Nicotine Tips

As you know, several scientific studies have proven that smoking is one of the main causes of several serious ailments like cancer, lung diseases, asthma and so on. Pregnant women who smoke not only spoil their own health, but also the health of the lovely kid in their womb. Yet many women wonder whether smoking really affects pregnancy and the answer is quite in the affirmative.

Cigarette chokes the baby in the womb: It is known that cigarette smoke contains more than 4000 chemicals including lead and cyanide. In fact, it is one of the few products that contain more than 60 different types of cancer-causing chemicals and compounds. It would be interesting to note that none among these 4000 chemicals is beneficial to the expectant mother and to the baby in the womb. In fact, cigarette smoke chokes not only the expectant mother but also the baby inside. As a result, frequent chocking causes serious effects on the health of the fetus.
Grouped into three categories: Smoking directly affects the health of the fetus. Premature babies, stillborn babies and underweight babies are some of the results of smoking prior to pregnancy. As a matter of fact, smoking by women could be grouped into three namely smoking before, during and after pregnancy. This issue is further discussed here:
It is strongly suggested that women planning on pregnancy should stop smoking at least few months before they conceive. In the first place, smoking may affect the fertility of both men and women. Therefore, the couple should stop smoking, if they are planning to have a baby. Further, if the couple does not quit smoking and the woman becomes pregnant, then it can seriously affect the health of the baby.
Whether you smoke during the first three months or during the last phase of the pregnancy, tobacco can severely harm the health of the fetus. The increase of monoxide in the bloodstream caused by smoking tobacco will enter the bloodstream of the mother and also of the child in the womb. Naturally, this will affect the growth of the child. It can cause visual and/or hearing impairment, behavioural problems and also mental disability of the baby.
Post pregnancy, the mother should breastfeed the baby. Smoking can retard the secretion of milk in the breast. Further, the dangerous chemicals present in the smoke of tobacco will make its presence in breast milk. Naturally, this will affect the health of the baby.
Keeping in view the best interests of the mother and baby, it is strongly suggested that the couple should stop smoking, if they want to have a baby. After all, the health of the baby and of the couple is a matter of primary importance.

Smoking is a die-hard habit and many people eventually die of the same. It remains one of the most common causes of cancer and lung diseases which eventually lead to death. The irony is that almost all smokers know the harmful effects but find it hard to quit. With a firm determination, there are people who quit but then the relapse rate is quite high too.

Many believe that quitting requires a behavioural change. From peer pressure to a lifestyle habit, smoking is a social phenomenon. There are various methods to help quit smoking like quitting cold turkey and nicotine substitutes. Hypnosis is also gaining popularity as a method to help quit smoking. Research has shown an encouraging success rate in the range of 30 to 40% in cases where the desire and commitment to quit are high. This, of course, is with people who have a strong will and are able to be hypnotized.

Hypnosis or hypnotherapy is a psychological technique used as supplemental therapy in a lot of cases - weight loss, depression, speech disorders, pain management, de-addiction; the list can be quite long. It puts the person undergoing therapy into a deep sleep or trance, where they get in touch with themselves and find answers to a lot of questions. It is believed that while hypnosis puts a person to sleep, it also induces a higher level of cognition and a higher level of neurological activity.

'During the actual session, the smoker is asked to imagine the numerous ill-effects of smoking and the need to reduce its harmful effects on the body. This improves the will power to quit smoking and reduces the desire. They are also advised of the benefits of quitting smoking, including longevity of life and better quality of life. The person is told that quitting smoking before 50 years of age gives a 50% chance of increase the lifespan by 15 years. Now that is quite motivating for a lot of smokers to give up the habit.

It generally takes about 4 full sessions of hypnotherapy to reach a level where the patient is ready to kick the habits. Also, self-hypnosis can be taught where the person can go into hypnosis on his own and enforce smoking cessation. There are even self-hypnosis tapes that are available for aid.

However, a word of caution here - hypnosis is not for everybody as not everybody can be hypnotized easily and there has to be a strong belief that it will benefit, only then can smoking cessation be tried with hypnosis. It is still in the testing phase and is to be medically proven as a way to quit smoking.

A number of factors may increase your risk of lung cancer. Some risk factors can be controlled, for instance, by quitting smoking. Other like family history or environmental factors can t be controlled.
Smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. Not only harmful for you but also for your loved ones inhaling second-hand smoke.
If you quit smoking, even after smoking for many years, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing lung cancer.
There are strategies for quitting smoking, such as counseling and nicotine replacement products, etc. Best way to reduce your risk is to stop smoking completely and it's never too late to stop!

If you smoke and are unable to quit, contact a doctor.

