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No Smoking Day 2022: Foods That Help You Heal After Quitting Smoking

No Smoking Day is observed every year on the second Wednesday of March to create health awareness about the harmful effects of smoking among people and intends to help smokers who want to quit smoking. In 1984, No Smoking Day was observed for the first time.

The theme of No Smoking Day 2022 is 'quitting smoking doesn't have to be stressful.'

The never reducing number of deaths caused by cigarette smoking is the only valid proof one needs to understand the dangers pertaining to the habit of smoking. Not only is it harmful to the smoker, but it can also have deleterious effects on the people around as well. Unlike the number of other bad habits, cigarette smoking is dangerous to anyone and everything. Therefore, the first and only step to be considered is - quit smoking, there is no alternative to it. Not only do you save your own life from the harmful effects of smoking but also of others around you who inhale the toxic smoke [1] .

Smoking

Air pollution and the smoke in your surroundings damage your lungs to an extent and cigarettes damage them more. If you ignore them, the first risk would be lung cancer. Smoking can cause chronic cough, infection in the lungs, lung cancer and more. Your lungs contain tiny balloon-like bags that hold air. The smoke that you inhale damages those bags and will restrict the oxygen in your blood flow; making it difficult to breathe.

The nicotine in tobacco acts like a drug and when you use it, it changes your body in some way. Nicotine is a stimulant that has the capacity to speed up the nervous system such that you'll feel that you have abundant energy. Tobacco has been the one major cause of preventable death globally. As many as half of the people who use tobacco, in some form or the other, die due to the ill effects of the same. With high risks for lung cancer, larynx and mouth cancer and pancreatic cancer [2] , [3] .

So, if you are one of the people who have understood the negative impact and side effects of the habit - there is one more thing you need to be aware of. The best types of foods to be consumed when you are attempting to get rid of the nicotine from your whole system. After successfully removing yourself from your harmful friends (cigarettes), you must be thinking and worrying about the damage that it has done to your body. You need not worry as there are some effective plant-based foods that will help you to heal the damage [4] .

It is important to naturally cleanse your body of nicotine and toxins caused by smoking. Now since you have already quit smoking, you must detoxify your body to get the benefits that quitting smoking brings. It can also help relieve withdrawal symptoms.

Smoking

Foods To Eat After Quitting Smoking

1. Carrot juice

It will detoxify your body and will remove all toxins in your blood as well as from your organs. Carrot juice is rich in vitamin A, C, K and B vitamins that will repair and heal your body. It can help alkalise your blood if consumed every morning. And, the regular intake of carrots will strengthen your body's natural defences [5] .

2. Spinach

The leafy green not only helps you to get in a good state of health after quitting smoking but will also help your kidneys to remove toxins from your blood. Spinach is rich in many vitamins and folic acid, which will help you to avoid cravings for cigarettes. Also, it is no news that green vegetables have plenty of antioxidants, and the carotenoids in spinach are especially useful for smokers because regular intake of these has proven to show lesser incidences of cancer [6] .

3. Nettle tea

Rich in iron, this one help your body to heal and rebuild the lost stamina and strength that smoking had snatched away. Drink nettle tea on a regular basis to rid your body of the toxins as well [7] .

4. Broccoli

Green foods are important for you to consume if you are a smoker. It will cleanse your lungs from many toxic substances including nicotine. Eating broccoli replenishes the vitamin C in your body and this keeps your metabolism peaked up which in turn helps to keep your lungs protected from toxins. That is, broccoli is rich in a substance called sulforaphane which helps to heal the lungs [8] .

Smoking

5. Cinnamon

A deep inhalation of a cinnamon stick mimics the deep drag on your flavourful cigarette. Alternately, you can also chew a small piece of cinnamon to get rid of your cravings for a cigarette [9] .

6. Ginger

This wonderful root can curb your urge for cigarettes. Just grind a piece of ginger, add a teaspoon of sugar to it and consume immediately. This will help you resist your appetite for smoking. It can cleanse the mucus in the lungs and contains antioxidants that can flush out the toxins that are a result of smoking [10] .

