“Electronic cigarettes have helped almost nine out of ten smokers quit tobacco completely” the Metro reports. The claim is based on the results of an online survey on e-cigarette use and their effects on tobacco consumption.

The survey’s participants were mainly recruited via the websites of two leading manufactures of e-cigarettes.

The survey responses report an overall positive experience of e-cigarettes, for example:

• 75% of the sample said it had been several weeks or months since their last cigarette
• 91% said that use of the e-cigarette had ‘substantially decreased’ their craving for tobacco cigarettes
• 70% didn’t have as much of an urge to smoke

A significant limitation to the study is that the survey was self-selecting; people using the brand’s websites chose to take part.

It could be the case that people with a positive experience of using e-cigarettes were more likely to take part than people with negative experiences. So the results may not be representative. Also, the study did not assess whether these people actually quit smoking as a result of e-cigarette use.

This means the results cannot be compared to the effectiveness of stop-smoking treatments that have been properly tested and does not prove that e-cigarettes are an effective method of helping people to quit smoking.

Further research comparing e-cigarettes with other forms of ‘quitting tools’ (such as nicotine patches) in the form of a largerandomised controlled trial or cohort study is required.

Where did the story come from?

The study was a cross-sectional survey carried out by researchers from the University of East London and was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Addiction. The study received no sources of financial support.

The Metro’s headline that ‘Electronic cigarettes ‘help nine out of ten smokers quit tobacco completely’ appears to have been wrongly interpreted from the results of the survey.

While 91% of respondents said that use of the e-cigarette had ‘substantially decreased’ their craving for tobacco, a reduction in craving, while helpful, does not necessarily mean a person has successfully stopped smoking.

The Metro also failed to highlight the inherent limitation of the study (which the researchers flagged up in their conclusion). That is, a cross sectional self-selecting survey, such as this, is unable to provide evidence on the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for helping smokers to quit.

What kind of research was this?

Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated devices that deliver variable quantities of nicotine via inhaled vapour. The process of smoking an e-cigarette mimics smoking a tobacco cigarette and is sometimes referred to as ‘vaping’. The market for e-cigarettes has been increasing every year since their introduction in 2004, with 3.5 million sold in 2012.

There is currently said to be a lack of trial data on e-cigarettes, though three published studies have suggested they can provide moderate relief of craving and withdrawal symptoms.

Much more research is also said to be needed on the nature of e-cigarette use, including:

• who uses them
• how effective they are for quitting/harm reduction
• how safe they are
• how addictive they are

The current study is a cross sectional survey which aims to characterise the use of e-cigarettes and their effects in a sample of users of the Electronic Cigarette Company (TECC) and Totally Wicked E-Liquid (TWEL) brands. These two brands are widely used in the UK.

The survey recruited participants via the brands' websites and was hosted on the University of East London’s website.

As a cross sectional sample of a specific population group, this study is a start for research into these products, but can only tell us the experiences of people, who chose to take part in the survey, at one point in time.

It cannot reliably tell us how effective e-cigarettes are in helping smokers to quit nicotine or smoking, or whether e-cigarettes are a better alternative to ‘traditional’ nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) such as patches or gum.

What did the research involve?

People were recruited from the TECC and TWEL websites and online survey data was collected between September 2011 and May 2012. The questionnaires were completed by 1,347 people from 33 countries (72% European). They had an average age of 43 years, 70% were male and 96% were of white ethnic origin.

The questionnaire was described as taking 15-20 minutes and covered six areas:

Demographic details

• age
• gender
• ethnicity
• education
• country

Current smoking status

• current smoker
• ex-smoker
• never-smoker (fewer than 20 cigarettes in your lifetime)

Pattern of tobacco smoking

This was assessed using a validated ‘checklist’, designed to assess levels of cigarette dependence, known as the Fagerström Test of Cigarette Dependence (FTCD).

This involves questions such as “How soon after waking do you/did you smoke your first cigarette?” and “Do you find it difficult to refrain from smoking in places where it is forbidden?”

