MarylandQuitter

You got this, Mike.

Get some ginger roots, peel them and then pound them to break them up a bit (don't need a lot!) and toss them in some boiling water with cut up chicken breast and black pepper. Cook until the chicken is cooked (obviously, lol) and make sure to not only eat the chicken and ginger but also the broth. This is a southern Asia secret and it works.

If so, check out the following video. Short video discusses key topic areas that enhance an individuals ability to quit and stay off of smoking. The following videos explore these individual areas: Topic one: Why you smoke Video: Why do smokers smoke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9AmZ... 18 minutes 9 seconds Topic 2: Why you should quit Videos: Heart and circulatory diseases https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xt9v... 19 minutes 19 seconds Lung cancer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFNv8... 18 minutes 49 seconds Feel what it is like to breathe with emphysema https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf0ts... 8 minutes and 47 seconds The palmolive bottle demonstration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVbUG... 7 minutes 46 seconds Premature deaths caused by smoking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5a7D... 12 minutes 34 seconds Topic 3: How to stop How to quit smoking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l27zW... 13 minutes 47 seconds Topic 4: How to stay off Never take another puff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYNWI... 4 minutes 22 seconds Total time for all of the videos above is just around 91 minutes. A_Benefits_Time_Table.pdf

lol I don't have them where I live now but I know exactly what you're talking about. They congregate on the steps of buildings and smoke and skate and there always seems to be a a couple of girls (the groupie type) hanging out with them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NaudLrGk9g

...TOBACCO WARS vividly portrays what the companies really knew about the link between smoking and disease, explains how mankind became seduced by such a dangerous product, provides a status report on Big Tobacco today, and looks towards the future of this most controversial of industries. http://www.quittrain.com/topic/4812-tobacco-wars-documentary-episodes-1-2-3/

Not today. Not ever. Nope.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PVjcIO4MT4

Hell NOPE!

Synopsis: TOBACCO WARS is a comprehensive history of the cigarette, providing an in-depth, balanced, and often shocking look at the tobacco industry. The series' three one-hour episodes are organized chronologically, from the advent of the cigarette through its ascension to one of the most profitable consumer products the world has ever seen. Via first person accounts and insider documentation, TOBACCO WARS vividly portrays what the companies really knew about the link between smoking and disease, explains how mankind became seduced by such a dangerous product, provides a status report on Big Tobacco today, and looks towards the future of this most controversial of industries.

You have no idea how good this song sounds through a good system. Just got the CD from his studio one county over from me. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coNqbqnH3AM

I've had a colonoscopy and I was all worked up about it. When it was over I thought, "that's what I got all worked up over". When I woke up and went home, I couldn't tell that I even had one done. No pain, wasn't sore and I got a clean bill of health. When I have to go back for another, I won't be worked up at all over it. It's an inconvenience beforehand, but it's not like you're sitting on the toilet sick from food poisoning. It's just that you have to go to the bathroom and you're not sick, an inconvenience for sure but the procedure itself was like it never happened. I was so worked up while I was waiting to to be wheeled in that I asked the nurse how many they do per day and she said "on average, 50". I instantly felt better because I knew for them it was completely routine and not a big deal at all. Then I looked at all the other people there for the same thing I was. A lot of older people so I figure if they could handle it, I surely could. Well, I guess there was one uncomfortable part. The doctor who performed the colonoscopy was my neighbor! lol

NOT ONE PUFF, EVER. Not today. Not ever.