7. Pine needle tea

This tea will remove all your oral infections and stains on teeth due to smoking. Pine needle tea will repair and improve lung health and is good for your heart. It is also good for your throat [7] .

8. Milk

Research have proved that the consumption of milk before smoking is completely unappealing. Also, you can dip your cigarettes in milk well ahead of time and let them dry. The aftertaste of these cigarettes is disgusting and takes bitter. Even for people who are addicted to nicotine for years together, this is no more attractive. Other dairy products like yoghurt, cheese and cream can also be used in this process, in place of milk [11] .

This is for individuals who often tend to fall back into old habits.

9. Chocolate

Munching on chocolate also helps a lot when you have the urge to smoke. Make sure that you eat dark chocolate because this is the best for you if you are trying to quit smoking, as compared to milk chocolate [12] .

10. Dry fruits

It is an interesting fact that the fragrance of dry fruits can lower your cravings for smoking. Also, consuming them and munching on them when you crave a cigarette will help you quit smoking [13] .

Smoking

11. Ginseng

Commonly and mostly only known for its effectiveness in the process of weight loss, ginseng is also beneficial in this cause. Ginseng has been proven to reduce the cravings for nicotine. However, it is not recommended to use Ginseng every day, you can just consume it 3 to 4 times a month.

12. Citrus-rich fruits

Consuming oranges replenishes vitamin C in the body. When you consume these citrus fruits the nicotine flushes out automatically from the system within 24 hours. Vitamin C increases metabolism and thus helps to remove toxins such as nicotine from your body faster [14] . Have fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C such as oranges, papaya, tomatoes etc.

13. Capsicum

Bell peppers are rich in antioxidants and are advised to cancer patients as a part of their recovery diet. So they should top the chart when it comes to a detox diet for smoking individuals. Try to have them as raw as possible; never deep fry or overcook bell peppers.

14. Garlic

Add garlic to everything you eat, your salads, soups and curries. If you can stand the pungent smell then eat 4-5 cloves of garlic raw every day. Garlic has a special antitumour property that is especially useful to smokers. While your cigarettes work on producing carcinoma in your body, the garlic you eat will fight tumours [15] .

15. Green tea

Caffeine or tobacco from these beverages will further add toxic substances to your body. So, switch to green tea which is an invaluable health drink for smokers as it is rich in antioxidants. Just because it is a part of your detox diet, you do not have to drink it like medicine. Once you develop a taste for it, it might become one of your prime addictions [16] .

16. Cranberries

This little red fruit contains an acid that helps to throw out the nicotine from your body within 24 hours. Top your desserts with cranberries or have a berry smoothie to help deal with the toxins.

17. Pomegranates

Consuming these fruits can help in the production of red blood cells, which in turn helps to combat health problems caused due to smoking - like irregular heartbeat and blood pressure. When you consume this red fruit, automatically the nicotine gets flushed out within 24 hours [17] .

Smoking

18. Wheat germ

Even days of smoking can tighten up your blood vessels. Therefore, if you consume a good amount of wheat germ which is rich in vitamin E, it will help to improve the elasticity of your circulatory system.

19. Kale

One of the best natural sources of isothiocyanates and other antioxidants which can flush out toxins from the body within 24 hours, kale is a must-have in your daily diet [18] .

20. Kiwi

The wonder fruit helps flush out nicotine from the body. Kiwi is a rich source of vitamin A, C and E. When you smoke, these vitamins gets reduced in the body. So, have kiwi to flush out nicotine [19] .

21. Water

The best way to cleanse your body is by drinking water and hydrating yourself. Further, if you're one of those struggling to quit smoking, drinking lots of water will help curb the feeling to smoke. Try to drink at least two litres of water per day after quitting smoking. Water will help to flush out all the toxins including nicotine from your body through kidneys in the form of urine [20] .

View Article References
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