Let Your Diet Help You Quit Smoking

Smoking has become a plague of our times. Many people are addicted to cigarettes and Shisha;we see that all the time in public places.Today, women are even more addicted and are not ashamed to be seen holding a cigarette in public places, or even in their homes and among their children. Smart women know what smoking really does to them: smoking causes early wrinkles and changes the color of skin, teeth and nails. It harms our bodies and it’s a major cause of serious illness in adults as well as children. The best option for these women is that they should try to stop smoking. And for this reason, we are trying to highlight some of the nutrition rules that will help women who smoke to get rid of addiction and return to a healthy lifestyle.

The right food:
In a meeting with Nutrition Specialist Dr. Dina Ahmed, she provided us with simple rules for the smoking cessation period that will enable you to adapt to the new situation of being smoke free. You can do this while maintaining your ideal weight, so that your food helps you get rid of toxins and prevents the infamous weight gain that often occurs after quitting.

There are a number of foods that can help people who are trying to stop smoking. For example, bananas are one of the best fruits you can eat during the initial cessation period, because they contain vitamin B6 in addition to other nutrients like potassium, which helps the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal. Another good food to try is tomato -- this vegetable helps to decrease the appeal of cigarette smoke, especially the scent of it.

Since tomato and tobacco plants are in the same family, tomato juice helps you stop smoking because it helps your body believe you are still smoking, but without the harmful ingredients.

Another important substance is vitamin E, which is found in breads, nuts, and whole grains. Selenium is also important. This substance is supports the absorption of vitamin E in the body, and fights malignant diseases that may be caused by smoking. Selenium is found in fish, liver and mushrooms.

Vitamin A and Carotene are two essentials nutrients to help you stop smoking; they are found in carrots and tomatoes. These elements help your body to resist cancer development, particularly lung cancer, which is a particular risk in former smokers. One of the important food enzymes is Q10 coenzyme, which helps to reduce the proportion of toxins in the smoker’s body in general. If taken with vitamin C for example, it helps in removing all the toxins caused by smoking in a more effecient manner.

Eating foods that contain B vitamins helps in quitting smoking as well. The vitamin B group is one of the that is often destroyed and depleted in the body as a result of smoking, so we must compensate for this loss. Some of the most important vitamins in this group are:
♦Vitamin B12, which reduces damage in body cells. It’s found in liver, milk and eggs.
♦Vitamin B3, which is found in full grain, fish and liver. It’s also responsible for the reopening and energizing the blood circulation that might be constricted by nicotine.
♦Vitamin B5 helps your body to resist the psychological pressure resulting from withdrawal. It helps in reducing cravings.

Quick tips:
Dr. Dina also had some quick tips to ensure access to adequate good nutrition at this critical period; they are as follows:

* Eating vegetables, fruits and dairy products make cigarettes taste as horrible as possible, so eat lots of them. This can help you if you have a relaspse because the unpleasant flavor of the cigarette may help you stay on track with quitting.
* Avoid eating lots of red meat, coffee and carbonated drinks, because they accentuate the taste of cigarettes and can increase cravings.
* Calming herbs like Anise and Chamomile for example, reduce the cravings and irritability and help in stress control.
* Fiber-rich foods like spinach and lettuce help in the fast disposal of residual toxins that have built up in former-smokers’ bodies.
* Eating fish twice a week reduces the adverse impact of tobacco on the body.
* Taking the appropriate quantity of vitamin C (recommended by the doctor) is important, because smoking eliminates this vitamin in the body.
* Warm herbal baths and massage help to speed up the process of toxin disposal from the body, and thus help to reduce the chances that you'll want to smoke again.
* Fasting is the best remedy. Try fasting two days a week during the initial period to help your body get used to the new situation. Of course any fasting must be done under the supervision of a specialist doctor.
* Try a diet consisting of natural juice rather than canned. This will rid your body of nicotine in a very short time.
* Drink large quantities of water, especially when you feel the desire to smoke.
* Exercise is essential. It reduces tension resulting from nicotine withdrawal symptoms. It also produces the same substances produced by the brain that makes the smoker feel happy and satisfied when smoking. Exercise also prevents weight gain that can occur after you after quit smoking.