Tag Archives: smoking

Trying To Quit Smoking? Get All The Help You Need.

Posted on by
My entire immediate family smoke. Yes, my parents and my two brothers all smoke. I am the only non smoker in my family, and I am incredibly anti-smoking. I have nagged my family for years and finally they are listening to me and are all trying to quit. But this is easier said than done. Smoking is addictive and it takes willpower of steel to go cold turkey.
Smoking is by far the worst thing you can do for your health. According to Cancer Research UK, more than one in five people smoke in the UK. Smoking is an expensive habit and smoking is also directly linked to multiple health concerns and can shorten life expectancy. I have never understood why people smoke, you are basically paying money to get health problems, it also ruins your clothes, and make you smell of smoke. It’s not nice.

If you need help to quit Dr Winwood, who is the clinical director for psychological health at AXA PPP, will be on hand to answer your questions on smoking and the effect it can have on your health. Dr Mitra M Shahidi  is a Consultant in General & Respiratory Medicine with a specific interest is all aspects of respiratory medicine and Tuberculosis.

Join in! Dr Mitra M Shahidi will be available to answer all your questions here on Wednesday 13 March 11am-1pm.

The health conditions that smoking causes range from cancer to heart disease, and is proven to be detrimental to your overall well-being.

Often the withdrawal from nicotine can cause a range of side effects such as anxiety, depression and difficulty sleeping. Despite the huge benefits of quitting the habit, these side effects can often lead to the temptation to smoke again to make them go away. AXA PPP healthcare will be hosting a live chat with expert Dr Mark Winwood to help you tackle the anxiety of giving up, whether you are currently attempting to quit or are planning to in the future.

Dr Winwood is the clinical director for psychological health at AXA PPP and his extensive knowledge of mental health means he will be well equipped to address your concerns and worries on smoking-related anxiety and stress.

Join in! If you have any questions about anxiety and smoking, or even just needing advice on how to kick the habit, please join our chat here on Friday 15 March 11-1pm.

You can tweet your questions either before or during the live chats on each day using #axapppexpert – those taking part will be entered to win £100 pamper pack from The Sanctuary.

Sponsored Post

SkyCig Review. An Alternative To Smoking?

Posted on by

Our writer, Mark, has been trying to quit smoking for a few years now, so we passed on Skycig to him and waited for the results. Here is what he said:

“I have been trying to quit smoking but have found it really hard. I liked how Skycig looks. The packaging if really stylish and the e-cigarette looks like a proper cigarette. So thumbs up for presentation.

The Skycig has different flavours and I am not a fan of them all, but there is plenty of selection and apart from the cherry one I like them. At first the e-cigarette is a little strange. It is like a cigarette but not. After a while I find something amazing happening though: I really cut down the amount of real cigarettes I smoke. I have not quit completely yet but I smoke Skycig instead. I can recommend it and will definitely keep using it.”

Many smokers yearn for a product which allows them to enjoy the physical act of smoking, without the obvious health implications (or unsocial outdoor restrictions!) associated with smoking traditional tobacco. The UK’s leading provider of e-cigarettes – SKYCIG – has the answer to this particular smokers’ daily dilemma, with the SKYCIG Freedom Pack. It provides customers with the most realistic smoking experience available, and is designed to be enjoyed virtually anywhere you see a ‘no smoking’ sign!

Designed to simulate the act of smoking tobacco, a SKYCIG e-cigarette contains just a small dose of nicotine, delivered in the form of water vapour, allowing you to enjoy the act of smoking, without the 4,000 harmful chemicals found in traditional cigarettes – making it an indispensable tool in the pathway to quitting!

Now with ‘push-to-charge’ technology, resulting in a longer lasting battery, the Freedom Pack conveniently allows customers to charge their e-cig on the move, without the complicated charging process of old.

With a selection of seven unique and great tasting flavours– Classic Tobacco, Tobacco Gold, Menthol, Vanilla, Cherry, Cinnamon, Crown Tobacco – and available in three varying strengths – Bold, Regular and Light – SKYCIG is a product which guarantees satisfaction, without compromising on taste or the user’s enjoyment of the product and experience.

With a cutting-edge and user friendly design, intended to mimic the look and appearance of a traditional cigarette, you can be sure to enjoy the product in style, knowing that it won’t stain your nails or teeth, or leave your clothes smelling like an ashtray!

