Normal of Not? How Coffee Drinking May Brew a Mental Disorder

With the release of the latest edition of the mental health manual, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM), LiveScience takes a close look at some of the disorders it defines. This series asks the fundamental question: What is normal, and what is not?

Coffee-drinkers, beware: Your caffeine habit could induce a temporary mental disorder. The new edition of the mental health manual, the DSM-5, lists caffeine intoxication among the many disorders known to psychiatry.

Restlessness, nervousness, excitement, red face, gastrointestinal upset, muscle twitching, rambling speech, sleeplessness, rapid and irregular heartbeat and other symptoms may be familiar to many of us, but they are telltale signs of caffeine intoxication.

Specifically, a coffee drinker who experiences five or more of these symptoms during or shortly after consuming caffeine could be diagnosed with caffeine intoxication. The intoxication must also meet a standard DSM test: It must cause distress or impair the drinker's ability to function. [10 Odd Facts About Coffee]

This condition appears in both the old edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-IV) and the new DSM-5, but the new version, officially released Thursday (May 22), adds a related diagnosis: caffeine withdrawal, which describes the effects of stopping or dramatically reducing the pick-me-up habit.

Withdrawal symptoms include headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, depressed mood and other issues.

Caffeine is the most widely used, behaviorally active drug in the world, and some consumers may be unaware of their physical dependence on it, the DSM-5 notes.

"The symptoms of caffeine withdrawal are transitory, they take care of themselves," said Robin Rosenberg, a clinical psychologist and co-author of the psychology textbook "Abnormal Psychology" (Worth Publishers, 2009). "It's just a natural response to stopping caffeine, and it clears up on its own in short order."

The more long-standing diagnosis of caffeine intoxication also describes a temporary state, Rosenberg said, adding that she does not understand why either is included in the DSM.

Alan Budney, who served on the DSM-5 working group for substance-use disorders, explained the rationale for including caffeine withdrawal to Medscape Medical News in 2011.

"Caffeine is invading our society more and more. So there's concern enough to consider this topic seriously, even though it's probably one of the more controversial issues faced by our work group," said Budney, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Caffeine withdrawal can affect someone's sleep, work and other aspects of his or her life, he said.

Typically, caffeine is used as a performance-enhancing substance. A bitter-tasting stimulant, it revs up the central nervous system, ideally making someone feel awake, alert and energetic. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea and chocolate, and is added to headache medication, energy and alcoholic beverages, and even water.

Everyone from athletes to morning commuters to people looking to get in a long night of partying take advantage of this stimulant. Some benefits, such as a reduced risk of some cancers, have been linked to coffee drinking, but its active ingredient, caffeine, can also harm. In rare cases when consumed at high enough doses, caffeine can kill.

Between 2005 and 2009, emergency room visits associated with the consumption of caffeine-laden energy drinks, often in combination with alcohol and other drugs, increased tenfold.

Of course, caffeine is not the only chemical that can intoxicate. The DSM groups this disorder with others associated with substances ranging from alcohol and nicotine to cannabis and hallucinogens. The use of mind-altering substances like these can alter behavior, mental processes and cause physical symptoms.

Source : Livescience.com

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Reality Check: 5 Risks of Raw Vegan Diet

On the road to good health, there are many forks. Some paths, such as vegetarianism or the Mediterranean diet, have considerable science supporting them. Others, such as the vegan or plant-based diet, which shuns all animal products including eggs and dairy, are winning converts.

And then there's a new offshoot, the raw vegan diet, which deems cooking to be unnatural and unhealthy.

An increasing number of celebrities — most recently, tennis sensation Venus Williams — swear by this diet as the best way to prevent and reverse diseases and to stay young and vital. Testimonials from ordinary folks are endless, boasting advantages along the lines of having more energy, better skin, improved relationships with woodland creatures and so on.

But on your road to good health, the raw vegan diet would likely be a U-turn. If you are already vegan or vegetarian, you have nothing to gain and much to lose by going totally or even mostly raw. Even doctors who prescribe and live by a vegan diet caution their patients against attempting a raw diet.

The reason? You would greatly reduce the types of foods you can eat. And you would do so in vain, because most of the raw vegan principles are based on misconceptions about human nutrition, and work counter to good health. [7 Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe]

This article addresses five such principles that are either half true or completely false.

What is raw veganism?

First, a primer: Raw veganism is a plant-based diet that involves no cooking. No food is heated above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). Foods are eaten fresh, dehydrated with low heat or fermented.

A core tenet of the diet is that heating food above 104 degrees not only diminishes its nutrients, but also makes the food toxic and less digestible. In raw vegan parlance, cooking is killing. Many raw vegans speak of "live" foods versus "dead" foods, and they aren't talking about sushi, so fresh it still wiggles.

Live or uncooked foods are said to be filled with vital life energy. In this way, raw veganism is an extension of the vegan appreciation for animal welfare, with the added spirituality of a life force, called chi or prana. Dead or cooked foods are said to be depleted of their life energy, as well as most of their nutrients.

Juicing and blending "green smoothies" often are key elements of this diet.

Now for the misconceptions:

Misconception #1: Cooking destroys nutrients

Sure, raw foods can be nutritious. But cooking breaks apart fibers and cellular walls to release nutrients that otherwise would be unavailable from the same raw food. Cooking tomatoes, for example, increases by five-fold the bioavailability of the antioxidant lycopene. Similarly, cooking carrots makes the beta-carotene they contain more available for the body to absorb. Soups are full of nutrients that would not be available in a pot of raw carrots, onions, parsnips and potatoes. [Science You Can Eat: 10 Interesting Facts About Food]

Cooking can also reduce certain chemicals in a vegetable that inhibit the absorption of minerals, including important minerals like zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium. Cooking spinach makes more iron and calcium available from its leaves, for example.

Admittedly, some nutrients are lost in cooking, such as vitamin C and certain B vitamins. But "plants are so excess in nutrients that even this breakdown is insignificant in practical terms," said John McDougall, creator of the McDougall Program, a vegan-friendly, starch-based diet.

And by eating both raw and cooked foods, "you get the best of both worlds," said Jennifer Nelson, director of clinical dietetics at the Mayo Clinic and associate professor of nutrition at the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minn.

Overcooking and charring can be a problem. Boiling the life out of greens will indeed reduce the nutrient load. And charring meats and vegetables creates cancer-causing chemicals. The solution, however, is not to stop all cooking, but rather to steam, lightly sauté or stir-fry vegetables, and to make more soups.

Fermenting or juicing raw foods also can make some nutrients more available, but that shouldn't deter from the fact that cooking is an ancient craft that makes some foods more digestible and nutritious.