Similar adapted questions were used for ex-smokers, who were also asked about the length of time since stopping.

Pattern of e-cigarette use

Including:

• length of use
• product and cartridge type
• strength and preferred flavours
• amount used (in ml and puffs; where participants indicated a range, maximum daily use was used)
• reasons for use (such as a complete or partial alternative to smoking)
• dependence on the e-cigarette and attempts to cut down use

Personal experience of e-cigarette use

Including:

• satisfaction and ‘hit’
• acceptability by others
• taste
• effects on craving
• impact on smoking behaviour
• respiratory effects
• whether a person experienced any side effects when using an e-cigarette

Results were analysed separately for the full sample (which included four never-smokers who used the e-cigarette), and separately for ex-smokers (1,123) and current smokers (218), and for males (897) and females (390).

What were the basic results?

A total of 1,347 participants (98% of the sample) had filled in enough survey data to be used in the analysis. Average duration of e-cigarette use was 10 months.

Most people heard about the e-cigarette from the internet, followed by personal contacts. Almost half the respondents (49%) used the e-cigarette within six to 30 minutes of waking and 23% used within five minutes of waking. Ex-smokers reported using the e-cigarette sooner after waking than current smokers, used higher amounts daily, and had also been using the e-cigarette for longer.

Over half of all respondents (56%) replied ‘yes’ to the question ‘Do you use the e-cigarette in the same manner as cigarettes?’. Seventy-six percent of the whole sample reported that they had started using the e-cigarette as a complete alternative to smoking, and 22% stated ‘other reasons’, which included to quit smoking and for health reasons.

Three-quarters of the whole sample said that they had not smoked for several weeks to months since using the e-cigarette and 14% said their cigarette use had dramatically decreased (with ex-smokers answering more affirmatively to these questions). The majority (91%) said that use of the e-cigarette had ‘substantially decreased’ their craving for tobacco cigarettes. Seventy percent said they don’t have the urge to smoke so much anymore.

Overall satisfaction with the product was high, with the majority of the sample reporting that e-cigarette use feels healthier to them and has helped their breathing.

Though males and females differed in some aspects, such as type of e-cigarettes used (for example, women preferring chocolate/sweet flavours), there were no differences in their responses on reasons for use or the effects.

Fewer than 16% of all participants reported any adverse effect of e-cigarettes. The most common was throat irritation.

How did the researchers interpret the results?

The researchers conclude that e-cigarettes are used primarily as an alternative to smoking and that most found that e-cigarette use has helped reduce their craving and substantially reduce their tobacco use. Most users also found them satisfying to use and believe them to be safer and healthier than smoking.

Conclusion

This cross sectional survey of 1,347 people who were recruited via the Electronic Cigarette Company (TECC) and Totally Wicked E-Liquid (TWEL) brands' websites – the two brands most widely used in the UK – finds an overall positive experience on the use of e-cigarettes.

The majority of the sample had started using the e-cigarette as an alternative to smoking, a smaller number used them to help them quit smoking.

Three-quarters of the sample said that it had been several weeks to months since their last cigarette, 91% said that use of the e-cigarette had ‘substantially decreased’ their craving for tobacco cigarettes, and 70% didn’t have as much of an urge to smoke.

These are positive results for the marketers of e-cigarettes, but the most important thing to remember is that this is a cross sectional sample that can only tell us the experiences of a specific population group – people who were recruited from two e-cigarette brand websites.

As they were already using e-cigarettes and chose to take part in the survey it is possible that this sample is over-representative of people who have found e-cigarettes to be beneficial.

We do not know what the experiences and effectiveness would be in a wider sample of smokers from the general population who tried e-cigarettes.

Overall, the study reports on the positive experiences of a large sample of users but no conclusions on the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in helping smokers to quit can be made from this study. This is not to say that e-cigarettes are ineffective, but rather, the study in question cannot provide a definitive answer one way or the other.

