3 Natural Nutrition Tips To Help Kick Cigarettes

I trust you're looking for some natural ways to quit stop smoking?  If you, like me, have tried it all and relapsed every time, you may be thinking there's no real hope.  In my last blog post we looked at exercise as a powerfully effective method of stopping and staying stopped.  Recently The Natural News published 3 natural nutrition tips to help you in your quest to stop smoking.  I'm going to review them for you and examine why Natural News is probably suggesting them and toss my opinion in on these as options.

As you know, I am a cold turkey advocate so I immediately took issue with their first sentence which talks about weaning off nicotine with nutritional supplements that reduce cravings.  Weaning off is prolonging the inevitable.  Try and wean off heroin or even  ice cream for that matter.  See how well that works!  They do go on to say that nutrition is the Yellow Brick Road to quitting smoking and I tend to agree with them on that with a few minor exceptions.  So let me dig in here.

First, before nutrition plays a role, you must realize that smoking is a choice you make.  Even when you're under the influence of nicotine or the lack of nicotine.  You will always be in charge and you are the number one factor between lighting up and deciding not to.  Once you have made the commitment to actually stop smoking this time, it then will become a battle of will and whits.

Drug companies and even big tobacco now will try to sell you on an idea called NRT or Nicotine Replacement Therapy.  NRT reminds me of Celebrity Jeopardy on Saturday Night Live where Sean Connery misreads Therapists as The Rapists.  Because that's what happening with NRT.  Large drug companies and Big Tobacco are continuing to rape you, your health and your wallet with these "alternatives" to smoking.  It's like using Pseudoephedrine to get off meth.  At the end of the day, as it has always been, it's you verses nicotine.  Period.

Now, if you're going into battle, having some armor will help.  NRT is not armor.  It's not even a crutch.  It's the same addiction with a different delivery device.  The Natural News suggests three nutritional tips to help you manage the intensity of cigarette cravings.

1.  Juicing.  I'm in!  Well, sort of.  I do it now and have full regret I didn't start juicing sooner.  They recommend juicing as a way of alkalizing the body and flushing out toxins.  Basically putting an end to Metabolic acidosis.  They also suggest eliminating meat, milk, gluten, grease and sugar.  By sugar, I can assume they mean processed sugar and the meat part...  I don't know.  Who doesn't love a good steak?   Now here's my beef with this good idea; you're about to to make a severe lifestyle change.  If you're not juicing already, doing this and trying to not smoke is a recipe for disaster.  Also, I wouldn't suggest a delay in stopping to get into the whole juice thing.  So what do you do?  Exactly!  Here's my suggestion with juicing as a method of preparation to stop and then as a reward for staying stopped.  3 times a day starting now, either buy or make a juice drink.  Put that concoction in some kind of cup that has a lid and a straw and sip that thing over the course of an hour.  Notice the hand to mouth action, the sucking and small cylindrical object going into your mouth.  Conveniently you'll be ingesting healthy nutrients to cleanse the body and mind.  Make sure you're using uber fresh organic fruits and veggies while you're at it.  Remember to start this now.  Not once you've stopped and in you're already stopped, start this now.  In fact, while you're in the initial throws of kicking the habit, I say drink everything through a straw!  

2.  Maca.  This is a root from Peru and parts of South America.  It has been marketed mostly as an aphrodisiac because of it's nutrient breakdown.  It can act as an endocrine adaptogen.  Basically that means that Maca nutritionally supports a healthy hormonal balance.  Hormones do more than make man strong like bull and ladies "interesting" to be around every 24 days.  They regulate all kinds of bodily functions including stress and anxiety.  Maca as a root and dietary supplement can act as an antioxidant, help with the circulatory system, energize the body, and speed healing to name a few.  If you're doing the smoothie/juice thing, consider adding a scoop or two of Maca Up to the blender.  I've used this plant based protein powder before and really enjoy it.  If you're not doing the home made juice/smoothie thing Maca is available in capsule form as well.

3.  Mucuna.  Otherwise known as velvet bean.  This is another adaptogen that works great on helping maintain a healthy level of dopamine in the body.  Dopamine plays a huge part in the reward and pleasure part of the brain and is also released when you smoke.  If you're eliminating nicotine that can have a severe impact on dopamine levels (hence the withdrawals) and so supplementing with a little Mucuna might not be a bad idea.  It will help you maintain a semblance of calm and control when the urge seems like it's going to win.

