If you've been smoking for years and are addicted to nicotine, you'll likely suffer physical withdrawal symptoms when you finally decide to quit. An awareness of what to expect, and information about foods that will help ease your body and brain's pain, will help. You'll want to choose foods that nourish and relax you as you make the nerve-wracking transition from smoker to nonsmoker.
Symptoms of Withdrawal
Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal include headaches, shaking, cold sweats, insomnia, runny nose, stomachaches and mood swings. It's common to numb these symptoms with comfort foods, but sugary sweets and highly processed junk foods can actually work against you -- giving you a temporary boost followed by a crash that will make you even more miserable.
Dietary Change
Though a healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains is the best way to keep your body strong in the face of nicotine withdrawal, you should make any dietary changes gradually. Depriving yourself of cigarettes is a big deal; depriving yourself of foods you love on top of that can be overwhelming. Become aware of what foods trigger cigarette cravings and substitute them for foods that don't.
Use Your Hands
Cigarette smokers commonly don't know what to do with their hands when they quit. Healthy foods you can eat with your hands, such as celery or carrots, help you mimic the ritualistic hand movements of cigarette smoking and satisfy the oral fixation habitual smokers develop. Shelled nuts and seeds are other good ways to eat healthy and keep your hands busy.
Stay Away From Caffeine
For many smokers, caffeinated beverages such as coffee or soft drinks go well with cigarettes. However, nicotine withdrawal will likely wreak havoc on your nerves, and caffeine will only make you more jittery. If giving up your morning cup of coffee, along with your morning smoke, is too much change at once, at least consider decaffeinated or half-caffeinated coffee.