A little off topic, but I wanted to address this. It was an illusion that smoking ever helped us with anything. There is not one positive thing that it ever did for us. It can't relieve stress or relax us because nicotine raises our blood pressure, increases our heart rate and sends adrenaline coursing through our veins. Stress relief? Hardly. We thought it relieved stress because once the nicotine wore off (~every 20-30 minutes) we went into mild physical withdrawal which is by nature "stressful". So, we smoked to alleviate the stress of nicotine withdrawal and just assumed that it relieved all the other stresses in our lives, which it never did. If there were one, just one positive thing that smoking provided it would be all over the packs. You don't think that big tobacco wanted to prove that smoking relieved stress? You bet they did but they couldn't and never will be able to. Weight control? There are tons of overweight smokers. They were all rationalizations willingly accepted so we could feel better about smoking and the damage we knew it was causing. We didn't become nicotine addicts the first time we puffed on a cigarette. We had to work at it. There was nothing enjoyable about inhaling smoke into our young, pink lungs. We coughed. Out throats burned. Some even got nauseous. The list of bad side effects could go on and on but yet we puffed away until we got hooked and then rationalized smoking for years, decades even. I still maintain that we never enjoyed smoking in the first place. Sure, there was the occasional cigarette that we enjoyed but most of them, we hated and only smoked to get rid of the withdrawal symptoms. If anybody thinks that they somehow benefited from smoking, more time is needed to learn about this addiction and all that it entails. If you still believe in the cigarette, you could feel like you're somehow missing out on something by quitting when that couldn't be farther from the truth. As long as you believe that smoking benefits you in some way, what's going to happen when a crisis comes your way? I can tell you that I had believed that smoking relieved stress and when a crisis happened I smoked for a week. It didn't relieve anything and all it did was ruin a 9 month quit. There is nothing positive to be had from smoking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVEyGdqwjmQ I Smoke Because I Like Smoking Video discusses how people who often say the smoke because they like smoking can come to realize that they really smoke because they don't like not smoking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCkt_ajgTQE

Gotcha! Congrats! Keep it this time, alright?

I don't get it. What is this about?

Hi Erik and welcome! These videos might help. :) Disorientation That May Occur When You First Quit Smoking What many people find to be the most worrisome symptom when they are first quitting smoking is a general level of disorientation. The effect is usually due to a drop in blood sugar that often occurs in the first few days after quitting. The resources below gives suggestions on how to minimize the effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu7hsiOdlDM Related articles: "Minimizing the Most Common Side Effects to Quitting Smoking" http://www.ffn.yuku.com/topic/13919 Eating Healthy - Blood Sugar http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/11649 Related video: Blood sugar symptom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYGsz... Common symptoms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU8Fuk... Going back to normal after quitting smoking https://youtu.be/zUKBBcZ26BQ Blood Sugar Symptoms Many of the most common symptoms people encounter when first stopping smoking is due to a drop in blood sugar often encountered in the first few days after quitting. Video discusses why this happens and how to minimize the effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYGsz7WNh_8 Related articles: "Minimizing the Most Common Side Effects to Quitting Smoking" http://www.ffn.yuku.com/topic/13919 Eating Healthy - Blood Sugar http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/11649 Related video: Common symptoms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU8Fuk... Going back to normal after quitting smoking https://youtu.be/zUKBBcZ26BQ Why I Recommend Cranberry Juice When First Quitting Smoking Video discusses how cranberry juice can help people when first quitting smoking, but that it use is only helpful during the initial withdrawal period that lasts only 72 hours or less. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVkuOU7MBjQ Related videos: On any kind of juice helping with blood sugar symptoms: Blood sugar symptoms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYGsz... Disorientation that may occur when first quitting smoking https://youtu.be/Xu7hsiOdlDM Going back to normal after quitting smoking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUKBB... Interactions with urine acidity and nicotine: I can't drink without a cigarette https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE-Z6... Smoking does not help you overcome stress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buyqv...

A history of the tobacco industry’s lies and scams. From the US in 1953 to Africa today, the controversy between individual responsibility and corporate greed is portrayed in a lucid, undaunted manner. From scientific frauds to working with organized crime, tobacco companies show their hidden agenda more clearly than ever in this theatrically released documentary. More than three years of investigating all over the world has allowed Nadia Collot to decipher the attitudes of an industry that, in spite of many prevention campaigns still expands its power at the cost of public health. Three aspects of industry behavior are studied: 1. Scientific subversion: proof of the manipulation of scientific evidence and buying out of scientists to maintain controversy over the health issues related to smoking, but even more so today, related to environmental tobacco smoke. 2. Ideological subversion: whether it be through clever and disguised product placements on screen or TV, creating its own biased health messages, implementing subtle and ingenious marketing tactics or using political lobbying manoeuvres, the tobacco industry has gone to unbelievable extents to do what it says it never will. 3. Economic strategies: to develop as fast as possible, to infiltrate closed-market countries, to better reach the young and the poor, smuggling is one of the ways the industry has chosen to organize its international growth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA45gKLv9Ys

