Help and advice for stopping smoking
Giving up smoking is one of the single most important things you can do to improve your health, but kicking the habit isn’t often easy. Happily, there’s a lot of help available for people who’ve decided that it’s time to stop.
Immediately boost your health and well-being by finding the resources online and in your area that can help you say goodbye to cigarettes. It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been smoking for, deciding to stop can still have a very positive impact.
Giving up smoking
When you have been a smoker for a long time, it’s tempting to assume that there’s no longer any point in trying to give up. This is not the case. No matter how long you’ve been smoking, there are benefits to be had for stubbing out your cigarette. WhyQuit.com has put together a fascinating list of the smoking recovery timetable, which shows how the body begins to mend itself, starting with a drop in blood pressure after only 20 minutes.
If you’re convinced, the NHS has some of the most convenient and comprehensive support for people who want to give up. Have a look at its Stop Smoking web section and you’ll find information about health benefits, advice on using your GP to help you quit and ways to cope with cravings. They have even created a downloadable smartphone app or desktop widget that gives you a daily motivational message to support you during the first 30 days of stopping smoking.
You’ll find some other excellent resources for giving up available from charity organisation Quit. On their website, you’ll find a list of products that can help you quit, a range of advice articles and some really valuable information about how quitting can impact your health. There’s also a wealth of useful information available from Bupa.
Switching to e-cigarettes
E-cigarettes are currently a very interesting proposition for people who are keen to give up smoking regular cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes are designed to simulate the act of smoking but rather than tobacco smoke, you inhale a nicotine vapour. Some people find them an attractive alternative to smoking normally and it is currently possible to smoke them in a number of public places where regular cigarettes are banned, although there is some question over whether this will continue to be the case. The Electronic Cigarette Company offer a range of products.
Boots has a thorough guide to e-cigarettes and their potential benefits and you can also find a lot of useful information about them from Medical News Today. While e-cigarettes with a certain nicotine content are freely available to buy in shops, those with higher doses will have to be authorised as medicinal products under the EU Tobacco Products Directive. Legislation around e-cigarettes is still relatively new but many people around the UK are finding them a good way to wean themselves off tobacco.
Giving up smoking does take a lot of willpower, but with products like nicotine patches, gum and e-cigarettes and help from many different professionals available, it’s an achievement well within reach.
What are your tips for quitting?
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