Bay Naturopath - Quit Smoking, with diet , lifestyle and changes - Quit Smoking, with diet , lifestyle and changes

Nutrition and Herbs Help to Stop Smoking

References included

The damage to health from cigarette smoking is profound; the evidence that smoking causes early death is overwhelming, however despite these facts many people still smoke[1]. Nicotine is an addictive drug so it is not surprising that it is hard to quit smoking. The majority of smokers want to stop. Often a number of strategies are needed to stop smoking. Nicotine replacement therapy may be part of the solution, relaxation techniques may help too, and less widely known is how nutrition and herbal remedies can help you to stop smoking.

If you smoke you are likely have low levels of important nutrients such as polyunsaturated fats(which includes omega 3), protein, fibre, iron, beta-carotene[2, 3], vitamin C[2-4], vitamin E[2] and the B Vitamins, [5-7, 4, 8-10]. The reasons for this are twofold; smokers are more likely to have a poor diet[3] and cigarette smoking results in a deficiency of these nutrients[2, 3]. The nutrient deficiencies are exacerbated as smoking can increase the amount of nutrients needed by the body such as vitamin E and vitamin C[11]. When nutrients are low you are at a greater risk of illness; including cardiovascular problems, cancer, type 2 diabetes and mental health problems[2, 5, 12, 6, 7, 4, 9]. In addition the smoking itself will make you more likely to get these illnesses[2, 12, 4].

One of the major obstacles to stopping smoking is that the smoker feels tense when stopping smoking. This is due partly to the addiction to nicotine. It may also be explained by low levels of omega 3 Fatty Acids, B vitamins, Vitamin C, iron and protein which are important to maintain good mental health[13-20]. Studies show people who smoke generally eat less fruits and vegetables than non-smokers; resulting in low levels of vitamin C, B Vitamins and iron[3, 4]. Research shows that people with anxiety disorders have greater difficulty in stopping smoking than others[21]. If you have been struggling to stop smoking attention to your diet and nutrient intake could be a key to your success. If I do recommend nutrients I suggest the Entire Katoa Food State supplements for the best absorption. As part of your changes in diet to eat more nutritious food be sure to include almonds as they have been shown to help decrease some of the damage caused by smoking[12]; of course you will still need to stop smoking.

Herbal medicine can be hugely helpful in relieving anxiety associated with anxiety and withdrawal from nicotine. In particular herbs such as Valerian, Motherwort, Vervain and Skullcap are used. These not only relive anxiety but also strengthen the nervous system. A naturopath can mix a number of herbs so that the herbal medicine is tailored to your specific needs which best supports your health.

Very often smoking is used as a reason to take a break and relax in the day. So when you stop smoking make sure you still take those breaks; sit and chill, get outdoors or chat with a friend, just not accompanied by a cigarette.

Naturopaths will help you learn how best to support your body so that whatever the impact of cigarettes are on your health you can begin to look forward to enjoying a healthy life. Start by making the decision today to quit smoking.

We provide FREE Quitcards for anyone wishing to use Nicotine Replacement Therapy as one of the strategies to stop smoking. Contact us for details.

References click on title for a link to the abstract

1. Quit Group Tobacco Facts

2. Dallongeville J, Marecaux N, Fruchart J-C, Amouyel P: Cigarette Smoking Is Associated with Unhealthy Patterns of Nutrient Intake: a Meta-analysis. J Nutr 1998, 128(9):1450-1457.