How to Stop Smoking!!

Since my days in University smoking was the most common past time of most of my friends. Well why doctors do not smoke!! Who said so? From those days I have tried my level best to try and help those friends who would like to cross the wall and come to the non smokers section. And experience tells me that yes it’s really hard. Even when in Canada I had friends who asked for help, somewhere successful, some where unsuccessful. I can tell you one thing before I start this post. It is YOU that is going to start or end this habit, neither me nor is your doctor or hypnotherapist or anyone else responsible for this habit to be broken. So if you have taken a decision to stop smoking, well then we can help you.

Ways to Quit Smoking

Normally a person goes through these 3 or 4 ways to stop smoking. I am sure many of you have tried and tested those ideas over a while.Does not mean that they are of less important. It is the use of these ideas and uses them with the other supplementary ideas to achieve total independence from Smoking. Can you achieve that?

1] Cold Turkey {Stop that Now!!!}

One of the most common and hardest methods used to quit smoking. This has been used by many and mixed results. In this method one just decides day when he /she wants to quit smoking and just stops then. Though sounds easy, the person actually goes through a lot of cravings and withdrawal syndrome. Sheer will power and determination is required for such drastic method.

2] Smoke free day / days or slow quitting:

Slow Quitting or smoke free days is very common method used to complete stop smoking . A person just has to decide a day/days in a week not to smoke. Slowly and slowly the person increases such type of no smoking days.
Though a good idea this method does not works all the time. Stress and other issues just compile a person to smoke some times. Procrastinator are the worst to follow such style of quitting smoke.

3] Nicotine Patches/Tablets :

Another tried idea for smokers to stop smoking is to use nicotine patches or tablets when actually stop smoking. Though a nice idea , but personally I do not think so that one is doing any good other than just trying to take the same amount of nicotine in a different way . I normally refuse to believe in this method of quitting.

With these three ideas one can be helped to quit smoking. To give good success here are some more ideas that can help a person to follow the above three style whichever they choose.

1] Acupuncture:

"Acupuncture is a procedure of inserting and manipulating fifiform needles into various points on the body to relive pain or for therapeutic purpose” Wikipedia. Many people do use this method for either to stop the cravings or the withdrawal symptoms. Results are completely dependable upon the person who undergoes the treatment.

2] Hypnosis:

Another tested method by many people is to go to an hypnotherapist and work on the problem of quitting to smoke. Here the therapist slowly works on your unconscious mind to give results. Many have seen results, many have not see then too .Not bad for a try right.

3] Knowing you body/mind well:

My personal favorite suggestion when one comes to quit smoking is to go for number one that is cold turkey. But with that it is very important to understand our body /mind well. Each one of us is used to habits of our day to day life. We smoke when we drive alone, after finishing a nice lunch or dinner, after having sex. Know these areas of your daily life and then slowly try to replace those places with something else. Eating carrots, chewing gum or walking or working out are some of the options that can fill those areas of cravings.

4] Keep your Mind Occupied:

When it comes to addiction, one needs to work on one’s mind rather than the body. For that one needs to make sure you are busy, your mind is busy all the times when you drive, listen to an interesting book to keep your mind busy. When alone try to work something for the mind.
Puzzles /Sudoku can help you so would board games and reading .

5] Yoga:

Asana, Pranayama , Pratyahara some of the basic principles of yoga would help a person a lot in to diverting and giving strength to one's mind. What could be best in those crazy days than some simple work out with different poses . Simple breathing exercise, stretches can help a lot in one’s effort to quit smoking.

6] Stay away from smoking areas or friends who smoke :

It is very important that one should stay away even from the smell of the smoke as much as possible. I do not mean to break friends, but well at least till you break the habit, it would be nice to keep away from those friends who smoke. It is always nice for your wife to quit too when you are quitting. Actually results are more positive in that way.

7] Try /Try /Try:

Lastly we are humans and Humans do make errors. So do not blame anyone or yourself that you started to smoke again well it was just a one. One need to try again and again .Because we all know that Rome was not build in a day.So let us try till we succeed .

Refer :

Canadian Lung association : How to Quit Smoking

Posted By Sudeep

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Ardha Matsyendra Asana

Half Lord of the Fish Pose

Today we come to see and experience another great pose that could help us to work on our posture. Last week we had a chance to do the Gomukhasana which works really well on the upper back and the neck region. In today's post we would see an asana which would help to stretch our lower back and well another catch is that one can attend mental clarity too after doing this position.


This pose is named after a great yogi named as “Matsyendrasana”. It is said that this pose was taught for the first time by a fish who wanted to take the life of a human. Thus the name “matsya” a Sanskrit word for Fish. Also because those who practice this position can see results with one's mind or power of mind which in Sanskrit means "endra” .Thus the combination of word “Matsyendrasana”. “Ardha” means half in Sanskrit as this position is just done half side of the body.

How to do the position:

1] We start this pose by sitting in position that we have normally taken for “Gomukhasana”. Sit straight, both the legs straight in front, spine erect and eyes in front .Both the hands are kept on the side of the body, if needed on the floor.

2] We begin now with bending the left leg first in the knee joint .Slowly place the left foot over the right knee on the side of the right thigh. The left foot touching the ground near the right thigh is now.

3] Now fold the right knee and bring it in such a way that it comes under the side of the left buttocks. This remains your pose to actual start the asana.

4] Now slowly twist your chest in such a way that your right hand comes to the left side of the twisted left thigh. It is like the hand is trying to catch some thing on the left side.

5] Your head is pointing backward at this time and the other hand is still rested on the ground.
Make sure one hold the pose for some times at least for a minute or two .

Caution:

1] This pose is not recommended for those who suffer with spinal injuries. Expert guidance is suggested if one finds this pose a little hard and suffers with pain when doing this pose.

2] The spine should be kept straight all the time when doing this pose. Also make sure that the shoulders are in level too all the time.

3] Being a new twist, beginners should try this pose without twisting the legs and just try the spine twist and then try the complete pose. Try doing it on a chair works well try it .

Benefits:

1] As said before it is an asana to awaken the mind. When one does this pose the first result that one can see is awakening or freshening of the mind is achieved.

2] This pose is really good for back pain due to continues sitting on a office chair. Good for all those who have a job sitting on a chair for long hours

3] Some yogis do say that it is a good pose to awaken the kundalini .

4] Stretches the hips, neck and the shoulders.

5] Works very well on the sciatica.

Chakra effects:

This asana works really well on “Anahat chakra” or the Heart chakra.


Posted By Sudeep
Photo credit


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