Category: Smoking Facts

Get the facts about smoking, from health implications to how you can quit. Call hypnotherapist Joseph Giove at 925-215-4017 to get started today.

  • Do Side Effects of Quitting Smoking Include Rashes?

    Do Side Effects of Quitting Smoking Include Rashes?

    Quitting smoking is one of the hardest things a person can do. Quitting cigarettes and nicotine has been said to be in the same realm as kicking a cocaine or heroin habit. It is a serious undertaking. There are many side effects that occur when quitting smoking. The brain is used to a certain amount of nicotine and other chemicals every day and denying it of those chemicals has side effects.

    One of the many side effects of quitting smoking are itchy rashes that can break out all over the body. This article will discuss the reasons for rashes to occur after quitting smoking, the side effects of smoking, and using drugs such as Chantix combined with behavior modification therapy to help with quitting smoking.

    Why Do Rashes Occur When Quitting smoking

    Nicotine restricts blood flow in the blood vessels. The vessels take blood to every part of the body, including the skin. It will take some time for the body to get normal blood flow back to all of your skin after you quit smoking. Most people will develop a type of rash that looks like eczema on their feet, legs, and hands. This is temporary and will go away when the body gets used to being nicotine free.

    Stress is another factor that can cause itchy rashes when quitting smoking. Stress from not having nicotine delivered to the brain all the time can play all kinds of tricks on the body. When quitting smoking, the body is not used to being deprived of all the chemicals and carcinogens that cigarettes provide. The body attempts to ‘fix’ itself and this can lead to rashes.

    Most people will also experience a reaction on their face. This is the most exposed part of the body and tends to dry out faster than anywhere else. When you quit smoking your skin is trying to heal itself and is flooded with nutrients and oils. If these oils build up enough, a rash or acne will occur.

    Changes in diet are also a cause for rashes related to quitting smoking. Smoking cigarettes, or ingesting nicotine in general, cause people’s appetite to be decreased. Once someone quits smoking the appetite comes back. Some people tend to eat unhealthy foods once they start eating regularly again and their body is not used to all the calories and other substances being consumed, causing the body to react to this change by developing a rash.

    Ingesting nicotine (chewing tobacco, pipe smoking, quitting aids such as gums and lozenges, and smoking cigarettes) for a long period of time puts a lot of harmful chemicals and carcinogens into the body. When you quit smoking the body is trying to get rid of these chemicals. As these poisons are coming out of you, they can cause itchy rashes on the skin. The good news is that they are temporary for as long as you cease smoking! The body is a remarkable machine that has the ability to heal itself. There will be some discomfort at first but it will subside and the rashes will go away. Once your body has rid itself of the harmful chemicals caused from nicotine use, there should be no more rashes and you will live a long and healthy life!

    The Side Effects of Smoking

    Besides skin rashes there are many other adverse side effects to smoking. Nicotine does very harmful things to the body and mind. There are many side effects that come with smoking. Some are mild and some are severe. These side effects include:

    • Cancers
      • Larynx
      • Esophagus
      • Liver
      • Stomach
      • Lung
      • Kidney
      • Cervix
      • Bladder
      • Pancreas
      • Colorectal
      • Blood
    • Diseases
      • Stroke
      • Heart disease
      • Eye degeneration
      • Bone weakness
      • Pneumonia
      • Diabetes
      • Erectile dysfunction
      • Pregnancy complications
    • Diminished Appearance
      • Yellow fingers
      • Stained teeth
      • Wrinkled skin
      • Noxious odor
    • Death

    Fingernail Fungus from Cigarette Smoking

    Using Chantix and Behavior Modification Therapy to Quit Smoking

    Recently a new drug has entered the market, called Chantix. Chantix is a behaviour changing drug that works concurrently with behaviour modifying therapies so that the smoker no longer craves cigarettes and can avoid situations where they would want to smoke. These types therapies include group counselling, one on one visits with your doctor, or hypnosis.