As for the concept of life energy in raw food, this is a spiritual belief beyond the realm of science, so debating its benefit, let alone existence, would be futile.

Misconception #2: Cooking destroys enzymes

This one is absolutely true, but it doesn't matter. Yes, heat destroys enzymes. But humans make their own digestive enzymes to break down large food molecules into smaller ones.

The raw-enzyme logic itself breaks down when you consider that most humans cook food and that most humans are digesting that food reasonably well.

Ironically for the raw vegan, most of the plant enzymes in raw food get destroyed anyway in the acid of the human gut. Only a few make it to the small intestine. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut can carry enzymes into the gut. Their contribution to digestion is not zero, but it does appear to be minimal. "I know of no importance of plant enzymes in human digestion," said McDougall.

The enzyme theory for raw foods dates back to Edward Howell, a physician who published a book on enzymes in the 1940s, primarily citing research from the 1920s and 30s. We now know, however, that almost all nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine and that digestion at that stage relies almost entirely on human-generated bile and pancreatic enzymes.

A corollary myth is that humans have a finite number of enzymes and that, once they are used up, these enzymes are gone. This idea, too, was hatched by Howell. But where would this packet of enzymes reside? Howell never said. But in reality, humans make new enzymes throughout their lifetimes.

Misconception #3: Raw foods are detoxifying

Dietary detoxification is an alternative medicine concept with little scientific credibility. Usually, two organs are cited as needing detoxification: the liver and the colon. In reality, toxins can accumulate anywhere in the body, particularly in fat and fatty tissue, but also in proteins and bone.

The colon is surprisingly low in toxins, however. As for the liver, the confusion is that this organ "filters" toxins and must therefore, the reasoning goes, be loaded with toxins. But the liver is more of a chemical-processing plant than a filter; it breaks down toxins as they pass through. That is, the liver doesn't have extra toxins by virtue of it being the body's natural toxin-neutralizer. [Wishful Thinking: 6 'Magic Bullet' Cures That Don't Exist]

Another argument is that burning fat — in this case, on a raw vegan diet — would release toxins from the body. But fat cells don't burn up, as if into ashes, liberating their contents. Fats cells merely get bigger or smaller, depending on the amount of fat within the cell that's used.

It is unclear how much of a toxin, if any, would be set free if the fat molecule it is attached to is burned. The toxin is now free to attach to other fat molecules. If it does mobilize with other recently liberated toxins, in the case of extreme starvation, then the toxin could become toxic and overwhelm the liver.

In short, there are no foods or herbs that can magically bind and pull toxins from your blood or organs. The same would be true for cows or for any "vegan" animals that accumulate toxins in their fat; they don't cleanse themselves with their raw, plant-based diet.

At best, detoxification schemes (juicing, fasting) can help by virtue of not placing more toxins in our body for a day or two. And a healthful, plant-rich diet with plenty of water can, in general, help your liver and kidneys process and remove toxins more effectively, McDougall said.

Misconception #4: Raw veganism is healthful

Healthfulness when eating a raw, vegan diet is a challenge; it's not inherent. Many on the diet do lose weight by consuming fewer calories. But weight loss should not be the ultimate goal.

The most apparent problems are nutritional deficiencies, particularly for vitamins B12 and D, selenium, zinc, iron and two omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. Without taking supplements in pill form, it would be very difficult (and, for B12, impossible) to obtain a sufficient amount of these nutrients from raw, plant-based foods. [5 Key Nutrients Women Need as They Age]

Also, without access to a variety of foods year-round that can be eaten raw, one tends to rely on single-food sources.

"The problem with the raw food diet is where do you get your energy food?" asked Caldwell Esselstyn of the Cleveland Clinic, the doctor who convinced Bill Clinton to adopt a plant-based diet. "You get it from pouring down nuts," he said, and these are high in fat and not healthful when eaten in excess.

If it's not nuts, then it's bananas, which are healthful perhaps at a level of one or two per day, but not when providing the majority of your calories. Some people on a raw food diet rely so much on fruit that their teeth begin to erode: from acids in the fruits that wear down the tooth enamel, from sugar promoting decay, from dried fruit (another raw vegan staple) sticking to the teeth and further promoting decay, and from a general mineral deficiency.

The raw diet could be more healthful than the so-called S.A.D. ("standard American diet") of processed foods. But there is no evidence that, even given the resources to prepare a variety of raw foods daily, the raw vegan diet would be more healthful than the plant-based diets promoted by McDougall or Esselstyn, or than the diets that allow modest amounts of animal products.

Vegans would have to ask themselves what the added benefit would be from going raw if the raw diet offers no additional moral satisfaction, other than a reduced use of cooking fuel.

Misconception #5: Raw-only foods are natural

"No other animal cooks food," many a raw vegan has stated. One can just as well say that no other animal combines their kale and clover with tropical bananas in a high-speed blender to make the foods more palatable and digestible. Or, that no other animal plays chess.

Judging what is natural is a slippery slope. Humans around the world live to relatively similar ages on a multitude of different diets. Most of the reasonable diets that consist of grains, vegetables and meats will get you to at least age 70 if an accident or infectious disease doesn't kill you first. A traditional, animal-based diet eaten by natives of Siberia is just as natural as a traditional diet eaten by unnamed tribes in the Amazon.

That said, no known human culture has ever attempted to survive solely on raw plant foods. It is the raw-only diet that is unnatural, because it is impossible to survive on this diet without modern conveniences such as refrigerators, storage devices and easy access to packaged foods — such as the aforementioned shelled nuts.

In fact, a child raised on a raw, vegan diet without proper supplementation would likely develop severe neurological and growth problems due to a lack of vitamin B12 and other nutrients. Adults who have eaten animal products for more than 20 years, by contrast, have the benefit of relying on bodily stores of certain key nutrients.

In a natural setting, without electricity, anyone located outside of a narrow belt of land near the equators, which have year-round growth potential, would need to dedicate their entire day to growing, gathering, preserving and storing food. Even around the tropics, where vegetation is plentiful, humans have been cooking as long as humans have been human — at least 200,000 years and likely longer in our hominid form.

Most scientists are in agreement that a combination of, first, eating meat and then cooking food enabled the development of the human brain. Cooking in particular opened up a new world of calories and nutrients. The human brain, after all, requires a lot of energy. [Eating Meat Made Us Human, Study Suggests]

Our raw-vegan cousin, the gorilla, has three times the body size of humans, but one-third the brain cells; it grew muscular on plants, but not smarter. According to a study published in October 2012, the gorilla would have needed to eat raw plants for more than 12 hours a day to consume enough calories to evolve a humanlike brain.

This myth busting is not intended to belittle the much-maligned raw vegan, but rather to inform rawists of the realities of this challenging diet.