The best way to evaluate the effectiveness of e-cigarettes would be to conduct a randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of e-cigarettes with a sham alternative. However, it is likely to be difficult to blind such a trial, meaning that people would be aware whether they were using the e-cigarette or not which would be a limitation of such a trial.

An alternative that would help to shed more light on this issue would be a carefully conducted cohort study which followed people using the e-cigarette over time to see how many of them were successfully able to quit, and what other things were associated with success (such as number or prior quit attempts, duration of past smoking habit, etc).

Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow Behind the Headlines on Twitter.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/04April/Pages/E-cigarette-vapers-using-them-to-quit-smoking.aspx

If there were a technology that helped smokers kick the habit, did not contain the many chemicals and carcinogens found in cigarettes and did not produce offensive odours or second-hand smoke, you’d think anti-smoking crusaders would be on-board, right?

Think again.

The technology exists — they’re called electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes for short. For the uninitiated, e-cigarettes are devices that heat up a flavoured liquid, often containing nicotine, producing a water vapour that simulates smoking, without the need to inhale combusted plant matter.

Many public-health advocates champion the devices as a means of reducing the harms associated with smoking — with the potential to save millions of lives worldwide. Yet Health Canada maintains a ban on nicotine-containing liquid that was put in place in 2009. With the federal government collecting $20.4-billion in tobacco taxes between 2001 and 2008, there appears to be little impetus for regulators to do further research on the potential benefits of e-cigarettes.

The debate over their use was reignited recently when, to commemorate National Non-Smoking Week, the Canadian Lung Association put out a press release urging people “to avoid gimmicky unproven methods” of quitting smoking, “like electronic cigarettes.” This coincided with a conference on e-cigarettes in Toronto held by anti-smoking advocates and a number of attacks on the devices in the Canadian media.

The common argument against the smokeless devices — cited by the Lung Association and others — is an old U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) test, which found carcinogens and a chemical used in anti-freeze in a sample of e-cigarettes. This, however, is misleading.

The tests performed by the FDA were very small, only 18 samples were tested, none of the samples contained more than trace levels of carcinogens — no more than are found in other nicotine-replacement products, such as patches or gum. Only one sample contained the chemical used in anti-freeze. That was likely a result of a manufacturing defect, as it is an ingredient used in producing plastic. It has not been found in any tests since — suggesting manufacturers have taken steps to improve safety and quality control.

Appearing on CBC Radio’s The Current last week, Melodie Tilson, policy director with the Non-Smokers’ Rights Association, admitted there’s “virtually no chance an e-cigarette could be as harmful as a tobacco cigarette to the individual using the product.” But this fact, which should be the most important consideration for anyone interested in reducing the number of deaths caused by smoking, is not enough for people who don’t just hate cigarettes — they hate anything that resembles them.

“We need to look at the bigger picture and their impact on overall smoking rates,” Tilson continued. “If the widespread promotion of these products, and availability, causes young people to use them and then transition to actual cigarettes, that’s an increase in harm.”

No one wants to see teenagers start smoking. Even fake cigarettes are better left untouched. Yet, according to researchers at the Canadian organizationTobaccoHarmReduction.org, there “is no real evidence that anyone who otherwise would not have smoked starts because of ST [smokeless tobacco] use.”

It is also extremely hard to believe that anyone would go from using a product that comes in a variety of flavors and switch to something that tastes like burnt tobacco. It’s like arguing that rum and Coke is a “gateway drug” that will get youth to start shooting heroin.

Both Health Canada and the Lung Association urge smokers looking to quit to use approved smoking-cessation products, such as lozenges or nicotine inhalers. But a 2011 study published in the journal Addiction found that the vast majority of e-cigarette users already had tried other methods of quitting and failed. Furthermore, 79% of those using the devices were able to fully replace their cigarette habit.

A literature review, published in the Sept. 2012 edition of the same journal, posits that “removing e-cigarettes from the market or discouraging their use could harm public health by depriving smokers of a potentially important option for smoking cessation.” It would “seem misguided,” the authors argue, “to ask people to discontinue an approach that is working in favour of an approach that has already been ineffective for them.”

