Smoking used to be the "cool" thing. Then in 1964, the Surgeon General released a report that linked smoking to lung cancer and emphysema, as well as other health-threatening illnesses.

We have since awakened to these truths about smoking:

1. It is addictive: one-third of all adults worldwide smoke.

2. Children smoke: 90% of smokers begin before age 18; the average age to start is 13.

3. Ingredients of cigarettes are numerous: over 4,000 unhealthy additives, 200 of which are outright poisons.

4. About 434,000 Americans die from smoking, which represents 30% of all cancer deaths.

5. Smoking decreases quality of life and overall health. Smoking causes vitamin depletion (requiring nutritional supplements) in the body resulting in diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, circulatory disease, ulcers, and problems with smelling and tasting.

There are as many ways to quit smoking as there are smokers. Doctors offer prescription medicines, or recommend nutritional supplements and multi vitamins. Nutritional supplements can also be bought over-the- counter, along with nicotine gums to ease the transition.

There is a plan to quit smoking that I've personally seen work thousands of times in my 19-year acupuncture practice. It seems to work best with people who have really made up their mind to quit. It doesn't work so well for smokers who are ambivalent about quitting.

Let's say you fall into the first category. You've decided to quit smoking, no matter what. Good for you! There are seven tips that will help you reach your goal to quit smoking:

1. Pick a date to quit smoking about a month or less in the future. Circle that date on the calendar, and plan for it to be a low-stress day.

2. Begin a nutritional supplement regime to enhance health and to help reduce cravings. Ask a health practitioner for guidance with natural supplements and vitamins to quit smoking.

3. Start taking daily 30-minute walks.

4. Anticipate withdrawal symptoms. One way to lessen these symptoms is to take nutritional supplements that help deal with withdrawal symptoms. Many vitamins and minerals can help take the edge off of the craving for tobacco, insomnia, headaches, irritability, depression and dizziness.

5. When your day comes, totally quit smoking. Don't think you can occasionally smoke and that somehow will work. "Cold turkey" seems to be the most reliable way to quit for many smokers. This is why nutritional supplements for withdrawal symptoms are important: because you will get them!

6. Drink plenty of water, and snack on raw vegetables and other low-fat foods, to get a good source of natural vitamins. If a craving becomes extra strong, drink a large glass of water and wait a few minutes to let the craving subside.

7. The first few weeks are the hardest, so you might want to avoid high-stress situations, people who smoke and public places that allow smoking during that time. If you always smoke when you drink, or always smoke during any other activity, you might want to avoid those things for a while if possible.

Ask your health practitioner when you make an appointment if he can advise you on a nutritional supplement or multi vitamin that can help you quit smoking as well as improve overall health. This is preferable to a series of different health supplements from different bottles, which are easily forgotten about. Tell your health practitioner that you need a vitamin nutritional supplement that will help on the day you go "cold turkey" in order to give the best start to your quit smoking plan.

You are well on your way to a smoke-free life!

Author Bio:

Mitamins team

bd@mitamins.net

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