5 Ways to Cut Back on Tobacco

Tobacco's risks are widely publicized. Nonetheless, smokers and tobacco chewers continue to endanger their lives. Tobacco use causes more than 2/3^rd of lung cancer deaths worldwide. It wasn't just that, passive smoking exposure at home or work raises the danger. Not only adults but infants are exposed to tobacco smoke toxins through the mother's passive or direct smoke exposure. Asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, and repeated lung infections are also risks for young children.

Nicotine is addictive and hazardous in many forms, including bidis, cigarettes, hookah, and chewable tobacco. Tobacco can also impair the lungs, skin, heart health, and bladder. Every year, approximately 40% of smokers try to quit, but only 4-6% succeed. Tobacco cravings or smoking urges can be intense for the majority of people. These urges typically last for 10 minutes. As a result, a methodical approach can be beneficial.

Here is a guide with effective ways to reduce tobacco cravings and eventually quit it.

Get ready for withdrawal symptoms

Preparing for withdrawal symptoms is an effective method to quit smoking. Irritability, anger, anxiety, impatience, mood swing, low focus, heightened hunger, sleeplessness, and agitation are common withdrawal symptoms.  Sometimes, a person may experience constipation, dizziness, nightmares, nausea, and throat problems.

To deal with all of these symptoms, the strong support of family and friends is mandatory. Participate in an online tobacco cessation program. Reading a quitter's journal can be motivating. Learn how others have dealt with their cigarette cravings and put them to the test.

Avoid or manage the triggers

Tobacco cravings are highest in locations where the person has previously smoked or chewed tobacco. There may also be events such as celebrations, parties, bars, cafes, or vacations. Instead of smoking, stay busy with a pen and paper while on call or in a meeting, take notes or doodle away the urge to smoke. Avoid relapse. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you will stop after “just one”. Identify the triggers and make a plan to avoid or get through them without using cigarettes.

Try the 5A method: Ask, Advice, Assess, Assist, Arrange

• Quitters should ask themselves ‘How often do I smoke?’, ‘When was the last time I smoked?’, and ‘Why do I want to quit?’ Answering these questions helps to understand the patterns and habits better.
• Get advice on several options to quit ranging from de-addiction helplines, counseling, group therapy programs, and other interventions. Try and check what is most comfortable.
• The next step is assessment. Think about 5R’s– Relevance, Risks, Rewards, Roadblocks, and Repetitions. It will improve the willingness to quit tobacco.
• Assist with a quit plan. Set an ideal date which should be somewhere between 2 weeks after the counselor’s visit.
• Arrange support who can help to remind a schedule of follow-up visits or counseling calls to get reviewed for progress.

Try Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Consult healthcare professionals about nicotine replacement therapy. They can provide a smoking cessation strategy. Strong amounts carry nicotine to the brain in seconds, whereas lower levels take minutes to hours. NRT employs a similar strategy. Although nicotine supplements are not commonly recommended. They are beneficial in lowering nicotine demands in novices. It is available in a variety of forms, including gum, inhalers, lozenges, nasal spray, and skin patches. Explore a wide range of nicotine supplements at Apollo Pharmacy to help you with a tobacco-quitting plan.

Remind yourself of the benefits

Make a list of reasons why the decision to quit smoking and resist cigarette cravings came to mind. It functions similarly to affirmations. This could include:

• I'd like to feel better and more energized.
• I can improve my health.
• My top priority is to protect my loved ones from passive smoking.
• I just want to save money for positive things.

Quitting tobacco improves life expectancy:

• Within 20 minutes, there will be a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure.
• The carbon monoxide level in the blood returns to normal within a day.
• Circulation and lung function will improve after 3 months.
• The risk of coronary heart disease can be decreased by half in a year.

Doing something is better than nothing! So, quitters should remind themselves to resist the desire to smoke. Remember that each barrier brings you one step closer to quitting smoking.

Keep moving, and exercise daily!

Exercise reduces withdrawal symptoms and smoke cravings. Exercise, like nicotine, causes the release of adrenaline. Nicotine and exercise have comparable effects on beta-endorphins, cortisol, noradrenaline, and adrenaline. So, instead of smoking, replace it with exercise. Even short spurts of exertion, such as sprinting up and down the stairs several times, can alleviate cigarette urges. Explore Apollo Pharmacy for basic exercise equipment like hand grip, exercise bands, and even lung exercisers. If not physical activities, try prayer, stitching, housework, or journaling.

The bottom line is

Quitting smoking is challenging, but not impossible. Make an effort to get to the point where life becomes happy and healthy.

 

References:

1. How To Cut Back And Quit Smoking available at https://ur.life/article/how-to-cut-back-and-quit-smoking
2. Tobacco is killing people and poisoning the planet available at https://healthlibrary.askapollo.com/tobacco-is-killing-people-and-poisoning-the-planet/
3. Health Approach to Tobacco and Smoking Cessation available at https://healthlibrary.askapollo.com/health-approach-to-tobacco-and-smoking-cessation/
4. Tobacco: Health benefits of smoking cessation available at https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/tobacco-health-benefits-of-smoking-cessation
5. How to Quit Smoking available at https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/index.html