On World Anti-Nicotine Day, there cannot be any better day to renew the pledge to quit smoking. If you have failed to quit smoking in the past, you can take comfort in the fact that a big majority of smokers fail many times before they are able to quit successfully. It is for this reason that you should view past failures to quit smoking as part of a normal journey toward becoming a non-smoker and not as a lesson that you cannot quit.

Every time you feel the urge to light the cigarette, take a deep breath and repeat it three times. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly while visualizing all the tensions leaving your body and flowing out from your body, mind, and soul. In addition to that, drink lots of water for flushing out the nicotine and other toxins from the body. It is very important for you to note that the urge to smoke lasts only for a few minutes and can pass easily if controlled.

It is also important for you to note that sugar, coffee, and alcohol should be avoided by you when you decide to quit smoking as they tend to stimulate the desire to have a cigarette. Chew gum or suck cinnamon sticks to avoid the urge of smoking. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke after a meal, treat yourself to a cup of mint tea.

In order to stay calm and busy, you can join a yoga or reiki class or take a long bath or massage or get involved in a hobby.

Last but not the least, it is important for you not to pretend smoking wasn’t enjoyable as it was and you may take quitting cigarette as losing a friend. Feel and heal! You can do it and the time is now to do it!

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According to a recently concluded research by British scientists, rarely prescribed asthma pills made by drug makers such as AstraZeneca and Merck are easier to use and just as potent as conventional inhaler treatments.

The involved researchers tracked 650 patients with chronic asthma for two years and found the tablets managed the disease as well as steroid inhalers, as per a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists were of the view that asthma patients taking the pills were more likely to stick to their medication. It was remarked by researchers led by David Price at University of Aberdeen and University of East Anglia (UEA) that asthma pills have proved less fashionable than inhalers, and were considered by some to be less effective. Price said, “We hope these findings will increase the options for healthcare professionals when prescribing for this common but disruptive disease.”

Asthma is a chronic condition that is characterized by airway inflammation causing wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath besides significantly harming the quality of life. It is an increasing problem that affects around 300 million people worldwide, including around eight percent of Britain’s adult population and about 25 million Americans.

Stanley Musgrave of the UEA, who also worked on the research, said LTRAs that are sold under the brand names Accolate by AstraZeneca and Singulair by Merck are easy to use and can help patients control their asthma effectively and improve their quality of life.

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