20 Quick Tips to Help You Quit Smoking

1. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can quit. Think about
some of the most difficult things you have done in your life and
realize that you have the guts and determination to quit
smoking. It's up to you.

2. After reading this list, sit down and write your own list,
customized to your personality and way of doing things. Create
you own plan for quitting.

More Reasons ll

1. Health Reasons

- I get so out of breath when I exert myself even a little bit. Just vacuuming the house makes me pant and gasp.

- My feet are always cold. This could be due to high blood pressure and poor circulation associated with smoking.

- I have a nasty wet cough and I have to blow my nose way too often. Mucus build-up is the body's reaction to all the toxins and chemicals in cigarette smoke and could be a precursor to serious respiratory disease. Even if I don't get cancer, I don't want to be one of those people who has to tote oxygen bottles around everywhere.

- I'm always tired. Could it be that my body is using up all its energy trying to eliminate the toxins and chemicals from cigarettes?

2. Vanity Reasons

- Smoking causes premature aging and drying of the skin. I don't want to look like a wrinkled up old prune!

- My fingers, fingernails and teeth are all tobacco stained. Disgusting! How embarrassing.

- When I get on the elevator after a smoke break at work, everyone wrinkles their nose and tries to edge away from me because I reek of cigarette smoke. I feel like a pariah. It's embarrassing to always be the big "stinker" on the elevator. I feel like I have no self-control.

- My breath is awful. Kissing me must be like kissing an ashtray. I spend a fortune on breath mints.

3. Financial Reasons

- If I save all the money I used to spend on cigarettes, I'll have enough to take a vacation in Cancun (or some other warm tropical place) every winter!

- I could use the money to pay off my credit cards!

- I could donate money to my favorite charity or sponsor a child. My cigarette money could make the world a better place!

4. Family Reasons

- My family can stop worrying about me.

- My spouse will have to find something new to nag me about. Just kidding, honey!

- My children will be proud of me and (hopefully) they'll never start smoking themselves, having seen firsthand what a nasty destructive habit it is.

5. Cleanliness Reasons

- The walls used to be white. Now they're a nasty dirty-looking brown. I need to repaint... again!

- I stink, my car stinks, my house stinks, everything I own reeks of cigarette smoke. I can't even lend a book to a non-smoking friend because they can't stand the smell of smoke permeating the pages!

Do you see yourself in any of the items listed? You may have many more reasons of your own. Find as many compelling and emotional reasons to pursue smoking cessation as you can think of and write them all down. To quit smoking, you need YOUR reason to kick the nicotine habit.

If you can re-train your mind to think of smoking as a silly and self-destructive thing to do, then you're almost sure to succeed. And if you need something to do with your hands... try knitting!

 http://www.quitsmoking.com/info/articles/igr/psychologyofquittingsmoking.htm

Quit Smoking and Improve Your Looks - Every part of our body is compromised

By Larry Kunkel

Many years of research by reputable medical bodies has shown that:

• nicotine is more addictive for women
• women who smoke have twice the additional risk of heart attacks, strokes and lung cancer
• lung cancer kills three times the number of American women than breast cancer
• smoking is linked to early menopause
• the aging effect of smoking on the skin is worse for women

How Smoking Ruins Your Skin

Smoking causes

• premature aging of the skin and ruins your complexion.
• Loss of skin glow and vitality.
• premature facial wrinkling and leathery skin.
• crow’s feet.
• varicose veins.
• poor healing abilities.
• skin cancer.
• psoriasis.

Smoking reduces the amount of blood flowing to the skin and dries it out. It constructs the tiny capillaries that nourish the skin.

Smoking prevents oxygen and nutrients from getting to the skin . Over time, this means the skin loses elasticity and gets more wrinkled. The appearance of wrinkled, pale and grayish skin is four to five times more frequent in smokers than non-smokers. In 1971 an extensive study showed that the facial skin of long-term smokers was so terribly wrinkled that they looked as if they were 20 years older!