    By using these two methods together there is a much greater chance that you will quit smoking successfully. As with any quitting smoking method, there are side effects. Always make sure you talk to a qualified medical professional when attempting to quit smoking.

    Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

    There are always going to be withdrawals when quitting anything that goes into your body, and cigarettes are even more so. When going through a traumatic time like quitting smoking, you need all the help you can get.

    Joseph R. Giove is a certified Clinical Hypnotist with over 30 years of experience in Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy. He uses only the power of the mind to help you quit smoking, not dangerous chemicals or carcinogens. He will gently alter your brain patterns so that you will no longer want cigarettes, even despise them.

    At the end of the day you will live a longer and healthier life when you quit smoking. There are some side effects to quitting that include itchy rashes but those will subside. The body is trying to get rid of many years of harmful toxins that have built up inside it. By using Chantix and behaviour modification therapy such as Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy, you have a great chance for a long and healthy life!

  • Quitting Smoking Makes Me Itchy – What’s Going On?

    Quitting Smoking Makes Me Itchy – What’s Going On?

    When people quit smoking, they begin to go through withdrawal symptoms that can range from quite mild to more severe. The body is going through these changes because it is trying to get rid of all the harmful chemicals put into it over the years from smoking cigarettes.

    This article will discuss why someone who is quitting smoking gets itchy, the most common places on the body that get itchy, ways to counteract some of the itchiness, and how Joseph R. Giove can help ease the itchiness symptoms with Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy.

    Why Does Quitting smoking Make Me Itchy?

    When a person has smoked for a long period of time their body gets used to the nicotine and other carcinogens that are inhaled from cigarette smoke. Once those chemicals are taken away, the body and mind have to compensate which then presents withdrawal systems.

    One of those symptoms is itching all over the body. The body is trying to revert itself back to normal and is drying out the skin in order to do so, causing topical skin discomfort. Fortunately, this symptom is temporary and will only last a few weeks. If the itching persists longer than a month, consult a doctor because that could mean a more serious condition, such as allergies or an underlying illness.

    The Most Common Places That Get Itchy

    As the body is ridding itself of the many years of poisons that came from smoking, some rashes, dry skin, and blotches may present themselves. While these skin irritations are annoying to say the least, they are temporary and will go away as long as you remain cigarette free.

    Some of the most common places that people get itchy are:

    • Face
    • Ears
    • Scalp
    • Arms
    • Legs
    • Feet

    The extremities are the most common places for itching because they have the weakest defence systems. They are the farthest away from your heart and other organs that fight off diseases.

    However, some people do experience an overall body itch that makes it feel like your skin is crawling. While some of this is caused by your dry skin, it is also in your mind. There are psychological factors associated with quitting smoking as well.

    While people can develop a rash anywhere, the extremities are the most common places and are easily treatable. Should a rash persist for more than a month, or is in a place that makes you really uncomfortable, see a doctor right away.

    Moisturizers Can Help Combat Itchiness

    Ways to Counteract Some of the Itchiness

    The best ways to counteract the itching from quitting smoking is to use the same methods that nonsmokers use for these problems. For example, when people get dry skin they use a moisturizing lotion to get the skin back to normal. Dry, itchy skin is common for people when they quit smoking so finding a really good moisturizing lotion is really going to help. The same goes for an itchy scalp. Try a stronger, moisturizing shampoo to get rid of the dry, itchy skin. Coconut oil can also help, and can be applied to all areas of the body, including the scalp.

    Some people often get blemishes or acne on their face or other areas. Revert back to your teenage years and use what worked for you then! The best way to clean your face is with regular soap and warm water because it doesn’t add any more oils to your skin than are needed.

    If you are itchy in more than one place, then a nice warm bath will help you to relax. Try adding some anti-itching scents or liquids such as honey and cinnamon. This will also help your mind relax so you won’t be thinking about itching.