Source : Livescience

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Pesticides Lurk in Fruits & Veggies (Infographic)

Recent government pesticide tests reveal the widespread presence of pesticide residues on conventionally grown, non-organic fruits and vegetables and in tap water. Results analyzed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) show that 68 percent of food samples had detectable pesticide residues after they had been washed or peeled.

As a result of the data generated by scientists at U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration, EWG created its Dirty Dozen™ list of foods most commonly contaminated with pesticides, as well as, the Clean Fifteen™ list of the foods least likely to be pesticide-tainted.

Notable findings from the EWG study:

• 98 percent of conventional apples have detectable levels of pesticides.
• Domestic blueberries tested positive for 42 different pesticide residues.
• 78 different pesticides were found on lettuce samples.
• Every single nectarine USDA tested had measurable pesticide residues.
• As a category, grapes have more types of pesticides than any other fruit, with 64 different chemicals.
• 13 different pesticides were measured on a single sample each of celery and strawberries.
• Green beans and leafy greens (kale and collard greens) were commonly contaminated with highly
• toxic organophosphate insecticides. These insecticides are known to affect the nervous system.

The produce least likely to test positive for pesticides were asparagus, avocado, cabbage, grapefruit, watermelon, eggplants, pineapples, mushrooms, onions, frozen peas and sweet potatoes.

Source ; Livescience

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SuperFoods ??

Superfoods are foods — mostly plant-based but also some fish and dairy — thought to be nutritionally dense and thus good for one's health. The term has no set scientific meaning, however, and any list of "top" superfoods is purely subjective.

Superfoods are healthful, for the most part, aside from possible contamination, added sugars or over-consumption of them.

Lists of superfoods are extensive on the Internet. Some websites list as many as 50 or 100. At this point, the term "superfood" becomes largely meaningless or, at best, synonymous with just about any fruit or vegetable. Another problem with the term is that some so-called superfoods fall in and out of favor with dieticians, such as coffee or eggs.

A generic list of superfoods

At a very basic level, superfoods are said to be rich in particular nutrients. This could be an antioxidant, thought to ward off cancer; a healthy fat, thought to prevent heart disease; fiber, thought to prevent diabetes and digestive problems; or phytochemicals, the chemicals in plants responsible for deep colors and smells, which can have numerous healthful benefits.

Blueberries often top many lists of superfoods. This is because blueberries are rich in vitamins, phytochemicals and soluble fiber. While blueberries are indeed healthful, so are about any kind of (non-poisonous) berry. Blueberries aren't necessarily better than cranberries or raspberries, but they are usually more readily available and are quite palatable as is.

Kiwifruit also tops many a list. Its benefits are similar, for the most part, to berries, melons, citrus fruit, apples and pears. Kiwifruit is labeled a superfood perhaps because it contains a wider range of nutrients compared to some other fruits.
Beans and whole grains are standard additions to the superfood lists. Beans are a source of low-fat protein. Beans have insoluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol; soluble fiber, which provides a longer feeling of fullness; and loads of vitamins and trace minerals largely absent in the typical American diet, such as manganese. Whole grains have similar benefits, although they are inferior in regards to protein. Quinoa is not a grain, but it cooks up like one, and this too is a remarkable source of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

Nuts and seeds contain high levels of minerals and healthy fats. Although these are common additions on superfood lists, the downside is that they are high in calories. Portion control is key. Shelled nuts and seeds, in this regard, are ideal because they take time to crack open and slow you down. A quick handful of shelled nuts or seeds could contain more than 100 calories.

ale lives up to the hype of a superfood. But so do most dark, leafy greens: Swiss chard, collards, mustards (including radish greens), spinach (and others in the amaranth family), and cabbages. Add broccoli to that. It's in the cabbage-mustard family; the modern version is merely grown for its floret instead of leaves. These dark vegetables are loaded with vitamins A, C and K, as well as fiber, calcium and other minerals.

Sweet potato and squash also usually make the superfood list, for similar reasons. Both kinds of food are generally excellent sources of fiber, vitamin A, and much more. They are also naturally sweet and don't require the butter, cream, or salt typically added to potatoes.

Salmon, sardines, mackerel and certain other fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, thought to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Most doctors say the benefits of eating fish far outweigh the risk of harming your health from the mercury these fish contain. If you worry, eat lower down on the food chain, such as sardines, smelt, and anchovy.

The "exotic fruit of the year will surely be on any superfood list, too. This might be acai berry, noni fruit, dragon fruit, rambutan or pomegranate. These might be healthful but there is no reason to believe they are any more super than blueberries. They might be rich in one particular nutrient; pomegranate has ellagitannins, which have anti-cancer properties. But so do red raspberries.

One could just as easily include green tea, coffee, dark chocolate, yogurt, and olives to the superfood list for a variety of reasons mentioned above.

Criticism of the nomenclature

As healthful as superfoods might be, the use of the term is largely a marketing tool. Scientists do not use the term. For example, a search for "superfood" on PubMed, the repository of most peer-reviewed biomedical journal articles, yields fewer than a dozen results. And several of these studies actually warn of dangers of superfoods, such as arsenic and pesticide residue in imported foods.

The first general criticism of the use of the term "superfood" is that, while the food itself might be healthful, the processing might not be. For example, green tea has several antioxidants. But green tea sold in the United States is generally cut with inferior teas and brewed with copious amounts of sugar. The Japanese and Chinese generally do not drink green tea with sugar. Many kinds of super-juices — acai berry, noni fruit, pomegranate — can be high in added sugar.

Similarly, many whole grains are processed in a way to be more palatable and less healthful. According to research by David Ludwig at Harvard University, instant whole-grain oats is as unhealthy as overly processed white bread in that it quickly spikes the sugar levels in the bloodstream once consumed and promotes insulin-resistance, obesity and diabetes.

A second criticism is that, because the term "superfood" is not scientific, it can mean very little and prompt some consumers to eat one kind of food over another. Is broccoli really that superior to asparagus?

Research has shown that the ideal diet is one that is largely plant-based with a wide, wide, wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthful animal products. Superfoods might be a good entry into healthy eating, and understanding their nutritional value is enlightening, but other whole foods can be just as healthy.

Source : Livescience

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Alasan Perempuan Lebih Banyak Bicara daripada Lelaki !!!

Jangan harap menemukan ketenangan saat sedang berkumpul dengan semua teman perempuan. Ya, rasanya nggak berlebihan jika beberapa orang mengeluarkan pernyataan seperti itu. Walaupun pada kenyataannya tidak semua perempuan banyak bicara, tapi hampir setiap perempuan pada umumnya akan lebih senang berbicara dibandingkan dengan laki-laki.

