Smoking

Breathing serves as the vital purpose of exchanging carbon dioxide with oxygen but also relaxes and calms the body.  Damage to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract can lead to recurring colds and flues whilebad oxygenation affects every organ in the body.  Fortunately, exercising in fresh air helps to restore air circulation to every alveoli in the lungs. 

Smoking is a terrible burden on the respiratory system. 

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemical constituents.  The most addictive one is nicotine:  a stimulant of the central nervous system, a stimulant of adrenaline production, a contributing factor to high blood pressure and an increased heart rate, and a disruptor of metabolic rates. 

It also affects the regulation of body temperature, the degree of muscle tension and the levels of certain hormones.  All this creates a pleasurable sensation that is experienced as a feeling of relaxation.  However, the body rapidly develops a tolerance to nicotine which encourages an increase in the amount of cigarettes smoked. 

Cigarettes are a factor in over 37,000 deaths annually in Canada and cause about one third of all cancers, one fourth of fatal heart attacks and 85% of lung cancer cases. 

Smoking is linked to the following health issues:  angina, arteriosclerosis, cataract, chronic bronchitis, circulatory problems, colorectal cancer, diarrhea, emphysema, heartburn, heart attacks, high blood pressure, impotence, lung cancer, mouth cancer, peptic ulcers, respiratory problems, throat cancer and urinary incontinence. 

The withdrawal symptoms when smoking is stopped are:  irritability, frustration, anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, increased appetite, headache, stomach cramps, a slow heart rate, a rise in blood pressure and an intense craving for nicotine.

Smoking contributes to an accumulation of toxins that your body must work on eliminating.  It needs more antioxidants – substances that protect cells from the damage of free radicals – to reduce or counteract the carcinogenic effects of smoking. Produced by all types of pollution, free radicals accelerate the aging process and are the cause of most degenerative diseases. 

Natural remedies to help you quit smoking

Ginkgo Extra from A.Vogel has an antioxidant effect that will help alleviate the damaging effects of smoking (increasing the glutathione levels).  It also helps with better circulation (one of the major side effects of cigarettes) and has an impact on the inflammation of the lining of the lungs. 

Bronchosan from A.Vogel helps to eliminate the residue (brownish mucus) that smoking leaves in the lungs. It also contains licorice roots which help with the cravings and make the cigarette taste bad. Combining Ginkgo Extra and Bronchosan together will help eliminate the toxins that the cigarettes leave in the body and diminish the cravings more rapidly.

To avoid weight gain, take one to two tablets of A.Vogel Thyroid Support (Kelpasan) in the morning to help rebalance your metabolism.  Increase gradually to two for better results.

Tips

• When you have cravings you can smell or drink something that has a strong smell (ex. flowers) or a strong taste (ex. mint or ginger tea).  This will help the cravings go away faster.  Cravings normally do not last more than 3-5 minutes.
• Keep your hands occupied since they will be looking for cigarettes by habit (ex. keep a pencil at hand).
• Stress will make quitting smoking harder.  Learn new relaxation techniques (ex. yoga and tai-chi).
• In the beginning, avoid social situations where you usually smoked more.  Wait until you are stronger in your resolve before you put yourself in this situation again or change habits completely.
• You can change your routine to help with the situation where it is harder to go without cigarettes (ex. morning coffee can be taken later).
• Follow a Boldocynara cure. This will help eliminate toxins faster and in turn, will help reduce cravings.
• Last but not least, drink a lot of water.  This will help to eliminate the toxins faster and lessen the cravings.    

by Josée Fortin, biochemist