SKYCIG costs up to 75 per cent less than traditional cigarettes.

Packet in, in just 7 days

Posted on by

Packet in, in just 7 days

An innovative online programme to help smokers quit in just 7 days

 

This December saw the launch of a brand new and advanced programme, ‘Let’s Quit’, to help smokers kick their cigarette habit in just one week using a process of online interactive hypnotherapy. The step-by-step programme is the first of its kind and works by sending the customer up to 20 minutes of daily video content which can be streamed on a computer or mobile device.

 

Developed by Hypnotherapist Tim Smale, the programme provides simple, jargon-free content to help the user in their quest to quit smoking painlessly and easily. By communicating a powerful message to their subconscious via clinical hypnosis, Tim allows smokers to face their addiction head on and tackle it from the comfort of their own home.

 

Let’s Quit surveyed the UK public on their smoking habits and 85% of current smokers have tried at one point to kick the habit, with the average smoker having tried three times in their lifetime to quit, but staying smoke-free for only around four months before lighting up again.  Interestingly, lack of willpower is also the number one reason why smokers who have never tried to quit have not done so, believing they are just too addicted to smoking.

 

Hypnotherapist Tim Smale said: “Let’s Quit is perfect for smokers who have tried and failed to quit in the past, as the combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and safe and relaxing hypnosis helps to challenge the negative beliefs about quitting both consciously and unconsciously to make it easy to quit for even the most hardened smoker. It’s also great for those with a busy schedule, as you can watch the 20 minute videos in the comfort of your own home or on your smart phone. I’ve helped over 3000 people quit smoking and I’ve always wanted to reach a wider audience; finding this technology has helped me to do just that”.

 

An ambassador of Let’s Quit’, British model Sophie Anderton said: “I’ve been smoking since I was 14. In the past I’ve managed to quit for a few months – but I found it a horrible experience and smoking became the one vice I could never get rid of. I was also terrified of gaining weight because of my job, but since working with Tim and managing to quit smoking, I’ve actually lost 2lbs because I have so much more energy! It’s amazing”.

 

To find out more information, visit www.letsquit.com or follow Let’s Quit; @Lets_Quit

New Year’s Resolutions – Will you be another statistic?

Posted on by

I am one of those strange people who are actually quite good at sticking to their New Year resolutions, if you are not as strange as me, follow this advice from some great NPL coaches.

The top ten resolutions for 2012 were:

  1. Lose Weight
  2. Get fit
  3. Eat more healthy
  4. Save money/spend less
  5. Get a new job
  6. Spend more time with people who matter
  7. Try out new experiences
  8. Get out of a rut
  9. Visit a new country
  10. Read more

How many of us start the year with the best intentions – learning a language,  climbing a mountain, or just losing a bit of weight – only to get to February and forget all about it. According to the Mental Health Foundation, a massive 80% of us fail to achieve our New Year’s Resolutions.

Sarah, an NLP coach with Canary Coaching, says that “one of the main reasons that people don’t achieve their goals is that they set unreasonable  and vague targets which don’t fit in with the rest of their lives – somewhere down the line, usually around February, they realise that they haven’t left room for anything else, and then the pressure builds and they quit”.

Sarah’s NLP based advice for sticking with your New Year goals:

Firstly – make sure your resolution is an achievable goal, rather than a pie in the sky dream – this quick tool (PECSAW) will help – work out answers for the following sections:

 

Positive. Talk in terms of what you do want rather than what you want to give up. I want to play the guitar, I want to be a size 10, I want to be a non-smoker, I want to speak Italian

 

Evidence. What will be evidence that you’ve achieved the goal – what will you see and hear? ‘I’ll see my family singing along with me, ‘I’ll hear people say ‘you look well!’. List as many as you can.

 

Context. Frame the context in which you want to have these things – ‘I want to play the guitar in the evenings with my family’, ‘I want to be a size 10 in July and for the rest of the year after that’.

 

Self Achievable. This is probably the most important. If you’re relying on the behaviour of someone else, then you don’t have control over whether you do it. So rather than ‘I want to have a published novel’, how about ‘I want to have finished writing my novel’.