Sebuah penelitian dari Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Maryland menemukan kenyataan bahwa perempuan berbicara 3 kali lipat lebih banyak daripada laki-laki. Dalam satu hari, rata-rata perempuan mengeluarkan 13.000 sampai 20.000 kata sedangkan laki-laki hanya 7.000 kata. So, nggak heran kan kalau kita nggak pernah merasa kesepian berada di sekliling teman-teman perempuan.

Penelitian tersebut memperlihatkan bahwa salah satu sebab yang membuat perempuan memproduksi kata lebih banyak daripada laki-laki adalah adanya kadar satu jenis protein berlebih dalam otak perempuan yang terkait dengan kemampuan berbicara. Sedangkan pada otak laki-laki kadar protein tersebut berjumlah lebih sedikit.

“Hingga saat ini hasil penelitian tentang kemampuan berbicara antara laki-laki dan perempuan masih menjadi perdebatan. Belum ada satupun penelitian yang bersifat mutlak. Hasil satu penelitian dibantah oleh penelitian lainnya. Jadi, semua hasil penelitian masih harus dilihat berdasarkan tempat penelitian dan kecenderungan budaya sekitar yang memengaruhi,” Kushartanti menjelaskan.

Tapi, ketika ditanya ‘ apakah setuju jika dikatakan perempuan lebih cerewet daripada laki-laki’, perempuan yang biasa disapa Kiki ini pun setuju dan mengiyakan bahwa perempuan memang lebih cerewet dari laki-laki. “Ya, saya setuju jika dikatakan perempuan lebih cerewet dari laki-laki karena memang saya pun merasakannya. Tapi, untuk faktor penentu, saya lebih cenderung menyebut bahwa lingkungan dan budaya yang menjadi penyebabnya. Kita ambil contoh saja di lingkungan terdekat. Biasanya saat kita bertemu laki-laki yang agak aktif berbicara, lingkungan sekitar akan memberika respon, ‘Kok jadi laki-laki cerewet sih’. Hal-hal seperti inilah yang akhirnya membuat laki-laki “seolah” malas untuk berbicara banyak,” ujar Kiki, yang saat ini tengah menyelesaikan disertasi mengenai kemampuan berbahasa perempuan dan laki-laki.

Bukan hanya faktor lingkungan dan budaya yang pada akhirnya membentuk perempuan menjadi ‘makhluk cerewet’ karena ternyata orangtua juga memegang peranan penting. “Tidak bisa dipungkiri, orangtua juga banyak berperan dalam membuat kita (perempuan) menjadi lebih aktif berbicara. Saat masih anak-anak, orangtua (khususnya Ibu) biasanya akan berbicara lebih panjang kepada anak perempuannya daripada saat berbicara pada anak laki-lakinya. Ini juga menjadi salah satu faktor yang membuat perbendaharaan kata perempuan lebih banyak dan membuat kita lebih aktif berbicara. Namun, tidak semua perempuan cerewet dan laki-laki pendiam. Ada juga perempuan pendiam dan laki-laki cerewet. Bahwa pada akhirnya si perempuan pendiam bisa menjadi sosok cerewet pada suatu masa, tentu ada satu faktor yang memicunya untuk menjadi cerewet. Dan itu kembali lagi kepada faktor lingkungan sosial dan budaya,” Kiki kembali menjelaskan.

Sebagai perempuan tentu kita nggak pernah meminta untuk dilahirkan lebih aktif berbicara dibandingkan laki-laki, namun ternyata kondisi sosial, budaya, dan anatomi tubuh mendukung kita untuk lebih produktif berkata-kata. Jadi, nggak perlu menyangkal lagi kan kalau suatu saat ada yang bilang kamu bawel. Selama anugerah cerewet dan bawel yang kita miliki tidak mengganggu orang lain dan justru membawa dampak positif serta keuntungan, rasanya nggak perlu marah kan dengan julukan ‘cerewet’ yang diberikan oleh orang-orang di sekitar.

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Apa yang Menyebabkan Sulitnya Berhenti Merokok?

Jika saja berhenti merokok semudah mengatakannya, pasti sudah banyak yang bisa berhenti merokok. Meski sadar rokok itu berbahaya, tapi selalu ada alasan yang membuat perokok kembali lagi pada kebiasaan buruknya. Lalu, apa sih alasan para perokok sulit untuk berhenti merokok?

Dikutip detikHealth, ada dua alasan yang membuat perokok sulit lepas dari rokok, yaitu karena kecanduan dan kebiasaan. Nikotin punya efek candu yang sangat besar sehingga tak heran jika para perokok mengeluh sulit sekali berhenti merokok.

Ketika seseorang merokok, partikel-partikel nikotin akan masuk ke dalam paru-paru. Nikotin kemudian akan diserap oleh darah, sama halnya seperti oksigen yang dihirup saat bernafas. Perjalanan nikotin dalam darah akhirnya sampai pada otak, yang kemudian mengaktifkan hormon dopamin untuk dilepaskan. Dopamin adalah zat kimia yang membuat seseorang merasakan sensasi enak, nyaman dan tenang. Itulah yang membuat perokok sulit berhenti, karena ia kecanduan rasa enak dan nyaman tersebut. Ia lebih memilih merasakan perasaan senang sesaat daripada efek kesehatan jangka panjangnya.

Ketika pecandu rokok ingin berhenti merokok, ia akan mengalami gejala seperti sakit kepala, pusing, mual-mual, bergetar, batuk, mulut kering, pusing-pusing, lemah, sakit perut, lapar, insomnia bahkan frustasi. Oleh sebab itu, banyak perokok yang sulit berhenti karena menghindari gejala-gejala tersebut.

Selain efek candu, faktor kebiasaan sangat mempengaruhi perokok. Sekali orang mengenal rokok, maka sebagian besar hidupnya akan dihantui perasaan ingin merokok. Awalnya mereka menikmati rasanya memegang rokok, lama kelamaan akan terasa janggal jika tidak ada rokok di tangannya. Langkah yang dilakukan perokok untuk menghentikan kebiasaan merokok biasanya dengan mencari teman yang punya keinginan sama untuk berhenti merokok, melakukan latihan pernafasan dan mengganti kegiatan merokok dengan kegiatan lain yang lebih bermanfaat.

Namun jika semua itu tidak berhasil menjauhkan seseorang dari rokok, mungkin bisa menggunakan teknik hypnotherapy, akupunktur, laser terapi, permen karet nikotin, rokok herbal, permen nikotin pelega tenggorokan, dan teknik lainnya. Dengan kemauan yang kuat dan strategi yang benar, tidak ada yang tidak bisa dilakukan, termasuk berhenti merokok.

