Nutrition as an Aid to Quit Smoking

Regular smoking of cigarettes causes very significant changes in a person's brain chemistry. Brain chemistry is very complicated, and everybody's chemistry works a little differently. (This explains why some people have a very easy time quitting, and others can get physically ill when they quit.) To be successful in quitting smoking (or doing anything difficult), it makes sense to use every tool available to improve your chances. Nutritional modification can be a powerful tool in your battle with quitting cigarettes for good.

Nicotine affects the pleasure center of the brain. When we quit smoking cigarettes, the chemicals that naturally make us happy are quite depleted for about a week. This can make us agitated and moody. This affects our personal and professional relationships, and can be a common reason for someone to be unsuccessful in quitting. It improves one's chances for being successful quitting smoking if we can minimize eating things that stimulate our central nervous system. Here are a few basic guidelines:

• Drink lots of Water
• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
• Avoid caffeine
• Avoid sugar, and foods with added sugars
• Avoid meals that are mostly meat
• Avoid all sodas
• Avoid alcohol

These guidelines help to detoxify your blood and tissues, and not stimulate your nervous system. This makes the unpleasant emotional part of quitting smoking last less time, and wreak less havoc with the people around you. These guidelines also have a beneficial effect on the weight gain that some people experience when they quit smoking.

If you have any questions about nutrition and quitting smoking, call Mark Costello at; 303-797-6656