My Quitting Smoking Diary - yours too!

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Improved fertility

Non-smokers find it easier to get pregnant. Quitting smoking improves the lining of the womb and can make men’s sperm more potent. Becoming a non-smoker increases the possibility of conceiving through IVF and reduces the likelihood of having a miscarriage. Most importantly, it improves the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.
Read more about how to protect your fertility.

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Younger looking skin

Stopping smoking has been found to slow facial ageing and delay the appearance of wrinkles. The skin of a non-smoker gets more nutrients, including oxygen, and can reverse the sallow, lined complexion that smokers often have.

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Whiter teeth

Giving up tobacco stops teeth becoming stained, and you'll have fresher breath. Ex-smokers are less likely than smokers to get gum disease and lose their teeth prematurely.

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Longer life

Half of all long-term smokers die early from smoking-related diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Men who quit smoking by 30 add 10 years to their life. People who kick the habit at 60 add three years to their life. In other words, it’s never too late to benefit from stopping. Quitting not only adds years to your life, but it also greatly improves the chance of a disease-free, mobile, happier old age.

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Less stress

Scientific studies show that people's stress levels are lower after they stop smoking. Nicotine addiction makes smokers stressed from the ‘withdrawal’ between cigarettes. The pleasant feeling of satisfying that craving is only temporary and is not a real cure for stress. Also, the improved levels of oxygen in the body means that ex-smokers can concentrate better and have increased mental wellbeing.

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Improved smell and taste

Kicking the smoking habit gives your senses of smell and taste a boost. The body is recovering from being dulled by the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.
Improved smell and taste

Kicking the smoking habit gives your senses of smell and taste a boost. The body is recovering from being dulled by the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.
More energy

Within 2 to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, your circulation improves. This makes all physical activity, including walking and running, much easier.
Quitting also boosts your immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu. The increase in oxygen in the body makes ex-smokers less tired and less likely to have headaches.
Read these self-help tips to fight fatigue.
Healthier loved ones

By stopping smoking you'll be protecting the health of your non-smoking friends and family.
Passive smoking increases a non-smoker's risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. Second-hand smoke makes children twice at risk of chest illnesses, including pneumonia, croup (swollen airways in the lungs) and bronchitis, plus more ear infections, wheezing and asthma. They also have three times the risk of getting lung cancer i

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Ten stress busters

If you're stressed, whether by your job or by something more personal, the first step to feeling better is to identify the cause.

The most unhelpful thing you can do is turn to something unhealthy to help you cope, such as smoking or drinking.
“In life, there’s always a solution to a problem,” says Professor Cary Cooper, an occupational health expert at the University of Lancaster. “Not taking control of the situation and doing nothing will only make your problems worse.”
He says the keys to good stress management are building emotional strength, being in control of your situation, having a good social network and adopting a positive outlook.
These are Professor Cooper's top 10 stress-busting techniques:
Be active

If you have a stress-related problem, physical activity can get you in the right state of mind to be able to identify the causes of your stress and find a solution. “To deal with stress effectively, you need to feel robust and you need to feel strong mentally. Exercise does that,” says Cooper.
Exercise won’t make your stress disappear, but it will reduce some of the emotional intensity that you’re feeling, clearing your thoughts and enabling you to deal with your problems more calmly.
Take control

There’s a solution to any problem. “If you remain passive, thinking, ‘I can’t do anything about my problem’, your stress will get worse,” says Professor Cooper. “That feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress and lack of wellbeing.”
The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it's a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else. Read tips about how to manage your time.
Connect with people

A problem shared is a problem halved. A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way.
“If you don’t connect with people, you won’t have support to turn to when you need help,” says Professor Cooper. The activities we do with friends help us relax and we often have a good laugh with them, which is an excellent stress reliever.
“Talking things through with a friend will also help you find solutions to your problems,” says Professor Cooper.
Have some ‘me time’

The UK workforce works the longest hours in Europe. The extra hours in the workplace mean that people aren’t spending enough time doing things that they really enjoy. “We all need to take some time for socialising, relaxation or exercise,” says Professor Cooper.
He recommends setting aside a couple of nights a week for some quality "me time" away from work. "By earmarking those two days, it means you won’t be tempted to work overtime on those days," he says.
Challenge yourself

Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language or a new sport, helps to build confidence. That in turn will help you deal with stress.
“By constantly challenging yourself you’re being proactive and taking charge of your life,” says Professor Cooper. “By continuing to learn, you become more emotionally resilient as a person. It arms you with knowledge and makes you want to do things rather than be passive, such as watching TV all the time.”
Avoid unhealthy habits

Don't rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping. "Men more than women are likely to do this. We call this avoidance behaviour," says Professor Cooper. "Women are better at seeking support from their social circle."
Over the long term, these crutches won’t solve your problems. They’ll just create new ones. "It’s like putting your head in the sand," says Professor Cooper. "It might provide temporary relief but it won’t make the problems disappear. You need to tackle the cause of your stress."
Do volunteer work