A history of the tobacco industry’s lies and scams. From the US in 1953 to Africa today, the controversy between individual responsibility and corporate greed is portrayed in a lucid, undaunted manner. http://www.quittrain.com/topic/4774-the-tobacco-conspiracy/

Watching smoking in movies doesn't bother me at all. Do you quitters know how much big tobacco had an influence in the movies, TV, and commercials? Most if not all will say yes. What if I said they still do it today (although smoking is not as prevalent in movies)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG0x79sboZM

No videos but these may help... http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/11305/Addiction-Dopamine-The-Salience-Theory http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/11725 http://ffn.yuku.com/reply/239182/Some-new-findings-on-Nicotine-Addiction#reply-239182 Joel's response on FFN Board. I remember in my early days of learning about other drug addictions, it became very obvious to me why crack cocaine was so addictive and why cocaine addicts would go through such great lengths and seemingly sacrifice everything in order to get the drug. It was capable of releasing so much dopamine that it was depleting the body's normal supply. Then when a person would do anything that would normally bring pleasure--with the minimal amount of dopamine left, normal activities that used to bring about pleasure seemed to become empty or meaningless. This is why people using cocaine found themselves losing interest in other things that should have been important--in a real sense--they were losing their ability to get pleasure out of pleasurable things. It seems that this parallels to a degree what happens to smokers. Not only is nicotine releasing the same neurotransmitter, but it is impairing the mechanism to shut down the action of dopamine. Again, the end result is things that should be pleasurable will become a bit diminished by this chronic action. The cost of such chronic pleasure is the minimizing of real life. That is what the real toll of smoking is--and the real benefit of quitting. Once again you can feel good from accomplishments. I think that is why people take greater pride in things after they quit. I always joke with spouses who call me up saying they don't know what they can do to make their husband or wife quit smoking. They often ask me if they should threaten to leave the spouse if he or she doesn't quit. I always warn them to be careful when making such a threat. Giving a smoker a choice between take me or your cigarettes, you'd be surprised at how often "me" is going to be left behind. Again, here you can see why. The normal pleasures brought about by a relationship are minimized if dopamine is in fact impaired--the smoker is in a sense incapable of feeling as good from a relationship or any other activity. But the smoker needs to understand that to ever be able to fully appreciate life itself, they need to stop taking drugs that interfere with normal life pleasures. The answer is not to find a drug that works better. As this article so eloquently points out at the end, "It would be hard to design a drug that acts on the reward center that would be more effective than nicotine." I suspect it could be done though--but the end result would just be another drug that is robbing the user of the ability to feel pleasure from pleasurable things. This in itself is robbing the user of the ability of a quality life. Yes nicotine being delivered in a cigarette form is addictive and deadly. But even without the other chemicals additional health consequences--nicotine itself is robbing the individual of really experiences little life's pleasures--and this is a travesty in itself. Again, the solution is not another drug that is even better--the solution is to let your body get back to normal and never be thrown so off track again by knowing to never take another puff! Joel

Just to clear up an innocent misconception, Joel doesn't use "Nicodemon" for the reasons shown below. From Joel's Board The in-depth view of why we don't embrace the term of "Nicodemon." Nicodemon seems to give the impression of an evil persona associated with the chemical nicotine. Nicotine is no more evil than arsenic or carbon monoxide or hydrogen cyanide--all chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Although nicotine is unique among the thousands of other chemicals that comprise tobacco smoke because it is the addictive chemical in tobacco. Even so, the idea that nicotine is somehow calling to a smoker who is off smoking for weeks or months is quite inaccurate. It is the person himself or herself whose own mind is creating the desire from triggers that he or she is experiencing. Those triggers are also not evil, they are just life events being experienced for the first time. I think the problems I have with the terms is they make nicotine seem to have more power than it actually does. The personification given to it can make an individual feel that nicotine has the potential of tricking him or her into smoking. An inanimate object such as a chemical has no such power. As John has said often nicotine has an IQ of zero. People do not overcome the grip of chemical addictions by being stronger than the drug but rather by being smarter than the drug. Lets not give nicotine more credit than it is due. Lets not make it some cute and cuddly or evil and plotting entity--it is a chemical that alters brain chemistry. It is no different than heroin, cocaine or alcohol. These drugs don't have cute names given to them either and giving them to nicotine can start to make it seem different than these other substance--more trivial or less serious in a way. Nicotine is not more trivial than other drugs of addiction and in fact kills more people than all other drugs of addiction combined. I think the only place where I think I have ever appreciated the term "Nicodemon" is in this one string. Because in this one post the lies that people make up in order to secure their continued use of a deadly drug are all dispelled in one quick swoop. It has a short, simple and catchy title that seems to fit the logic used in this piece very well--Nicodemon Lies. But anyone reading this whole article and the associated links quickly will realize that these are not the lies of a demon, these are the lies made up by an addict rationalizing, legitimizing, defending and protecting his or her drug use. They are the lies that people make up and tell themselves to defend the otherwise un-defendable. People cannot rationalize the reason that they smoke with truths; they can only do it with lies. More important for people here though is that a person cannot secure his or her quit by telling himself or herself lies either, but he or she can secure his or her quit by telling himself or herself the truth. The truth is that the only way to keep yourself smoke free is to simply accept the truth that to stay smoke free you must never take another puff! Joel