By dismissing this technology outright, the anti-smoking crowd is showing their true colours. Their actions show a deep-seated antipathy toward smokers and anything that resembles a cigarette, rather than a concern for overall public health.

Health Canada also needs to end its ban on nicotine liquid. Perhaps there is room for regulations over quality control and steps that can be taken to prevent minors from buying the devices. But policy-markers must realize that, as a harm-reduction technology, e-cigarettes have the potential to save many lives. And, ultimately, adults who choose to use them should be free to make their own decisions.

National Post
jkline@nationalpost.com
@accessd

Source:

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/02/04/jesse-kline-e-cigarettes-are-not-your-fathers-smokes/

What is Crave Gourmet eJuice?

Crave Gourmet eJuice is a unique culinary product that was developed by Certified Red Seal Chef Matt Faucher; adding a culinary twist to the electronic cigarette industry! Crave the company (Est. September 18^th, 2011), creates Canada's Best eJuice (a.k.a. e-liquid) using the only the Finest Natural and Organic ingredients. Crave Gourmet eJuice has a smooth taste that is packed with flavour, naturally refreshing, and not overly sweet! Crave Gourmet eJuice can not only be used in electronic cigarettes, but can also be used to enhance the flavour of coffee beans, tealeaves, herbs, spices, baked goods, and more!

Chef Matt Faucher Bio:

Chef Matt has worked in the hospitality industry for over a decade in a variety of kitchens, from five diamond hotels to fine dining restaurants, as well as home-style gastro pubs. His gastronomic journey has taken him from coast to coast in Canada and several places around the world. Chef Matt obtained his Culinary Red Seal Certification in Halifax, Nova Scotia before moving to the West Coast of Canada and settling in Vancouver, British Columbia. His years of experience in the Culinary Arts help give Crave’s flavours the strength they need to stand apart from the rest and the continual refinement they need to stay there!

What are Crave’s Goals?

• To provide an alternative to tobacco products using a harm reduction approach that mimics the hand to mouth action and feeling of smoking without the 3000+ chemicals found in traditional cigarettes.

• To encourage research and public consultation on the potential benefits of e-cigarettes.

• To push the boundaries of how people perceive and experience our flavours.

• To implement culinary knowledge and expertise to encourage positive social impacts!

Where is Crave?

Crave is a Vancouver based company with offices located in British Columbia and Ontario. Crave distributes its products within Canada and Internationally (e.g., UK, USA, Scandinavia, Philippians, Australia, China, Israel) via their website (www.craveejuice.com) and is also available in cigar shops, smoke shops, and other places you find tobacco for sale.

What are the benefits of becoming a Crave Authorized Distributor?

1. Your store will be featured on our website, social media marketing, and location map.

2. You will be given an extension on our Toll Free phone system so people can call our Toll Free number and be transferred directly to whatever phone you like.

3. Marketing materials (e.g., brochures, business cards) are available to aid in explaining our products to your customers.

4. We will also promote your website/location to our email list and encourage people to visit your website/store.

Crave recognizes the controversy and concerns surrounding the “rise of electronic cigarettes” in Canada. Crave is making every effort to mitigate the concerns of Canadians and health officials with the goal of encouraging the further exploration and research into the potential benefits of this “new” technology. Crave fully supports and recommends an open public consultation process that engages all stakeholders in developing the data and wisdom needed to make effective decisions that are in the best interest of the Canadian public. Crave feels that it is only through a collaborative consultation process involving health officials, industry, smokers, vapers, and the Canadian public that a solution to the issues and concerns will be reached.

