One of the things that the coronavirus pandemic has brought home to millions of Americans is the fact that being in good general health is a great way to ward off the worst dangers of falling victim to most types of illness.
If you are fit and healthy, it means that you are in a better position to fight infections of all types.If you do become ill, you are likely to recover faster than people who might have unhealthy lifestyles or underlying chronic conditions.
As well as maintaining a level of physical fitness through exercise and a healthy diet, making sure that you don’t have any habits or vices that might weaken your immune system is a crucial factor in staying healthy. For years it has been well known that smoking can have adverse effects on a range of health issues but, unfortunately, it is also a habit that is hard to break even for people who pride themselves on having great willpower.
Breathing problems are one of the most significant health risks posed by the coronavirus, and for those whose lungs are not working to full efficiency, this can mean even more trouble. For smokers, this can be especially worrying as several different aspects of the habit cause different effects, which might put you at increased risk. Thankfully, even if you have been a smoker for many years, there are tried and trusted methods to help break the habit.
Nicotine treatments
The main active ingredient in cigarettes and other tobacco-based products is nicotine, which is in itself a highly addictive substance. That is the reason why so many people find it extremely difficult to stop smoking, and it’s because when they try, they suffer withdrawal symptoms.
It is this aspect of stopping smoking that usually means willpower alone is not enough. Of course, as with any other addictive activity, first of all, you must want to modify your behavior and be willing to do what it takes to achieve your aims. However, when it comes to trying to wean yourself away from nicotine, the process can be so difficult that you need additional help.
For many people, this can come in the shape of continuing to have a nicotine ‘hit’ but without smoking it. Wearing an unobtrusive patch on your arm can be a discreet and straightforward answer, and there are also various gums and other edibles that can be used. This approach doesn’t tick all the boxes in terms of ‘giving up,’ because the underlying nicotine addiction is still being fed, but it does have the advantage of making it easier to stop smoking. It’s also a process that is endorsed by various health bodies and medical studies.
Alternative stimulation
For those who want to make a clean break from smoking, the idea of merely replacing the method of taking nicotine might not be the answer. Thankfully there are plenty of ways to tackle this, and some of the most successful involve replacing the ‘pleasure response’ that smoking gives with a different stimulus.
One of the most popular options to choose from is a range of CBD pens, which make use of two relatively recent anti-smoking developments in a single product. Vaping has become a prevalent aid for many people who want to stop smoking, as it replaces some of the familiar actions and habits with a much healthier alternative. In the same way, CBD has become a widespread phenomenon in quite a short time, as more and more people discover the positive effects it can have on both your mental state and your general feeling of well-being.
Vaping CBD is very efficient in comparison to other ways of using the legal substance. Up to 70% of CBD oil can be lost in the liver when it is eaten, for instance, whereas when it is vaped, 100% is absorbed, meaning that there is no waste.
The effect of having a physical replacement for the action of smoking coupled with a using substance that is much healthier than nicotine-laced tobacco helps anyone that wants to stop smoking in two critical ways, so it is something to consider if you are serious about making positive changes to your lifestyle.
Of course, there are many other places to look for help if you want to stop smoking. Hypnosis seems to work for a lot of people, although some may be wary of the idea. Traditional therapists can help, too, as often the reasons for addictive smoking might lie somewhere else entirely. Various self-help groups are easy to find and being in touch with others who are struggling with similar issues is often an excellent way to find the inner strength needed to succeed in your quest to break the habit and improve your health.