SMOKING

    Smoking Cessation Center!
    Smoking can harm your health in so many ways, but it's notoriously hard to quit. Thankfully, recent advancements have improved our understanding of the quitting process, leaving you better equipped for success than ever before. In our smoking resource center, you can learn about nicotine replacement treatments, behavior modification and other effective approaches to break your habit. Our featured experts, articles, interactive tools and community support groups will help you make the necessary lifestyle changes to beat your addiction and become a non-smoker once and for all!

     Smoking & Weight Loss Q- Does smoking help you lose weight?
     A- Generally, people tend to hold onto the conclusions that support their own choice: If they want to smoke, they "heard" it's good for weight loss. If they're serious about quitting, they "heard" ex-smokers don't really gain weight after quitting. I know of three studies on smoking and weight loss. Two studies found that ex-smokers gain about 10-15 lbs within six months to a year after they quit, but this was primarily due to substituting food instead of a cigarette whenever they got the urge.
   A third study found when ex-smokers are put on a comprehensive program of lifestyle improvement, they don't necessarily gain any more weight than people normally do as they age. The reason this issue has been investigated is because we know that nicotine does serve as a mild metabolic booster, and conceivably that could help you burn calories. But it's hard to confirm that theory. Smokers also tend to drink more caffeine, and that can serve to burn more calories, too. There's one thing medical experts know without question: Giving up cigarettes is the single most effective action you can take toward positive health. Nothing else quite compares to it in terms of reducing your risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer and other illnesses. If you're not shaking the habit because you're afraid of gaining weight, then you need to seriously consider how you're endangering your health and shortening your lifespan. You can most likely shed any extra pounds just by adding a half-hour walk to your daily schedule.