Exercise and Diets for Smokers




After it has been proven that smoking ruins human body, many scientists started studying the ways to help smokers to avoid cancer and other smoking related diseases. A new approach has been offered at the American Association for Cancer Research 2008. It showed the benefits of healthy way of life on smokers.

Almost every person now who can read and hear knows that smoking causes cancer, so when people get diagnosed with it their reaction is double-sides. One group of people starts caring more about health, leading a physically active and healthy life a part of which is quitting smoking. The others say they do not want to quit because cancer is already there and nothing worse can happen.

Many people know the harmful effects of smoking, but they are not aware of the benefits of smoking cessation. There are more than 10 million cancer survivors in the U.S. now, many of which achieved their goal by quitting smoking. It has been noticed that cancer patients who have given up cigarettes improved survival and treatment complications.

While trying to quit the patients faced other problems, so called nicotine withdrawal symptoms: they felt hungry and thirst, had troubles falling asleep, felt uncomfortable around other smokers. However, if the patient desired, the doctors advised the best smoking cessation ways for the specific cases.

Both smoking and exercise affect the same body organs, but in opposite ways. Smoking increases blood pressure, affects lungs and pushes up heart rate. Exercises do the same thing, but they bring benefits from it while cigarettes damage the body. Smoking decreases lung capacity, increases the chances to have a heart attack, produces phlegm which clogs lung pipes. Exercises improve the work of lungs, break up the phlegm and reduce the risk of heart diseases.

The researches from Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona, Spain, have proven that physically active smokers have 20% less chance to develop pulmonary disease (problems to breathe) than the smokers which do not exercise. However, it is still preferable to give up smoking before starting exercises because of several reasons.

First of all, having the same effect on the organs, smoking and exercises make heart work twice as hard wearing it out with unnecessary efforts. Secondly, smoking limits the body’s ability to absorb oxygen. As a result, smokers run out of breath while doing workouts. And finally, the people with the bad habit get tired quicker than others because of the two above mentioned reasons and due to the fact that cigarettes reduce endurance and physical performance.

A good diet helps to minimize the effect of nicotine on the body. Some nutrients clean it from tar and negative elements which have covered many organs. As it has been noticed with exercises, it is better to quit smoking and then start cleaning the body and restoring health.

Some studies show that healthy food like milk, juices, vegetables and fruits help to quit smoking because their flavor does not work well with the taste of cigarettes. They also say in attempt to quit, smokers should give up coffee, alcohol beverages and meat.

After quitting the person should increase the intake of Vitamins C and E which become very deficient during smoking. Since these vitamins improve the immune system and helps fight cancers, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, smokers should take twice as much Vitamins C and E as non-smokers. Vitamin C is high in guavas, citrus fruits and melons. Vitamin E can be found in sunflower seeds and oil, nuts, sweet potato, avocado and spinach.

Selenium is important for body restoration and protection from cell damages. It helps the body to fight infections. Selenium is found in nuts, raisins, shrimps and white rice. Manganese controls blood sugar and improves bone strength. Good sources of it are nuts, soy beans, tea and brown rice. Niacinamide improves lung condition and strengthens heart work. The products rich in it are eggs, chicken, pork, beef, cheddar cheese.

Elisa Jackson

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Posted on July 2, 2009 
Filed Under Facts on Smoking, Smoking and Diet, Smoking and Health

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