Cooper says evidence shows that people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, become more resilient. “Helping people who are often in situations worse than yours will help you put your problems into perspective,” says Professor Cooper. “The more you give, the more resilient and happy you feel.”
On a more basic level, do someone a favour every day. It can be something as small as helping someone to cross the road or going on a coffee run for colleagues. Favours cost nothing to do, and you’ll feel better.
Work smarter, not harder

Good time management means quality work rather than quantity. Our long-hours culture is a well-known cause of workplace illness. “You have to get a work-life balance that suits you,” says Professor Cooper.
Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that will make a real difference to your work. “Leave the least important tasks to last,” says Cooper. “Accept that your in-tray will always be full. Don’t expect it to be empty at the end of the day.”
Be positive

Look for the positives in life, and things for which you're grateful. Write down three things at the end of every day which went well or for which you're grateful.
“People don’t always appreciate what they have,” says Professor Cooper. “Try to be glass half full instead of glass half empty,” he says.
This requires a shift in perspective for those who are more naturally pessimistic.
“It can be done,” he says. “By making a conscious effort you can train yourself to be more positive about life. Problems are often a question of perspective. If you change your perspective, you may see your situation from a more positive point of view.”
Accept the things you can't change

Changing a difficult situation isn't always possible. If this proves to be the case, recognise and accept things as they are and concentrate on everything that you do have control over.
“If your company is going under and is making redundancies, there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Professor Cooper. “There’s no point fighting it. In such a situation, you need to focus on the things that you can control, such as looking for a new job.”

determined_new_ms

ok nI have reposted these off of the NHS stop smoking website

commonest thing I hear about stopping smoking is dealing with stress - and this is when my thoughts of having a cig are at their strongest. I think the best plan is to have a plan - i.e. go for a long walk or take 5 mins to step outside

Sue-UU

These are brilliant tips for folk to read, determined, you're doing a grand job and obviosly preparing well for the onslaught of very wise folk who are gearing up to stop the fags.

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Better sex

Stopping smoking improves the body’s bloodflow, so improves sensitivity. Men who stop smoking may get better erections. Women may find that their orgasms improve and they become aroused more easily. It’s also been found that non-smokers are three times more apealling to prospective partners than smokers (one of the advantages, perhaps, of smelling fresh).
Find out more tips for having good sex.

So that's where my permanent smile has come from

Absolutely true though, and it sounds as though, determined, and I have both been experiencing such fag-free orgasmic pleasures!!

My DH thought I'd gone on overdrive to start with, but was very pleasantly surprised :kisses2:

Better libido makes us forget fags altogether, something to think 'hard' about.

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Whiter teeth

Giving up tobacco stops teeth becoming stained, and you'll have fresher breath. Ex-smokers are less likely than smokers to get gum disease and lose their teeth prematurely.

Please remember the above, folks, we've had so many people here over the years who had had to spend an absolute fortune on getting their teeth extracted....sometimes even to have all false ones.

Please take note next time any lurkers go to light up!

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Longer life

Half of all long-term smokers die early from smoking-related diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Men who quit smoking by 30 add 10 years to their life. People who kick the habit at 60 add three years to their life. In other words, it’s never too late to benefit from stopping. Quitting not only adds years to your life, but it also greatly improves the chance of a disease-free, mobile, happier old age.

Absolutely NO-ONE can argue with this fact! I've had a few loved ones die as a di
rect result of having smoked. My F-I-Law died of lung cancer, terribly sad indeed and my S_I-Law died of emphysema!

We've had at least one quitter on the previous threads with lung cancer, luckily Brenda had an operation to remove the tumour and the cancer hadn't spread!!!! She is Mum to young children!!

Please, everyone, though saving money is marvellous, saving our health is far more important!! I have asthma, but if I hadn't stopped smoking 14 years ago - who knows what I might have been dealing with by now!!!

Thanks so much for all of this, D!! You're a star!

Sue x

Sue-UU

determined_new_ms wrote: »

commonest thing I hear about stopping smoking is dealing with stress - and this is when my thoughts of having a cig are at their strongest. I think the best plan is to have a plan - i.e. go for a long walk or take 5 mins to step outside

I think the NHS will forgive you, D. Quite sure of it if it helps save even more lives.

Your quoted ideas are perfect, anything to distract us from stress...because one things for sure.....smoking another fag will NEVER help the stress, it only serves to put you right back where you started - longing once again....to give up smoking!

Beat hell out of a pillow/cushion...(though not when your partner's head is on it) anything similar will relieve you of that stress. A walk is a brilliant idea, even if it's only a little one to take you away from the situation. However, whenever you can manage a brisk walk do so as

1} it'll help in ridding the toxins from your body

2} it will also release the endorphins into your brain and make you feel so very much better.

Do anything you feel might help to get you away from stressful situations...anything is worth trying, even going upstairs..or o the loo! Sounds silly maybe, but it takes you from where the stress is and by the time you return you'll feel much better able to cope.

Whatever feels good or as though it's worth trying - do it, you've nothing to lose, but so much to gain.

Sue x