 

Advantages and Disadvantages. Consider these carefully. What will be the benefits of being able to speak another language? What will be the drawbacks of training for the marathon – especially in the winter months? Considering these and acknowledging them means you’re much more likely to achieve as you’re going into the goal knowing about the hurdles you may face.

 

Worthwhile.  A final check. What will achieving this do for you? What are the benefits? What will it help you to avoid?

 

Using this tool makes ‘dream’ seem real and turns it into ‘well-formed outcome’. You might want to go on from this into making a more solid timetable or timeline and get buy in and support from members of your family and friends.

 

So there you go – don’t be another statistic – create a well formed goal and get on with it!

 

 

Man-flu: fact or fiction? The Real Truth.

Posted on by

by registered dietician Nigel Denby

Medical Tests say that very high does of Vitamin C are best avoided as they can cause stomach upsets and kidney stones.

Is there really a strain of flu to which men are more vulnerable? Or, is ‘man-flu’ simply about blokes being less able to tolerate the symptoms of the common cold?

It’s long been a subject of debate, but partners of man-flu sufferers will doubtless be familiar with the inability to cope and function when the dreaded lurgy strikes.

The scientific community is as unsure about the validity of man-flu as the rest of us. In 2009, a study claimed to prove beyond doubt that man-flu was a real phenomenon. However, after closer analysis, it was criticised as being irrelevant because the researchers were looking at mice not humans, and bacterial infections rather than the viral infections which cause flu.

Other researchers from Cambridge University suggested in 2010 that flu symptoms could be more common and virulent in men than women because of a reduced male immune system. This theory was backed up by another study from the University of Queensland which in 2011 reported that in order to ensure the survival of the species, women’s immune systems were more robust than men’s, making men more susceptible to flu. However, despite these theories, according to the Office for National Statistics, women take twice as many sick days than men. So, the jury is clearly still out.

With winter fast approaching, man-flu, or indeed any other type, is on the horizon. So what can you do to prevent it or speed up recovery if you’re unlucky enough to be struck down?

COLDS versus
Comes on gradually
Sneezing, blocked up nose
Mild temperature changes
Lasts up to a week
3-4 day recovery period
Does not lead to serious complications

FLU
Strikes suddenly
Impossible to get out of bed
Fevers, chills, aching muscles, fatigue, headaches, sore throat
Can last for up to 10 days
2-3 week recovery period
Can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia

The power of the immune system Flu and colds are caused by viruses. This means antibiotics are ineffective when it comes to treating them. A strong immune system is the cornerstone of warding off viral infections and the best ways to keep this in tip top condition are:
Feed it the nutrients it needs

Support the immune system year round with probiotics like Actimel, targeting the body’s natural defences

Limit undue strain on the immune system from stress, late nights, smoking, excessive alcohol and poor hygiene

Nutrition
Garlic contains allicin which is believed to boost immunity

Omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish and flax seeds helps cells in the respiratory system fight infection

Vitamin A is found in yellow and orange vegetables like sweet potatoes, peppers and carrots
Lean meats and particularly offal like liver or kidneys contain nucleotides needed for the repair of cells and for the production of immune cells

Zinc found in shell fish and whole grain cereals is needed for a robust immune system
Support

Your digestive system plays a vital role in your body’s natural defences. Up to 70% of your immune system is thought to be controlled by the gut and the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut is an important factor for immunity

A daily probiotic, designed to support your body’s natural defences is an easy, effective way to stay in tip top condition throughout the winter

Poor personal hygiene means your immune system is bombarded with harmful germs, bacteria and viruses, and less able to fight off cold and flu viruses when they come along

Hand washing is one of the most effective ways to reduce the number of attacks on your immune system, especially after using the bathroom, coughing, sneezing and before and after preparing food

Speeding up recovery

No matter how well you look after your immune system, you’re
likely to pick up a cold or flu. Here are some tips for getting rid of
a cold sooner:

Garlic is a proven antibacterial and decongestant, add
garlic to soups, pasta sauces and casseroles

Thyme and eucalyptus oils may help to clear congestion,
add drops to boiling water and inhale

Ginger and chilies are stimulating spices which can act as
decongestants

Echinacea is thought to stimulate the immune system

Zinc lozenges may also help to halt a cold, possibly by
destroying the virus

Photo by Sarihuella

Frost Loves…Electronic Cigarettes

Posted on by

I am incredibly anti-smoking, but I do understand what it is like to be addicted to something. Iin my case it is chocolate and Coca Cola. More healthy and less likely to kill me. With the current shaky economical situation, it is the perfect time to quit. You can save money and help your health with an electric cigarette.

