Quitting smoking: Allies for success

How can I quit smoking?

Tobacco is often associated with certain situations such as having a coffee after lunch, a time of rest in certain places… Identify those situations in which you usually smoke and change your routine.

Look for support from your loved ones. It will be helpful if you quit with someone else, as you will be able to share the moments of weakness and support each other.

Practicing sports would be very useful to face anxiety, as it makes you release endorphins that prevent anxiety and reduce stress while keeping you busy. You can also try meditation and relaxation activities if you do not like sports.

As soon as you feel the urge to smoke, force yourself to wait 10 minutes and find an activity to distract your mind and cope with that urge.

Here are the immediate benefits of quitting smoking:

• You will recover your taste and smell, and you will taste food again.
• Your appearance will be enhanced as you will recover the whiteness in your teeth and the shine in your hair. Your breath and the unpleasant smell of your hair and clothes will be improved.
• You will save money. Try to multiply your daily expenditure on tobacco by 30 to find out how much of your salary will return to your wallet each month.
• You will breathe better, and when climbing upstairs, for example, you will find it easier and will not feel fatigued. If you like sports, your performance will be enhanced too.

Quitting will also have other benefits for your health that you will notice in the long run.

Your quality of life will be enhanced

After eight hours, your body will be free from the excess carbon monoxide and your pulmonary oxygenation will improve. After five days, your body will be free of most of the nicotine. After three months, your pulmonary function will begin to improve, and after six, your defenses will be stabilized, so the risk of suffering from colds and flu, etc. will be considerably reduced.

After one year, the risk of suffering from heart diseases will be reduced by half. Tobacco is associated with different cardiovascular diseases (heart stroke, chest angina, etc.)

A decade after quitting tobacco, the risk of lung cancer will be equal to that of non-smokers.

Plants can help you too

Medicinal plants can support and help you a lot in quitting smoking.

OAT (Avena sativa)

Oat helps protect the respiratory mucosa thanks to its tonic, restorative and sedative effects.

GINSENG (Panax ginseng)

The root helps reduce the symptoms of withdrawal syndrome, which appear when the body stops receiving nicotine.

SUNDEW (Drosera rotundifolia)

Sundew helps eliminate toxic substances accumulated in the respiratory tract.

LEMON BALM (Melissa officinalis)

Lemon balm helps you face the anxiety generated by quitting smoking.

GREEN ANISE (Pimpinella anisum)

Green anise helps eliminate bronchial mucus by making it more fluid.

Consider that quitting smoking often leads to a slight weight gain as nicotine increases our metabolic rate, and when we quit, it turns normal again. Try to watch your diet and make it varied, practice sports and drink 2 liters of water daily.