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You get addicted to the nicotine because of all the chemical put into the tobacco. It's not so much as the nicotine that makes you sick it's the chemicals that they put in the tobacco, that cause you to get the disease like lung cancer and heart disease. In addition, what ever you get from smoking. Nicotine or cigarettes have several chemicals incorporated into it to causes addictions, and finally death.

• "The believing we do something when we do nothing is the first illusion of tobacco".
  

  -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
  

Smoking can cause many problems when it comes to your health not to mention the problems it causes to your wallet. Smoking can cause cancer , heart disease, and strokes, increase cholesterol and so on. Your heart is affected, since smoking causes your blood vessels to build up with cholesterol and fat. The results leads to hardening of the arteries. Hardened arteries mean that the blood flow will not pump fast enough to support the heart's natural requirements. This starts blood clotting, broken blood vessels etc. It can also cause angina which will make you think that your having a heart attack even though you are not. Then of course, it can cause you to have a heart attack, since smoking can cause a blockage so that there is no blood going to the heart.

Smoking can cause strokes or bronchiolitis . The infection affects the airway, which affects your breathing. Smoking promotes bad breath, stained teeth, smelly furniture and clothes. You also get common colds and flu more often.

Just think if you quit smoking you won't have to worry about that ever present lingering smell in your home. You may not smell it now, but your guests do. And you will too once you have given up smoking. You will wonder how you ever lived with the smell of smoking.

The same miracle of "smell" will occur in your car or on your clothes. One thing many smoker do not seem to realise is that their breath reeks. It is not pleasant to kiss a smoker or to huddle in intimate embraces.

Quitting is the beginning of regaining your sense of self. You will again be able to walk to the shops without feeling the need of an oxygen mask.

One of the major reasons people use not to give up smoking (especially in women...I know because this was one of my usual excuses) is that they believe they will gain weight.

Contrary to your preconceived ideas, smoking will make you gain weight as you start to age.

To improve you quality of life you must take measures to protect your overall health, which includes maintaining your weight.

Why do people start smoking? Some people start smoking because they think it is something cool and their friends are impressed....in other words, PEER PRESURE.

For many teenagers and even more frighteningly pre-teens, they see friends and even parents and grandparents smoking and as mose youth emulate their elders, take that first taste. Perhaps it is "cool" to sneak behind the shed and pretend that no one knows what you are doing, or to get away with pinching one or two from dads pack...pushing the limits to see how far to you go.



Now as smokers, we can all well remember that first taste...it was disgusting. For me personally, my best friend smoked and she was tough....I thought that smoking would make me tough too. I was wrong, it made me weak and hooked me into an addiction that lasted well over 20 years.

• "The cigarette does the smoking - you're just the sucker".
  -- Author Unknown
  

For many, their addiction needs to be replaced (if even for a short while) with something else. Many make the fatal mistake of replacing cigarettes with food. This is why for many weight gains occurs.

Set a new routine, such as working out or going to the gym. If the gym is not possible, then try waking up earlier and going for a short walk.

Whether you choose to workout at home or at a gym, you should always remember that regularity is the key. It isn't getting started that's the difficult part, it's sticking to a regular exercise program that is difficult and proves to be stumbling block for most people.

Try to avoid working out in the evening if possible. For many people there are no alternatives, but if you can exercise at other times of the day, you will find that your energy levels will be higher. By the evening most of us are drained, and simply too tired for exercise. Therefore, if you can, set some time aside for exercise in the morning.

Try to avoid coffee and try tea instead. OK...here is where I will fail each and every time. To the point that whilst typing this, the kettle is on the boil for a cuppa. And it will be coffee. We all have more than one addiction and sadly for me..coffee is it. (hmmm idea for a new blog "how to beat a coffee addiction", that is just too painful to consider)

Remove all aspects of smoking. Throw away the ash trays if at all possible and if that can not be done, then put them away where you will not see them every time you walk into a room. If there are still smokers in your home this will be more difficult but it can still be done. Make you home a smoke free zone.

Plan your day where you'll have something fun to do at the end of the day. It doesn't need to be something that involves money, as you don't want to end up bankrupt. Spending time with family, playing games, or going for a walk with your family are all good activities.

If you are watching TV, do something with your hands. For me, I knit. I find that if keeps my hands busy and stops me from wanting either a cigarette or food. Now you men out there may snigger and say that is fine for the girls, but you should all remember that in days gone by it was actually a mans past time and not the woman's.

You can also make a list of things that build up your stress levels and try to avoid them. Whatever you do, you shouldn't use stress as an excuse to start smoking.

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