Okay, so you’ve read Naturally Quit Smoking – Part 1:  Preparation and you’ve taken some of the preparation steps and now it is quitting time.  You’re ready.  You know you’re ready.   Your family knows, your friends know, your co-workers know – heck even the mail person knows.  You are even pretty sure your dog suspects something is up.  It’s time to take action!

The first action you have to take is actually a NON-action.  The first action (non-action) is to not smoke.  Easy right?  Ha!  I know you’re probably rolling your eyes.   Below are some tips to help you actually do (not do) this.

Soooo… what to do when the craving hits?

Cravings feel like they last forever but actually fade in two minutes. TWO MINUTES.  One hundred twenty seconds.  Half the length of a standard pop song.  You need to create a plan to make it through those cravings as the non-smoker you are (see how I’m already coaxing you to think of yourself as a non-smoker?).

 To naturally quit smoking try any (or all) of The Doable Ds:

• Delay: wait 2-5 minutes and the craving will pass. Occupy your mind or your body with another task or activity.
• Distract: change your surroundings: take a walk, call a friend or support person, change your meal routine, repeat your affirmations, sing a song, do a dance, eat some vegetables (carrot sticks, celery sticks), do a sudoku puzzle, do your dishes, do MY dishes…
• Deep Breathing: this will help you relax and provide a new focus during cravings.  Breath deeply and slowly into your belly.
• Drink Water: at least 2 litres a day will keep your mouth busy, fill you up, decrease cravings caused by dryness and help you detoxify.  You may also drink herbal tea.  Oatstraw (Avena Sativa) is a great option to reduce cravings and calm the nervous system.  It should be available as a loose tea at your local health health food store.
• Day At A Time: do not concern yourself with the next year, next month, next week or even tomorrow.  Once you’ve quit, concentrate on not smoking from the time you wake up until you go to sleep.
• Develop the attitute that you are doing yourself a favour by not smoking.  Do not dwell on the idea that you are depriving yourself of a cigarette.  You are ridding yourself of smoking because you care enough about yourself and your health to want too.  Affirm your choice: I am becoming healthier.  I am a non-smoker.  I enjoy my smoke-free life.  I make healthy choices in my life.
• Don’t smoke automatically: Be aware of the actual act of smoking.  Catch yourself before you light up a cigarette out of pure habit.  Make yourself aware of each cigarette by using the opposite hand or putting cigarettes in a unfamiliar location to break the automatic reach.  If you light up many times during the day without even thinking about it, try looking in a mirror each time you put a match to your cigarette and you may decide you don’t need it.
• Depart: get out of the area that is making you think you want to smoke.
• Diet: I don’t mean reduce your calories or starve yourself.  I use “diet” to mean all the foods that make up your daily eating routine.  Proper nutrition is paramount to naturally quit smoking. Often cravings happen at times of low blood sugar. People often fill the nicotine void with comfort or disease-promoting foods – and then put on weight.  Instead consider these alternatives.  I mentioned carrot and celery sticks earlier.  I bet you can think of some other healthy snack options for when those cravings hit. I recommend protein with every meal or snack and eating whole foods like VEGETABLES, Vegetables, vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans.  Oh, and vegetables.  It is beneficial to avoid refined foods such as sugar, white flour and candy. Refined grains and sugars disrupt blood sugar levels and can aggravate smoking withdrawal symptoms. Sugar substitutes increase sugar cravings.  Coffee can cause cravings and dehydration – causing further cravings, so it might be useful to avoid that too.   I know right?  With what are you left? A healthy body which will serve you much longer than a cigarette or that donut or that cup of coffee will. I bet (hope) there are things that you love in your life more than these vices.  Leaving them in your healthy dust will allow you to enjoy the things you love a lot longer.
• Do Exercise: Moving your body is very important to improve mood and reduce cravings – it can even create the same feelings of euphoria that cigarettes can.  Exercise for 30 minutes every day.  Try walking to work, walking after dinner, take a friend to yoga!

What will happen when you quit?

Nicotine is a chemical in tobacco that is highly addictive. It is actually cleared from the body quite quickly. It is important to be aware of the possible side effects of nicotine withdrawal so you can be prepared to deal with these symptoms which might include: headache, difficulty sleeping, nausea, depression, irritability, fatigue, anxiety, poor concentration, constipation, craving for sweets, increased appetite.   Symptoms can occur for about 1 week and then are reduced.

Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years. Source: US Center for Disease Control

20 Minutes After Quitting: Your heart rate drops. 12 hours: Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. 2 Weeks to 3 Months: Your heart attack risk drops & your lung function improves. 1 to 9 Months: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease. 1 Year: risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s. 5 Years: stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker’s 5-15 years after quitting. 10 Years: lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker’s. Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases. 15 Years: Your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a non-smokers. That is pretty powerful stuff.

Naturopathic medicine is a safe, effective and natural approach to you and your family’s health.  Naturopathic doctors can and will empower you to live a healthy lifestyle while treating and preventing disease.  Find more information on the services I offer at Arbour Wellness Centre at Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor. You can also follow me on my blog.  Happy Healing!!

Tags: Detoxification, Dr. Tonia Mitchell ND, health promoting behaviors, Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor, naturopathic medicine, Nutrition, quitting smoking