*STOP SMOKING*

Have you ever thought about exactly what you are breathing in with every puff you take of a cigarette? Have you ever considered the harm that smoking create's for those around you? Have you ever wondered what those cigarettes are doing to the inside of your body, your organ's, and even your breath. SMOKING IS TERRIBLE FOR YOU AND THOSE AROUND YOU. 
I have never smoked, but I had parents who smoked. This was always soooo annoying to me because my clothes would smell like smoke so people would always ask me if I had a cigarette, (No I dont have a cigarette and I would roll my eyes hahaha).This I believe helped me with never wanting to develop the smoking habit. I couldn't stand the smell of them and every time I went down stairs if my mom was smoking I would ask her to please put it away. Of course her response at the time was" this is my house you go back up stairs" haha. I was to young to try and encourage her to stop smoking and the dangers related to taking that daily "puff". You better believe I am all over it now and am constantly encouraging her to try different methods of letting the chemical filled cigarettes go.  She now coughs all the time and sometimes is out of breath from all the years of smoking. She has made some major improvements and doesn't smoke as much as she use to, but I am waiting on the day that she stops for good. I want to encourage all of you who may smoke, or know someone who does smoke to think about the long term consequences of your actions, its damaging your health. A healthy lung is pictured on the left and a smoker's lung is on the right. How scary and crazy to think that a tiny cigarette can have this major effect on your body.

Lets look at some of the ingredients in the cigarettes you love. It may shock you and help to encourage you to stop your smoking habit.

What are you really Smoking?? Its said to be over 500 harmful additives in cigarettes:

Carbon Monoxide- You know how each house has a carbon monoxide detector because its harmful for us to breathe in. When you smoke you are polluting your body with this poisonous gas. Read Here

Butane- Used as a household fuel & is the gas used in lighter fluid.(You are smoking this)Click Here

Nicotine- Is highly toxic and is used as a insecticide & stimulate which is why its so hard to break away from smoking once you start

Tar- Damages your lungs and mouth, causes rotting of your your teeth. Read Here

Formaldehyde- Is the main ingredient in embalming fluid which helps preserve dead specimens (You are inhaling this stuff) Read Here

Ammonia- Is used as a cleaning agent, also helps with making plastics, explosives, and dyes. (Why in the world would this toxic chemical be in cigarette's) Learn more here

Polonium 210- Can cause major damage to your liver's and kidney. It is a radioactive element and can help with leading to cancer.Must Read

Second Hand Smoke- I have definitely been a innocent bystander and come in contact with someone else's choice to smoke and because of it my lungs and the lungs of many are affected. For those who choose to smoke please be mindful of those around you who are non-smokers. Smoking is not only toxic and damaging to your health but also those who may be just walking by. Now when I come in contact with a smoker I always wave my hand super big and strong to wave away smoke to alert the smoker that I don't smoke, and usually they will put it out or go some where else.

That was just a few brief ingredients but just from that list you can see smoking is soo damaging to your health More info here.

I am not saying quit cold turkey, but start with a decision to try to stop and look at some alternatives. I will link a few websites with ideas on different ways to stop your puffing addiction.Read Here
I would encourage setting a plan in place including:

**A date to stop smoking or start your transition to stop
**Have someone hold you accountable that will check in on your progress (your close friend, parents etc)
** Remove all tobacco products if you are quitting cold turkey, or if you plan to go slow and have only a few a day give the extra's to someone and have them give you your daily amounts. 
**Gift yourself for your progress with something you really enjoy.  
**All the money that you would spend to buy cigarettes store it in a jar or bank account and start a weekly savings or save up for a mini vacation. The average pack of cigarette's range around 5.50$ a pack wow. If you smoke 3 packs a day that's 16.50$ a day and 115.00$ a week, and 462.00$ a month, which equals 5,544.00$ a year. You could rack up a pretty good savings. Think about it Learn More Here
**Wash everything that smells like smoke so that you wont have a craving from the smell. 
**Keep your self busy by working out, journal your progress, blog your progress, go walk around a park, read at star bucks what ever you have to do to keep your mind off of smoking.

Just a few steps to get you started. Happy Journey to being Smoke Free:-) WOOHOOO! 
Ps. Yes I am sending all this info to my mom, dad, cousins and everybody else that smokes.

Change your habits> Change Your Life
Shana Nicole