    With the skin crawling issue, sometimes an antihistamine like Benadryl can help ease the itching. However, if it is more of a psychological problem than physical symptoms, then doing an activity to take your mind off the itching is the best way to go. Some good ways to keep busy are:

    • Exercise
    • Reading
    • Going out with a friend
    • Concentrate on a work project

    However you decide to counteract the itching that is happening from quitting smoking, make sure you stick with it and find the best way to stop the itch. If you stick with it, the itch will eventually subside and you will be much happier! And remember not to scratch!

    Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

    Quitting smoking can be very difficult and stressful. The body goes through many stages of withdrawals, some are mild and some are more severe. One of these symptoms can be constant itching. If the itching is mild and manageable then simply prepare yourself with lotions, creams, and soaps and do the best you can. The itchiness will only last a few weeks. If the itching becomes too intense you might have to see a professional.

    Joseph R. Giove is a certified Clinical Hypnotist with over 30 years of experience helping people quit smoking. He uses the power of the mind to help people break the habit of smoking and help keep them smoke free. Using his techniques will help relax the mind and let you cope with withdrawal symptoms such as intense itching much easier!

  • What Are the Effects of Nicotine on the Body

    What Are the Effects of Nicotine on the Body

    Nicotine is one of the most dangerous chemicals that can be ingested into the body. Whether you are chewing tobacco, smoking a pipe or cigarettes, or even using patches or gum for quitting smoking, the number of carcinogens that are in nicotine is alarming.

    Nicotine is severely addictive, which makes this drug even more dangerous to the body. Nicotine is so addictive, it has been likened to being addicted to heroin or cocaine. Quitting smoking is hard to do and trying to quit often takes several attempts, but the sooner you quit smoking, the less nicotine will affect your body in the end.

    Nicotine has many effects on the body. Obviously, most of them are adverse but there are a few that temporarily enhance some of the body’s functions. This article will look at all of the effects that nicotine will have on your body, and how Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help you quit smoking to avoid these effects.

    What Are the Physical Symptoms of Nicotine Use

    When nicotine is smoked or absorbed into the body, it can have many harmful side effects. Here are some of the symptoms you can expect after prolonged nicotine abuse and the parts of the body that will be affected.

    • The Heart – Nicotine causes the heart rate and blood pressure to increase. Eventually, you will be at a much greater risk of heart disease and stroke because the heart has to work much harder to clean the nicotine out of your system.
    • The Brain – Nicotine causes minor problems in the brain such as dizziness, tremors, and sleep disturbances. The major problem is that nicotine is highly addictive for the brain and therefore, in turn, affects all other parts of the body.
    • Metabolism – Nicotine increases the calories that the body burns, but that is only because the body is trying to get rid of the nicotine. This means that there will decreased endurance and breathing problems. Basically, the body may be alright for a sprint but will not make it for a mile.
    • The Reproductive System – Men are at risk to develop erectile dysfunction and impotence at a higher rate than non-smokers. Women increase their risk of infertility and miscarriage. There are also many risks to a baby that is exposed to nicotine from the mother.
    • The Eyes – Nicotine actually damages the eyes in many ways. It will degenerate the eyes so that there will be night vision problems, peripheral vision problems, as well as overall vision issues.
    • The Bones – Nicotine increases the risk of osteoporosis. People who smoke have been found to be at a greater risk for fractures due to the weakening of the bones.
    • The Stomach – Nicotine is depressant on the hunger sensation and makes the brain think it doesn’t want food. Anorexia is a common disease associated with smoking and is very dangerous to overall health.
    • The Lungs – Nicotine obviously has a negative effect on the lungs. It causes the lungs to be over-stimulated and increase the production of respiratory secretions. This means the lungs are working harder than they have to. Prolonged use of nicotine will cause the lungs to paralyze and could lead to respiratory failure.
    • The Rest – There are other side effects of prolonged nicotine use including: heartburn, diarrhea, dizziness, stomach acid, mouth pain, and fatigue.