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Ada 'Gunung' Baru di Puncak Tertinggi Dunia, Everest: Sampah

Kathmandu : Selama beberapa dekade para pendaki gunung antusias mengikuti jejak Sir Edmund Hilary, menaklukkan puncak tertinggi di dunia: Gunung Everest. 

Namun, sadar ataupun tidak, mereka telah meninggalkan jejak kehancuran, menciptakan tumpukan sampah rata-rata 50 ton per tahun, di antaranya kaleng oksigen, peralatan memanjat, bekas tenda, bungkus makanan, bahkan kotoran manusia. 

Masalah makin pelik, sebab ekosistem rapuh Himalaya terancam. Termasuk para penduduk yang menghuni desa-desa di lereng Himalaya, tak hanya terganggu oleh para pengunjung yang mengincar petualangan, ketenaran, atau kejayaan, tapi juga kontaminasi dari bekas minuman dan makanan. 

Kondisi itu membuat pemerintah Nepal bereaksi, bahkan sejak satu dekade lalu, memaksa setiap turis Everest bertanggung jawab atas peralatan yang mereka bawa. 

Dan sekelompok orang mendirikan proyek Saving Mount Everest untuk menyelamatkan daya tarik paling tinggi di dunia itu. 

Penulis sekaligus fotografer lingkungan, Martin Edstrvm salah satu anggotanya. "Pertumbuhan tinggi jumlah pengunjung membawa tekanan besar bagi lingkungan dan menciptakan gunungan sampah -- dari base camp sampai ke "zona mati"," kata dia seperti dimuat Daily Mail, Selasa (22/5/2013). 

Apalagi, "di Sherpa, desa di sepanjang rute trekking, tak ada sistem pembuangan limbah yang berkelanjutan."

Dia menambahkan, 50 ton sampah yang tertinggal setiap musim, menghadirkan konsekuensi berbahaya, merusak pemandangan dan ancaman bagi lingkungan yang rentan.

Tujuan keseluruhan dari proyek, yang secara resmi diluncurkan pada tahun 2010, adalah untuk melindungi dan mengelola keanekaragaman hayati yang kaya, yakni Sagarmatha, Nepal atau Taman Nasional Everest.

Penekanannya adalah pada pengelolaan limbah padat dan untuk mendukung dan memperkuat masyarakat lokal sebagai pengasuh konservasi keanekaragaman hayati.

Setelah 3 tahun kerja keras yang bertaruh nyawa, mendaki puncak berbahaya, kerja pembersihan sampah hampir usai. 

Mereka telah menarik turun hampir 10 ton sampah berbahaya dari puncak Everest, memperkenalkan teknik pengelolaan limbah yang aman ke desa-desa setempat dan wisatawan. Juga memasang setidaknya 15 fasilitas pengolahan limbah.

Para relawan bekerja sama dengan pemerintah Nepal memperberat hukuman yang lebih ketat untuk orang yang membuang sampah sembarangan. Salah satunya, pendaki harus menandatangani perjanjian plus deposito 2.500 pound sterling, untuk memastikan mereka membawa kembali alat-alat yang mereka bawa dari puncak gunung.

Lumayan efektif, meski komitmen banyak pihak diperlukan dalam upaya ini. Demi Everest.

19:23:00 | 0 comments | Read More

Kakek 80 tahun coba taklukkan Everest ketiga kalinya

Yuichiro Miura, seorang pria berusia 80 tahun asal jepang berencana untuk menaklukkan Mount Everest ketiga kalinya. Jika berhasil, kemungkinan kakek ini akan menjadi orang tertua yang berhasil mendaki puncak Everest.

Sebelumnya, Miura telah berhasil mendaki puncak Everest pada tahun 2003 dan 2008. Miura dan sembilan temannya akan mendaki Everest menggunakan jalan tenggara yang ditemukan oleh Sir Edmund Hillary dan Tenzing Norgay pada Mei 1953.

"Memecahkan rekor bukan hal penting bagiku. Yang terpenting adalah berhasil sampai di puncak," ungkap Miura, seperti dilansir oleh Reuters (01/04).

Rekor pria tertua yang berhasil menaklukkan puncak Everest sebelumnya dipegang oleh Min Bahadur Sherchan dari Nepal. Pria ini berhasil mendaki Everest di usia 76 tahun pada 2008.

Salah satu dokter spesialis jantung ada dalam tim untuk menjaga kesehatan Miura. Tampaknya menjajal ketinggian gunung di usia tua telah menjadi tradisi dalam keluarga Miura. Sebelumnya, Keizo Miura ayahnya juga berhasil menaklukkan Mont Blanc di usia 99 tahun.

"Jika kau kuat berharap, memiliki kebranian dan kesehatan, kau bisa mencapai mimpimu," ungkap Miura. Sebelum berhasil mendaki Everest, miura sudah menetapkan mimpi berikutnya, yaitu untuk mendaki Cho Oyu, gunung tertinggi keenam dunia di Himalaya setinggi 8.201 meter.

Baca juga : Kakek 80 Tahun Asal Jepang Berhasil Taklukkan Puncak Everest

Sumber : merdeka.com

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Kakek 80 Tahun Asal Jepang Taklukkan Puncak Everest

Kathmandu : Meski usia sudah sepuh, tubuh dan semangat Yuichiro Miura sama sekali tak renta. Kakek asal Jepang berusia 80 tahun itu menjadi pria tertua yang berhasil menaklukkan puncak Everest. 

Yuichiro Miura mencapai puncak Everest pada Kamis pagi bersama putranya yang seorang dokter, Gota. Demikian diungkapkan pejabat setempat, Gyanendra Shrestha dari kaki Everest. 

Prestasi Miura mengungguli pencapaian pria asal Nepal yang memanjat Everest pada usia 76 tahun tahun 2008. 

Sementara, perempuan tertua yang menaklukkan puncak tertinggi di dunia itu juga asal Jepang. Ia berusia 73 tahun saat berada di titik tertinggi.

Kembali ke kakek Miura, bukan perkara mudah mewujudkan mimpinya menaklukkan Everest. Sebuah kecelakaan dua tahun lalu mematahkan tulang pinggulnya. Januari lalu ia juga menjalani operasi jantung. 

"Aku masih sehat dan kuat. Aku sangat beruntung punya kesempatan untuk mencapai puncak Everest," kata dia, seperti dimuat CNN, Kamis (23/5/2013).

Sebagai langkah persiapan, ia berjalan kaki tiga kali dalam seminggu, membawa beban 25-30 kilogram di punggungnya. 

Sebelumnya, ia pernah dua kali mencapai puncak Everest, di ketinggian 8.848 meter, tahun 2003 saat berusia 70 tahun dan pada 2008 kala usianya 75 tahun.

"Sudah lama aku bermimpi mendaki Everest pada usia seperti ini," kata dia. "Jika kau punya mimpi, jangan pernah menyerah. Mimpi bisa menjadi nyata." 

Tahun ini menandai ulang tahun ke-60 ekspedisi pertama yang mencapai puncak Everest. Sir Edmund Hillary dan Tenzing Norgay berhasil mencapai puncak gunung itu pada 29 Mei 1953.
Dan, awal bulan ini, sejarah baru tercipta. Seorang desainer grafis berusia 27 tahun menjadi wanita Saudi pertama yang berhasil menaklukkan Everest.
Sumber : Liputan6

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Yahoo Siap Beli Tumblr Rp 10 Triliun Tunai

Meski nama Yahoo telah menjadi Salah Satu Jejaring Online Terbesar di dunia, ternyata Yahoo tak ingin berhenti. CEO Yahoo, Marissa Mayer pun diberitakan tengah menyiapkan gebrakan baru dalam usahanya. Yahoo diberitakan akan membeli Tumblr dengan harga Rp 10 triliun yang dibayar tunai.

Dilansir dari AllThingsD, jajaran direksi Yahoo telah bertemu pada hari Minggu (19/5) malam untuk mendiskusikan rencana akusisi Tumblr. Yahoo kabarnya menyiapkan dana senilai 1,1 miliar dollar AS atau sekitar Rp 10,7 triliun untuk membeli situs blogging yang berbasis di New York tersebut. Dana itu akan digelontorkan sepenuhnya dalam bentuk cash tanpa opsi saham.

Sementara itu, menurut keterangan beberapa sumber, detil rencana perjanjian pendiri dan CEO Tumblr , David Karp akan di pertahankan sebagai pimpinan perusahaan dengan sejumlah otoritas. Apabila nantinya benar-benar menjadi kenyataan, akuisisi Tumblr ini akan menjadi pembelian terbesar oleh Yahoo semenjak berada di bawah komando Mayer mulai pertengahan tahun lalu.

 Sebelumnya, kelanjutan rencana ini diperkirakan bakal diumumkan dalam sebuah acara yang akan digelar Yahoo hari Senin mendatang. Tetapi kemudian muncul berita bahwa event itu dimaksudkan untuk mengumumkan soal pembaruan pada situs photo sharing Flickr yang dimiliki Yahoo.

Bos besar Yahoo yang mantan karyawan Google ini disebut tertarik karena menganggap Tumbr yang diperkaya konten dari pengguna (user generated) sebagai calon aset yang bisa membuat Yahoo lebih relevan di mata audiens muda.

Sementara itu, Tumblr sendiri kini telah membangun momentum dengan angka pengunjung bulanan 100 juta, koleksi blog 100 juta, lebih dari 90 juta posting per hari dan jumlah posting keseluruhan mencapai 50 miliar, menurut keterangan dari perusahaan yang bersangkutan.

Pada 2013, Tumblr menghasilkan pendapatan senilai 13 juta dollar AS. Angka tersebut tahun ini ditargetkan tumbuh menjadi 100 juta dollar AS dengan mendorong iklan berbentuk mirip blog yang ditayangkan di saluran konten Tumblr.

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6 Reasons You Never Heard Back from the Recruiter

You’ve spotted a brilliant-looking job online. Great location, great salary, interesting role. All aflutter, you upload your CV, hit send, and sit back, dreaming of the interview you know you’ll get (and ace), almost tasting that offer letter brimming with a massive salary hike.

A week goes by. Two weeks. Three weeks. A month. You never hear back.

Unfortunately, this is all too common for jobseekers, so here are six reasons why you never heard back.

1. Ugly CV

My colleague wrote a great article about formatting your CV for maximum impact. CV writing is a skill that’s difficult to master; that’s why CV writing services exist. Your CV is a marketing document to sell yourself. A clear, well formatted CV helps: if it isn’t easy to read, it won’t get read. If you struggle writing it, it’s worth paying a professional – a minor outlay (around £70/$120) that could result in a huge pay-off.

2. Skills to pay the bills

You know you can do the job with two hands tied behind your back, suspended upside down in a water tank. I don’t, unless you tell me. Make no assumptions. You know you’re a Software Engineer with 5 years experience of PHP development on a LAMP stack, but if you don’t tell me explicitly, I don’t know.
As a Technical Recruiter, I’ve seen far too many CVs where the candidate never mentions what technologies they use. My preference is to speak to candidates where I can immediately see that they are a strong match for the role. I probably will pick up the phone for a chat to a candidate who hasn’t listed their skills, but it won’t be my top priority when I have 3 great CVs that I am chasing instead.

3. Attenion [sic] to detail

Almost every candidate puts ‘attention to detail’ in their CV. Yet those same CVs contain spelling and grammar mistakes and other errors. “Mistakes on CVs” is often listed as the number 1 reason hiring managers reject an application. Using a recruiter helps because they proof-read and edit your CV, but mistakes also frustrate us. On a related note, applying to a job that isn’t relevant fails to show attention to detail.
You’ve seen the job title (e.g. Project Manager) and hit apply without properly reading the advert. Unfortunately, you’re a construction Project Manager applying to an IT Project Manager position leading Agile digital projects – not gonna happen. Read the advert carefully to ensure that the role is suitable for you. If it isn’t, you’re unlikely to hear back.

4. (Ir)relevant

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a job seeker in possession of a desire for a new role, must demonstrate transferable experience. Rewrite your CV for every application and tailor it to precisely what is asked for. Is that experience relevant to the job you want? If not, ditch it.
Your CV doesn’t need every detail about your entire life and work history, just what will get you an interview. I recently had a candidate looking for a Junior iOS Developer role. He graduated a year ago and has worked in a department store for the last year in the computer department. His CV was two pages long, all irrelevant to his stated career goal – his experience was in sales and customer service, not development.
At the end, I found two lines about personal iOS development, with a link to his App Store profile. I looked and saw 4 high quality apps. Most recruiters give up after 30 seconds if they see nothing relevant.

5. That’s not what my sources tell me

This is the 21st century. People have Facebook , Twitter, LinkedIn accounts. You will be researched. Any discrepancies between your online presence and CV will ring major alarm bells. I recently saw a candidate with significant differences between the dates on his CV and the dates on his LinkedIn profile.
You should never lie on an application as it is easy to get found out. Furthermore, if you put reference details on your CV, don’t be surprised if people call them – any problems with references, your chances of an interview are ruined. Only give references on request, and let your referee know to expect a call.

6. You’re just not quite right

Your CV’s OK, your skills are OK, your experience is OK… You’re just not quite right. There’s no exciting feeling looking at your CV that you’ll be my next placement, so your application goes nowhere. This isn’t your fault; it’s the gut feeling of the hiring manager or recruiter. It isn’t fair on you, but with fifty CVs awaiting review, yours is put down, forgotten.
In an ideal world, every candidate would get a detailed reason why their application isn’t progressed. Unfortunately, that’s never happening – we’re all too busy. A recent advert received over 100 responses; 10 were worth speaking to. To call all the other 90 candidates who applied would have taken all week, and I wouldn’t have done any work on the dozen other roles needing coverage. However, if you ensure your application is well-formatted, relevant, and shows strong correlation to the role applied for, you’ll get a call back!

11:11:00 | 1 comments | Read More

5 Balancing Rocks yang Terkenal Di Dunia

Balanced Rock merupakan Sebuah batu unik dengan formasi geologi alami yang menampilkan sebuah batu besar bertumpu pada batu lain yang sering kali lebih kecil ukurannya namun dengan kondisi seimbang batu tersebut justru tidak jatuh. 
Berikut adalah beberapa batu dengan formasi geologi seimbang yang terkenal dunia.


1. Balanced Rock di Utah




Balanced Rock di Utah adalah salah satu fitur yang paling populer dari Taman Nasional Arches, terletak di Utah, Amerika Serikat. batuan ini terletak di sebelah jalan utama di taman nasional, sekitar 9 mil dari pintu masuk taman.
Tinggi total dari Balanced Rock adalah sekitar 39 m, dengan Balanced Rock naik 16,75 m di atas dasar batuan. Batu besar di atas ukurannya sepadan dengan tiga bus sekolah. 


2. Balanced Rock, Colorado



Batu karang ini seimbang terletak di Garden of the Gods di Colorado Springs, Colorado. tempat ini mudah diakses dengan jalan beraspal dan merupakan tempat yang populer untuk fotografi wisata.


3. Balancing Rock, Digby, Nova Scotia

The Rock Balancing di Bay St Mary di Long Island, Nova Scotia tampaknya seperti melawan gravitasi dan tingginya sekitar 9 meter.


4. Idol Rock, Moor Brimham



5. Mushroom Rock, Kansas

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How to Quit Smoking

Whether you're a teen smoker or a lifetime pack-a-day smoker, quitting can be tough. But with the right game plan tailored to your needs, you can replace your smoking habits, manage your cravings, and join the millions of people who have kicked the habit for good.

Why quitting can seem so hard

Smoking tobacco is both a psychological habit and a physical addiction. The act of smoking is ingrained as a daily ritual and, at the same time, the nicotine from cigarettes provides a temporary, and addictive, high. Eliminating that regular fix of nicotine will cause your body to experience physical withdrawal symptoms and cravings. To successfully quit smoking, you’ll need to address both the habit and the addiction by changing your behavior and dealing with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Relieving unpleasant and overwhelming feelings without cigarettes

Managing unpleasant feelings such as stress, depression, loneliness, fear, and anxiety are some of the most common reasons why adults smoke. When you have a bad day, it can seem like cigarettes are your only friend. Smoking can temporarily make feelings such as sadness, stress, anxiety, depression, and boredom evaporate into thin air. As much comfort as cigarettes provide, though, it’s important to remember that there are healthier (and more effective) ways to keep unpleasant feelings in check. These may include exercising, meditating, using sensory relaxation strategies, and practicing simple breathing exercises. 

For many people, an important aspect of quitting smoking is to find alternate ways to handle these difficult feelings without smoking. Even when cigarettes are no longer a part of your life, the painful and unpleasant feelings that may have prompted you to smoke in the past will still remain. So, it’s worth spending some time thinking about the different ways you intend to deal with stressful situations and the daily irritations that would normally have you reaching for a cigarette.

Ways to create your personal stop smoking plan

Designing your personal game plan

Tailoring a personal game plan to your specific needs and desires can be a big help. List the reasons why you want to quit and then keep copies of the list in the places where you’d normally keep your cigarettes, such as in your jacket, purse, or car. Your reasons for quitting smoking might include:

- I will feel healthier and have more energy, whiter teeth, and fresher breath.

- I will lower my risk for cancer, heart attacks, strokes, early death, cataracts, and skin wrinkling.

- I will make myself and my partner, friends, and family proud of me.

- I will no longer expose my children and others to the dangers of my second-hand smoke.

- I will have a healthier baby (If you or your partner is pregnant).

- I will have more money to spend.

- I won't have to worry: "When will I get to smoke next?"

Questions to ask yourself

To successfully detach from smoking, you will need to identify and address your smoking habits, the true nature of your dependency, and the techniques that work for you. These types of questions can help:

- Do you feel the need to smoke at every meal?

- Are you more of a social smoker?

- Is it a very bad addiction (more than a pack a day)? Or would a simple nicotine patch do the job?

- Is your cigarette smoking linked to other addictions, such as alcohol or gambling?

- Are you open to hypnotherapy and/or acupuncture?

- Are you someone who is open to talking about your addiction with a therapist or counselor?

- Are you interested in getting into a fitness program?

Take the time to think of what kind of smoker you are, which moments of your life call for a cigarette, and why. This will help you to identify which tips, techniques or therapies may be most beneficial for you.

Start your stop smoking plan with START

S = Set a quit date.

T = Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit.

A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting.

R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work.

T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.

How to quit smoking and manage cravings

After quitting, you may feel dizzy, restless, or even have strong headaches because you’re lacking the immediate release of sugar that comes from nicotine. You may also have a bigger appetite. These sugar-related cravings should only last a few days until your body adjusts so keep your sugar levels a bit higher than usual on those days by drinking plenty of juice (unless you’re a diabetic). It will help prevent the craving symptoms and help your body re-adjust back to normal.

Tips for managing other cigarette cravings

Cravings associated with meals

For some smokers, ending a meal means lighting up, and the prospect of giving that up may appear daunting. TIP: replace that moment after a meal with something such as a piece of fruit, a (healthy) dessert, a square of chocolate, or a stick of gum.

Alcohol and cigarettes

Many people have a habit of smoking when they have an alcoholic drink. TIP: try non-alcoholic drinks, or try drinking only in places where smoking inside is prohibited. Or try snacking on nuts and chips, or chewing on a straw or cocktail stick.

Cravings associated with social smoking

When friends, family, and co-workers smoke around you, it is doubly difficult to quit or avoid relapse. TIP: Your social circles need to know that you are changing your habits so talk about your decision to quit. Let them know they won’t be able to smoke when you’re in the car with them or taking a coffee break together.  

In your workplace, don’t take all your coffee breaks with smokers only, do something else instead, or find non-smokers to have your breaks with.

Additional tips to deal with cravings and withdrawal symptoms

• Stay active: Keep yourself distracted and occupied, go for walks.
• Keep your hands/fingers busy: Squeeze balls, pencils, or paper clips are good substitutes to satisfy that need for tactile stimulation.
• Keep your mind busy: Read a book or magazine, listen to some music you love.
• Find an oral substitute: Keep other things around to pop in your mouth when you’re craving a cigarette.
• Good choices include mints, hard candy, carrot or celery sticks, gum, and sunflower seeds.
• Drink lots of water: Flushing toxins from your body minimizes withdrawal symptoms and helps cravings pass faster.

Keep a craving journal

For the first week or so of quitting, make entries into a log book to monitor your daily progress. Note the moments in your life when you crave a cigarette as these are your triggers to smoking. Are there certain people or environments that trigger your cravings? If you smoke, how does it make you feel? Jot down some other things you can do to feel the same way. Later, when you’re having a bad day, you’ll be able to look back at the comments you wrote in week one to get perspective on how far you’ve come.

Get support from others

Let your friends and family in on your plan to quit smoking and tell them you need their support and encouragement to stop. Look for a quit buddy who wants to stop smoking as well. You can help each other get through the rough times. 

Keep the pounds off   

Weight gain is a common concern when quitting smoking. While it’s true that many smokers put on weight when they stop smoking, the gain is usually small, on average 3-5 pounds. Weight gain occurs because the oral gratification of smoking is replaced by the self-soothing mechanism of eating. To maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to find other, healthy ways to deal with stress and other unpleasant feelings rather than mindless eating. Eating a healthy diet and staying active can help you maintain your current weight.

Finding the resources and support to quit smoking

There are many different methods that have successfully helped people to quit smoking, including:

• Quitting smoking cold turkey.
• Systematically decreasing the number of cigarettes you smoke.
• Reducing your intake of nicotine gradually over time.
• Using nicotine replacement therapy or non-nicotine medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms.
• Utilizing nicotine support groups.
• Trying hypnosis, acupuncture, or counseling using cognitive behavioral techniques.

You may be successful with the first method you try. More likely, you’ll have to try a number of different methods or a combination of treatments to find the ones that work best for you.

Medication therapy

Smoking cessation medications can ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings, and are most effective when used as part of a comprehensive stop smoking program monitored by your physician. Talk to your doctor about your options and whether an anti-smoking medication is right for you. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved options are: 

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine replacement therapy involves "replacing" cigarettes with other nicotine substitutes, such as nicotine gum or a nicotine patch. It works by delivering small and steady doses of nicotine into the body to relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms without the tars and poisonous gases found in cigarettes. This type of treatment helps smokers focus on breaking their psychological addiction and makes it easier to concentrate on learning new behaviors and coping skills.

Non-Nicotine Medication

These medications help you stop smoking by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms without the use of nicotine. Medications such as bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix) are intended for short-term use only.

Non-medication therapies

There are several things you can do to stop smoking that don’t involve nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medications: Ask your doctor for a referral or see Resources and References below for help finding qualified professionals in each area.

Hypnosis

A popular option that has produced good results. Forget anything you may have seen from stage hypnotists, hypnosis works by getting you into a deeply relaxed state where you are open to suggestions that strengthen your resolve to quit smoking and increase your negative feelings toward cigarettes.

Acupuncture

One of the oldest known medical techniques, acupuncture is believed to work by triggering the release of endorphins (natural pain relievers) that allow the body to relax. As a smoking cessation aid, acupuncture can be helpful in managing smoking withdrawal symptoms.

Behavioral Therapy

Nicotine addiction is related to the habitual behaviors (the “rituals”) involved in smoking. Behavior therapy focuses on learning new coping skills and breaking those habits.

Motivational Therapies

Self-help books and websites can provide a number of ways to motivate yourself to quit smoking. One well known example is calculating the monetary savings. Some people have been able to find the motivation to quit just by calculating how much money they will save. It may be enough to pay for a summer vacation.

Helping a family member quit smoking

It’s important to remember that you cannot make a friend or loved one quit smoking; the decision has to be theirs. But if they do make the decision to stop smoking, you can offer support and encouragement and try to ease the stress of quitting. Investigate the different treatment options available and talk them through with the smoker; just be careful never to preach or judge. You can also help a smoker overcome cravings by pursuing other activities with him or her, and by keeping smoking substitutes, such as gum and candy, on hand.

If a loved one slips or relapses, don’t make them feel guilty. Congratulate them on the time they went without smoking and encourage them to try again. Most smokers require several attempts to successfully quit for good.

Parents of teen smokers

Most smokers try their first cigarette around the age of 11, and many are addicted by the time they turn 14. This can be worrying parents or guardians, but it’s important to appreciate the unique challenges and peer pressure teens face when it comes to quitting smoking. While the decision to quit has to come from the teen smoker him- or herself, there are still plenty of ways for you to help.

Tips for parents of teen smokers

• Try to avoid threats and ultimatums. Find out why your teen is smoking; he or she may want to be accepted by a peer group, or want your attention. Talk about what changes can be made in his or her life to help them stop smoking.
• Be patient and supportive as your child goes through the quitting process.
• Set a good example for your kids by not smoking yourself. Parents who smoke are more likely to have children who smoke.  
• Know if your children have friends that smoke. Talk with your kids about ways to refuse a cigarette.
• Explain the health dangers, as well as the unpleasant physical aspects of smoking (such as bad breath, discolored teeth and nails).
• Establish a smoke-free policy in your home. Don't allow anyone to smoke indoors at any time.

Source: American Lung Association

Smokeless or spit tobacco is NOT a healthy alternative to smoking

Smokeless tobacco, otherwise known as spit tobacco, is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. It contains the same addictive chemical, nicotine, contained in cigarettes. In fact, the amount of nicotine absorbed from smokeless tobacco can be 3 to 4 times the amount delivered by a cigarette.

What to do if you relapse

Quitting smoking didn’t work, now what?

Having a small setback doesn’t mean you’re a smoker again. Most people try to quit smoking several times before they kick the habit for good. Identify the triggers or trouble spots you ran into and learn from your mistakes.  

• You’re not a failure if you slip up. It doesn't mean you can't quit for good.
• Don’t let a slip become a mudslide. Throw out the rest of the pack. It's important to get back on the non-smoking track now.
• Look back at your quit log and feel good about the time you went without smoking.
• Find the trigger. Exactly what was it that made you smoke again? Decide how you will cope with that issue the next time it comes up.
• Learn from your experience. What has been most helpful? What didn’t work? 
• Are you using a medicine to help you quit? Call your doctor if you start smoking again. Some medicines cannot be used if you are smoking at the same time.

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