lol I love that video.

Cigarettes served as a fake friend that promised to be there when we're alone, sad, happy and vowed to never leave our side. Cigarettes are often seen as a friend. When you look at it on that level, it really drives home that we're drug addicts just as any other. Perhaps not strung out living on the streets but addicts just the same and our drug of choice kills more people than all other drugs combined. Have you ever read "My Cigarette, My Friend"? How do you feel about a friend who has to go everywhere with you? Not only does he tag along all the time, but since he is so offensive and vulgar, you become unwelcome when with him. He has a peculiar odor that sticks to you wherever you go. Others think both of you stink. He controls you totally. When he says jump, you jump. Sometimes in the middle of a blizzard or storm, he wants you to come to the store and pick him up. You would give your spouse hell if he or she did that to you all the time, but you can't argue with your friend. Sometimes, when you are out at a movie or play he says he wants you to go stand in the lobby with him and miss important scenes. Since he calls all the shots in your life, you go. Your friend doesn't like your choice of clothing either. Instead of politely telling you that you have lousy taste, he burns little holes in these items so you will want to throw them out. Sometimes, he tires of the furniture and gets rid of it too. Occasionally, he gets really nasty and decides the whole house must go. He gets pretty expensive to support. Not only is his knack of property destruction costly, but you must pay to keep him with you. In fact, he will cost you thousands of dollars over your lifetime. And you can count on one thing, he will never pay you a penny in return. Often at picnics you watch others playing vigorous activities and having lots of fun doing them. But your friend won't let you. He doesn't believe in physical activity. In his opinion, you are too old to have that kind of fun. So he kind of sits on your chest and makes it difficult for you to breathe. Now you don't want to go off and play with other people when you can't breathe, do you? Your friend does not believe in being healthy. He is really repulsed by the thought of you living a long and productive life. So every chance he gets he makes you sick. He helps you catch colds and flu. Not just by running out in the middle of the lousy weather to pick him up at the store. He is more creative than that. He carries thousands of poisons with him which he constantly blows in your face. When you inhale some of them, they wipe out cilia in your lungs which would have helped you prevent these diseases. But colds and flu are just his form of child's play. He especially likes diseases that slowly cripple you - like emphysema. He considers this disease great. Once he gets you to have this, you will give up all your other friends, family, career goals, activities - everything. You will just sit home and caress him, telling him what a great friend he is while you desperately gasp for air. But eventually your friend tires of you. He decides he no longer wishes to have your company. Instead of letting you go your separate ways, he decides to kill you. He has a wonderful arsenal of weapons behind him. In fact, he has been plotting your death since the day you met him. He picked all the top killers in society and did everything in his power to ensure you would get one of them. He overworked your heart and lungs. He clogged up the arteries to your heart, brain, and every other part of your body. In case you were too strong to succumb to this, he constantly exposed you to cancer causing agents. He knew he would get you sooner or later. Well, this is the story of your "friend," your cigarette. No real friend would do all this to you. Cigarettes are the worst possible enemies you ever had. They are expensive, addictive, socially unacceptable, and deadly. Consider all this and NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF! Joel