Cigarette smoking is a distasteful (metaphorically and literally) habit. Knowing how smart and well-informed you readers are, it is safe to assume that you know this already. However, below is a useful resource comprising of some harsh facts coupled with some easy steps which could be taken to at least somewhat alleviate the ill-effects of smoking. If you or someone you know is slave to this toxic dependency, we do hope that the table below helps expedite the quitting process.
| FACT | ELABORATION | WHAT CAN I DO? | |
| 1 | Oxidative damage | Your body is going through damage on a cellular level also known as oxidative damage and dangerous free radicals are being released. Think of free radicals as goons. They are freely walking around inside your body destroying and damaging everything | And fresh and local fruits and vegetables along with Vitamin C and Vitamin E supplements into your diet. These foods and supplements have anti- oxidant properties and will together counter the oxidative damage that the body is going through. Think of them as a cop who will finally find and arrest the goons (at least some if not all) who are causing disruption |
| 2 | Inflammation | Smoking causes inflammation of the arteries. Inflammation inhibits the ability of arteries to expand properly, thereby prohibiting the proper delivery of nutrients to all cells and sapping energy | Add anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. Sources: Peanuts, almonds. Use turmeric (haldi), ginger and garlic while cooking as these have anti-inflammatory properties as well |
| 3 | Nutrient deficiencies | You are more prone to vitamin deficiencies since nutrients don’t get absorbed as easily | Have wholesome, healthy meals and a good baseline diet. Along with that, you may consider supplementing Vitamin D, calcium, folate and omega-3. Common food sources of these nutrients: Paneer, milk, dairy products, lentils/daal, palak/spinach, orange, eggs |
| 4 | Heart troubles | Smoking accelerates the build-up of fatty deposits and cholesterol in the arteries. Each time you smoke, blood vessels become sticky from the chemicals in the tobacco which leads to fat collecting and sticking to the artery walls | Strengthen the heart muscle via regular exercise. Exercise would also lower your cholesterol levels and mobilize these fatty deposits. Spend 60 minutes 3-4 days/week doing cardiovascular and strength-based workouts |
| 5 | Lung troubles | It causes damage to the air sacs and airways in your lungs (surprise, surprise!) | As mentioned above, a strenuous full body exercise regimen to strengthen both the heart and the lungs would be worth your while. This will increase blood circulation and help eliminate residual smoke from lungs |
| 6 | More lung troubles | Smoking damages cell clusters like alveoli and bronchioles which are present in the lungs | Adding polyphenols (plant-based molecules which have anti-oxidant properties) to the diet could repair them to some extent. Food sources: Rice, sprouts, apple, cumin/jeera |
| 7 | Accelerated aging (yikes!) | Owing to all the oxidative damage, smoking makes you look old and wrinkly | Drink ample water to flush out toxins and seriously consider adding that workout we mentioned earlier. Not only will it rid your body of toxins, it will give you that much needed natural, post- workout glow |
| 8 | Trivia | Niacin (a type of B vitamin) has a chemical composition similar to nicotine. It attaches to certain receptors and reduces addiction | Consider including a niacin supplement into your diet. Food sources of Niacin: Green peas, bananas, apricots, dates |
| 9 | Weakened sense of taste and smell | Your sense of taste and sense of smell is blunted due to nerve damage | Other than quitting, there isn’t much else you could do to regain these senses |
| 10 | More trivia | Some studies show that alcohol, caffeine and red meat consumption may increase smoking urges | If you identify a pattern and find this to be the case, be judicious with your usage |
The table above was but a tiny glimpse into all the ill-effects of smoking. We could go on about how it weakens your immune system, affects those around you etc. However, if you’re a smoker, you’re already quite the expert when it comes to hearing endless rants. That’s not what we want to do. We merely want to give you some tangible tips to incorporate into your current lifestyle as you work through the quitting process.
Good luck!