Most of the smokers I know find that one of the hardest things about giving up is what to do with their hands. Cigarettes can almost be used as a pacifier. The act of smoking is missed as well. An electronic cigarette can fix this. You have something to fidget with, almost like a real cigarette, except –  it won’t kill you. If that is not an upside, then I do not know what is!

A e cigarette is an electronic device that mimics a real cigarette. A vapour gets released when you use the electronic cigarette, which tricks your body into thinking it is actually smoking. Frost tried it on a real smoker, and they liked it.

There are a number of different brands around and you may also like to tale a look at this earlier piece from our archives: http://frostmagazine.com/2011/06/smokers-smoking-the-next-generation/

Cowboys & Aliens Fails to Shoot Straight on Smoking

Posted on by

Cowboys & Aliens Fails to Shoot Straight on Smoking with Its Youngest Movie Goers

Universal Takes One Step Forward, Two Steps Back with Major Smoking Scenes in Youth-Rated Blockbuster, Opening Today

Cowboys & Aliens, released today, will be reaching young theater audiences around the country with images of smoking that could motivate many of them to light up for the first time. Previous research has already confirmed a link between smoking images in movies and youth smoking initiation.

Universal Studios, spotlighted just two weeks ago in a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report as one of three movie companies that pared smoking in movies rated for youth by 96 percent, released the PG-13 blockbuster today, which features a cowboy hero, portrayed by Daniel Craig, who is seen smoking in key scenes.

“Just weeks ago, we applauded Universal for responding to this problem so responsibly by nearly eliminating tobacco from their G, PG and PG-13 movies,” said David Dobbins, Chief Operating Officer of Legacy®, the national public health foundation devoted to youth smoking prevention and adult smoking cessation. “This reversal confirms that without a uniform policy, young people will continue to see images of smoking that can inevitably cause them to smoke. It underscores how critical it is for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to take a much-needed leadership role and adopt a comprehensive policy on smoking by which all studios must abide.”

In a July 15, 2011 CDC report,[1] findings revealed that Universal, Disney and Warner Bros., had reduced tobacco incidents per youth-rated movie by 96 percent on average between 2005 and 2010. The data found that three other major studios — Fox, Sony and Paramount — had performed remarkably less well (42%).

In order to reduce youth exposure to tobacco imagery and level the playing field for all movie companies, public health groups like Legacy recommended that future movies with smoking be R-rated. The CDC’s report earlier this month underscored that point, saying, “Consistent with the effects of anti-tobacco use policies adopted by the three motion picture companies, expanding the R-rating to include movies with smoking could further reduce exposures of young persons to onscreen tobacco incidents, making smoking initiation less likely.”

So far in 2011, major Hollywood studios have released at least 15 youth-rated movies with tobacco imagery, all but two with PG-13 ratings: Fox: Monte Carlo , Water for Elephants; Sony: Country Strong, The Green Hornet, Jumping the Broom, Priest, Midnight in Paris; Paramount: Rango (PG); Justin Bieber (G); Universal: Cowboys & Aliens, Hanna, Larry Crowne ; Warner Bros.: Sucker Punch, Unknown, The Rite.[2]

Cowboys & Aliens, distributed by Universal (Comcast), was produced by DreamWorks with Reliance (India), Relativity and Imagine Entertainment.[3] It was shot in New Mexico on a reported $100 million budget,[4] with public subsidies.[5]

[1] Glantz S, Mitchell S, Titus K, Polansky JR, Kaufmann R, Bauer U (2011) Smoking in top-grossing movies – United States, 2010. MMWR 60(27);909-913

[2] UCSF CTCRE preliminary analysis of Thumbs Up! Thumbs Down! Data (Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails.

[3] IMDbPro.com

[4] http://www.movieinsider.com/m4251/3/cowboys-and-aliens/

[5] http://www.nmfilm.com/filming/downloads/filmographyFiscalYear.pdf