The bottom line here is just that.  Keep calm and don't smoke.  There are multiple pathways to becoming smoke free again.  I say that to remind you that you once were smoke free.  There was once a time when you did not smoke.  You can have that back with a little work and due dilligance.  You also can have that without having to resort to NRT or additional chemicals and drugs designed to not help you quit but designed to help you buy their product over cigarettes.  See the difference here.  Take charge of your life, your health and create your life instead of being led by the media who say's you need their "whatever" to stop.  You don't.  Never did.  It's all you.

Need help wrapping your head around taking the power back?  Can a carton and instead get a copy of my book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone.  Short read, yet effective.  It will resonate with you.  Written by a smoker who doesn't smoke for smokers looking to, as mentioned earlier, take the power back!

Resistance Exercise Could Be Just What You Need To Stop Smoking

Stop Smoking with exercise.  Exercise helps you stop smoking!  I've been saying this all along and now here’s the proof!  A research study found that regular resistance training (weight lifting) can more than double someone’s chances of successfully stopping smoking.

This particular study was published in a journal called Nicotine and Tobacco Research, gives evidence that to lining healthy and having an active lifestyle can actually improve a smoker’s chance of kicking the habit for good.

In the past it was just aerobic exercise that had been scientifically studied and proven to help a smoker stop but now we’re talking resistance training to go with.  So insert Kettlebell here!

The research had 25 males and 25 females who had been smoking for at least one year and were smoking at least five cigarettes a day.   They were given a 60 minute circuit training routine which comprised of ten different exercises.  The 50 members of the group committed to working out two times per week for 12 weeks.  They also received smoking cessation counseling and they were given nicotine patches to last them for the duration of the course.  (RED FLAG for me, but let’s press on)

By the end of the study, 15% of subjects had not relapsed.  They also had lost weight and reduced their

body fat percentage.   Another group at the same time of this study watched an inspirational health video instead of exercising and that group had an 8% success rate.  However, the non-exercise group gained weight and their body fat went up.

So while I don’t support the patch (or any NRT for that matter) what I like best about this study is it shows that exercise, weight lifting and aerobic training increase the chances of staying in the non-smoking section!

The head guy for the study, Dr. Joseph Ciccolo, said: “Cigarette smoking kills more than a thousand Americans every day, and while the large majority of smokers want to quit, less than five per cent are able to do it without help.  We need any new tools that can help smokers successfully quit and it appears resistance training could potentially be an effective strategy.”

Damn right it’s an effective strategy.  Strengthen the body and you will consequently strengthen the mind and the spirit.  To effectively stop smoking requires the ability to keep going.  This is something that is developed through resistance training and exercise.

 

You’re in the gym, how many times do you hear, “c’mon man, one more rep!”  “Push it!”  “You got this.”  The ability to push past a perceived level of fatigue will translate into the ability to push through a craving.  “OK, it’s been 3 days without a cigarette.  C’mon man, one more day.  Let’s go.  Push it!”

If you're thinking this is you, let me help you get your mind wrapped around it.  You mindset will be crucial to being able to stop and have to push through.  Pick up a copy of my book How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone.  Help yourself or the soon to be ex-smoker in your life!

e-Cigarette Explodes and catches fire (again...)

 Oklahoma City - Cold Turkey may yet prove to be the safest way to stop smoking.  At least that how it's going to go for Theressa Chastka who's e-cigarette blew up when she plugged it in to charge up.  Theressa says her e-cigarette could have killed her after it exploded and sparked a small fire in her home.

“The battery shot out and hit the wall,” she said.  Notice the damage left behind after the explosion and small fire.  It left her wall charred, carpet singed and disintegrated part of the device.

One thing that can cause this is using the wrong charger but Chastka won't be using an e-cigarette anymore to kick the habit.  She says she’s better off going cold turkey.

“It’s going to hurt somebody or kill somebody,” Chastka said. “If I would have plugged it in and left, the house would have burned down.”

OK, so here we go...  this is the second time I've reported on the exploding e-cigarette.  Last February the same thing happened to Tom Holloway when his e-cig blew up in his face.  Theressa was lucky, Tom lost a couple teeth on that deal.

