Get Off Your Butts - The Sequel
(Confessions of Nurse Mark with Commentary by Dr. Myatt)
Last Friday Dr. Myatt commented on an article dealing with one writer's efforts to give up cigarettes. Today I'll link you to the news article that prompted that author: When Are Smokers Too Old to Quit? , and share a little secret of my own with you: I was once, and for many years, a "pack-a-day-man." Yep, you heard it right, Nurse Mark is an ex-smoker. There: I said it and I'm glad.
Like many who grew up in the 50's, 60's and 70's, I was surrounded by smoking. Everybody smoked. Our political leaders smoked, and were proud of it. Our movie heros smoked (well, many of them - Tarzan, Roy Rogers and Batman were the rare exceptions ...), our TV characters smoked (remember the big stir that "Kojak" caused by NOT smoking?), my parents smoked, and we were surrounded by tobacco advertising (who wouldn't have walked a mile for a Camel, or doesn't remember the problems caused by "that silly little millimeter longer" cigarette?) It was cool to smoke. So I did. I started smoking in my very early teens, and smoked cigarettes, cigars, and pipe right up to 1986.
I actually quit several times for varying lengths of time but it wasn't until I nursed terminally ill smokers in the hospitals that the damage that smoking causes really hit home. I won't bore you with the standard scare-stories that the anti-smoking Nazi's usually trot out, even though they are all true and then some. Suffice to say that what I saw frightened me. Top these terrifying visions of dying smokers barely able to gasp a breath despite being on oxygen, I came down with a "simple chest cold" that just wouldn't let up. I made the "mistake" of putting my stethoscope on my own chest for a listen. What I heard in there sounded like a New Orleans marching band tuning up, and it scared the bejeebers out of me. Enough of that! In the Spring of 1986 I quit cold turkey and I've "stayed quit" ever since.
Do I miss it? Nah, not any more... I used to though - especially at first when I was having a glass of beer with friends in a pub. That was tough! But I persevered... and you know what? I don't miss 'em any more, though I still enjoy the aroma of good fresh tobacco smoke... (stale tobacco smoke smell on the other hand is revolting!) [Dr. Myatt's aside: Nurse Mark is a Born-Again non-Smoker in spite of what he says! These types are worse than those of us who never smoked; he dislikes the smell of anything but a good pipe tobacco far worse than I do, and has little tolerance for others who pollute our breathing space. (I agree with him on this) End of comment!].
Was it tough to quit? Yes, especially the first few weeks. Fortunately I was working a night shift at the time, and so I had little contact with society - I probably wasn't very nice to be around. I will say that it would be much easier today, given what I now know, including the natural aids available to help withdrawal symptoms. Dr. Myatt has a special preparation just to help smokers quit - she calls it "Dr. Myatt's Kick-Butt Tincture" (not on the website; she has it made up especially for each patient). Previous smoker-patients of hers swear by it! Dr. Myatt also helps smokers address the real causes of why they smoke, so they can find healthy alternatives. You can alter your brain chemistry in similar ways to nicotine but with out hurting yourself!
Do I feel better now that I've quit? You're darn tootin' I do! Did I gain weight when I quit? Yup, sure did, but now that I have the ability to really breathe again, I can exercise with ease and I love it! I go for a "happy run" every morning, doggies accompanying. Since I know and practice The Myatt Diet, I have taken that weight right off and then some! (The weight gain probably wouldn't have happened if I'd known my lovely wife --- and her diet and stop-smoking techniques--- back when I quit).
Do I think I'll live longer now that I've quit? The medical studies convince me that I will (especially if I don't step in front of a bus or have some other misfortune!) and I really do feel like I probably will, especially now that I don't have that nagging nasty morning cough that doesn't go away until after the first cigarette. [ Dr. Myatt's Aside: this relationship would NOT be a happenin' thing if Nurse Mark had still been a smoker. I am vehemently opposed to living with someone who pollutes my airspace AND is trying to make me a premature widow! I would not even have dated this wonderful man if he had still been smoking.....].
What else can I say about quitting? Well, I can afford things I couldn't afford before, back when I had to set aside five bucks a day for cigarettes... Figure it out - take the money you spend each day on tobacco, and multiply it by 365 - what could you buy with that? I don't know the current going rate for cigs, but back when I smoked, this was $1800 bucks a year Canadian--- I PAID $1,800 A Year to HURT MYSELF!
Go ahead - it really isn't too late. [Dr. Myatt's comment: studies show that EVEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE LUNG CANCER FROM SMOKING benefit in longer survival times by quitting!]. If you're not really sure you can do it on your own (I quit "cold turkey" - ouch!) then give us a call at 1-800-Dr. Myatt - we have safe, natural alternatives to the not-so-natural answers of pills or patches or horrid-tasting gum that the pharmaceutical companies and conventional medicine have to offer. It really is time to Kick Butt!
Cheers,
Nurse Mark
11:48:32 AM 
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