Most countries have been actively fighting smoking and promoting a healthy lifestyle for several years.
Bans on smoking in public places help motivate people to get rid of this addiction for good. However, for many heavy smokers, this is not an obstacle. Although many of them are already looking for a way to quickly and effectively quit smoking for themselves, this is good news. Unfortunately, scientists to this day have not developed a method to quit smoking naturally without psychological distress, but they have come close to making it as easy as possible to get rid of a cigarette.
Bodily needs
While smoking, the body experiences a lack of important trace elements and vitamins that need to be replenished, preferably in a complex way, but special attention should be paid to some food groups.
It has been known for a long time that smokers excrete large amounts of vitamin C from the body and nicotine helps to replace it, therefore, when quitting smoking, attention should be paid to taking in a sufficient amount of ascorbic acid. The diet should contain more foods containing vitamin C: orange and lemon juice, currants, sea buckthorn, rose hips.
The craving for smoking is gradually decreasing, but it is worth paying attention to your body functions, as people with problems in the intestines and stomach should not overdo it by taking ascorbic acid.
Do not forget that after making the decision to quit smoking for good, it is advisable to exclude some foods from the diet. These include products that contain caffeine: coffee, tea, Coca-Cola. Only caffeine removes a large amount of nicotine from the body and the body begins to demand the replacement of what was lost.
Bad Habits
Alcohol also stimulates desire. Therefore, if you are determined to quit smoking, limit the use of alcoholic beverages, and at first it is better to refuse completely. The higher the strength of the drink, the greater the desire to receive a dose of nicotine.
Another important factor in the fight against addiction is the inner psychological attitude. Participate in self-hypnosis, analyze all the positive aspects of quitting smoking and the harmful effects of cigarettes on the body. This will be a good incentive to fight this harmful addiction.
It is worth noting that not everyone can quit on the first try; this is completely normal. This is almost always a long process of working on yourself. Do not give up and keep fighting for your health, you are doing this only for yourself and for no one else.
13 practical tips to effectively quit smoking
Find the most important reason.
To truly motivate yourself you need a strong and very personal reason. For example, the unwillingness to spoil the health of loved ones from secondhand smoke. Or a lower risk of lung cancer and heart disease, even the desire to look and feel young and healthy. The main thing is to want it more than to smoke.
Prepare before you abruptly quit smoking.
Picking up and throwing away the last pack of cigarettes is not the right way. This can lead to the so-called withdrawal syndrome, when an abrupt cessation of a particular addiction causes a deterioration in both physical and mental health. It is wise to consult with a healthcare professional first about how to slow down the quitting process.
Consider replacement therapy.
Of course, one would like to think that all it takes is willpower, but in fact, physical dependence on the body can be much more influential. There are special drugs in various forms, as well as techniques that will gradually reduce the amount of nicotine entering the bloodstream, thereby reducing the side effects of quitting smoking, such as irritability, headaches, and the like.
Educate yourself about medications in advance.
Cigarettes seem like an easy joke. Those who have smoked a pack a day may well need medication to ease symptoms after abrupt withdrawal. This type of medicine should only be taken as directed by your doctor.
Don't abandon the support of your loved ones.
Share your intention to quit with your family. Warm words and understanding play a huge role in everyone's life, because it is much easier to control yourself and ignore the urge to smoke a cigarette if there is such an incentive. Love and support can be even more effective than prescription drugs.
Take a break.
Most smokers say that cigarettes help them relax. In fact, this is not so, only for a smoking break is allocated time for rest, which can be spent profitably and without cigarettes. Therefore, to quit smoking, you need to reserve a period of relaxation. It doesn't matter what you fill up on: exercise, listening to music, or massage. The main thing is to show that rest is possible without delay.
Avoid coffee and alcohol at first.
In the minds of many, cigarettes are associated with alcohol and morning coffee. In order not to provoke yourself and test your own endurance for strength, it is better to take a break from this as well. If smoking becomes a habit immediately after eating, then look for an alternative: brushing your teeth or taking a short walk, for example.
Get rid of smoking reminders.
When you quit smoking, immediately clean your home of ashtrays, lighters, and anything else that might remind you of cigarettes. Don't leave these little things in the car either. Everything must be cleaned and ventilated from the obsessive smell, otherwise the temptation will be too great to resist.
Try again and again if it fails.
Don't stop trying to quit if it doesn't work the first time. Discuss the situation in which you smoked a cigarette again and, next time, use this experience to avoid another crisis. Set a clear date for yourself when you will try to quit again.
Move more and more actively.
Sports activities help to distract from the thoughts of cigarettes, and the hormones produced during them generally improve mood and body tone. And the result, visible from the outside, will be an additional motivation against smoking, which has nothing to do with the beauty and health of the body. If you can't play any sports, then any physical activity will do - gardening or taking an active walk with your dog, for example.
Eat more vegetables and fruits.
By no means go on a diet when you quit smoking. Psychologically, it will be much more difficult to cope if you deny yourself too much. To avoid weight gain when you quit smoking, simply substitute baked goods and sweet snacks for fruits and vegetables.
Calculate your benefits.
In addition to the unconditional health benefits, quitting is also profitable. Calculate exactly how much money you will save if you stop buying cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays. Separately, try to estimate how much work efficiency will increase with a clear schedule without constant outings for a smoke break. Spend the money saved, finally saying goodbye to tobacco, on entertainment to reward yourself.
Remember, time is at stake.
Is it hard to see exactly how healthy it will be to quit smoking? So maybe a few numbers will help. It takes 20 minutes for the body to normalize the heart rate after a cigarette. After a day without tobacco, the level of carbon monoxide in the blood will return to acceptable levels. After 2-3 weeks of quitting, your risk of heart attack begins to decrease. And in the long run, get rid of Damocles' lung cancer sword.
We hope you make the right decision in time, and our article will help you decide how to quit smoking quickly and effectively. Be healthy!