So, here's the deal, smokers and soon to be non-smokers AND you guys and gals going to the e-cigarette.  Healthier alternative to smoking aside, you're only prolonging the inevitable which is a one-on-one no holds barred death match with nicotine.  Why would you want to replace nicotine anyway?  Ultimately it's a poison and you don't need it to feel happy or satisfied or relaxed or what ever it's done for you.  You have the power to feel that way on your own.  The question is, are you willing to use that power and let the real you out?

Dear, Theressa - good for you!  Cold Turkey is the way to go and I want to help!  If you see this message, I'd like you to get a copy of my book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone on me.  This will have everything you've ever needed to kick the habit!  How would you like to say, "I haven't had a cigarette in 11 years?"  That's what I said this May.  My book will show you how I did it and how you can too.

What Type Of Smoker Are You? Four Types From Rashad J. Gober

 Stop Smoking In Chattanooga!  Nooga.com, their local online news source revealed there are only 4 types of smokers out there.  Not in terms of BBQ mind you, but in terms if cigarette smoking.  In my book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, I'll tell you there are only two types of smokers, but let's see how Rashad J. Gober categorizes the smoker people out there and then we'll have a bit of my two cents on the matter!  Fair enough?

Rashad put forth an interesting look at the types of smokers based on the degree of smoking.  Basically when and how often an individual decides to lite up.  Remember, it will always be a choice you make.

There is the Social Smoker.  These are the occasional smokers.  The ones who light up only at the coffee house, outside the bar on a Friday night, at the BBQ with the boys standing around an actual smoker, etc.  If you're in this category, you're walking the fine line between hooked and "I can quit anytime."  This occasional smoking can quickly and easily turn into the next level of smoker according to Gober.

The Anxious Smoker.  The way I see it, if you're smoking socially, you'll soon recognize that this occasional activity really helps you chill out.  So you go from only smoking at parties to every time something stressful happens or is about to happen.  This is the gateway.

Here's what's happened so far, which you'll read more of in my book.  Nicotine crosses the blood-brain barrier and fires up the Dopamine in your body.  Nicotine can be very Pavlovian.  It makes you feel better, like you've been rewarded.  Stress becomes the bell and the cigarette the dog food and sorry to say, but this is how you become big tobacco's little bitch.

Rashad also introduces us to the Skinny Smoker.  There are people out there who use nicotine as an appetite suppressant.  I think about when I was evolving into a pack and half a day smoker, I'd bum one when I was hungry.  Many people, who are image conscious will light up as a way to curb hunger.  This in my opinion is the grand irony.  OK, so the scale looks good, but my teeth are yellow and my face looks like John Wayne's saddle from The Searchers or worse yet, Cosmo Kramer from the Seinfeld episode where he and Jackie Chiles try to sue big tobacco for how his face looks from smoking cigars!

The last type on Rashad's list is the Addicted Smoker.  This is where you cross over and cigarettes have become a part of your daily life.  They are your crutch, they enhance food, music, driving and sex.  Every time you have a pleasurable experience you need to make it a little better with a cigarette and every time life throws a curve ball, you need to handle it with a cigarette.

Keep in mind, this happened to you the exact same way someone gets hooked on crack or heroin.  In fact, it's also, as they say, as challenging to stop smoking as it is to kick heroin or crack.  I really like Rashad's types here as it also shows the downward spiral into nicotine addiction.

In my book, I'll tell you there are really only two types.  Smoker's and non-smokers.  Non-smokers are people who are tinkering with it yet still have a way out.  They don't even hold a cigarette right and they look awkward trying to smoke.  Smokers on the other hand are smokers, that's their identity and it has always been that way for them.  I am a smoker.  I am, however, a smoker who chooses not to smoke.  After 15 years of smoking and the last 11 not, I am still a smoker at heart.  It smells good, tastes good, looks cool and it is romantic.  It also is a passive aggressive form of suicide and highly toxic method of self-medication.  For many, especially in AA, once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.  You simply choose not to drink anymore.  And so it goes for me.  A smoker who doesn't smoke.  This can be you too.  You need to get your mind in the right frame in order to get back to the non-smoking section and you need to see smoking for what it truly is and then have a serious one-on-one with yourself about why you knowingly continue to choose to do something that takes out almost a half a million people a year.  How is that a good idea?

There will come a time for you to stop.  The time can be right now or shortly after your doctor puts you on oxygen and/or radiation therapy.  Mind you, you don't have to quit smoking to stop smoking.  I haven't quit yet!  I also haven't had a cigarette since 2002.  Maybe the time for you is now?  How do you plan on handling it?  I'm here to tell you that you can handle it, that you are already handling it and probably don't even know it.  There are some very simple strategies and mindsets you can adopt in a matter of minutes that will enable you and empower you to finally kick the habit....

