The urges are usually sudden and intense. In many of my articles earlier, I have mentioned about the will power. The will power can be overwhelmed with these sudden urges. Remembering the reasons to quit and if they are really strong reasons for you, you can recognize them and the mind races towards control. The ICanCaRe Quit coach and ICanCaRe Certified Tobacco Cessation specialist by cognitive intervention enhance your will power to stay in the journey to be free of tobacco.
The intense urges lasts for 5 minutes, and these 5 minutes are very crucial, if you can train your mind to hold on and divert and focus on some other activities, you have done it.
This good 5 minutes you can do a lot:
stretching or pushups is a solid workout
sprints, cycling, jogging, jumping, skipping can unwind you
one good page of writing can be done
read the article you have been waiting for
meditation can reset your mind
cooking can set your taste buds right
gardening
music play, sketching, surfing internet, playing with kids, etc
any activity, interest or hobby of your like that gives you happiness and can divert your focus away from tobacco/smoke
Yes, you can think to do a lot, just a little focused action, can control your cravings! The mind is the biggest block, if we can train it we can achieve what we want. Controlling the triggers is also important, shall discuss this in subsequent blog.
ICanCaRe Tobacco Wellness Centres with their team of Specialist and coaches with insightful support augment your journey of quitting tobacco making it easy and pleasurable. Visit us on ICanCaRe or call 011-430-77695 to seek assistance to quit with the most scientific, medically validated and most successful online tobacco wellness program (92% success rate).
Deep Breathing Exercise for Stress Relief and Cravings Management
This is the one most important armamentarium to control the cravings along with the first D (Drink Plenty of Water). Whatever form of tobacco you have used – smoke or chew tobacco, Deep Breathing controls cravings and relaxes you.
Stress, tension associated with work or while quitting smoking, light-headedness, loss of concentration, fatigue, weakness- these are some of the withdrawals taken care by deep breathing exercise. DBE makes you relaxed, calms, peaceful, quiet and lively.
Deep Breathing Exercise- How Does it work – Oxygenation, Relaxation and toxin release
Deep breathing opens up the lungs the collapsed alveoli get activated. This increases oxygenation as more alveoli are recruited for gas exchange.
Fast breathing, takes away oxygen from the brain causing anxiety and light-headedness. With controlled breathing, ‘feel good’ chemicals endorphin is secreted from the brain.
Breathing helps clear away the gaseous toxins and also stimulates cough to release accumulated deposits in the lungs (Related reading – Smokers cough what to do)
Some techniques of Deep Breathing Exercise
Breathing is natural. Average breathing rate 10-16 per minute. It is simple and routine.
Smokers usually have the tendency to breath more deeply when they have smoke to get the maximum of the nicotine, this Deep inhalation partly explains the sense of relaxation associated with smoking!
However, when they first quit there is a tendency to shallow breath, just the opposite of what one should be doing to stay focused and calm. Once you deep breath you would be amazed at the quick and profound calming effect it produces on your mind. Initially you would have to do it consciously and once you have mastered it would come naturally.
Ayurveda – meditation and pranayam have described many methods and having attended many such camps I have learnt the basics of deep breathing. One must make it simple, part of their daily routine without assigning it to any particular Yogi! The basic needs to be understood and once mastered can adopt various versions.
BASICS of DEEP BREATHING Exercise –
Deep breath in (5 Seconds) – hold (5 Seconds) – Deep breath out (fully – 5 Seconds) – hold (5 Seconds) and continue the cycle
During the process keep your eyes closed, and fully concentrate on your breath. Have a smile on your face.
Deep breath in till your abdomen rises (abdominal/diaphragmatic breathing), this may take some practice.
The exhale time should be double the inhale time. Exhale should be complete.
While you inhalation feel the energy flowing into your body and spreading from the mind to every part till the little toe.
When you exhale relax your body. With each breath become stronger and relaxed
The cycle is to be repeated at least 10 times
As you go on and master the technique you would feel the change in your body, and it is important that you notice these changes – The drop of the shoulders, loosening of your face, and any other feelings you may have.
VERSIONS –
OHM Chanting – Take a deep breath in and while exhaling chant OHM.
Instead of OHM some of my patients just say ‘SHANTI’, ‘RELAX’, ‘I CAN WIN’ or any other words that makes them calm.
Role your tongue to touch the hard palate, breath in through your nose and breath out slowly through your mouth.
Breath in through your nose, pinch your lip and slowly in a controlled manner blow out through your mouth.
WHEN to do
First thing in the morning – before getting out of the bed. This relaxes you and takes care of the morning craving.
Before going to bed– while going to bed as a ritual do it, the relaxation gives you a sound sleep, takes care of the much-needed oxygenation during the night and you get up fresh in the morning.
During cravings – DBE has a magical effect. Consciously do 10 cycles of Deep Breathing following 2 glasses of Water (7 Ds of Cravings).
Most of tobacco users smoke or chew tobacco for relaxation, the fact is that smoking or chewing only fixes the nicotine level in the body, and in actuality it is a depressant and stress producer not a stress buster. The relaxation felt by a smoker can be attributed to some extent to the deep breathing associated with smoking. Tobacco is actually creating a negative vibe in the body.
Friends, deep breathing is a wonderful tool to control cravings. One can do it anytime, standing, sitting or lying down, and no one would even notice you doing this.
Let us practice this and master it, initially it may take some efforts once you get a hang of it, you would do it as routine, with every reminders (triggers) and off-course there is rewards. (related reading – 3Rs of habit formation)
The ICanCaRe tobacco Cessation Specialists and ICanCaRe quit Coach works with you to make the quit journey easy, interesting and achievable.
Do visit the ICanCaRe Tobacco Wellness Centres or register online by visiting our page or call ICanCaRe quitline 011-430-77695.
