Quitting Smoking

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Author:
Dada Vedaprajinananda

If you are reading this article it means that you have already thought about stopping smoking. The first step in quitting a habit or in changing your life is to take a firm determination or a vow to yourself that you are going to do something. However, in order to take this first step you have to be convinced that it is the right thing to do. If you need some more reasons why it is time to do something about your smoking habit, here are five things to consider:

1. You can live longer if you stop smoking now

According to a study in the British Medical Journal, quitting smoking now could add 7-10 years to your life. No one can be sure that he or she will be alive tomorrow. Anything can happen, due to circumstances beyond our control. Despite this, we should do whatever we can that is within our control to live a long and happy life. You can’t prevent yourself from being injured in an earthquake, but you can prevent yourself from dying due to a smoking related illness.

2. Smoking is no longer "cool"

Many people begin smoking due to peer pressure or for other social reasons. At one time it was fashionable or “cool” to smoke, but that is no longer so. With study after study confirming the harmful effects of smoking, the tide has turned. It is becoming quite difficult to smoke in public areas and smoking is viewed as a nuisance by the society at large. If you began smoking to be “in”, take a look around and you will see that the times have changed. Keep up with these changes and quit smoking now.

3. Set a good example for your children or people who look up to you

If you know that becoming a smoker was a mistake, then you should make sure that your children or friends who look up to you do not follow in your footsteps. The best way to teach others is by example. If your children or family see that mom and dad or their older brother and older sister do not smoke, then they will be less likely to start smoking. So, think about the example you are setting, and do whatever you can to change your life style.

4. Improve your athletic performance

If you like to play sports then you already know that endurance is very important. Smoking interferes with your breathing and your body’s capacity to absorb oxygen. If you want to improve your athletic performance and increase your endurance, then it is time to put down your cigarettes.

5. Don’t pass on smoke and harm others around you

Even if you are the only one who smokes in your house, your smoke is harmful to your non-smoking loved ones. Second-hand smoke has been proven to be the cause of disease in non-smokers and that is the main reason why smoking is now being banned in public places. While the new non-smoking laws will help to protect the public at large, you can protect your closest family and friends by making a personal decision to stop smoking.

There are lots more reasons to quit smoking, but just think about these five reasons and make a decision that you are going to do whatever it takes to stop smoking. It could be a decision that will help you to live a long, healthy and happy life.

Dada Vedaprajinananda has been teaching and practicing yoga and meditation since 1970. He is the author of Start Meditation, Stop Smoking and is the editor of a directory with hundreds of articles on health, weight loss and self-improvement, http://www.lifeweightloss.com.

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Smoking... Advantages of Quitting Smoking and Disadvantages of Smoking Do you know that around 1000 Americans are dying everyday because of smoking? One out of every six men is dying in United States because of smoking. It is quite clear now that smoking is one of the major causes of death. If you smoke then you are also enhancing the chances of diseases that will end up in death. The major diseases due to smoking are the coronary heart disease, lung cancer, mouth cancer and severe problems regarding throat, bladder, kidney and pancreas. Most of the diseases are so severe that there are no treatments available for them. The severe gangrene problem has been found in the Diabetic patients, who smoke a lot. Now, this is the high time and you must quit smoking immediately. Do not think that it is impossible for you to quit it, as there are many chain smokers, who have quit smoking. The only thing one needs is the determination and once you achieve your destination then you will feel happy and contented. Follow these rules and see the results: Firstly, you need a firm determination of quitting this bad habit. When you have determined firmly, and then decide a date. Now, from this particular date, you will not touch the cigarette determine it firmly. For a smoker, smoking is one of the essentials. Now you have decided to quit it and to attain the quitting, try some other work at the time of smoking. As the date of quitting is approaching, try to minimize the intake of cigarettes and the conditions when you smoke. Take a glass jar, fill it with water and drop all the butts of cigarette into it. Try to concentrate on the advantages after quitting cigarette, in your free time. You will find that quitting smoking have much more advantages than smoking. If one quit smoking then there will be...