Key Issues/Concerns in Canada (this list is not exhaustive):

1. e-Cigarettes contain nicotine that can be addictive: Crave does not use nicotine in any of its products.
2. e-Cigarettes contain propylene glycol with unknown health implications: Crave takes the health of Canadians very seriously! In an effort to reduce the risk posed by the unknown effects of propylene glycol and other chemicals found in artificial flavourings, Crave uses FDA approved and USDA Certified Organic ingredients. Crave Gourmet eJuice is made using organic vegetable glycerin, organic and natural flavourings, and water. Crave has over 60 flavours that do not contain propylene glycol[1].
3. e-Cigarettes are marketed as a smoking cessation product without research. They are found at pharmacies in the smoking cessation section: Crave does not believe that e-cigarettes should be marketed as a cessation tool until they have been proven to be an effective through research and clinical trials. To make products available in many large chain stores and pharmacies companies must register with GS1 Canada. When Crave registered and begin to enter its products into the GS1 catalogue, GS1 listed the products as cessation tools in their catalogue system. This forces e-cigarette companies to classify their products inaccurately and potentially mislead Canadian consumers. As a result, Crave never completed GS1 registration and has not pursued placement in pharmacies. Crave focuses its marketing on cigar stores, smoke shops, and other places that tobacco and smoking products are sold. This allows for Crave’s products to be presented to the consumers they were intended for (i.e., smokers) providing them the option to choose a less harmful alternative at the time that they are ready to purchase tobacco or smoking products.
4. e-Cigarettes may be sold to minors: To mitigate the risk of sale to minors, Crave’s marketing strategy targets retail locations that contain tobacco products (18+ stores: open display; all ages stores: display behind the counter), limiting the exposure to minors and ensuring that its products are sold in environments where there is already an expectation that staff are competent to check ID before sale.
5. e-Cigarettes use candy flavours in order to market to children: Nothing could be further from the truth… Adults like candy too! If a person who has been smoking for 40 years can cut his/her traditional tobacco use by half or more because they enjoy the flavour of gingerbread, mint raspberry, or funky monkey… Should anyone to say that they can’t have it? Should they stop and return to their previous level of tobacco intake?

Crave does not market to minors… only the young at heart!

Hello Everyone,

It has come to our attention that someone(s) is producing "Fraudulent Cheques" and passing them off using our company name. 

What Happened?

Someone(s) is producing very poor quality "Fraudulent Cheques" for the sum of $1,950 CAD. These cheques were then sent to people in various locations throughout Canada who registered on a mystery shopping website to become mystery shoppers. FYI: Crave has no affiliation with any mystery shoppers or mystery shopping companies. Others were sent cheques on what's become the standard scam of cash the cheque and send a percentage back to the criminals. Leaving whomever cashed the cheque on the hook for the entire sum when the cheque bounces and trashing their credit rating.

IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED A CHEQUE FROM 

JUICE-E-CHEF GOURMET E-JUICE LTD. 

OR 

CRAVE GOURMET EJUICE

IT IS NOT A LEGITIMATE CHEQUE! 

DO NOT TRY AND CASH IT!!!

Please contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at:

Toll Free: 1-888-495-8501

Website: www.antifraudcentre.ca

Email: info@antifraudcentre.ca

Report ID: 127729

What this means to you?

If you have received a cheque, please contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (information above) and quote the Report ID 127729. Please keep any packaging (i.e., envelope) until you speak with someone at the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and mention anything you may think could help track down the scammers.

If you have NOT received a cheque, no worries. You are not affected in any way.

We want to confirm that there was NO attempt made on any of our security measures, financial accounts, website, social media accounts, databases, or otherwise. This is strictly a scam trying to benefit from our good reputation and recognizable name by sending out bogus cheques in an effort to get people to cash them and send money back to the criminals.

At Crave, information security is one of our TOP PRIORITIES! We use secure payment processing and registered merchant accounts. We never store any financial information nor does any pass over our server. All payment processing is done on secure merchant servers operated by Beanstream to ensure customer security. 

If you have any questions please contact us by email at chef@craveejuice.com and we will be happy to help in anyway we can with reporting and tracking down the perpetrators of this.

 http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/01/14/chicago-bar-offers-vaporized-cocktails-inhale/

A couple of years ago, a Chicago bar owner came up with the idea of the Vaportini, which heats spirits in a custom-made glass vessel and lets the user inhale the vapors through a straw.  

