Quit Smoking part 1

It is the end of summer and everyone is ready for a new start and or a new challenge for the fall. If you are a smoker then maybe it is time to think about quitting. If you're one of the millions looking for effective techniques to end your smoking then I hope what you read here will help you. 

Nicotine dependence harms millions of souls around the earth, and each year thousands watch for different ways to end their smoking. My wife, son and daughter are smokers and have tried many times over the years to quit. So I over time, I have created a list of some of the different methods they have used to quit smoking. 

These methods work for a while, but over time the addiction can come back. There are many people who have quit for decades and then returned to the habit. 

The methods I will talk about for the next few days are ones that you can use to tear loose from the grip that cigarettes have over your health, but only strong will and supportive family and friends will keep you off cigarettes for the long term.

First cigarettes are loaded with additional ingredients including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, ammonia, cyanide, arsenic and DDT and are very dangerous to your health.

Nicotine Patches

A nicotine patch is especially intended to help overcome your desire for nicotine. It works because you receive a constant measure of nicotine during the day, by delivering a controlled portion of nicotine into your body through the skin. 

This helps maintain your nicotine level. This amount is less than if you were still smoking, but it is enough to reduce withdrawal your cravings.

The first round of the program lasts up to six weeks. This is a challenging period because the dosage of nicotine will be highest. After the initial six weeks, the amount of nicotine in the patch will be lower. Over the next month, the amount of nicotine in the patch is lowered for two weeks and then a still lower dosage for the last two weeks. At this point, you should be smoke-free.

Most nicotine patches must be ordered by a doctor. The normal cigarette contains only one milligram of nicotine, your prescription will be based on the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day. As in all replacement treatment programs, it's important to let your physician know of any medical limitations you have. 

There may be brands that can be bought over the counter, however, it is not recommended that you start any program without talking to your doctor, because there can be side effects when using a nicotine patch to quit smoking. Side effects can include rashes skin irritations such as itching or burning around the patch itself. 

Sometimes wearing a patch can cause nausea or dizziness to the wearer. In addition, when a person is wearing a patch they should not smoke, because this may cause you to be at risk for the potential of a nicotine overdose.

A nicotine patch can be worn any place on your body that is clean and hairless. Some people wear them on their arms, or back. 

Now is the Time to Quit Smoking

We can only hope that my generation will be the last one who grows up in a culture where smoking was cool and acceptable.  The health passion of baby boomers that comes out of their dislike of anything that accelerates the ageing process is one of the reasons the anti-smoking movement has gained strength in the last decade.  The reasons for quitting smoke are well known to anyone who has paid attention to the issue at all. Over the next few days, I will post some ideas for tools that you can use to help you stop.

Smoking reduces the lifespan.  For the baby boomer generation, living a long and healthy life is a way of staying young.  Smoking not only shortens the lifespan but it is a plague to your health in every era of life.

Smoking destroys the quality of life.  Simple pleasures like breathing and enjoying a fine meal are damaged because smoking dominates the lungs and taste buds.  The pleasures that make life worthwhile are rendered neutral by smoking.

Smoking hurts the innocent.  Secondary smoke hurts the ones you love and it plants in children the desire to smoke in their adult lives.

Smoking brings on dire diseases such as cancer and lung disease.  These diseases are deadly and they can make life in your retirement years miserable.

Smoking makes you ugly.  This may be the worst crime there is to a baby boomer.  Smoking causes wrinkles and dries the skin making you look decades older than you really are.

The good news is that even for baby boomers who may have been smoking for decades, it’s always possible to quit.  Sometimes it’s easy to decide you can never beat this addiction.  You may have tried the patches and pills and even hypnotism and the desire for the nicotine poison lingers on.  But it is possible to do it.  There are some steps to getting it done which will take a while but they are proven to work.

Get plenty of support.  Get your family on your side and educate them on your program.  If you commit to them you are going to do it, they can love that habit out of your system.

Catalogue your smoking.  Make a precise journal of exactly how many cigarettes you have every day when you have them and even who you are with when you have them. Here are some ideas to start on your quest to quit.