    These are some of the serious negative effects that nicotine has on the body. The longer a person smokes cigarettes, the greater the risk of having one or all of these problems with their body.

    A Healthy Lung and a Nicotine Damaged Lung

    Positive Effects of Nicotine Use

    While the negative effects of nicotine on the body are plentiful, there are some positive effects. It should be noted that nicotine is very dangerous to a person’s long-term health and this article is simply depicting all of the effects that nicotine has on the body. These short-term positive effects are minor and will not outweigh the extremely dangerous adverse effects of nicotine use.

    Nicotine in cigarettes has been found to be a stimulant for cognition, focus, and alertness for a short time. It makes a person more aware and also stimulates memory, attention, and motor abilities. Nicotine acts as a stimulant in the brain that temporarily increases its activity.

    Reflexes are also increased with nicotine use. Research has shown that finger tapping speed increases with smoking cigarettes. Again, since nicotine is a stimulant for the brain, it causes faster muscle movement in the body.

    Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

    While there are some “positive” short-term effects of nicotine on the body, the negative aspects are much greater. There is no doubt that nicotine is dangerous to the body and could have long-lasting or permanent effects.

    Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy is a non-intrusive method of helping you quit smoking and overcome the effects of nicotine. Joseph R. Giove is a certified Clinical Hypnotist with over 30 years of experience helping people quit smoking who doesn’t use chemicals or any other carcinogens. All he uses is the power of the mind to gently alter your brain patterns so that you lose your craving for cigarettes, and eventually despise them.

    Quitting smoking will add years to your life and result in a better quality of life. The sooner you can cut nicotine out of your life, the better off you and your loved ones will be!

  • The Physical Withdrawal Symptoms of Quitting Smoking

    The Physical Withdrawal Symptoms of Quitting Smoking

    Quitting smoking can be the most important health decision a person can make. The average lifespan of a smoker is 17 years less than a non-smoker due to the multitude of diseases, cancers, and other adverse health effects that come with prolonged nicotine abuse. Quitting smoking can be difficult to accomplish for some people because of the psychological difficulties, and of course the physical difficulties as well.

    When a person quits smoking the body has to adjust again to not having the nicotine and other poisons influencing their brains and bodies. The good news is that once free, in a very short time to body once again begins to regain balance and normal cardiovascular and nervous system functioning.

    This article will look at some of the physical symptoms that can occur when a smoker decides to quit, and how Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help ease these withdrawal symptoms. To be sure, not all smokers experience these symptoms, and some smokers experience none of them.

    What Are the Physical Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal?

    When person quits smoking or taking in nicotine, the body immediately begins rebalancing from the previous constant detoxification from nicotine and the other poisons. The body’s adjustment is felt as withdrawal symptoms. It’s important to remember that withdrawals are sings of the body rebalancing and are therefore good for the body. Here are some of the physical withdrawal symptoms that can occur when a person’s body is readjusting to being free of the poisons from smoking:

    • Anxiety
    • Headaches
    • Itchiness
    • Restlessness
    • Insomnia
    • Fatigue
    • Drowsiness
    • Tremors
    • Irritability
    • Sensitivity
    • Hunger
    • Thirst
    • Dry Throat
    • Cotton Mouth
    • Heart Palpitations
    • Muscle Cramps
    • Digestive Problems
    • Dizziness

    The more nicotine a person consumes, the more receptors in the brain are created to receive the extra dopamine that is released. Dopamine is the chemical released by the brain that makes you feel good. When the brain expects nicotine (and the accompanying dopamine) and then does not receive it, as in the case of people quitting smoking, these withdrawal symptoms start to appear. However, very soon the body’s own production of dopamine recovers and the person feels good naturally again.

