Here’s a cheery bit of news: cancer rates have risen by 40% in the last ten years. This alarming increase has been attributed to drinking and smoking, as well as with obesity/inaction, and exposure to the Sun, revealed this week by UK cancer charity Cancer Research.

Overall, cancer has more than doubled in the last thirty years – an alarming statistic. But that's not all:

• Cases of brain cancer are 36% higher than they were in the 1950s
  
• Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, has gone up by 43 per cent in the past decade – making it the fastest growing cancer. The figures – published by Cancer Research UK and the UK Association of Cancer Registries (UKACR) – found although rates of malignant melanoma are higher in women and have doubled since the mid-1980s, rates have tripled in men in the same period. Heavy sun exposure accounts for the vast majority of cases.
  
• Oral (mouth) cancer, linked to drinking and smoking, has risen by 23 per cent.
  
• Womb cancer, in which obesity is known to be a factor, has risen by 21 per cent.
  
• Kidney cancer has gone up 14 per cent; smoking is known to double the risk of getting it.
  

Half of these "lifestyle cancers" could be prevented by taking a few simple precautions or leading healthier lives, campaigners say.

Everyone can help reduce their risk of cancer by avoiding smoking, keeping a healthy body weight, eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and fibre, and taking regular exercise.

Sounds simple, but if so, why are the rates of cancer increasing?

Well, exposure to UV radiation in sunlight is the main cause of skin cancer. Most cases of this disease could be prevented if people protected themselves from the Sun and took care not to burn.

In addition, dietary factors are linked to up to a third of all cancers. People just aren't eating enough fruit and vegetables, or drinking enough water.

While survival rates are going up, Diet, radioactivity, or exposure to chemical pollutants have been suggested as possible factors in the development of cancer. Clearly, our world is becoming more toxic - a worrying sign of things to come.

The good news is rates of cervical cancers are falling as a result of the national screening programme and thanks to successful smoking cessation campaigns, lung cancer rates are continuing to decrease - especially in men.

Cancer Research’s Reduce the Risk campaign actively encourages people to learn how they can lead healthier lives and cut their risk of developing cancer.

Their 5 Key Messages are:

• Stop smoking  It's the best present you'll ever give yourself
• Be Sun Smart. Protect yourself in the sun and take care not to burn
• Stay in shape Be active and keep a healthy body weight
• Eat and drink healthily. Limit alcohol and choose a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables
• Know your body and see your doctor about anything unusual

Find out more by clicking here here

With the July 1st 2007 smoking ban now in effect, there's never been a more popular time to stop smoking.

So many people have mailed me about their stopping smoking attempts, and one woman has now stopped with the aid of anti-smoking drug Champix. She cut down from 60 a day to stopping entirely.

This is brilliant news and proof that anyone can stop smoking at any time. The health benefits are immediately noticeable.

So, to the two people who spoke to me this week about stopping smoking WELL DONE. You're an inspiration to us all, and to all the people who want to lose weight, stop smoking, or live more healthily.

It’s International Give Up Smoking Day, and to – well – celebrate, the NHS has released its first prescription-only pill to help people quit smoking.

The drug is called Varenicline (Champix), and the drug should normally be given alongside counselling and support.

Varenicline both stimulates and blocks specific nicotine receptors in the brain. It is thought that by stimulating the receptor it mimics the effects of nicotine to reduce cravings.

At the same time, it partially blocks the receptor preventing nicotine from binding to it, resulting in a weaker response in people who give in to temptation and have a cigarette.

Trials have shown the drug was effective after a 12-week course, with 44% of smokers managing to stop.

This compares with 18% of those given a placebo and 30% of those taking another anti-smoking drug, Bupropion, which is also available on the NHS.

The main side-effect of the drug, which costs about £1.95 a day, seems to be nausea.

So with the smoking ban coming in force from 1 July, there hasn’t been a better time to stop smoking.

Find Out More about Varenicline Here

After yesterday’s discussion on stopping smoking (I’ll be doing one for binge-drinking in the near future), I’ve had an amazing response. So many of you want to quit, and that’s just brilliant.

I’m really moved by the response to my article, so I thought I’d give you my thoughts on how to demolish those cravings.

We all get them. It’s no secret that I crave chocolate, ice-cream, and fatty foods, or, let’s be honest, anything that’s high in fat and bad for me. I think it’s because I associate high-fat or sugary foods with security (being given them as a child), or perhaps it’s the self-destructive part of me just wanting to ruin my life.

So instead of exploding out of my jean size, I practise one of the following methods to distract myself from my cravings.

How To Defeat Your Cravings - Step One

The most important thing to remember is that cravings pass. They only last a few minutes (around five) so all you have to do is distract yourself for just long enough for your sanity to return and you can go on with your life without giving into your desires.

There are many different things you can do when you are tempted to pick up a cigarette. Some of them may sound stupid, but perhaps you can find one that works for you!

• Go for a walk
• Surf the internet
• Do short but vigorous exercise (weights, running, stairs, biking, swimming, dancing).
• Read a book
• Take a bath
• Watch a TV show
• Destroying your craving by listening to a song you really love (most of them last just long enough).
• Make a phone call (it’s often great just to tell someone how much you need a cigarette!)
• Speak to someone on the internet (add me to your MSN contacts and tell me how well you're doing!)
• Drink water (I really find this helps me)
• Chew on toothpicks
• Chew gum
• Keep your kitchen supplied with fruit and vegetables (they help wonders, carrot sticks and cigarette-shaped objects really do help)
• A really good distraction technique is to do a crossword or Sudoku
  puzzle. It gets your mind off the craving and keeps your hands busy. In
  fact, anything involving a pen or pencil is a great activity. 

