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Stubbing out smoking for the new year E-mail
Written by Christina Hession   
Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Knowing you need to stop smoking is half the battle when it comes to quitting, writes Christina Hession

Quitting smoking may well be the single most important thing you can do to improve your health. If you smoke 20 cigarettes a day and pay €6.20 for a pack of cigarettes, you could save €2,263 a year. Within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal, while circulation improves in hands and feet, making them warmer. After eight hours, oxygen levels in the blood return to normal and the chances of heart attack start to fall.

After 24 hours, carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) is eliminated from the body. The lungs start to clear out mucous and other debris. After 48 hours, nicotine is no longer detectable in the body. The ability to taste and smell is improved. After 72 hours, breathing becomes easier as the bronchial tubes relax and energy levels increase.

Two weeks after quitting, circulation improves throughout the body, making walking and exercise easier. In three to nine months, breathing problems, such as coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing improve. Overall lung function is increased by five to ten per cent.

The risk of heart attack falls to that of a non-smoker after five years. After ten years, the risk of lung cancer falls to about half of a smoker. Risk of a heart attack falls to about the same as someone who has never smoked.

According to Nicorette Quit Tips, one should write down ten good things about being a non-smoker and ten bad things about being a smoker. This will remind you why you decided to give up in the first place.

Choose a specific quit date and stick to it. Ensure that it's a date when you won't be under any additional pressure at home or at work. Get rid of lighters, ashtrays and matches, and make sure you don't have any cigarettes around. Remove any stale smoke smells by spring cleaning your house and clothes.

Every smoker has a particular time of the day or a particular situation when they have a cigarette. Being aware of the kind of triggers that you are prone to will help enormously when you're giving up. It enables you to recognise, avoid and prepare for them.


It is natural to experience strong cravings for a cigarette during the first few days after quitting. However, even the most intense craving only lasts three to five minutes before it subsides. After stopping smoking, most people experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, difficulty concentrating, depression and trouble sleeping. However, these are temporary symptoms. The worst is usually over after two to three days, and most have passed after a week or two.

Every day for the first month put the money you would have spent on a packet of cigarettes in a jar. Make sure you celebrate your successes, reward yourself for your first day, week or month without smoking. Consider when you are most likely to have a cigarette and break the habit by going for a brisk walk instead.

Tell others you have given up; this will get you extra support. If you always smoke after meals, try leaving the table immediately and washing up, cleaning your teeth, going for a walk or getting involved in a new hobby.

Think about the positive things you have acquired while not smoking. The smell has gone, you have more money, and you can even taste food better. Don't give in by thinking 'one cigarette won't hurt'. If you're concerned about putting on weight after you have given up smoking, avoid high calorie snacks, eat more fruit and vegetables, and drink plenty of water, fruit juices and low-calorie drinks.

If you slip up and start smoking again, all is not lost. Set a new quit date and start again. The more quit attempts you make, the more likely you are to succeed. Know that it will take effort to quit smoking. Nicotine is habit forming. Half of the battle in quitting is knowing you need to quit. This knowledge will help you be more able to deal with the symptoms of withdrawal that can occur.

Take one day at a time. Remember every day without smoking is good news for your health, family and your pocket. Avoid temptation by staying away from situations you associate with pleasurable smoking. Find new habits and create a non-smoking environment around you.

Take deep rhythmic breaths similar to smoking to relax and picture your lungs filling with clean air. Remember your goal and the fact that the cravings will eventually pass. Eat several small meals during the day instead of one or two large ones. This maintains constant blood sugar levels and helps prevent the urge to smoke. Avoid sugary or spicy food that may trigger a desire for cigarettes.

With over 25 years experience in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), Nicorette has helped millions of people to quit smoking. Nicorette has the widest range of NRT products available, each with its own profile and benefits to suit the needs and lifestyles of individual smokers. The range includes the Nicorette Patch, Nicorette Gum, Nicorette Microtab and Nicorette Inhaler. This is ideal if you miss the hand-to-mouth habit of smoking. It suits smokers who smoke less than 20 cigarettes per day. This is a plastic mouthpiece that contains a nicotine cartridge. Each cartridge has a 20-minute supply of nicotine. The cartridge needs to be changed 6 to 12 times per day to work effectively.

If you decide to quit, there is a free Nicorette Quit Pack that includes a stop smoking CD and lots of helpful information on quitting and staying stopped. Call 1850 430 530 for your free pack.



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