[insert shameless plug - why?  because it's my blog, that's why!  =)]

...before the habit leads to you kicking the bucket and that is what my book is all about.  How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone.  Are you up for the challenge and the ride of your life?  How would you like to be able to tell someone, "I stopped smoking, it was the best thing I've ever done for myself and I came out a stronger person on the other side because I won the battle and the war."  

NOTE:  If you're about to leave a comment pitching e-cigarettes as a safe alternative to cigarettes and a link to buy some, read this first ( E-Cigarettes:  More Dangerous Than The Industry Wants You To Think) and then wake the eff up.  My book will always be safer and cheaper!

Iowa City Has A Butt Problem

Iowa City, Iowa - The University of Iowa college smoking ban stops smoking on campus but also sends smokers downtown to do the deed.  This is causing a distinct problem in downtown Iowa City.  Too many butts!

Original article:  http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/IC-Trying-to-Smoke-Out-Cigarette-Butt-Problem--214831431.html

So one easy fix will be more ash trays or a sign like what the city of Glendale did might be a nice humorous approach while throwing in the motherly guilt trip on top of it...

But in all seriousness, but the real deal here is this....

Dear Smokers,

As a smoker myself, who simply chooses not to smoke anymore, (in fact, I haven;t had a cigarette since 2002) I would like to humbly request that when you are finished with your cigarette, that you put it in an ash tray or drop the cherry in some water and chuck the butt in a trash can.

Look at that picture above!  It's nasty.  You smoking and enjoying a cigarette is not nasty.  It's simply you exercising a bad habit you have yet to break.  I get it.  But littering is littering   Knock that off!

Now, listen, I too used to flick a butt or two out the window of the car while driving because I didn't want to fill up my ash tray because I thought, even as a smoker, that a loaded up ash tray was nasty.

That little idiosyncratic move actually helped me decide to stop.  I was like, "hey, if I think these butts are nasty and they stink up the car, what the hell am I doing here anyway????"

Remember, this is where you live and share the streets with people.  Let's keep it nice for everyone.  No more butts, no more empty cans of coke and beer, no more Styrofoam and Mickey D's wrappers....  besides, your killing the squirrels and they never did nothing to no one!

If you're at that place where you no it's time for you to stop smoking, but just aren't sure how to go about it, take a look at www.StopDontQuit.com for resources and a little book you can invest in to help you get your mind right to finally kick the habit.

Say That Again? Prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke linked to hearing loss!

 From New York - Did you know that exposure to tobacco smoke while being in the womb can lead to diminished hearing by teen age years?   Doctors at Langone School of Medicine in Manhattan have found in the first study ever to link tobacco use and hearing impairment.

This new research suggests that certain compounds contained in cigarette smoke cross the placenta and exert harmful effects on the auditory system.

The study looked at both maternal smoking and second hand smoke from other household members.

It appears that the smoking and second hand smoke has an affect on hearing loss due to nerve damage.

They site decreased blood flow and decreased oxygenation, or higher carbon monoxide levels.

In the study, moms and dads were asked about prenatal smoke exposure.  Sixteen percent of parents admitted to smoking.

There was also a threefold increase in the odds of low-frequency hearing loss in one ear, according to the research.

One doctor said "kids with subtle hearing loss perform poorly in school and tend to have behavioral problems because of their inability to adequately hear."

LINK TO READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE:  http://tbo.com/health/medical-news/prenatal-exposure-to-tobacco-smoke-linked-to-hearing-loss-researchers-find-20130706/

Would You Wear A Cage On Your Head To Stop Smoking Cigarettes?

Well?  Would you?  That's what Ibrahim Yucel of Turkey did!  He's 42 and have been a 2 pack a day
smoker since he was 16.  Inspired by motor cycle helmets and his own father's premature demise to lung cancer, Ibrahim now dons a cage over his head.

He's following advice I talk about in my book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, which is to stop for a purpose greater than yourself.  Ibrahim's doing it for his family.

The average smoker tries and fails four times before getting it right, so I say wear your cage with pride Ibrahim my boy and more power to you!

Get the whole story here:  http://www.inquisitr.com/835104/smoker-wears-cage-on-head-to-stop-having-cigarettes/