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Quitting smoking – like any withdrawal – is associated with a withdrawal syndrome. Knowing about this mechanism can help you break free from addiction.
As early as 1975, the World Health Organization recognized tobacco as a substance that causes addiction. This means that rehab will cause the smoker a withdrawal syndrome. It is not just a subjective mental feeling. It can be demonstrated and measured in medical research. These will be changes in the EEG record, slower heart rate, drop in blood pressure, decrease in the level of the stress hormone – cortisol, adrenaline, the happiness hormone – dopamine, increase in body weight and disorders of selective attention and memory. These symptoms develop most severely within the first month and then gradually decline. – For people who smoked a pack a day, the first month is a shock. On the other hand, they will also start to feel the positive consequences of quitting the addiction – easier breathing, greater efficiency, better circulation, increased libido – says family doctor Robert Sapa. He also adds that craving and psychological addiction can be overcome if you are determined to break the addiction.
Sore throat and cough after quitting
Long-term smokers saying goodbye to addiction may develop a cough. Smoking causes chronic bronchitis. When we stop smoking, the mucosa in the bronchi regenerates. They begin to clear of mucus and other substances. – It is worth checking with your doctor if your cough is caused by other factors. If not, there is no point in fighting him. You have to let your body cleanse itself. If the cough is very troublesome, you can ask your GP for a syrup to dissolve the secretions, says Dr. Robert Sapa. Some people may also develop a sore throat. Tobacco irritates the throat, but it is pain-relieving at the same time. By quitting smoking, we stop desensitizing them. Doctors advise to moisten the throat and drink plenty of water. It may take 1 to 9 months for the respiratory system to improve, as well as for shortness of breath and cough to resolve.
A decrease in the risk of a heart attack
As emphasized by the staunch opponent of smoking, Prof. Witold Zatoński from the Oncology Center in Warsaw, after extinguishing the last cigarette within twenty minutes – the heart rate will drop and blood pressure will return to normal. After eight hours – the oxygen concentration in the blood will increase and the carbon monoxide will drop to zero. This will increase the body’s efficiency. After a day, the risk of an acute heart attack will decrease significantly, and within two weeks to three months – the cardiovascular system will be strengthened and physical condition will improve. However, as a result of the pressure drop, headaches may occur. Guarana juice or coffee can help.
Quitting smoking and being overweight
Nicotine accelerates the intestinal peristalsis. Its sudden absence causes their work to slow down, which may result in constipation. Dr. Sapa recommends changing the diet – more fluids, bran added to cottage cheese, yogurt and salads, more fresh fruit (kiwi stimulates the intestines well) and vegetables.
It should also be remembered that the lack of nicotine unlocks the senses of smell and taste and therefore the food tastes better. Besides, eating is compensated by the learned habit of keeping something in the mouth. In order not to gain too much weight, prof. Zatoński recommends stocking up on raw carrots, kohlrabi, cucumber, apple or celery. During an attack of hunger, you can eat these vegetables and fruits without fear. Dr. Sapa also offers his patients dried cranberries, chokeberry or plums. They satisfy hunger because they are sweet, and they satisfy the reflex to hold something in their mouth.
To all those who say that the excess weight they may get after quitting smoking will be worse than nicotine, prof. Zatoński replies that it is necessary to gain over 20 kg to wipe out the beneficial health effects of quitting the addiction.
Also read: Spontaneous quitting smoking can herald lung cancer
Sports in the fight against nicotine addiction
Psychological reactions are also associated with quitting smoking. You may experience irritability, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity and difficulty concentrating. ‘You have to realize that all these symptoms are temporary and none of them are life-threatening, unlike continuing smoking,’ says Dr Sapa. Most of them increase after forty-eight hours, and over the next three to four weeks their intensity gradually decreases. A good distraction is to start a new physical activity. It can be a swimming pool, gym, roller skating, playing tennis or an intensive dance course. Sport relieves stress and increases the level of satisfaction. In addition, it will prevent excessive weight gain.
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