Preparing to Quit

It all starts with the first step...

A New Beginning

Preparing to Quit

New Beginnings Optimal Health | Preparing To Quit

"Obstacles are the things we see when we
take our eyes off our goals." -- Zig Ziglar

We understand that you “know” all the reasons to stop smoking or chewing but sometimes remembering is a challenge.

You may think chewing tobacco is not “as bad as smoking”, but think again.

Some health risks of chewing tobacco are:

•	oral (mouth) cancer
•	pancreatic cancer
•	addiction to nicotine
•	leukoplakia (white sores in the mouth that can lead to cancer)
•	receding gums (gums slowly shrink away from around the teeth)
•	bone loss around the roots of the teeth
•	abrasion (scratching and wearing down) of teeth
•	staining of teeth
•	bad breath

Leukoplakia is a white sore or patch in the mouth that can become cancerous. Studies have consistently found high rates of leukoplakia at the place in the mouth where users place the "chew." One study found that almost 3 out of 4 of daily users of moist snuff and chewing tobacco had non-cancerous or pre-cancerous lesions (sores) in the mouth. The longer you use oral tobacco, the more likely you are to have leukoplakia.

Many regular smokeless tobacco users have receding gums and bone loss around the teeth. The surface of the tooth root may be exposed where gums have receded. Tobacco can irritate or destroy the gum tissue.

Smokeless tobacco may also play a role in heart disease and high blood pressure. Men who switched from cigarettes to snuff or chewing tobacco in a large American Cancer Society study had higher death rates from heart disease, stroke, cancer of the mouth and lung, and all causes of death combined than former smokers who stopped using all tobacco products. It is unclear whether the heart disease was caused by the smokeless products in this study, because there have been few large, long-term studies to identify health problems caused by these products.

The snuff and chewing tobacco products most widely used in the United States contain very high levels of tobacco-specific causing nitrosamines. These carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) cause lung cancer in animals, even when injected.

Inhaling tobacco smoke causes several immediate physical reactions:

•	Your heart rate begins to rise, increasing by as much as 30%
•	Nicotine raises your blood pressure, making your heart work harder to deliver oxygen
•	Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces your blood’s ability to carry oxygen

Long term the effects are devastating:

•	About half of all Americans who continue to smoke will die because of the habit. Each year about 440,000 people in the United States die from illnesses related to cigarette smoking.
•	A cigarette smoker has 2-3 times the risk of having a heart attack than a nonsmoker
•	Smoking is one of the leading causes of coronary heart disease in the U.S.
•	Cigarettes kill more Americans than alcohol, suicide, AIDS, homicide, & illegal drugs
•	Women who use tobacco during pregnancy are more likely to have adverse birth outcomes
•	Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality in the U.S. despite the fact that it is the MOST PREVENTABLE cause of premature death in our society.
•	Only about half of the deaths related to smoking are from cancer. Smoking is also a major cause of aneurysms, bronchitis, emphysema, and stroke, and it makes pneumonia and asthma worse.
•	Smoking has also been linked to other health problems, including gum disease, cataracts, bone thinning, hip fractures, and peptic ulcers. It is also linked to macular degeneration, an eye disease that can cause blindness.
•	If smoking were discovered today, it would never pass any of the world’s health and safety requirements for human use. In fact, with the toxins smoking introduces into the body, cigarettes would be classed as a dangerous poison and would not be made available for public use.

Nicotine is not only a physical addiction, it is also physiological:

•	The people who love you would like to keep you around as long as they can.
•	Anti-smoking laws are making it difficult to find a place to smoke making you feel like a criminal.
•	You’ll smell better.
•	You’ll feel better.
•	People will want to be closer to you.
•	You’ll be able to breathe better and lose the “smoker’s cough”.
•	Your smile will be brighter.
•	You’ll have a lot more free time.

When you stop smoking you need to make the decision for yourself, but if you think you are not affecting your children:

•	According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 44.5 million US adults were current smokers in 2006. This is 20.8% of all adults (23.9% of men, 18.0% of women) -- more than 1 out of 5 people.
•	The numbers were higher in younger age groups. In 2006, CDC reported almost 24% of those 18 to 44 years old were current smokers, compared to 10.2% in those aged 65 or older.
•	Nationwide, 22.3% of high school students and 8.1% of middle school students were smoking in 2004. More White and Hispanic students smoked cigarettes.

IF YOU CAN, BEGIN DETOXIFICATION
4-5 DAYS BEFORE TREATMENT

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Reduce or eliminate caffeine consumption.

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Drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day (64 ox. total). Avoid soft drinks, tea, and sugary foods.

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Your body is detoxifying 4000 different chemicals making up 699 different ingredients, which is why it is very important to incorporate the proper supplements. Please ask your practitioner what supplement will best suite you on your path to your optimal health.

Following this regimen prior to your laser session will help your body more quickly rid itself of the nicotine and other toxins and adjust to being a non-smoker. Our goal is to get you free of nicotine as quickly and comfortably as possible.

Know your triggers:

•	What activities or times of day cause you to crave a cigarette the most? About a week before your first laser treatment, begin eliminating your triggers one by one. Pick the one that you feel will be hardest for you to eliminate when quitting and try to do without (or delay) that cigarette. Shake up your routine. This will help you begin to break the habit before you actually quit.
•	Make an action plan for the first few days after treatment. Keep busy and active, especially during your trigger times. Exercise, go to the movies or see friends.
•	Calculate how much money you will save by not smoking. Put aside the money you are not spending on cigarettes and plan a reward for yourself. If you smoked even a pack a day, it can buy you that luxurious vacation or shopping spree you thought you could not afford.
•	Complete a detailed list of why you want to be free of cigarettes. Give specific reasons like “to be able to exercise without being out of breath”, not just general ones like “improved health”. Post it on your refrigerator. Regular reminders will help you be successful. To get you started, print and fill out our "Reasons I Want To Quit".

Know that you have made the best decision of your life!

Click the picture below to see cigarette ingredient list

It all starts with the first step... call today for more details 973-257-7867