Quitting smoking improves the blood supply to the skin and gives previously pale skin a more ‘natural’ appearance. A smoker’s skin is more apt to wrinkle because the skin’s vitamin A content is low compared with that for a non-smoker. Vitamin A protects the skin against strong chemical substances that may damage or destroy it. Smoking also gets in the way of absorption of vitamin C – a vital antioxidant for skin protection and health By quitting, you will improve your skin tone and colour. You are less likely to get wrinkles around your eyes and mouth from squinting when smoke gets in your eyes and puckering up when you draw on a cigarette.

(extracted fromLarry Kunkel’s “Quit Smoking and Improve Your Looks” article)

Muy bueno

Reparando...

Dia 21 !!! IUJU

Es un muy buen dia para recordar mis razones... Hacer una buena caminata y celebrar!!!

Mis Razones = Mi Mantra

• Quiero sentirme mejor
• Quiero oler bien y también mi casa
• Quiero tener la boca bien y no esta sensación de infección permanente
• Quiero tener más aire para mi bici, para hockey y el triatlón
• Quiero ser libre y no estar pensando donde me puedo escapar a fumar
• Quiero cuidarme
• Quiero tener la piel linda
• Quiero tener más dinero y gastarlo en cosas que me hacen bien
• Quiero vivir mejor, en línea con mis pensamientos, estar completa, entera.
• Quiero estar cerca de los bebés de mis amigos y no sentir que apesto.
• Quiero vivir bien, empiezo a pensar seriamente en el cáncer.
• Quiero no tener tos, empecé a tener y no me gusta.
• Quiero buena circulación, se me empiezan a dormir las piernas y los brazos.
• Quiero no tener colesterol por el tabaco, si lo tengo es por disfrutar una buena comida.
• Quiero recuperar el olfato, sentir todos los olores ricos
• Quiero sentir los sabores de las comidas
• Quiero tener el control de mí
• Quiero desintoxicarme
• Estoy harta de fumar, me cansé
• No me quiero "fumar" más la vida, la quiero VIVIR PLENAMENTE.

More information

What in cigarette smoke is harmful?

Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals produced by the burning of tobacco and its additives. The smoke contains tar, which is made up of more than 4,000 chemicals, including over 60 known to cause cancer. Some of these substances cause heart and lung diseases, and all of them can be deadly. You might be surprised to know some of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke include:

• Cyanide
• Benzene
• Formaldehyde
• Methanol (wood alcohol)
• Acetylene (the fuel used in welding torches)
• Ammonia

Cigarette smoke also contains the poison gases carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. The ingredient that produces the effect people are looking for is nicotine, an addictive drug.

More Reasons

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Smoking

1. I will reduce my chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
2. I will reduce my chances of getting lung cancer, emphysema, and other lung diseases.
3. I will have better smelling clothes, hair, breath, home, and car.
4. I will climb stairs and walk without getting out of breath.
5. I will have fewer wrinkles.
6. I will be free of my morning cough.
7. I will reduce the number of coughs, colds, and earaches my child will have.
8. I will have more energy to pursue physical activities I enjoy.
9. I will treat myself to new books or music with the money I save from not buying cigarettes.
10. I will have more control over my life.

20 Dias - Camino a empezar la 4a semana...

Que bueno no!!! Ya camino a 4 semanas, que pronto!!! Y cuantas cosas maravillosas que van pasando en mi cuerpo... Ahora con ganas de empezar a trotar... Veremos si me animo a la media maraton... Estaria barbaro!!!

19 Dias - Es excelente!

Guau! 19 dias, 2 horas de caminata todos los dias, dieta vegetariana (ayer probe tofu, not bad, en ensalada cortado en cubitos como queso, en realidad ni le senti el gusto). 
Muy bien, se nota como voy recuperando el aire y la energia, cada dia un poco mas...


Parece que dejar de fumar tambien ayuda a dormir mejor (yo siempre dormi bien) asi que aqui unos tips...

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. So, let's help you get it.

Take a look at the tips below. If you're having trouble getting to sleep, try a couple of them and see what works for you. And even if you feel like you're sleeping well already, maybe can get even better.