Released for sale in December, the Vaportini is now available for sale online. 

Red Kiva owner Julie Palmer said she was was inspired to create the device by the Finnish tradition of pouring vodka over hot coals in saunas. Chicagoist's Anthony Todd wrote this about it when it first became available: "frankly amazed at how well the flavors of the liquor carried over into the 'vapors."

But some are concerned that the Vaportini causes alcohol to go directly to the bloodstream through the lungs --which can create tense highs.

The Daily Mail reports that alcohol has a slower absorption rate if you drink it --with 10 percent of alcohol through the stomach and 85 percent through the small intestine. That doesn't account for the  food that may be in your stomach that acts as a buffer. 

'It is ill advised for experimentation among those under 21,' said Dr. Thomas Greenfield, Center Director at the National Alcohol Research Center in Emeryville, California.

Palmer says the Vaportini is legal in all states for any establishment with a “Consumption on Premise” license. 

The Vaportini isn't making some cocktail enthusiasts happy either, Time Out Chicago reports. “Some cocktail purists say this is blasphemy, and some say it’s another evolution,” Palmer told Time Out. 

 taken from http://greatist.com/health/ultimate-guide-quitting-smoking/

Smoke Signals — The Need-to-Know

Sometimes being number one isn't such a good thing. Smoking is currently the leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S. Every year over 392,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases and 8.6 million Americans suffer from at least one serious illness or condition caused by smoking. The good news is that smoking prevalence is actually decreasing: In 2010, there were 45.3 million smokers in the U.S. (about nineteen percent of adults) — a 50 percent decrease from the 1960s.

Going cold turkey is notoriously tough because nicotine, the main chemical in tobacco, is an incredibly addictive drug. Nicotine alters the mood and acts as a stimulant, leading to feelings of well-being, stimulated memory and alertness, increased heart rate, decreased appetite, and elevated blood sugar.

Nicotine can make a person feel great while it’s in the body, but not so much when that person decides to quit. The absence of nicotine produces acute, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms which can take between a few hours and a few days to set in. Withdrawal symptoms include cravings, anxiety, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, nightmares or trouble sleeping, headaches, increased appetite, irritability, and depression, which can then fuel a person to want a cigarette even more.

Clearing the Smoke — Your Action Plan

Once the decision is made the quit, it’s time to do some homework. Knowing as much as possible about the process beforehand makes it easier to prevent slip-ups and quit successfully.

Decide to Quit

What are the pros and cons of quitting? Write down specific reasons for quitting and keep the list in view. Motivating factors can range from personal health (the tar and carbon monoxide in cigarettes increase the likelihood of heart disease, lung cancer, strokes, and emphysema; specific risks for women include blood clots, brittle bones, and infertility) to more “aesthetic” reasons (a long-term smoking habit can contribute to cataracts, gum disease, tooth decay, wrinkled skin, and yellow teeth and nails. Sexy, right?).

Personal relationships can also motivate someone to quit. Every year, 50,000 die from exposure to secondhand smoke — meaning the decision to quit has a direct effect on the people around us. Smoking even affects unborn fetuses: Smoking while pregnant is linked to early births, low birth weight, and birth defects like heart issues or cleft palates.

Once you’ve clarified your reasons for quitting, it’s time to commit to a plan of action.

