'Casual' smokers may also have nicotine addiction: Home remedies to help you quit smoking

Smoking is bad for health and it can give you a lot of health complications. Some of these complications may be irreversible.

'Casual' smokers may also have nicotine addiction

Are you into smoking? A new study has warned that even if you consider yourself a light or "casual" smoker, it does not necessarily mean that you have completely escaped nicotine addiction.

Many light smokers -- those who smoke one to four cigarettes per day or fewer -- meet the criteria for nicotine addiction and should therefore be considered for treatment.

"In the past, some considered that only patients who smoke around 10 cigarettes per day or more were addicted, and I still hear that sometimes," said Jonathan Foulds, Professor at Pennsylvania State University in the US.

"But this study demonstrates that many lighter smokers, even those who do not smoke every day, can be addicted to cigarettes. It also suggests that we need to be more precise when we ask about cigarette smoking frequency."

85% Daily Cigarette Smokers Were Found Addicted

The researchers examined an existing data set from the National Institutes of Health in the US, including more than 6,700 smokers who had been fully assessed to find out if they met the 11 criteria listed in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) for tobacco use disorder.

They found that 85 per cent of the daily cigarette smokers have addicted to some extent -- either mild, moderate or severe addiction.

"Surprisingly, almost two-thirds of those smoking only one to four cigarettes per day were addicted, and around a quarter of those smoking less than weekly were addicted," Foulds said.

The researchers found that the severity of cigarette addiction, as indicated by the number of criteria met, increased with the frequency of smoking, with 35 per cent of those smoking one-to-four cigarettes per day and 74 per cent of those smoking 21 cigarettes or more per day being moderately or severely addicted.

"Lighter smoking is correctly perceived as less harmful than heavy smoking, but it still carries significant health risks," said Jason Oliver, Assistant Professor at Duke University in the US.

Tips To Getting Rid Of Smoking Habit

Giving up smoking can be hard, but you can do it. Although it may seem daunting, it can take a few attempts to be successful. Don't be put off just deciding to quit is a step in the right direction. Try these few simple tips to help you on your way.

# Nicotine Replacement Therapy

When you stop smoking, nicotine withdrawal may give you headaches, affect your mood, or sap your energy. The craving for "just one drag" is tough. Nicotine replacement therapy can curb these urges. Studies show that nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches improve your chances of success when you're also in a quit-smoking program.

# Get Sufficient Exercise

Did you know that exercise causes the release of mood-enhancing endorphins? Well, exercising helps you to deal with the feelings of melancholy that sometimes accompanies the effort to give up cigarettes. Hence, sticking to your routine of exercise plays a key role in helping you to get rid of smoking.

According to Ayurveda, the practice of specific breathing techniques such as bhastrika pranayama helps you to flush out the contaminant from cigarette smoke from the upper respiratory tract. Many Ayurvedic experts also advise those who have decided to quit smoking to perform Neti Kriyayoga twice in the day (morning and evening). Visit an authentic yoga instructor and learn these techniques thoroughly. Practice them as prescribed to keep stress away and stay firm with your decision to quit smoking.

# Make Changes To Your Diet

Quite a few people who quit smoking, experience a peculiar bitter taste. To deal with this problem, change the food you consume as this might help you to adapt better to this situation. A vegetarian diet low in fat is the best to stoat off with. Apart from this,

Increase your consumption of alkaline foods such as dry nuts, sprouts, lima beans, and raisins

Cut down on the acidic content of your food by reducing foods such as bread, coffee, tea, dairy products, and meat.

Also, lack of nicotine can increase your appetite even as it slows down body metabolism and this means a tendency to gain weight. So, avoid this by munching only on low-calorie foods such as raw fruits and vegetables, when you feel hungry.

Quitting smoking is not a single event that happens on one day; it is a journey. By quitting, you will improve your health and the quality and duration of your life. So, the next time you light up that cigarette, think about what your body goes through to support your habit.

(With inputs from IANS)