Tips for improving your sleep

• Establish a pattern: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
• Nap wisely: It might be refreshing, but naps are not substitutes for sleeping at night. If you nap, keep it short. About 30 minutes max. Longer naps might interfere with nighttime sleep.
• Watch your bedtime beverages: Avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages 4 hours before bedtime. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it's not as restful a sleep, so it's not a good solution.
• Be sure to unwind: You'll sleep better if you're relaxed. Read a book. Listen to soothing music. Watch a little television. Whatever helps you unwind from the day.
• Eat light at night: Try not to eat in the hour or so before bed. You'll sleep better when you're not digesting a meal.
• Exercise: Physical activity helps you sleep better and fall asleep faster — but only if it's 2 hours or more before going to bed.
• Make your bed a sleep-only zone: Don't read or watch movies or TV in bed. Do those activities somewhere else. Train your body that bed is for sleep only.
• Apply the 15-minute rule: If you can't fall asleep within 15 minutes, get up and do something for a little while, like read the paper or another quiet activity that will make you drowsy. Then return to bed and try again.

18 Dias - Buenisimo!!!!

Jajaja!!! Finalmente despues de casi 3 semanas tengo la lengua ROSA!!!! Antes con la nicotina, el cafe y toda la porqueria la tenia blanca... llena de bacterias... Que asco!!! Otra cosa mas... Que bueno que estoy dejando...


Que bien!!! Dia a dia, construyendo... Sabiendo que cada dia soy un poco mas fuerte... Y el objetivo es mas claro...


Mas razones para dejar...

III no longer enjoy smoking. 

III don’t want to look older than I am. 

III’m scared of getting sick or dying. 

IISmoking is making me feel sick. 

IIMy family is worried about my health. 

IIMy doctor told me smoking is hurting my health. 

III’m tired of smelling like smoke. 

III don’t want to expose family and friends to secondhand smoke. 

III’m spending too much money on cigarettes. 

IIIt’s time to make positive changes in my life. 

IISmoking is becoming less socially acceptable. 

Muy buen articulo... Para leer y releer...

SI USTED ES FUMADOR, LE INVITO A QUE LEA ATENTAMENTE ESTE TEXTO 

Apreciado amigo: 

Nos hemos visto antes usted y yo. No le conozco a fondo, pero algo sé sobre usted. Sí. Sé que usted fuma. Tal vez comenzó a hacerlo a una edad adulta, aunque lo más probable es que comenzase en la adolescencia, o incluso en la pre-adolescencia, no lo sé. Lo que sí sé es que seguro que el primer cigarrillo que usted probó tenía un sabor repulsivo y le hizo toser mucho. ¿Verdad que sí? Tal vez incluso se preguntó ¿”Qué le verá la gente de atractivo a esto de tragar humo?”. Y, sin darse cuenta, estaba dando otra calada. A las pocas horas, o a los pocos días, se sorprendió a sí mismo volviendo a probar otro cigarrillo… 

Mis Toxicos

Los Marlboro que yo fumaba,


1 Mg de Nicotina por cigarrillo = 20 Mg por dia = 18 dias = 360 Mg menos


10 Mg de Tar (todo lo demas menos la nicotina) por cigarrillo = 200 Mg por dia = 18 dias = 3600 Mg menos de Tar


11 Mg de CO (monoxido de carbono) por cigarrillo = 220 Mg por dia = 18 dias = 3960 Mg menos de CO


360 + 3600 + 3960 = 7920 Mg de BASURA menos en mis pulmones en 18 DIAS!!!


En un año, son 160 Gramos de BASURA menos en mis pulmones!!! Y por supuesto de mis pulmones a todo mi cuerpo...


Perdón cuerpo... Ahora a seguir limpiandonos! Cuerpo y alma, Body & Mind!


 Por eso esta imagen daba vuelta en mi cabeza

Dia 17 - Las nuevas rutinas son parte de mi...

Ya 17 dias, que pronto... Y ya todas nuevas rutinas, casi a cada hora del dia...


Desde que me levanto, que no me enchufo a los cigarrillos, que me demoraba toda la manana, al resto de la manana viendo a donde me iba a fumar (y despues no sabia donde esconder el olor), al mediodia, a la tarde, a la noche... Lo que me costaba hacer ejercicio... Y como ahora me sobra energia...