Pick a Quit Day and Make Preparations

• Tell family and friends, circle the day on the calendar, and schedule alerts into the cell phone and computer. Make it impossible to forget or back out at the last minute.
• Sign up for a group program and schedule a first meeting or pick out a self-help plan.
• Talk to a doctor about whether to consider nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to curb cravings^[1]. NRT releases small amounts of nicotine — but none of the other chemicals found in cigarettes — via a patch, gum, lozenge, spray, or inhaler.
• Also discuss using prescription drugs to make the transition easier. Medications function by reducing nicotine cravings or blocking nicotine receptors (making smoking less pleasurable and withdrawal symptoms less painful).
• Get rid of smoking paraphernalia and stock up on oral substitutes like gum, hard candy, and carrot sticks.
• Tried to quit before? Think about what went wrong and learn from past mistakes. For example, if cold turkey didn’t work, try using NRT or medications the second time around.
• Pack your schedule around Quit Day and the week afterwards. Plan to spend as much time as possible in public spaces where smoking isn’t allowed (libraries, museums, restaurants, etc.) and commit to healthier activities that make you feel good.

Plan to Cope with Withdrawal

• Don’t smoke. Not even once.
• Stay active, drink lots of water, and ditch alcohol, which lowers resolve and is often associated with smoking.
• Try to avoid triggering activities like hanging out in bars, drinking coffee, or watching TV.
• If you decide to take NRT or prescription drugs, use them correctly and consistently.
• Attend group meetings, make use of telephone counseling, and read self-help books.
• Mix up your daily routine by trying out different activities and hobbies, foods, or routes around town.
• Avoid situations where people are smoking or people who are known smokers. Instead, rely on a support system of friends and family who will encourage you to stay on track.
• Sometimes you can’t avoid the people or places that may trigger you to want a cigarette. In these cases, try to prepare in advance for refraining from smoking even in difficult situations.
• Keep physical substitutes for cigarettes on hand at all times. Gum, candy, and straws or toothpicks work for the oral component. Fill an empty hand with a pencil, stress ball, or marble.
• Don’t rationalize! Write down any rationalizing thoughts (ex: “I just need one to get me through this tough spot”). Once you’ve recognized the urge, find a distraction and move on.
• Use the acronym HALT to recognize a cigarette craving. Many people feel the urge to smoke when they are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Be aware of these triggers and deal with them by eating, calling a supportive friend, visiting a loved one, or going to bed.
• Practice mindfulness meditation. Take deep breaths and spend a moment or two recognizing a craving when it strikes. Be aware of the desire for a cigarette, accept it, and move on. This can be extremely helpful for developing awareness of triggers and helping you to “surf your urges.”
• Celebrate smoke-free milestones with small treats like a nice dinner out, a trip to a museum, a yoga class, or a new book.

Address Slip-Ups and Relapses

• A slip-up is a one-time cigarette; a relapse is returning to a smoking habit. In both situations, try not to be too hard on yourself. Instead, resolve to get back on track — right away.
• Most importantly, learn from mistakes. Did something trigger a craving? Did a withdrawal management technique fail? Use the slip-up to improve your commitment to staying smoke-free.

But What About…

Weight gain?

Some people delay quitting smoking because they worry about gaining weight. Many smokers do get heavier when quitting (since appetite rises again once nicotine leaves the body), but most gain fewer than 10 pounds. Focus on maintaining a healthy overall lifestyle by eating well, exercising, and avoiding junk food. Take quitting one day at a time and worry about losing weight (if necessary) later.

Stress?

Along with learning to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings, ex-smokers must find a way to deal with stress without lighting up. The good news? A new study found that people who successfully quit smoking were less anxious than smokers. Regardless of the science, some ex-smokers find they need a new way to cope with nerves. Physical activity is a great de-stressor, as are breathing techniques and meditation. Consider signing up for a stress-management class to help blow off some steam.

Long-term health?

Even when a smoking habit is a thing of the past, it’s important to stay aware of health risks associated with cigarettes. Keep the doctor informed about any health issues, especially lung or heart problems like a troublesome cough or chest pain.

Psychological support? 

A smoking addiction is both mental and physical. Medications and NRT can help with the physical withdrawal symptoms, but successfully quitting requires emotional support, too. Talk to family and friends before beginning the process and set up a network of people to call or visit when cravings strike. Consider joining a quitting program like QuitNet, Freedom from Smoking, Nicotine Anonymous, or a local program through a hospital, workplace, or house of worship. It can often be helpful to surround yourself with people who have also quit smoking and can provide psychological support. If getting to a meeting is difficult, consider calling or texting an expert for advice.

