There is a question that invariably arises among those who will stop smoking, which is the search for what to replace cigarettes in times of craving for smoking? If you listen to several healthy lifestyle advocates, then you may decide that if a person asks these and similar questions, it may mean that deep down they are not ready to give up smoking, they have doubts, whether about the need for it. , or about your own strength . . .
But at the same time, it must not be forgotten that nicotine addiction in the form of smoking cigarettes is not so much a physical addiction as a mental one, an unhealthy craving.
Of course, when something is taken away from a person who has firmly entered their life and is a reason to feel positive moments, then they begin to experience the expressed anxiety, which then turns into the need to replace what was taken away.
Besides, nature abhors empty spaces, it must be filled with something. What will replace tobacco in your case? What can replace a bad smoking habit?
Advantages and disadvantages. . .
Today, smokers have no problem answering the question of how to replace smoking with cigarettes. Everyone can find something suitable for themselves, someone likes the so-called safe cigarettes better: electronic or non-nicotine; others prefer lollipops or sugary pills; for some, chewing gum or seeds are the way out.
But unfortunately, all of these substitutes have their downsides: Lollipops damage your teeth and body, chewing gum causes increased gastric secretion, and non-nicotine e-cigarettes aren't always effective for withdrawal.
What is it worth replacing cigarettes and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each "replacement"?
Cigarettes will replace lollipops
Many smokers who do not know how to substitute cigarettes start consuming large amounts of lollipops, sucking on candies or pills. This helps to combat the urge to smoke very well, the tablets act on the receptors of the oral cavity and respiratory organs, to some extent replacing the cigarette.
Mint flavored sweets are especially effective - they reduce the urge to smoke, freshen your breath, and contain less sugar. The popularity of sweets as a substitute for cigarettes is well founded: they are non-addictive and actually help to deal with the cravings for a smoke.
But if you replace all cravings with sweets, the number of calories, like sugar, will exceed all reasonable norms and hence the problems of overweight and impaired carbohydrate metabolism.
gum versus cigarettes
Chewing gum can be divided into 2 large groups: regular and special that contain nicotine. The first "works" on the same principle as candy: replacing the smoking habit with another action - chewing.
But when choosing chewing gum with menthol or cinnamon flavor, you should not forget that constant chewing causes an increased secretion of gastric juice, which means that it increases the risk of developing gastritis and stomach ulcers. Nicotine gum contains nicotine and although it alleviates withdrawal symptoms, it does not cure cravings.
The electronic cigarette replaces the usual
Electronic cigarettes are now considered one of the most effective ways to fight nicotine addiction. By completely copying the appearance of a cigarette and the lighting ritual, it helps to combat psychological addiction and the habit of smoking, and because not cigarette smoke, but steam, enters the body, damage to the body is minimized.
But unfortunately, this remedy is not a panacea for smoking either, steam inhalation cannot replace the sensation of smoking, and the e-cigarette itself is common. Today, doctors and scientists argue about the benefits and dangers of electronic cigarettes, but this has already been proven experimentally: the electronic cigarette replaces the common cigarette for those who want to quit smoking on their own.
Nicotine-Free Cigarettes - Convenient and Safe?
Non-nicotine cigarettes look and feel like regular cigarettes, but your tobacco does not contain nicotine. These cigarettes are a real alternative to the regular ones, but are recommended to be used only during the period of smoking cessation. In fact, when smoke from a nicotine-free cigarette is inhaled, carbon monoxide resins, benzopyrene, and other components that are no less harmful to health also enter the body.
Other "Substitutes" for Cigarettes
You can substitute seeds for cigarettes, straws, chewing wooden sticks or having a snack instead of a smoke break. But each method, in addition to its advantages, has many disadvantages, and whether it's worth switching from one problem to another, each smoker must decide for himself.
Is it worth changing one addiction to another?
When you stop smoking, you should not think about how to replace a cigarette, but rather "review" incentives to stop smoking. And if an honest answer to the question "Why do I want to quit smoking" shows that the reason lies in anything but your own aversion to smoking, then even with cigarette substitutes, quitting may not be effective.
If the pitcher finds something to replace the cigarette, then you need to be prepared for the fact that there are no replacements for insurance, which means there can be problems with already taking a replacement.
Caramel or snacks - overweight, chewing gum - digestive disorders, vegetables and fruits are also not harmless, and even in quantities comparable to the number of cigarettes smoked per day.
Chewing all kinds of sticks, from matches to tree branches, is also not harmless. The matches are impregnated with a combustible compound, which, to say the least, is not useful for humans, and tree branches can have side effects and simply be unpleasant to the taste.
In any case, it's important to understand that you shouldn't chase two hares at the same time, and the damage of an extra candy and a pound of excess weight is hardly stronger than the damage of a day or two of smoking. And you don't have to rely on candy for years after you quit smoking - one, two weeks and that's it.
You decide! What do you want to get, a healthy life, albeit with minor complications in the first phase, or years of smoking?