Disease Prevention Articles

How to Help Someone Kick that Smoking Habit

Renowned American writer and novelist Fletcher Knebbel was once quoted humorously saying that smoking is the leading cause of statistics. Humor or not, Knebbel's quote seems to have some truth on it. According to the United State's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every five deaths in the US is caused by the adverse effects of smoking.

Smoking is also said to increase the risk against coronary heart diseases, stroke, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and emphysema among others.  Hence everyone or at least most of us know how harmful smoking is but the said thing is that nothing is being done.

Higher taxes or the so-called sin taxes are being levied against cigarettes and related products like liquors, as a way to persuade people to quit their smoking vices : but does that really work?

Additional taxes, fines and the long-term health effects of cigarette smoking are often not enough to make people quit their smoking habits. But there is still hope. There are a number of ways on how you can persuade a relative, a friend or even yourself to quit smoking.

Below are some tried and tested method in persuading others to stop smoking.

Listen

They say listening is a skill and it certainly is an important one especially when persuading someone to quit smoking. Ask the smoker what makes it difficult for him to quit smoking. Be sympathetic and don't criticize or scold him.

Figure out if you can address those issues : if you can, work from there.

Present the short-term effects, instead of the long-term

The biggest mistake in persuading people against smoking is that smokers are presented with the long-term effects. What anti-smokers need to do is to show how smoking affects a person in the near future : how smoking can adversely impact him in the short term.

Consider electronic cigarettes

The use of technology is also pivotal in convincing smokers to quit. The emergence of electronic cigarettes has helped smokers wanting to quit their addictive habit. Electronic cigarettes do not have nicotine and simply stimulates the act of tobacco smoking.

There are various types of electronic cigarettes nowadays so you won't run out of choices. While electronic cigarettes may not be as cheap as a pack of cigarettes, you will find that it is more affordable in the long term.

Find a sport or a hobby

Of course another way of convincing smokers to quit is through introducing sports like basketball, tennis badminton or volleyball. On the contrary, if the person you are convincing to quit is not sporty, you can propose hobbies like photography or mountain trekking. Once they're involved into sports or they're engaged into a particular hobby, the tendency to smoke will decrease drastically.

Be a good role model

Being a role model is another way : and perhaps, the most effective way of persuading others against smoking. To put it short and simple, how can you persuade others to stop smoking if you yourself is a smoker?

Healthy Tips to Stop Smoking Naturally

Do you smoke? You probably know about the consequences of cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking is responsible for nearly one out of every five deaths in America. It is a major cause of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Maybe you are also aware of all these but you still have a problem: you simply can't stop smoking.

We cannot blame you. Cigarette smoking is an addictive habit. Whenever you smoke a cigarette, nicotine is absorbed by your body through the blood and it enters your brain. Upon reaching the brain, there is a stimulant effect in the body brought about by a rush of adrenaline. Your heart rate and breathing increases along with your blood pressure. You feel more awake and you forget hunger.

The problem with nicotine is that it is an addictive chemical. Nicotine has the ability to activate reward pathways in the brain. This means that when you smoke a cigarette, you feel pleasure. This is due to the fact that nicotine increases the secretion of a chemical in the brain called dopamine, causing pleasurable sensations. When you don't smoke, you feel bad and you experience withdrawal symptoms. This is what makes cigarette smoking a habit which is difficult to break.

So, how do you stop smoking in a healthier way? Here are some tips:

Face Your Cravings

You should learn the art of self-control. If you experience cravings, tell yourself to wait for 10 minutes before you give in. During that time you should be able to distract yourself. Delaying your cravings can actually drive your cravings away.

You should also avoid triggers. Cravings may surface out when you go with the same smoking crowd or when you go to certain places. You must avoid those places or those friends of yours. Also avoid parties and bars while you are on the process of quitting smoking.

Exercise

Getting physical very often can actually help ease cravings for smoke. You can walk, jog or play sports. You may also try relaxation techniques such as yoga. Whenever you crave for tobacco, try to practice relaxation techniques to drive away your cravings and distract you.

Get support

You can ask support from your family members and loved ones. Tell them to constantly remind you to quit smoking. Listen to the advices of these loved ones and lean on them for support whenever you feel weak. You can also join support groups for smoking cessation.

Get Replacements

Smoking alternatives such as nicotine gums or e-cigarettes can help reduce your cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor should be able to help you with these. Your doctor may also give you some medications to help you quit smoking.

Help Yourself

You hold the key towards your rehabilitation. You should constantly remind yourself of why you would like to stop smoking. Think of how smoking can kill you. Think of the cancers and lung diseases you may get if you continue to smoke. Think about the things you would like to do when you grow old and tell yourself that you cannot enjoy these things if you continue to smoke and shorten your life. You may write down your thoughts on a journal or a blog. You can say out loud what you have written to strengthen yourself. Remind yourself constantly and you will not fail.

Live Healthier by Managing your Salt and Sugar

Yearly, 2.3 million death are attributed to excess salt intake while its 180, 000 death are attributed to sugar consumption. The salt statistics comes in second after alcohol and followed by car accidents as a cause.

Every year, the average American consumes 130 lbs sugar. Two of its major source is sodas and candies. And refined sugar found in many food people consumed today is linked to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, nervous tension, hypoglycemia, depression, headaches, acne and violent behavior.

Salt on the other hand, is consumed in excess by 9 out of 10 Americans. Too much of it may result to stroke, heart failure, kidney stones, osteoporosis, kidney problems and headaches. Its major sources include supermarkets and convenience store products and food in restaurants. Its recommended daily intake is 1,500 mg or less.

