Do you smoke when you are stressed?

'While there's no way to reverse the damage that smoking can cause your lungs, let's look at a quick way to fix some of the ill-effects of smoking,' says Luke Coutinho.
Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

'I smoke because it calms me down and helps me deal with the erratic work schedules' is a common revert you get from a smoker.

An important project has held you back at work or you are just getting accustomed to the 24/7 work culture... these episodes come with excessive stress.

If you have not yet realised it, this becomes your first reason to light a cigarette and then another.

If this sounds like you, your journey towards being a corporate stress smoker has just begun.

Smoking has become a common ritual in the corporate world.

To help pull yourself out of this destructive vicious circle, you should understand the functioning of the body after it has come in contact with the risky contents of a cigarette.

Nicotine found in cigarettes is the most dangerous part of smoking. It is what reaches the lungs and causes addiction.

Cigarettes also contain tar, a dark gooey substance, which is very toxic and performs the function of carrying nicotine to your lungs.

Cadmium is a metal that causes toxicity in the human body and cigarettes contain a lot of it.

The faster we remove heavy metal toxicity like cadmium from the body, the better we can deal with the side effects.

Smoking too many cigarettes increases the iron content, which therefore creates more free radicals.

Even a single puff contains up to a million different free radicals that contribute to numerous diseases.

Smoking cigarettes also depletes certain vitamins and minerals from your body, which are very essential for strong immunity.

Most of the diseases are born due to deficiency of vital vitamins.

While there's no way to reverse the damage that smoking can cause to your lungs, let's look at a quick way to fix some of the ill-effects of smoking.

For people who smoke less frequently, a rich plant-based diet should do, but people who have been smoking everyday might need to add supplements to their diet.

So, after you have decided to kick the butt for good, there are ways you can curb the triggers.

For starters, get on a diet rich in vital vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Add a good quality emulsified vitamin E or get it out of natural foods like seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts, almonds or walnuts.

Smoking also damages and scars your arterial walls and that can cause heart problems.

A vitamin E supplement helps repair those scars and maintains arterial health.

Their rich antioxidants help to neutralise free radicals in the body.

Taking a supplement high in B5, along with eating foods that are plentiful in B5 is also necessary, since it prevents aging of skin, wrinkles, and heart issues.

Vitamin C is vital for people who have been smoking consistently.

Smoking is an untrue security blanket for your body that provides temporary escape from reality.

The more conscious you are of your smoke triggers, the less you'll smoke and the less hurdles you'll face when quitting.

Embrace these healthy supplements and drift towards a healthier and happier life.

Luke Coutinho is MD, alternative medicine, and founder, Purenutrition.me