Nicotine addiction or tobacco addiction refers to an acute dependence upon tobacco products primarily due to the presence of the nicotine drug. In other words, nicotine addiction refers to an inability to stop using tobacco products despite the knowledge and awareness that it is harmful to you. While nicotine only induces addiction, it is the presence of other substances in tobacco which makes it damaging and injurious to health.

Nicotine has the tendency to produce effects in the brain, both physical as well as mind-altering, that give temporary satisfaction. This is precisely why people get hooked into the habit of tobacco consumption which eventually leads to addiction. Unfortunately, stopping tobacco use immediately can also lead to several withdrawal symptoms, like agitation and restlessness.

As per a data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), India has 12 per cent of the world's smokers. Over a million people die every year due to the ailments caused by tobacco abuse in India. Smokeless tobacco is also a very prevalent substance abuse in India.

Common uses of tobacco

Tobacco is used in cigarettes, pipes and cigars. It is also widely used for chewing or sniffed in powdered form. 'Bidis' and hookahs are also alternatives to cigarette smoking which many foolishly believe are less harmful than cigarettes.

Causes

The main reason why tobacco is so addictive is due to the fact that nicotine releases neurotransmitters such as dopamine in the reward centre; of the brain, which in turn improves your mood and gives you temporary pleasure.

Causes of nicotine addiction can either be physical or behavioural, for instance, situations or feelings which make you crave for tobacco. These include:

1. Specific times during the day, say after every meal or during breaks at work
2. While defecating
3. While drinking alcohol
4. Stressful or depressive situations
5. At the sight or smell of a burning cigarette
6. Peer pressure
7. While driving

Symptoms

Symptoms of nicotine addiction include:

1. You are unable to quit smoking despite frequent attempts.
2. You experience withdrawal symptoms after attempting to quit.
3. You continue to smoke despite the awareness that it is injurious to your health.
4. You forego social as well as recreational activities because of your need to smoke.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Symptoms of withdrawal symptoms include:

Urges to smoke or cravings
Restlessness or difficulty concentrating
Sleeping difficulties and sleep disturbances
Irritability, anger, anxiety, crying, sadness or depression
Increase in hunger or weight gain
Dizziness or feeling light-headed
Mouth ulcers
Treatments Available for Nicotine Addiction:

Counselling Treatments:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Mindfulness
Telephone support and quitlines
Smoking Cessation for Pregnant Women
Medical Treatment :

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
Bupropion
Varenicline
Medication combinations
Other antidepressants
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - This is the latest approach to treat nicotine addiction.

Whom should the patient consult if he decides to quit:

If the patient has made his mind to quit smoking and other ways of nicotine consumption, he should directly visit a Psychiatrist who will help him/her in strengthening the willpower against such substances.

The nicotine addiction is curable but requires a high level of motivation to quit as it is the most addictive substance in the world. It makes people dependent on it and becomes almost impossible to quit.

Addiction is one of the most common mental health problems faced by people around the globe. This could be an addition to alcohol, nicotine or drugs. Addition usually begins in a person s teenage years and if left untreated, may continue into adulthood. As with other health issues, addiction worsens with time and the later it is diagnosed, the harder it is to treat.

Alcohol Addiction
An addiction to alcohol is termed as alcoholism. In some cases, it can make the person drink heavily on a day to day basis. In others, it may cause binge drinking at regular intervals. In either case, the person cannot stay off alcohol for extended periods of time. Alcohol addiction is hard to recognize given the social acceptability of having a drink. If left untreated, this condition can be fatal and cause ulcers, bone loss, liver disease, an increased risk of cancer and suppressed immunity.

Nicotine Addiction
Like alcohol addiction, nicotine addiction is hard to spot given that people smoke openly. However, when a person cannot stop smoking even though he or she is aware of its ill effects, treatment needs to be sought. Nicotine dependence affects mood swings and has a physical effect on the body as well. It can cause anxiety, restlessness, frustration, loss of appetite, insomnia, constipation as well as heart disease and lung disease. It can also increase the person s risk of suffering from cancer, infertility and respiratory infections.

Drug Addiction
This is the most serious of the three. Drugs can take many forms. Some are smoked while others are chewed or injected into the body. It is a misconception that drugs are common only amongst the lower rungs of society. Drug addiction can cause mood swings, social withdrawal, memory loss, shortened attention span, poor judgment and other such changes in behavior.

All forms of addiction can be prevented and treated. Thus, it is important to not ignore early signs of addiction and speak to the person concerned or his or her caregiver. In some cases, treatment can take the form of outpatient therapy while in others; the patient may need to stay in a treatment facility for a specific duration of time. Even after treatment, relapses are possible. Hence, the patient needs support from this family and friends. It is also important for the patient to continue therapy in some form or the other even after coming out of the treatment facility.