So say you are threatened by these mentioned medical conditions, how do you address this? Cut back on both. How? There can be simple yet effective ways to reduce salt and sugar intake.

Tips to Cut on Salt

Here are some simple ways to cut on salt.

1. Reduce fast food. Fast foods such as hamburgers, pizza can carry a whooping amount of salt. Eat less fast-food, consume little salt.
2. Ask for it. When eating in fine restaurants, you can request the chef to use or even omit salt from your menus. You can do the sating in your own through a controlled amount form the shaker.
3. Read your labels. Sodium is always present in the goods you buy. When you have the option, choose those that have lesser ones compared to others. Your sodium intake as suggested should be below 2300mg per day.
4. Use spices. Instead of salts, sue spices to keep up with your palates needs. Have some parsley, ginger, lemon grass, chives, etc instead. Dried spices are also recommended. It may help hide strange tastes from meat which what needs to sodium in the first place.
5. Go for the frozen instead of the canned. Canned vegetables may contain sodium to help preserve it. Frozen ones are just frozen to preserve it and won't need food to protect the food.
6. Choose the right sauce. Some sauce contains more salt than the others. Or you can try to cut down on sauces.
7. Practice to love less salty foods. Have yourself get use to foods that are less salty, reduce salt slowly everyday nod in no time you may find all foods enjoyable even minus the sodium.
8. Put away the salt shaker. Salt shaker in the table is always a temptation. Keep it and use it wisely.

Tips to cut on Sugar

1. Cut on sauce. Same with the salty sauce, many sauce options are filled with sinful sugary components.
2. When craving, chew a gum. You can't help it when you crave for sweets. But you can overcome it by keeping a chewing gum in your pockets. Chew n it as it can give you the initial sweetness.
3. Instead of artificial sweeteners, go for dried berries and cinnamon instead. Their naturally sweetening and are healthy as well.
4. Instead of a dessert, go for a fruit.
5. Limit your daily sugar intake. Discipline mostly is the key. Have a daily quota and stick with it.
6. Have some rules. Like no desserts for lunch or for dinner or both. Or you can only have it on weekends or odd days of the month. Until then, you may try to lessen and lessen sweets in your over-all diet.
7. Don't keep ice creams at home. An ice cream tub in the freezer is a temptation.

Image credit: "Fleur de sel1" by Christian Mertes (Mudd1 12:26, 18 April 2007 (UTC)) - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fleur_de_sel1.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Fleur_de_sel1.jpg

Braces, Keeping them in Tip Top Shape

The teeth are the second facial feature that is most remembered after meeting someone. And mostly, people perceive straight teeth as better and equated it into all positive qualities for a person. People with straight teeth are perceived to be happier, friendly, healthy, popular, trustworthy and confident compared to those who have crooked ones according to studies.

According to statistics, in the US, there are 4 million people who have dental braces. Most of these are children and teens but about 25% are adults. And just last 2013, the rise in dentists performing orthodontic treatments, dental braces specifically, has risen by 34%.

Aims of dental braces usually are to correct teeth alignment, perform minor jaw form changes and improve smile. But what may be a rather a simple procedure may become a tasking thing after. It requires different care; it requires a specific maintenance for it to be clean and won't induce the formation of plaques and cavities.

Maintenance Tips

Cleaning braces is tasking. When you failed somehow to remove some food particles tucked in brackets and wires, it becomes a magnet of plaque and teeth staining. Plus the fact that food bits sticking in your teeth is a major turn off and is unsightly. So instead of landing that job and acing those interviews, you may risk getting denied.

A simple brushing you used to do prior to your braced teeth won't do. So what do you do now? Take these simple tips below:

Brush teeth regularly. Though simple brushing won't do, but regular brushing can make a difference. Pay attention to brackets and fixtures, go around it. You can use regular and manual toothbrush they can do fine given you put time into it but an electric brush can be an easier option. Use the right toothpaste; choose one with fluoride to protect your enamel.

Floss. You may be discourage since flossing with dental braces isn't an easy job but do it anyway. Try and try and you'll get used to the trick later. Or if you have one, you can use a floss threader to get between your braced teeth. Remember that due to braces, it is easier for food particles to stay there and result to decay, discoloration and even tooth scarring.

Use a Interdental Brush. Interdental brush or wire brush is that small brush that can get through the wire, get close to brackets, go between braces and can even pass through your teeth spaces. But remember; don't push it too hard in between your teeth spaces since it might cause some discomfort and even pain.

Use Mouthwash. But do it less frequently. Use it after brushing to make sure it finishes off what was left to be removed. Although it can help clean off spaces in braces that brush can't reach, it may strip your mucous shield in your mouth which may have bacteria penetrate tissues later; it's called a rebound effect. It can help, but use it sparingly.

Wear Guards During Activities. When you're exercising, playing sports or in an activity that requires contact and injuries can't be helped, use mouth guard. It can cause lesser damage when you bump your mouth and it can protect it as well from germs and bacteria.

Visit your Dentist regularly. Once you have your wires cut and the rubber band son brackets changed and removed, always request for a brush. Brushing minus the wires and the bands can help in reaching those hard to reach places.

Avoid Hard, chewy foods. OF course you shouldn't limit yourself just because you have braces, but if you can certainly avoid chewing on hard foods that can break your wires or disengage your bracket, then do it.

Image Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net