Well you don’t need to give up your social life along with smoking! Take a look at this guide below to stay social as you become healthier!

The similarities of alcohol and nicotine

It is important to know the link between alcohol consumption and smoking. At the extreme, government data has found that up to 90 per cent of people who are addicted to alcohol will also smoke. Furthermore, smokers have been found to be more likely to drink and have a 2.7 times greater risk of becoming dependent on alcohol than non-smokers do.
It’s understood that both nicotine and alcohol impact a common aspect of the brain.

When you smoke a cigarette, nicotine enters the bloodstream and rapidly reaches the brain. Once there, the nicotine will stimulate the brain by creating receptors which release chemicals that give a feeling of pleasure. These receptors will increase in number as smoking becomes prolonged and your brain will become reliant on nicotine in order to release these feel-good chemicals.

Cravings are caused as the receptors remain even as the nicotine level plummets in the first 72 hours of quitting. This is why some people find a small nicotine dose, such as that from stop smoking chewing gum, can help in the early days of quitting. Persistence is key, as nicotine receptors will go away with time and your brain chemistry should be back to normal within three months of a quit.

Alcohol is also believed to stimulate a feeling of pleasure in the brain. If true, this reinforces the effects of nicotine on the brain. There are suggestions that nicotine and alcohol will moderate each other’s effects on the brain due to the fact that nicotine stimulates while alcohol sedates.
Tip for those who are quitting

Have you chosen to stop smoking? Good! But you now face the dilemma of socialising in a scenario where you would have previously had a cigarette. Here’s how to stick to your goals and still have a good time:

Don’t put off going out

You shouldn’t let doubts mess up your social plans. Everything you did as a smoker, you can do as a former smoker. Holding off too long from social drinking after quitting can create a sense of intimidation. Plus, socialising with friends is an important part of your life. The sooner you teach yourself how to enjoy a drink or two without a cigarette, the sooner you’ll feel like your life is back to normal.update to: You shouldn’t let doubts mess up your social plans. Everything you did as a smoker, you can do as a former smoker. Holding off too long from social drinking after quitting can create a sense of intimidation. Plus, socializing with friends is an important part of your life. The sooner you teach yourself how to enjoy a drink or two without a cigarette, the sooner you’ll feel like your life is back to normal. If you’re using a nicotine prescription as part of your quitting journey, it’s important to remind yourself that these moments can still be enjoyable and smoke-free.

Boost yourself

If you usually smoke when you’re out having a drink, the place you go might trigger smoking cravings. Before leaving the house or in the car, be mentally prepared by saying aloud, “I’m a former smoker.” Or try, “I don’t smoke. I’m healthier and happier without cigarettes.” The main point is to remind yourself that you’re a former smoker and that you don’t need to light up anymore.

A smoke-free social gathering

If you find your local is triggering cravings, it might be beneficial to have your friends come to your house instead. You can celebrate your smoke-free success with them. You’ll be able to control what is served which can help stop those triggers and completely avoid cigarettes in your smoke-free home.

The company of non-smokers

Find support in fellow non-smokers! Who you choose to hang out with can help support your ex-smoking status. Slip-ups can occur when quitters are in the company of other smokers who may not be aware of how to support their quit attempt.

Bring along a quit buddy

Enlist a friend or family member as a quit buddy! A quit buddy is someone who supports your quit. Should you encounter old smoking friends who ask you to join them, make sure they are aware of your situation so they can be respectful. Not only that, you’ll also have your quit buddy to hang out with.

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Ti Sana Insomnia
Rediscover a good night’s sleep and learn to beat insomnia at this tranquil retreat in northern Italy. Release stress with specialist medical spa treatments and therapies to help reclaim your sleep-wake rhythms and naturally bring balance to your cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for stress. Together with a customised nutrition plan and calming yoga lessons, form healthier habits to resolve your sleep issues and enjoy secondary improvements on affected problem areas such as fatigue, weight gain and digestion issues.

4 nights at Ti Sana from £2,635pp or £2,870 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, an insomnia programme, return flights and transfers.

Boost Your Brain Power in Brazil:

Kurotel Brain Booster
Give a healthy boost to your brain power in Brazil with this specialist wellness programme, designed to enhance your cognitive capacity, attention span and memory. Developed by neuroscientists and in-house health professionals, optimise your brain performance during consultations with psychologists as well as creative coaching sessions. In the stress control centre, utilise relaxing visual and sound stimuli to promote tranquillity and optimum brain power, before relaxing with a calming yoga class or underwater massage.

7 nights at Kurotel from £4,890pp or £5,185 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, a wellness programme, return flights and transfers.

Quit Smoking in Spain:

SHA Anti-Tobacco
Transition to a tobacco-free life the natural and healthy way on a transformative wellness holiday at SHA Wellness Clinic in southern Spain. Surrounded by inspiring coastline and mountain views, begin your wellness retreat with an initial heart and lung check, before experiencing a programme of personalised coaching and medical spa therapies, designed to prevent you from returning to your smoking habit. Combine oxygen therapy sessions and dental cleaning with stress relieving wellness activities, such as yoga and Tai Chi, to return home a changed person both inside and out.

7 nights at SHA Wellness Clinic from £3,440pp or £3,880 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, an anti-tobacco programme, return flights and transfers.

Triathlon Training in Thailand:

Thanyapura Triathlon
Bring out your athleticism with a triathlon training holiday at Thanyapura, Thailand’s leading sport and fitness retreat. Welcoming both beginners and seasoned triathletes, experience expert coaching in swimming, cycling, running and the all-important transitions, to help you reach your personal best. Work on your technique with one-on-one coaching before soothing tired muscles with a revitalising sports massage. Enhance your strength and endurance as you train with state of the art facilities, including an Olympic sized pool and athletics track, as well as the stunning surroundings of expansive forests and mountains.

7 nights at Thanyapura from £1,480pp or £1,680 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, a triathlon training programme, return flights and transfers.

Health and Fitness Travel 0203 397 8891 www.healthandfitnesstravel.com

The post Retreats to help you make a change appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

Young children exposed to passive smoking are more at risk from tooth decay and problems with their oral health development.

According to scientific research, children exposed to second-hand smoke experienced slower development in their oral health compared to those not around smoke, the extent of which depended on how much smoke they were exposed to.

Previous research into the effects of passive smoking on children identified a significantly higher risk of developing tooth decay, the largest non-communicable disease worldwide, compared with those not around second-hand smoke.

The research takes on extra significance given the Labour plans to ban smoking in cars carrying children as part of the Children and Families Bill, a plan backed by Lords on 29 January.

The Royal College of Physicians reported that almost two million children in the UK live in a household where they are exposed to cigarette smoke, with almost 8,500 hospital admissions due to second-hand smoking.

Smoking was banned in England in workplaces and most enclosed public spaces in July 2007 following similar legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Government also launched a review of tobacco packaging in England following the Australian precedent to move to standardised packaging.

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