No (Cigarette) Butts About It — The Takeaway

Quitting isn't a walk in the park, but the long-term health advantages far outweigh the struggle of fighting a nicotine addiction. The best way to successfully stop smoking is to prepare and plan for every situation so the temptation to light up never catches flame. Talk to doctors, friends, family, and addiction specialists to figure out the best way to kick the habit and take control of your health. Regardless of whether a smoking habit is brand new or 50 years strong, it’s never too late to stop smoking and reap big health benefits.

 A fantastic read! Some food for thought! Thanks to http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20875453

Quitting smoking 'reduces anxiety

Smokers who successfully quit feel less anxious afterwards - despite the belief that smoking relieves stress, researchers say.

The British Journal of Psychiatry study followed nearly 500 smokers attending NHS stop smoking clinics in England.

It found a "significant" decrease in anxiety levels among the 68 smokers who had quit after six months.

The effect was greater among those who had mood and anxiety disorders than those that smoked for pleasure.

The researchers - drawn from several universities including Cambridge, Oxford and Kings's College in London - said the findings should be used to reassure smokers attempting to quit that concerns about increased anxiety levels were unfounded.

However, the study did suggest that a failed attempt to seemed to increase anxiety levels by a modest degree among those who had mood disorders.

For those who smoked for pleasure a relapse did not alter anxiety levels.

The researchers said it seemed that smokers - particularly those that smoked to cope - were more likely to have a cigarette soon after waking up to stave off withdrawal symptoms, which include anxiety.

By quitting, they removed these repeated episodes of anxiety and felt less anxious as a result, they added.

It comes as the government has launched a graphic anti-smoking advertising campaign, which features a cigarette with a tumour growing from it, and as many smokers prepare to quit as part of their new year resolutions.

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It's amazing every day we find out more reasons as to why smoker's should just kill the habit! How many more reasons do we really need? I think now is a better time than any to quit :)~ Good luck everybody!

What's in Your Food?

Why eat organic? With the growing attention organic food is garnering these days, you have to ask yourself that question? As you sit down to eat the magnificent dinner you prepare have you ever wondered what's in your food?

You've made chicken on the BBQ, grilled veggies and a terrific looking green salad with fresh berries. You are quite pleased with yourself for choosing such a healthy meal.

Did you know that the chicken sitting on your plate, depending on where it was purchased could be pumped full of hormones, and the veggies grown in nutrient depleted soils and heavily sprayed? you are ingesting all these chemicals into your body everytime you consume non-organic foods.

What is "organic"? Organic means food that is grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers.

Why eat organic vs. conventional grown foods?

Some reasons are:

• higher nutritional content
• less toxins
• better quality
• better taste

I have seen articles stating that there is no difference between organic and non-organic food and that "organic" is more hype than anything. I wonder how this can be true when you think of the two different processes used?

When growing organic produce, food is rotated in such a way as to keep soil rich in nutrients and optimal for supporting many years of growth and supplying optimal amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Toxic chemicals are not used, therefore freeing your body of the many potential effects from the chemicals. According to Paul Chek, author of "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy" possible effects are:

• carcinogenics
• reproductive abnormalities
• immune system damage
• dermatitis
• damage in developing nervous system and brain and many more

I realize that organic meats and produce costs more, and we generally can come up with a thousand excuses to not spend the extra money, but you're body reacts to everything you feed it. If you consume meats and produce heavily laden with hormones and chemicals, how can you possibly expect your body to function properly let alone optimally?

Take baby steps. If you are currently not eating organic foods, try purchasing one or two vegetables then slowly keep adding one food every month. By doing this you will not notice a huge difference in your wallet all at once.

By eating organic foods, you will give your body more nutrients, less chemicals and help improve the environment.

Credit to http://www.how-to-get-fit.com/why-eat-organic.html for the article :)