Maintaining Hydration is one the most important aspect of Tobacco Cessation – both smoking and chewing. Water plays an immense role in controlling your cravings. When quitting tobacco there is an increase need for water intake.
When you have an urge, taking 2 glasses of water can magically relieve your cravings. (related – 7Ds of craving)
Physiology – how water helps incontrolling cravings?
Tobacco withdrawal symptoms include thirst, dryness of mouth, light-headedness, anxiety, confusion, tiredness and fatigue and sometimes headache. These can be taken care with water and Deep Breathing exercise.
The Nicotine receptors are present in the cardiovascular system. The nicotine in the body keeps the vascular system constricted and causes increase in heartrate. When you quit tobacco (smoking and chewing), decrease in nicotine the blood vessels dilate (comes to normal state) and heart rate normalizes. This leads to a relative decrease in blood volume and state of physiological dehydration. All the above withdrawal symptoms are signs of dehydration!. The action in such cases have been taking tobacco and going back to the constricted state. The better method is to replenish your body with water and maintain the blood volume and heart rate, part of your quit process.
Water take care of the following as part of the tobacco quit process:
Dryness of mouth – a sign water requirement and not smoking. The dryness is usually a trigger for tobacco. Avoid dryness with regular water intake
Cleansing of the body – water intake helps throwing away the accumulated toxins through urine and stool. It will take sometime before you start feeling fresh and energetic.
Managing cough – when the lungs are healing there is increase mucus secretion to clear the deposited tar and other particles. This requires proper hydration
Managing Constipation – water helps regulate bowel movements. Water binds to soluble fiber in the large intestine, this helps increase stool bulk, decrease transit time and make it easier to pass stools.
Helps in Digestion – Water helps in digestion and keeps the food moving controlling the bloating and gastric upset sometimes associated with tobacco withdrawals.
Weight management – taking water half hour before food, controls satiety, decrease appetite, improve digestion and boost metabolism. This controls the weight gain associated with tobacco withdrawal.
When should one drink water?
Keep yourself hydrated through out the day. This will keep cravings away. Discuss with your tobacco counsellors the triggers and time of cravings. You would notice that there is a routine. The water intake should be target at those time. Your ICanCaRe tobacco cessation specialist would make a craving chart and recommend the timings of water intake accordingly
In the majority, the cravings are in the morning, washroom time, before noon, post lunch, past evening and after dinner. In these situation I would suggest to start your day with Water at least two glasses, repeat two glasses in 1-2 hours. This will relieve your morning cravings and aid in bowel movements. A morning drink with antioxidant and nutrition both mineral and Vitamins would avoid fatigue and tiredness sometimes associated with tobacco withdrawal.
Half hour before food – lunch, evening tea and dinner. If you are hydrated enough it would avoid post meal cravings. Water helps in digestion, dilutes the spicy high salt content of the food, avoids bloating, maintains bowel movement. Mostly these are the associated reasons for smoking or chewing tobacco post meals.
Before bed time – Drinking water before going to bed, keeps you hydrated during the night you feel fresh when you get up in the morning. This avoids cravings during the night and also controls the early morning cravings. This facilitates bowel movement also.
What type of water for your body?
Everything that is fluid has water in it. 20% of our water requirement is by food we eat. Rest comes directly from all the fluids that include water, milk, juices, soft, drinks tea or coffee.
During the quit process it is generally recommended to avoid drinks which are reminders for your tobacco intake for eg if you were used to drink with tea, taking tea would again trigger tobacco use. Consciously you would have to replace with healthy nutritious drinks with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and minerals like organic tea, juices, alkaline water, organic haldi drinks, lime honey water, Chaas etc. Do choose foods which are juicy and healthy. Avoid drinks which are less healthy with more sugar and calories or energy drinks which can have high caffeine.
Amount of Water recommended:
Generally, I recommend around 1 litre of water for 20 kg of body weight, to be taken at regular intervals through out the day. During the first week I would suggest a little more around 1.2-1.5 litres of water per 20 kg BW. For ladies it may be little less. You would notice the change in colour of your urine over the period. Your urine colour may be a good guide. Target is to have a urine which is light yellow to transparent. Please note if you are on Vitamin supplements it may alter the colour of the urine.
Carry water bottle with you
Always have water readily available to control the urge. Water is an essential part of your treatment plan. Do carry environment friendly water bottles (earthen, copper, steel) with you and water jugs should be available at all places at bedside, living room, office etc.
Drinking too much of water?
Drinking water is safe and one usually would not drink too much of water in one go as body would not allow it. There is a theoretical situation when a person drinks too much of water (3-5 litres) too quickly. This may cause water intoxication and sudden decrease in Sodium level in body (Hyponatraemia). This can be an medical emergency.
It is advisable to drink water on regular interval, 1-2 glasses at a time and fairly spaced through out the day.
ICanCaRe TOBACCO WELLNESS PROGRAM
Water is essential part of ICanCaRe Tobacco wellness program as a part of seven D intervention. The ICanCaRe tobacco cessation specialist would chart your triggers and suggest the water intervention schedule. Along with water need may be also to supplement with minerals and vitamins to boost the immunity and take care of comorbid conditions and nutritional deficiencies associated with tobacco use.
ICanCaRe Tobacco Wellness Centres with its India’s first digital protocol based assessment process guide intervention as per requirements.
To quit visit us on ICanCaRe or call on 011-430-77695 with the most scientific, medically validated and most successful online cessation program (92% success rate).
References
Perrier, Erica T et al. “Urine colour change as an indicator of change in daily water intake: a quantitative analysis.” European journal of nutrition vol. 55,5 (2016): 1943-9. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-1010-2
