Quitting Smoking

quitting smoking st clair torontoIt should be no surprise to you that smoking is dangerous to your health, or that quitting smoking could possibly be the absolute best thing you could do to improve your health and add years to your life. Cigarette and tobacco smoke contribute damage to every organ in your body, and have been linked to the following health concerns:

The good news is that quitting smoking is possible, and no one is unable to quit. Even if you have tried several times over the years, there is still a chance for success; in fact each time you attempt to quit your chances of success rise. And once you do quit, your health benefits immediately begin: within 2 to 3 weeks, your lung capacity increases, and if you quit smoking for 10 years your risk of developing lung cancer is cut in half. After 15 years, your risk of dying from a heart attack is the same as for someone who has never smoked.

Your doctor can definitely help in terms of suggesting what medications might be most appropriate for you, including non-prescriptive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which involves the patch, gum, an inhaler, or lozenges. Unfortunately, it is believed now that the nicotine in cigarettes causes blood sugar levels to remain elevated, which means that these therapies may not be advisable any longer, especially for diabetics. Other medications that your doctor may want to prescribe include antidepressants, nicotinic partial receptor agonists, moclobemide and clonidine. Be sure to discuss the proper use and possible side effects with your doctor and/or pharmacist before using any of these drugs.

Natural therapy is excellent for helping you quit smoking. Psychotherapy can have a profound impact on your moods and can help you feel better about your life. Naturopathy and diet modification can help reduce your cravings and manage withdrawal symptoms, as can acupuncture and TCMChiropractic care and massage therapy can help relieve your stress and make the transition to better health much easier.

Contact us for a FREE consultation on how natural therapy can help you quit smoking.

These links may also be helpful:

Diabetes and Smoking

Quitting Smoking Program

Quitting Smoking with Acupuncture