also cause smokers to cough, sneeze or feel short of breath when they exercise.

Finally, smokers can cause serious harm to the people around them, especially young children.

Effects of smoking

In the UK one person dies from a smoking-related disease every four minutes. Smoking increases the risk factor for a number of illnesses including:

• Lung cancer (smoking causes over 80 per cent of all lung cancer deaths)

• Increases the risk factor for cancers of the throat, mouth, stomach, kidney, bladder, cervix and oesophagus. It is also linked to some types of leukaemia.

• Heart disease

• Bronchitis

• Strokes

• Stomach ulcers

• Gangrene

Natural ways to stop smoking

• Homeopathy such as the homeopathic remedies Nux vom 200C, Caladium & Tabacum 6X and Staphisagria 200C can help relieve the withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up smoking.

• Hypnosis can be useful in treating someone’s psychological addition to cigarettes, which is often more difficult to overcome than an addiction to Nicotine.

• Acupuncture can help relieve the withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up smoking.

• Bach flower essences such as Rescue Remedy can help you face everyday stress without resorting to cigarettes.

• Calming herbal teas such as Skullcap, Vervain and Chamomile can help you remain calm when craving cigarettes.

Other ways to help

• Join a smoking cessation group. Research suggests that people who join a smoking cessation group have a better chance of giving up smoking than those who do it alone.

• Ask for help. The NHS offers a lot of free help and advice to people who want to give up smoking. You can look online at www.smokefree.nhs.uk or call the free NHS smoking helpline on 0800 022 4332, seven days a week from 7am to 11pm.

• Self help. There are many self help books, dvds and tapes available to people who want to give up smoking. They may help reinforce your desire and willpower to give up smoking.

The time it takes for a smoker’s body to heal itself after giving up smoking: