Today, November 18, is the 35^th annual Great American Smokeout.  The American Cancer Society urges smokers to use today as a date to make a plan to quit smoking.

If you are a smoker, you can take today to plan an important step towards being healthier.  Quitting smoking can reduce your cancer risk dramatically, take some time out of your schedule today to plan to quit.

The key to giving up smoking is motivation.  What motivates you?  Being healthy or reducing your risk of cancer?  Living a longer life to see your children graduate from college?  Or the health of your family members who comes in contact with second hand smoke because of your smoking habit?

One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit and half of these deaths occur in middle age.  Cigarette smoke increases your heart rate and blood pressure, thereby straining your heart and blood vessels.  Give up smoking to reduce your risk of cancer, but also to offer a healthier environment for your family members, especially your children.   Second hand smoke has high concentrations of cancer causing agents and people exposed to second hand smoke breath in nicotine and toxic chemicals just like smokers do.

Quitting ‘cold turkey’ is not for everyone, you can choose to give up smoking gradually.  Set target dates to cut down your consumption of cigarettes daily or weekly.  And then set a target date to cut smoking completely.  It is never too late to give up smoking.  You start improving your life expectancy and quality of life from the day you stop smoking.  As your heart and lungs become more efficient, you reduce your risk of heart disease, bronchitis and emphysema, along with reducing your risk of lung cancer.

If you are planning on quitting smoking the use of nutritional supplements, such as Vitamin A, C and E along with using Botanicals – Lobelia, Oats and Licorice can help you succeed in your goals.  As your lungs go through a process of cleansing, we can use expectorant herbs to help with the increased mucus production.  You can use Naturopathic Medicine to help break the nicotine habit.  Call today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mundeir and solidify your commitment towards a healthier you!