Natural Body Cleanse from Smoking

The human body is miraculous in its capacity to repair and heal, even when if it has been misused and abused. One of the most common forms of abuse is smoking – an unbelievably powerful addiction that hurts the body with every puff of a cigarette.  BUT . . . because of its resiliency, in just a few days after your final cigarette, your body will begin to repair itself. It is truly magical!

This is true regardless of the number of years you have been a smoker, the body can recover from the abuse and you will begin to feel better and better with time. Barring any long-term disease or chronic condition that may have developed, you can move forward confidently with the knowledge that you can return to good health. That knowledge will help keep you strong when you hit the rough spots – and there will be rough spots.

This is a brief overview of what will happen within your body when you quit smoking. (It is actually quite exciting).

After your last cigarette, the body begins to cleanse itself:

– Less than 1 hour – your heart rate and blood pressure drop to non-smoker levels.

– Around 8 hours – nicotine level drop by 93%

– From 2 to 7 days – the cravings will be intense – they will peak – then start to diminish

• The lungs begin to repair themselves
•  Breathing gets easier
•  Lung capacity begins to expand

– Within 10 days – the withdrawal symptoms will ease – the body has cleansed itself and adjusted to the absence of nicotine

– Within the first few months – the body flushes all remaining nicotine

– Within 2-3 months –  the body is nicotine free

– During the rest of the first year – the lung cilia grows back and respiratory problems subside

You have probably figured out that the 2 to 7-day stretch in the beginning will be difficult. You must stay focused and resist the temptation to give in and grab a smoke.  It does get better, I promise.  By the 10th or 11th day the cravings will drop to a couple of cravings per day and they will only last for a short time (30 seconds – give or take). Of course, the number of cravings per day and the length will vary from person to person.

As you read through the time table, it sounds quite simple; but, do not be fooled. During the withdrawal phase it will be extremely hard to resist the temptation to smoke. Cravings will hit you at all times of the day; and the more you smoked the more severe the withdrawal symptoms will be.  They can be quite intense.

There are many options when it comes to Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to help you manage some of the symptoms. Many people find the nicotine patch helpful in relieving severe physical symptoms. NRT has proven to be quite successful. The different products vary in price and availability (some are only available by prescription). My recommendation is that you discuss this method with your doctor.

There are a number of natural techniques you can use to combat cravings, such as exercise, deep breathing, and meditation. Hopefully, you know yourself well and are aware of your triggers. If you do, it will help you say no to the insistent internal voice that is telling you it is time for a cigarette. Controlling the triggers and your automatic response will help a lot.

It is not easy to stop smoking for good – but people do it all the time – and so can you!