·       Stabilize your usage.  Now select the 10 or 20 times each day you will have a cigarette and only let yourself have one at those allotted times.  Do this for about 2 weeks.  If you want a cigarette at another time, just promise yourself you will wait for it.

·       Starting with week one of the quit smoking campaign, eliminate one cigarette from your routine.  Pick the easiest time not to have one.  Pick the time that is least social so you feel less pressure to go ahead and light up.  So, where you may have smoked 20 cigarettes a day before, now you smoke 19 a day.  Do that for 2 weeks.  If you want a cigarette during that eliminated time, just promise yourself you can have one at the next allowed smoke break.

·       Eliminate one cigarette from your schedule every do week. 18 cigarettes a day for 2 weeks, then 17, then 16 and on and on.  Keep notes.  Go from easiest time to quit to hardest.

·       With each successful phase, have a little celebration with your friends and family.

Finally, you will down to one a day.  You will have scaled your dependency down to this one tiny smoke break.  You will come to that moment when you say, “Oh what’s the point of having the one?”  Then you can crumple up your last pack and throw it way. 

The great thing about this approach is its free and you just slowly reduce your dependence by promising yourself that cigarette at the next allowed smoke time.  Stay with the same brand so your level of nicotine remains constant.  And by staying at each level for a couple of weeks, you give your body a chance to slowly get used to each reduced level until you have weaned yourself off of the dreaded weed entirely.  And when you throw that final pack away, its time for a big party. Congratulate yourself because you have quit smoking and just added years of fun and happiness and joy to your family to your life.

More information on Alzheimers',

Risk factors

According to the Alzheimer's Association, age is the primary risk factor for developing Alzheimer's.

From the age of 65, the risk of developing Alzheimer's doubles every 5 years. By age 85, a person has a 50 percent chance of developing Alzheimer's.

Another risk factor is family history or genetics. A person is more likely to develop Alzheimer's if they have an immediate family member with the disease. If more than one person in the family has had Alzheimer's, the genetic risk increases.

Researchers are still unsure why Alzheimer's develops at an early age in some people. However, they have identified rare genes in some people who experience Alzheimer's in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

If a person experiences one or more of the symptoms listed above, they should speak to their doctor as soon as possible. Early diagnosis might help slow the progression of the disease.

There is no standard test to diagnose Alzheimer's, so a doctor will make a diagnosis based on several factors.

A doctor will ask a person about the symptoms and concerns. The doctor will also review a person's family history, specifically looking for a history of Alzheimer's and dementia. It may help to bring a loved one to the doctor's office for support.

After an initial review of the person's symptoms and family history, a doctor may order medical tests, including a neurological exam and brain imaging.

Treatment

Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, as there is still no cure for Alzheimer's disease.

There are some medications available that may help with memory loss. These are most effective if started early on in the disease's progression.

Doctors can also provide recommendations and medications to help a person who is experiencing related health issues, such as insomnia, which may be contributing to memory problems.

A person may also benefit from talking to a counselor about any behavioural changes they experience. Also, some medications are available to help with symptoms of depression or anxiety.

Supporting a loved one

A person can support a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer's in many different ways. Some recommendations include:

·               Learning about Alzheimer's disease to understand the symptoms better.

·               Participating in activities with the person as often as possible.

·               Discussing the changing relationship with a counsellor or other trusted person.

·               Talking to the person about concrete ways to help, such as by preparing meals or driving them to appointments.

·               Connecting with other people through support networks.

 Outlook

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but treatment can help in some ways. Early detection may help slow the progression of the disease but will not prevent it.

A person is most at risk of developing Alzheimer's as they age, especially if they have a family history of the disease. If a person suspects they or a loved one is developing Alzheimer's, they should speak to a doctor.

What are the signs of early-onset Alzheimer's?

Published in Medical News Today on Fri 22 June 2018 and written by Jenna Fletcher, and reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph.D., CRNP

This article is of interest to me because I had two close friends who were inflicted with early-onset Alzheimer’s and they died within 3 years of contracting this disease. It was devastating to their friends and families, and if we had known the signs perhaps they could have received help earlier than they did.

Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia typically associated with older adults. However, early-onset Alzheimer's disease occurs before the age of 65. Alzheimer's causes memory problems and a variety of related symptoms. It is a degenerative disease, which means the symptoms will get worse over time.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of all known dementia cases. Though there is no cure, there are some treatments available to ease symptoms and slow the disease's progression.

Signs and symptoms

There are several distinct signs and symptoms of memory loss that may indicate Alzheimer's. If a person experiences one or more of the following signs or symptoms, they should speak to their doctor.

  

1. Memory loss that impedes daily activities

Reliance on memory aids may be a sign of early-onset Alzheimer's.

The most common symptom of Alzheimer's is memory loss. A person experiencing memory loss may:

·     forget recently learned information

·     ask for same information repeatedly

·     have a higher reliance on memory aids, such as calendars and notes

·     forget important events or dates

 As a person ages, it is not uncommon to forget things from time to time. Typical, non-Alzheimer's memory loss may include forgetting an acquaintance's name but remembering it later on. A person with early-onset Alzheimer's will have more noticeable memory loss and may repeatedly forget the same information.

2. Trouble completing everyday tasks

Another common early sign of Alzheimer's is when a person has difficulty completing an otherwise familiar task. A person with early-onset Alzheimer's may:

·     forget how to get to a grocery store, restaurant, or place of employment

·     have problems balancing a home or work budget

·     forget the rules of a familiar game

Sometimes, natural ageing may cause a person to need help with new or unfamiliar things. For example, helping an older loved one figure out the settings on their new phone is not uncommon and does not necessarily indicate a problem. By contrast, if a person has used the same phone for years and suddenly cannot remember how to make a phone call, they may be experiencing Alzheimer's-related memory loss.

3. Problem-solving or planning difficulties

Some people with early-onset Alzheimer's find they have trouble following directions, solving problems, and focusing. It may be hard for a person to follow a recipe or directions written on a product. They may also have trouble keeping track of monthly bills or expenses.

4. Problems with vision and spatial awareness

Alzheimer's can sometimes cause vision problems, which may make it difficult for a person to judge distances between objects. It may also cause a person to have difficulty distinguishing contrast and colours. These vision problems combined can make it difficult or impossible to drive. Normal ageing also affects eyesight, so it is essential to have regular checkups with an eye doctor.

5. Confusion about location and time

Another common sign of early-onset Alzheimer's is getting confused about places or time. A person may have trouble keeping track of seasons, months, or time of day. A person may occasionally be unable to recognize where they are or have no memory of how they got there.

6. Frequently misplacing items and not being able to retrace steps

misplaced items may be due to early-onset Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's may cause a person to forget where they placed an item. Most people will lose items at some time but are usually able to locate them again by searching in logical locations and retracing their steps. A person with Alzheimer's may forget where they placed an item, especially if they put it in an unusual place.

Alzheimer's also makes it difficult for a person to retrace their steps to find the missing item. This can be distressing and may cause the person to believe someone is stealing from them.

7. Problems writing or speaking

A person may have trouble keeping up in a conversation or may repeat themselves. A person may also have trouble writing down their thoughts.  The person may stop in the middle of a conversation, unable to figure out what to say next. They may struggle to find the right word or label things incorrectly.

It is not uncommon for a person to occasionally struggle to find the right word. Typically, they eventually remember it and do not experience the problem frequently.

8. Showing signs of poor judgment

Everyone makes bad decisions at times. People with early-onset Alzheimer's, however, may display a marked change in their ability to make good decisions. Signs of poor judgment include:

·   spending too much on unnecessary items

·   showing inattention to personal grooming

·   not showering or cleaning themselves regularly

9. Mood or personality changes

A person with Alzheimer's may start to become confused, anxious, suspicious, or depressed. They may show these signs in a variety of settings, including at work, at home, and in unfamiliar places. They may become frustrated with their symptoms or feel unable to understand the changes taking place. This may present as aggression or irritability towards others.

10. Stepping away from social or work activities

As Alzheimer's develops, a person may stop participating in the social or work activities they used to enjoy.