    Withdrawal Symptoms from Smoking

    A Brief Timeline of the Physical Symptoms Experienced When Quitting smoking

    20 Minutes

    Only 20 minutes after a last cigarette, a person’s heart rate will return to normal. This is because nicotine has a mild adrenaline effect on the brain, which affects the heart rate.

    2 Hours

    As heart rate and blood pressure return to a non-smoker’s level, sensation returns to extremities of the body such as toes and fingertips.

    12 Hours

    Restlessness and sleeplessness can present itself as early as the first night after quitting smoking. Fortunately harmful carbon monoxide levels in the body have already been decreased by half by this time.

    48 Hours

    After two days, people can expect the sensitivity of touch, smell, and taste all to return to normal levels, on par with that of non-smokers.

    72 Hours

    All nicotine is gone from the body and most withdrawals symptoms are alleviated.

    2 Weeks

    The risk of having a heart attack has now been decreased to the same as a non-smoker.

    1 Month to 10 months

    The lungs have microscopic, hair-like organelles called cilia that remove mucus and other disease causing bacteria. The cilia that have been damaged by smoking cigarettes will start to rebuild themselves and clear out all of the chemical build up that smoking has caused.

    1 Year to 15 Years

    By maintaining a smoke-free life permanently, life expectancy increases by 17 years. Additionally, the chance of being diagnosed with smoking-related diseases or cancers decreases by 50{cb12661b2b7fd86e618703ac3a1bf5df9897d897450d7668a57e7745cc225577} after the first five years. Amazingly, after 10 to 20 years, that risk is at the same level of a non-smoker.

    Other Physical Symptom Triggers

    When a person quits smoking, the brain can now produce sufficient acetylcholine – the neurotransmitter that nicotine simulates – and can now trigger new physical habits that were previously associated with smoking. These new habits are actions. These can include everyday habitual situations such as the following:

    • Driving
    • Having a coffee
    • The end of a meal
    • Drinking alcohol/social events
    • Stressful situations

    Soon these regular life situations can be lived or enjoyed without the habit of poisoning oneself.

    Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

    While the physical withdrawal symptoms can be a challenge for some people, the short- and long-term internal health and physical benefits far outweigh the inconvenience of a possible few days of discomfort. Quitting properly with Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help significantly minimize these symptoms, and make quitting smoking as easy as possible.

    There are many ways of quitting smoking, including patches, gums, e-cigarettes, lozenges, and others. However, all of these methods use some of the same chemicals, carcinogens, and properties that are found in cigarettes, except in different doses and configurations, and some new poisons that are not in cigarettes. Joseph R. Giove is a certified Clinical Hypnotist who has over 25 years of experience helping people quit smoking without the aid of harmful chemicals and carcinogens that are abundant in other quitting smoking methods. Joseph R. Giove Clinical Hypnosis is ready to help you quit smoking with ease and dignity.

  • Why You Should Stop Smoking

    Why You Should Stop Smoking

    Everyone is aware of the explicit warnings on cigarette packets, which give warnings such as:

    • Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide
    • Smoking by pregnant women may result in fetal injury, low birth weight, and premature birth
    • Smoking may be hazardous to health
    • Smoking can cause cancer

    Each of these missives is quite clear about the potential risk outcomes that are associated with smoking, although other countries will even go so far as to state “Smoking causes Death” on the side of the packets. It would seem as though the concerns of picking up this habit should outweigh the desire to smoke, but many people still make that choice.

    Although the Surgeon General’s warning does act as a viable means of informing the population and raising awareness as to the dangers of smoking, every person does have free will to make decisions about their own life. The more pressing concern is that while the awareness of the danger of smoking is present, people still do not consider the cumulative effect that smoking has on the body.

    One of the reasons that hypnosis can work so well for smoking cessation is the fact that even the physical impacts of smoking are all about creating blockages. For people who have tried to quit but have yet to succeed, the reason behind it can be the emotional blocks that keep them from truly breaking free from smoking. On a physical level, smoking also keeps people from breaking free and being able to life a healthy life. Taking the Quit Smoking Vulnerability Quizcan not only help in overcoming the challenges of quitting, but also in understanding why you should stop smoking.