Nicotine addiction or tobacco addiction refers to an acute dependence upon tobacco products primarily due to the presence of the nicotine drug. In other words, nicotine addiction refers to an inability to stop using tobacco products despite the knowledge and awareness that it is harmful to you. While nicotine only induces addiction, it is the presence of other substances in tobacco which makes it damaging and injurious to health.

Nicotine has the tendency to produce effects in the brain, both physical as well as mind-altering, that give temporary satisfaction. This is precisely why people get hooked into the habit of tobacco consumption which eventually leads to addiction.
Unfortunately, stopping tobacco use immediately can also lead to several withdrawal symptoms, like agitation and restlessness.

Causes-
The main reason why tobacco is so addictive is due to the fact that nicotine releases neurotransmitters such as dopamine in the reward center; of the brain, which in turn improves your mood and gives you temporary pleasure.
Causes of nicotine addiction can either be physical or behavioral, for instance, situations or feelings which make you crave for tobacco. These include:
1. Specific times during the day, say after every meal or during breaks at work
2. While defecating
3. While drinking alcohol
4. Stressful or depressive situations
5. At the sight or smell of a burning cigarette
6. Peer pressure
7. While driving

Symptoms-
Symptoms of nicotine addiction include:
1. You are unable to quit smoking despite frequent attempts.
2. You experience withdrawal symptoms after attempting to quit.
3. You continue to smoke despite the awareness that it is injurious to your health.
4. You forego social as well as recreational activities because of your need to smoke.

As a woman, your body undergoes constant changes during the reproductive years and thereafter. Some of these changes can result in gynaecological problems if you don t pay attention to your health. These illnesses are mostly caused by hormonal imbalance in the body. Some other causes are poor diet, inadequate sleep, lack of physical activity, ageing and stress.

Pre-menopausal gynaecological problems -

Here are some of the most common gynaecological health issues you might face in your childbearing years

Uterine fibroids These are non-cancerous growths in the uterus, which can induce pain and discomfort during menstruation.

Endometriosis This refers to a painful condition, where the endometrial tissue lining inside the uterus grows outside.

Post-menopausal gynaecological problems between age 40 and 45 -

Irregular bleeding The vaginal discharge and bleeding are a part of your normal menstrual cycle. However, abnormal or irregular bleeding from the vagina after menopause may be an indication of a serious condition like tumours, cancer of the reproductive organs or polyps.
Menopause marks the end of your menstrual cycle. However, it is not the only change, which you go through.
After menopause, the level of oestrogen hormones gradually decreases, which in turn, leads to a host of health disorders, and related symptoms from emotional well-being to bone health.
Bone health is a major issue in postmenopausal women. Oestrogen is responsible for maintaining bone health. With the loss of hormone, the bones become weak and fragile. This puts them at greater risk of developing bone fractures and osteoporosis.
Ways to prevent gynaecological health issues in order to keep your oestrogen levels in check and maintain good health, you can adopt a few preventive measures

Eat a Balanced Diet Include whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Limit sugar, oil and saturated fat. You may also take vitamin supplements to stabilize hormone level in the body.

Exercise Regularly Exercising regularly lowers the risk of several ailments including diabetes, heart disease and PCOS.

Quit Smoking Smoking increases your likelihood of stroke, cancer and heart disease. Besides, it may also trigger hot flashes and early menopause. Apart from following these, you should also opt for regular health checkups and tests once every 6 months.

"On this International Women s Health Day, take a big step towards good health practices and hygiene to keep diseases at bay."

Cholesterol is one of those terminologies that need a clear and fresh understanding, right from scratch. It is nothing but obvious and common for you to primarily know about the ill effects of cholesterol and what it does to your body; from increasing the risks of cardio-vascular diseases to adding to your waistline. However, it is time we all got a fresh perspective on what cholesterol is.

So, to start off, what is actually cholesterol?

It is a waxy substance produced by the liver which plays an important role in the proper functioning of the cells, digestive process and synthesis of Vitamin D in the body. As cholesterol is a fat-based substance that does not dissolve in blood, it is transported, throughout the body, by a protein called the lipoprotein . The lipoproteins that carry cholesterol are of two types: Low-Density

Lipoprotein (LDL) and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

Why is LDL bad ?
LDL is known as bad cholesterol as it is responsible for plaque formation that reduces the flexibility of the arteries and tends to clog them.

Why is HDL good ?
HDL is known as the good cholesterol because it gets rid of excessive LDL from the arteries and transports them to the liver where they can be broken down. Too much of bad cholesterol in the body can lead to clogged arteries that may result in stroke or a heart attack. Now that you know that too much LDL cholesterol is bad for you, you need to keep it under control while raising the good cholesterol (HDL) levels.