The smoke you breathe in from a cigarette is literally toxic. It even contains carbon monoxide. Those are the same fumes you find in car exhaust.

But here's an amazing fact: The smoke from the burning end of a cigarette can be even more dangerous than the smoke you inhale. That's sidestream smoke. Secondhand smoke is the smoke from the burning end of the cigarette plus the smoke breathed out by smokers. Concentrations of many cancer-causing and toxic chemicals may be higher in sidestream smoke. It contains more than 50 chemicals that can cause cancer.

Creating less of that secondhand smoke is good for everybody.

Asi que ahora a celebrar con una buena caminata!!!

What's the first thing you think of...

You probably can't help it. When you hear that a person is a smoker, you're likely to imagine a few things about that person, even if you don't know them. If you hear a person has quit smoking, you may get a whole different picture.

Well, other people may make those connections when they think of you, too. Here are a few examples of things some people might associate with smokers and with people who've quit.

"I think of smokers as..."

• smelling of smoke
• wasting money and time on cigarettes
• coughing
• more likely to take sick days
• outsiders — they can't smoke in many public places anymore
• having cigarette ash and odor in their house/car
• not in control of their smoking habit

"I think of people who've quit smoking as..."

• having accomplished a difficult task
• strong enough to overcome a dangerous habit
• smelling/looking fresher
• saving money by not buying cigarettes
• having the determination to quit
• getting sick less often
• having more free time now
• optimistic about the future

Do you agree or disagree with what's on these lists? Can you add anything? Do you associate any of these things with yourself? Can you think of anybody who would?

Dia 16 - Empezar a verme diferente...

Ya soy una No-Fumadora... O ya me empiezo a ver asi...

Shift your thinking

Every day, we rationalize things. We eat a donut and think, "I went to the gym, so I deserve this." Or we're late to work and think, "It's okay — everybody else comes in late."

But there's one thing you shouldn't rationalize anymore: smoking. Maybe in the past you told yourself it would be easier to quit next year. Or you thought your habit wasn't really risky yet. But now you know those were just excuses. Maybe you made those excuses because you were feeling the pull of an addiction. But now you're committed to quitting. And you know these difficult moments pass.

So if you ever feel yourself rationalizing a smoke, stop and think again. Think about what you've accomplished. Think about the great strides you're making toward getting healthier. As you know, not smoking is the only rational thing to do.

What does quitting say about you?

Here's another reason not to rationalize having a cigarette. Because quitting means much more than giving up smoking. To other people, who now see you as a nonsmoker, it might imply something about the kind of person you are.

Let's look at some of the important, positive things quitting says about you.

• You're gaining power over one of the most challenging addictions there is
• You have the strength to take on a tough task over time — and win
• You're optimistic about your future — you believe things can get better
• You care about those around you who may be affected by smoking
• You can change and improve, and you do it because you want to

Now — doesn't that sound like a person you want to be? And would want to have as a friend or coworker? We think so.

Dia 15 - Ya empiezo la 3a semana!

Recuperando mas el aire y la energia, el sabor, el olfato. Ahorrando mas dinero. Con mas tiempo. Mas sana, sin envenenarme. Mas limpia... Mas contenta...


Ademas de los $150, son 300, 300 cigarrillos menos en mis pulmones... A veces me los imagino como esas aves empetroladas... pero con nicotina, alquitran y todos los demas quimicos...

Dia 14 - 2 SEMANAS!!! Empieza a ser "NORMAL"

2 semanas, se empieza a incorporar como normal el estar sin humo... Se cruza varias veces, pero pienso solo este dia, manana es otro y se va... Y esta bueno todas las cosas que podes hacer sin pensar, es lindisimo! Eso pienso tambien... Y las porquerias que entran a mi cuerpo con cada cigarrillo...

Shift your thinking

So, what is "normal"? In the past, smoking was normal for you. By now, though, that should be changing. Even if you still feel urges to smoke, not smoking might be starting to be "normal." That's an important change. You should welcome it.