    Multiple Effects of Smoking Cigarettes

    One reason that the danger of cigarettes is so high is because of the large amount of natural and synthetic chemicals that are in them. Tobacco itself contains nicotine and tar, as well as many trace minerals that can be picked up from the soil itself. As a result, even additive free cigarettes can still contain poisons like arsenic, simply from the soil.

    Regardless of the other chemicals that may be added to tobacco products, the biggest concern is actually the nicotine itself. In large doses, it is a deadly poison, and this is why some smokers will feel nauseous or need to vomit if they have smoked many cigarettes in rapid succession. The queasiness is actually the body beginning to react to being poisoned.

    Nicotine is also both a stimulant and a sedative, which causes the body to react in two very different manners at once. The stimulant effect causes a rise in blood pressure as adrenalin begins to course through the body, but the sedative effect is more pronounced on muscle fibers. This also means that while the heart is beating faster to accommodate the faster blood flow, it is also straining more against the contrary sedative effect. As a result, heart attack and coronary disease become the result of this action.

    Further, nicotine acts as a vasodilator, which is another aspect of the high blood pressure that can result from smoking. However, when blood vessels are consistently dilated, they also become stretched and worn.   The result of this can become:

    • Stroke
    • Blood clots
    • Aneurisms

    Although the combustion of carbon in smoking cigarettes greatly contributes to the occurrence of lung cancer, nicotine also plays a part in this disease. Bladder cancer is directly linked to cigarette smoking as are gastro-intestinal cancers. The combustion and tar build up in the body also produce outcomes including:

    • Emphysema
    • COPD
    • Cystic Fibrosis
    • Chronic respiratory disorders

    All of these manifest outcomes are obstructions in some way or another, whether they are direct physical obstructions or ones that result in obstruction of a quality lifestyle. This can make the behavior of smoking and the outcomes very telling regarding a person’s psychology.

    Reasons Why To Quit Smoking

    It’s Time to Quit smoking

    Although the medical facts about what smoking does to the body and to health should be sufficiently illuminating for people to want to quit, this does not always impact the actual motivation. For many people, statistics and health risks are just facts that seem in no way attached to any personal or experiential foundation for the smoker. This is not an insensitivity in any way, but is simply a factor of how people learn through being able to relate information to a practical and familiar perspective.

    This is also why some of the strongest reasons for why you should stop smoking will always have to come from yourself. When the situation is viewed from this perspective, you are also able to examine your willingness, intent, and personal goals, which can result in some of the greatest reasons to stop smoking. People often find that these reasons can also be a part of the release of emotional blockages that facilitate with quitting through hypnosis.

    Learning to take care of one’s self can be difficult, especially if there are family demands and obligations, as well as a plethora of outside stressors that also contribute to wanting a cigarette. However, a person can not help their loved ones or live a full life if they are not healthy and well within themselves. This makes the biggest reason to stop smoking not only about caring for your health, but about caring enough about yourself to want to stay healthy.

    Accepting this ability for self love can be a major step in finally taking the action to stop smoking, since it rejects the suppression of health and embraces the concept that change generates positive opportunities. With the use of hypnosis during the process, greater blocks can be released, while the healthy aspects are reinforced. For smokers who are ready to take hold of this chance to truly care for self by making the decision to actually quit.To begin a journey of release that can lead to greater wellness, take the Quit Smoking Vulnerability Quiz.

  • Facts About When You Quit Smoking

    Facts About When You Quit Smoking

    Source: American Cancer Society

     

    Within 8 Hours…
    Smoker’s breath disappears.
    Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.
    Oxygen level in blood increases to normal.
    Blood pressure and pulse rate drops to normal.
    Temperature of hands and feet increase to normal.

    (more…)

Call Now Button