In order to do that, you need to make certain modifications in your lifestyle.

Some of them can be:

Eat foods that are good for the heart: Avoid eating saturated fats and trans-fats as they raise LDL levels in the body. Instead, choose foods that are rich in the heart-healthy, monounsaturated fats such as almonds and olive oil. Also, include foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oil; these fatty acids increase HDL levels in the blood.
Exercise regularly: Exercise not only helps you to lose calories but also increases the good cholesterol levels in the body. Aim for 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercises in the form of brisk walking, running or cycling to keep your heart muscles healthy.
Stop smoking: Smoking can cause the blood vessels to narrow down, thus increasing blood pressure, owing to the constriction of the blood vessels. Quit smoking right away and your ticker will thank you for it. Remember to limit alcohol consumption as well.
Maintain optimal weight levels: It s time to get rid of all the excess fat from the body, especially the visceral fat (abdominal fat). Obesity increases the risk of heart diseases and also has a negative effect on cholesterol levels.

If you are concerned about the health of your heart, one of the primary and most important things to do is quit smoking. Avoiding and abstaining from smoking will heal the nicotine damage caused to your heart. This will enable you to lead a long and healthy life. Here are the reasons why you should quit smoking for the sake of your heart:

Reduced risk of a heart attack: The benefits of not smoking start hours after you quit, and the heart rate and blood pressure get normalised slowly. By quitting smoking, your chances of having a heart attack are reduced by 50%.
In case of women, quitting smoking has special benefits: Women generally have a smaller body frame than men, and the harmful effects of smoking on a woman s heart are considered to be more dangerous and concentrated. Female smokers under the age of sixty are more likely to experience a condition known as cholesterol plaque erosion, which is a fatal blood vessel condition. Women smokers are likely (seven times more than men) to develop heart complications due to smoking.
When you quit smoking, your heart is no longer exposed to harmful chemicals: Cigarette smoke contains toxins such as arsenic, formaldehyde and benzene. The chemical substances may be hazardous to the blood vessels in your body, and the heart muscles get damaged. Once you quit smoking, these chemicals will no longer enter your body, making your heart healthier.
Quitting smoking benefits other people as well: When children and people are exposed to tobacco smoke, their chances of having plaque in their heart s arteries are enhanced. This may cause a stroke.
Quitting smoking reduces the chances of getting hospitalised: A smoker may be at the risk for getting hospitalised because of several conditions such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, much more than a non-smoker. After quitting smoking, the chances of being hospitalised decrease within five years.
Quitting smoking lowers the risk of having atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is a blood vessel disease which is caused due to inflammations all over the body. Because of this, the arteries may stiffen and thicken. Smokers face the risk of acquiring this condition three times more than non-smokers.
You can quit smoking most effectively by combining behavioural support along with prescribed medication. People using this type of multi-treatment are likely to become successful at quitting smoking. You should consult a specialist who is certified in tobacco treatment, who will provide you with a plan. It will include counselling, medicines and a nicotine replacement therapy.

Addiction can be considered as a behavioural change where a craving for something specific intensifies to such an extent that the consequences are ignored. Addiction controls the brain by diverting it in such a way that it registers only pleasure and does not give any importance to other standard drives like motivation and learning. In general, breaking up an addiction is difficult, but it is not impossible and with strong determination, addiction can be broken.

Effects of Addiction
In general, people are subjected to addiction will not have self-control over what they do. If addiction is not treated or diagnosed on time, it may reach harmful proportions. Addiction is not only related to consumption of drugs and alcohol. It may include other habits too, that cannot be controlled. Sometimes even having a particular craving for a fruit or a vegetable can be termed as an addiction. Among other things, the most harmful can be the usage of drugs, sexual pleasures and other effects that over a period of time can become uncontrollable.

How a person can get addicted?
A human brain registers all types of pleasures in the same way they register a joy from a psychoactive drug, sexual encounter, monetary rewards or a satisfying meal. When any of these things happen, the human brain releases a neurotransmitter dopamine in the nerve cells. If these habits become regular, the enzymes will be released in high quantities leading to the addiction problem.

Drugs usage leads to addiction within a short period of time. Consumption of almost all types of drugs, starting from nicotine to heroin leads to a powerful surge of dopamine in the nucleus accumbency leading to high addiction. Addiction is not exactly a disease, but it is a condition that can occur at any age. It is likely to occur more during the young age where the required maturity is yet to be gained. So it is advisable to be careful during your adolescent period as this is the time when you are more vulnerable.

Various medical tests can diagnose addiction. People subjected to addiction can be treated easily by proper medications and therapies. If addiction is in the initial stage, it can be quickly addressed by counselling process, and if it is severe, then the counselling sessions along with certain medications are needed to curb the addiction habit.