How To Defeat Your Cravings - Step Two

Try to get yourself into the habit of distracting your cravings with other activities. Those hands want to be doing something after all those years of smoking, so typing on a keyboard, eating a carrot stick, or taking up a new hobby - all these things really DO help. 

How To Defeat Your Cravings - Step Three 

Don't put yourself in a familiar situation where you used to smoke. If you used to stand on the doorstep and have a crafty cigarette, wandering the garden in full sight of the back door probably isn't going to help.

Try and forge new activities to build on your old habits. If you used to crave a cigarette after dinner, then find something to replace that craving. I always crave chocolate directly after eating. I find if I wander the house looking for things to tidy, the craving soon pass. This is a new association I have replaced with my after-dinner cravings. After a while, it becomes natural and in time, routine. I find that after a week or so, my cravings for chocolate have completely subsided...

Remember, and I can’t say this often enough: your cravings will pass in just a few minutes. They might come back time and time again (but they will diminish, and suprisingly quickly) but once you realise this crucial fact, you’ve got all the power you need to diminish them.

I wish you all the luck in the world for stopping smoking.

Just think of all the money (and time) you'll save just by cutting out that vile habit.

Let me know if any of this helped you to stop smoking, and how you're doing.

A friend of mine is trying to stop smoking. So I thought I’d do some research on the benefits of quitting the foul weed!

Here’s what you should expect to find when you stop smoking.

• Within a day or so of quitting, your body gets rid of all the poisonous carbon monoxide gas found in cigarette smoke. As a result, oxygen levels in your blood increase which will improve the appearance of your complexion.
• Smoking also constricts blood vessels, so your blood will begin to flow more easily. If you have poor circulation, this means your fingers and toes won't feel the cold as much.
• Your sleep will improve once you are over the initial withdrawal symptoms.
• Your sense of taste and smell will improve quickly - so much so you may start to be irritated by others' smoke and the way it clings to your clothes and hair.
• More cash. Smoking is expensive. Now you have more income to spend on other things (ideally, healthy foods to counteract all those years of cancerous smoking abuse!)
• Sense of achievement. You've stopped. That's fantastic! Well done! Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back!
  

THE BENEFITS OF STOPPING SMOKING

After 30 minutes: Blood pressure and pulse are normalised, blood circulation increases.

After 8 hours: The level of carbon monoxide in the blood falls.

After 48 hours: Carbon monoxide from smoke and nicotine have disappeared completely.

After 2-3 days: Less or no phlegm in the throat, fewer breathing difficulties.

After 5-7 days: Your senses of taste and smell will improve, your breath is fresher, your teeth are cleaner and your energy levels higher.

After 2-3 weeks: Physical withdrawal symptoms will stop, and you can now go several hours without thinking about smoking. Your risk of blood clots (thrombosis) is reduced.

After 4 weeks: Coughing, blocked sinuses, and breathing difficulties should disappear. Less fatigue and more energy. The lungs are better able to resist infection.

After 2-3 months: Lung function improves by five per cent.

After 1 year: The risk of developing cardiovascular disease is halved.

After 2-3 years: The risk of developing severe pneumonia or flu is the same as for a non-smoker. Your risk of heart disease, angina (chest pains) and stroke continues to fall.

After 5 years: The risk of throat, oesophageal and bladder cancer is halved.

After 5-10 years: The risk of developing cardiovascular disease or thrombosis (blood clots) is the same as for a non-smoker.

After 10 years: The risk of lung cancer is halved. The risk of developing osteoporosis decreases.

After 15-20 years: The risk of lung, throat, oesophageal or bladder cancer is the same as for a non-smoker. But heavy smokers (20+ a day) have double the risk of lung cancer for the rest of their lives.

OTHER BENEFITS

Less stress: Once they have stopped smoking for a few months, heavy smokers tend to rate themselves as less stressed. There is evidence that nicotine may actually cause stress in smokers. It's thought that smokers go into nicotine withdrawal between cigarettes, and it's the satisfaction of the nicotine craving that creates the perception of stress-relief.

QUITTING

During the early days and weeks of your quit, it's a good idea to set realistic goals instead of thinking 'I must quit now and forever'.

You can increase your motivation if you reward yourself at lots of milestones along the way - for example reaching one day quit, then three, then a week, two weeks, a month, etc. Many small victories will build your confidence.

RESISTING THE URGE

One of the most difficult things about stopping smoking is learning how to resist the urge to smoke.

When you first stop, you'll find cravings come regularly, but usually disappear within a couple of minutes.

Craving is a bit like a well-developed muscle - once you stop using the muscle, it will eventually wither or shrink. You help this process every time you conquer a craving.

By learning to cope with cravings, you win on all fronts: the cravings subside and you start to regain control over your addiction.

WHAT IF I FAIL?

Most smokers try to quit several times before they succeed, learning a bit more about their habit and weaknesses at each attempt. On average, it takes around five attempts to quit successfully.

Although you may succeed first time, for most smoking cessation is a learning process in which you gradually discover more about the situations and emotions that are likely to trip you up.

Don't lose heart if you start smoking again. Analyse what happened so you don't make the same mistake next time. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What was I doing when I relapsed?
• Who was I with?
• What mood was I in?
• What could I have done instead of reaching for a cigarette?

Good luck to anyone thinking of stopping smoking in 2007

Based on a text by Dr Carl Brandt