Women: Cigarettes' smoking gun - part 1
While 20 years ago, young men were the group most likely to light up their first
cigarette, today health agencies are particularly concerned about the impact of
smoking on women. With lung cancer in women predicted to overtake breast cancer
by 2006, the focus has sharpened around the benefits to women quitting smoking.
Why women should quit:
- To decrease your chance of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
- To reverse the effect smoking has on your skin, and prevent more wrinkles
- Quitting is a more effective anti-aging treatment than any wrinkle cream available.
- To stop the effect of smoking on the stains on your teeth and hands.
- Young women can give their bodies the best chance at fertility by not smoking.
- Pregnant women are more likely to avoid complications in pregnancy such as miscarriage
or premature births by not smoking.
- Mothers can benefit their children's long-term health (including asthma and other
respiratory ailments) by quitting.
- Mothers, grandmothers, teachers and all women who quit will avoid becoming a negative
role-model for young girls.
- Quitting will prevent nicotine-induced estrogen suppression, which contributes to early
menopause.
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While the list of reasons to quit is long, for many, so is the list of stumbling
blocks. There are several medications available to help you stop smoking, and about
1/3 of all people who try to quit use some form of treatment. Most people take several
attempts at quitting; so don't be disheartened if you don't manage to see
it through the first time. Give yourself lots of positive feedback – after
all, you've made the difficult decision to quit, and that is a huge first step.
1 in 3 people who try to quit use some form of treatment.
Once you've made the decision to quit try to understand why it is that you smoke.
This can help you manage through the rough spots. Most people don't think about
when or why they smoke. They just do it automatically. You may be smoking to relieve
tension, to control your weight, for the stimulant effects of nicotine, or as part
of your social life.
For more tips on how to beat the mental and physical obstacles and give up smoking
for good, read Part 2 of this article.
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