Quitting smoking

Is it time to quit?

Thousands of chemical compounds are generated by cigarette smoke and many of them are poisons. Carbon monoxide is released during smoking, reducing the amount of oxygen to the brain and other organs such as the lungs and heart. Nicotine is not only addictive, but also acts as a cancer promoter, making it easier for cancer cells of all types to spread throughout the body. Tar, which is formed when organic compounds are burned, is the leading cancer-causing chemical found in tobacco smoke.

How to give up?

Start by making smoking inconvenient. Stop carrying cigarettes and lighters with you. Aim at reducing to less than 5 cigarettes per day. Implement some healthy habits in replacement of smoking e.g. drinking relaxing herbal tea, a glass of mineral water or fresh juice. Participate in more exercise to experience the relaxing endorphin high that exercise brings. On the emotional side, smoking becomes a reinforced habit because it is used as a means to avoid addressing stressful situations and thus self-introspection into the emotional triggers is very helpful. When you anticipate these stressful situations recurring at work or home and reach for the cigarettes then this is where the combination of willpower, positive thinking and new healthy habits are essential. When you have achieved a manageable routine then fix a date to give up entirely.

What happens after you quit smoking?

Within 24 hours after you have your last cigarette, your body will begin to heal itself. The levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine in your system will decline rapidly, and your heart and lungs will begin to repair the damage caused by cigarette smoke. Within a few days, you will probably begin to notice some remarkable changes in your body. Your sense of smell and taste may improve. You will breathe easier, and your smoker cough will disappear. You will be free from the mess, smell, inconvenience, expense and dependence of cigarette smoking.

Managing withdrawal
As your body begins to repair itself, instead of feeling better right away, you may feel worse for a while. These withdrawal pangs are really symptoms of the recovery process. Immediately after quitting, many ex-smokers experience symptoms of recovery such as temporary weight gain caused by fluid retention, irregular heart rhythms and dry, sore gums or tongue. These and other physical and emotional symptoms are the result of your body clearing itself of nicotine, a powerful addictive chemical. Most nicotine is gone from the body after several days.

Herbs to assist detoxification

Antioxidant and liver strengthening herbs can support your ability to detoxify nicotine and the myriad of toxic chemicals that have accumulated in body tissues. Our formula Hempedu Bumi Plus contains the standardized extracts; Andrographis paniculata, Curcuma longa, and Phyllanthus niruri which provide important liver support and detoxification properties that reduce withdrawal symptoms and speed-up the healing process. For more information of Hempedu Bumi Plus, click here. Also available as Hempedu Bumi Blend Tea.

It is important to understand that the unpleasant after-effects of quitting are only temporary and signal the beginning of a healthier life. Each day after you have quit you have added healthy productive days to your life and greatly improved your chances to live longer. You will have significantly reduced your risk of death from heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and several kinds of cancer - not just lung cancer. Additionally you have conquered a most challenging addiction and given a healthy example for friends and family to follow!