For example, getting up in the morning without reaching for a cigarette may be the new normal for you. Relaxing in the evening instead of running out for more cigarettes may be part of your new normal nighttime routine. Once you start thinking of not smoking as "normal," staying away from cigarettes may get a bit easier. You may find that avoiding cigarettes is less of a struggle, because they're no longer part of your "normal" routine.

Recordando siempre mis razones, mi Mantra

• • • Quiero sentirme mejor SI, ME SIENTO UN POCO MEJOR
    • Quiero oler bien y también mi casa SI, HUELO MEJOR Y TAMBIEN MI CASA
    • Quiero tener la boca bien y no esta sensación de infección permanente SI, MEJOR
    • Quiero tener más aire para mi bici, para hockey y el triatlón DE A POCO
    • Quiero ser libre y no estar pensando donde me puedo escapar a fumar DE A POCO
    • Quiero cuidarme SI
    • Quiero tener la piel linda SI, ESTA MUCHO MEJOR
    • Quiero tener más dinero y gastarlo en cosas que me hacen bien SI, YA $150
    • Quiero vivir mejor, en línea con mis pensamientos, estar completa, entera.SI
    • Quiero estar cerca de los bebés de mis amigos y no sentir que apesto. SI
    • Quiero vivir bien, empiezo a pensar seriamente en el cáncer. SI
    • Quiero no tener tos, empecé a tener y no me gusta. YA NO HAY TOS
    • Quiero buena circulación, se me empiezan a dormir las piernas y los brazos. MEJOR
    • Quiero no tener colesterol por el tabaco, si lo tengo es por disfrutar una buena comida. SI
    • Quiero recuperar el olfato, sentir todos los olores ricos MUCHO MEJOR
    • Quiero sentir los sabores de las comidas MUCHO MEJOR
    • Quiero tener el control de mí MUCHO MEJOR
    • Quiero desintoxicarme MUCHO MEJOR
    • Estoy harta de fumar, me cansé LA VERDAD QUE SI
    • No me quiero "fumar" más la vida, la quiero VIVIR PLENAMENTE. SI VIVA LA VIDA!

Dia 13 - Ahorrando tiempo

Consider this

Suppose it takes about 6 minutes to light and smoke a cigarette. And suppose you smoked 20 cigarettes a day. Six minutes times 20 cigarettes is 120 minutes. So if you were a pack-a-day smoker, you spent 2 hours a day smoking. Or to put it another way, by stopping smoking, you've just added 2 hours to your day. To do with as you please. To go to the movies. To go shopping. To get 2 more hours of sleep.

2 horas mas por dia!!!!

Dia 12 - En Camino - Dealing with no supportive comments

Dia 12, poquito para 2 semanas, buenisimo!!!

Believe it or not, you may need to help people support you. Because it's very possible people will say things that upset you now that you're quit. And they probably won't mean to do it.

So it's good to prepare yourself. The goal: to feel comfortable talking to people about quitting, even if they don't know how to support you.

Here are some examples of non-supportive comments you might hear. As you go down the list, try reading the responses aloud to yourself. It may feel awkward at first, but give it some time. It will become more natural.

Feel free to use any or all of the responses below. Or come up with new ones that work for you.

Non-supportive comments

Possible responses

You must be dying for a cigarette.	Sure it's hard sometimes, but I'm serious about quitting.
A couple of puffs a day won't kill you.	Actually, even one puff could start me smoking again. But I've come this far, and I'm determined to quit for good.
Do you mind if I smoke?	Thanks very much for asking. Actually, I just quit recently, so if you could hold off for now, I'd really appreciate it.
Would you like a cigarette?	No, thanks. I quit smoking.
Aren't you worried about gaining weight?	I figure I can deal with that later. Right now I'm focused on not smoking.
You must be really cranky.	Quitting is hard, but I should be back to my old self soon.
Haven't you tried quitting before?	Sure. But this time is different. I'm really going to do it, and I'm getting support this time.

As you can see, there's not a lot you need to say. But having some responses ready can give you one less thing to worry about. Responding like this can also let people know their comments aren't helpful.