Smoking Cessation

Drink Water To Stop Those Nicotine Cravings

K Snow

A common phrase about quitting smoking is that it is easier said than done. In the same way, it is simple to blame someone who smokes or to ask that they break the habit. As a reality check, consider asking someone who has stopped smoking how difficult it was for him/her. The answer you receive may aid in helping you understand the intense amount of effort that goes into the process of stopping smoking.

Among those who have already quit the habit, the urge to smoke just one more is always present. People have occasional urges to smoke even after they have successfully quit smoking for years. Unfortunately, there are many who have successfully quit smoking who go back to smoking because they couldn't stay away from the temptation to smoke. It is a shame to go back to the beginning, considering what a smoker goes through to quit smoking in the first place. Those urges, such as when a friend offers you a cigarette, should be curbed as quickly as possible.

There are fortunately simple and cheap methods for curbing the craving. For example, drinking water is thought to help people overcome their craving for a cigarette. This especially helps newly abstained smokers curb cravings during the first few weeks. Those who have smoked for a long period of time become accustomed to nicotine, which is a very strong drug. During the time when an individual quits smoking or is in the process of quitting, the craving for nicotine is strong. The body is accustomed to being on nicotine on a regular basis. The drug must be flushed out of the system; using water can be very effective in doing this. The greater the consumption of water, the greater is the elimination of toxins.

On average, those who have strong urges to smoke should double their consumption of water. More practical is the gradual reduction in the amount of tobacco a person smokes. This method allows the body to become accustomed to reduced use of nicotine on a continual basis. Quitting smoking suddenly upsets the body and cravings that result often create more withdrawal symptoms. One common symptom of withdrawal is having a headache.

If you must quit smoking, but have given into the urge to smoke, it isn't necessary to feel guilty. Simply gulp down three to four glasses of water in order to rid your body of the toxins you put to the body. Make a new resolve not to give in to another urge. When the urge is high, try to stay away from it. Gulp a few glasses of water instead and remind yourself to avoid adding more toxins to your body.

About the author:
For more information about quitting smoking using a nicotine patch,
visit http://www.i-want-to-quit-smoking.com.

Stop Smoking Gum Can Reduce Your Urge To Smoke

Mike Singh

Today there are over 35 million people trying to stop smoking, with less than 5% of them succeeding - all due to the driving force of nicotine addiction in the cigarettes. One major type of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to help stop smoking is a nicotine gum that provides small doses of nicotine to the system, preventing nicotine withdrawal. Stop smoking gum is like any other chewing gum but is made with the nicotine-containing compound, nicotine polacrilex. It is made to release nicotine
into the blood stream when placed in the mouth, between the cheek and gums.

Because the gum is part of NCT, it should be taken under medical supervision, not used as a chewing gum. This is important because the strength of the gum is predetermined, and excessive amounts of nicotine should not be taken unnecessarily. Nicotine gum is chewed with a "chew and park" method where you should chew it awhile, breaking the compound down in the gum, then parking it between the cheek and gum in order to release the nicotine into the system. If this method is not done, then the nicotine will be released into the saliva in the mouth. The nicotine will be swallowed, causing pain in the stomach with the nicotine craving still there.

The gum can be purchased as a 2 mg gum or a 4 mg gum, according
to the physician's orders. It has a slight peppery taste, an indicator that it is "parking time" for the gum; when the gum begins to loose this peppery taste, begin chewing again. This chewing and parking should be done intermittently every half hour or so. A smoker is able to chew 15 to 25 pieces of gum in a 24-hour period, most effective when no food is in the system about fifteen minutes before using the gum.

The main difference between the gum and the cigarette, is that cigarette smoke will pass into the blood through the lung linings - the nicotine from the gum will take several minutes to pass into the brain through the lining of the inside mouth. This "nicotine hit" was purposely made to be less intensive than with the cigarette, assisting only in the pain of withdrawal, making it less stressful to stop smoking, not to enhance its act. The
gum should be taken only when the urge to smoke is the highest, not when you begin to have an urge to smoke. It instantly releases a low quantity of nicotine, and produces the effects of pleasure and well being similar to smoking a cigarette.

People who suffer from hypertension and heart ailments should take the gum only under medical supervision, as stated earlier. The gum is very safe and can be used by people of all age groups. Minor side effects like mouth sores or indigestion are sometimes associated with the gum but it depends on the individual. As a precautionary measure, cigarettes must not be
used with the gum since the nicotine levels in the blood will increase, which is harmful to the body.

About the author:
Check out http://www.my-stop-smoking-zone.com/ for more articles
on zyban and Quiting smoking.

*The opinions and assertions of these authors are in no way associated with or verified by Tuxedo Pharmacy. As always, these articles are provided for information purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for medical care. Consult you doctor about your specific medical conditions. For more informational articles addressing everyday health concerns, visit www.goarticles.com.