Puff away less if you can’t say a complete no to smoking. Smoking can never be of any good. It cannot be justified by lots of exercise and good nutrition. It affects every system and organ of the body. Tobacco contains a big amount of killing components. It affects the quality of blood, brain, heart, lungs, reproductive organs and respiratory system adversely. Long term smoking is a major cause of cancer in any part of the body.

If you are a smoker, you are left with only two choices. Either to quit it or to manage the effects of smoking which can help you live a healthier life. Nicotine suppresses appetite of a smoker. Food seems to be tasteless and flavours are unnoticeable. A variety of good food nutrition is important to gain health again. Few are mentioned better to help you out:

Flavonoids catechin, kaempferols and overcetin – Flavonoids are plant pigments that may protect lung cancer. Food containing catechin are strawberries, black and green tea. Overcetin can be found in onions, apples and beans. These food products benefit a smoker in better fitness and energy levels.

Omega 3 – Smoking is one of the leading cause of preventable death. Omega 3 poly unsaturated fatty acid that can be found in marine plant oils, could help to minimise the damage caused by smoking. Fish oil improves arterial stiffness and minimises the acute damage to arterial elasticity.

Green tea – cigarette smokers who drink up to six cups of green tea daily suffer 40 to 50 percent less damage from these toxins caused by smoking. Thus by reducing the damage caused by toxins, it reduces the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, emphysema and other illnesses of organ systems.

Vitamin A rich diet – A diet deficient in vitamin A develops ‘emphysema’ a kind of lung disease. Foods like papaya, collard green and cantaloupe are rich in vitamin A. So eat the food that is rich in vitamin A as much as you can.

Vitamin C packed diet – Vitamin C is needed for proper immune function. It also prevents receding gums a problem common in smokers. So smokers can have strawberries, kiwi, oranges, melon, grapefruit, papaya, dark leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes and cauliflower more to overcome deficiency of this nutrient.

Diet full of vitamin D – Smoking speeds up the loss of bone mass especially in women as they are more prone to osteoporosis. For healthy bones make sure to have enough calcium, magnesium and vitamin D. Dairy products, cheese, soy milk, cereals, egg yolk, fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon are good source of vitamin D.

Vitamin E rich diet – Cigarette smoking contributes in sticking of cholesterol to the artery walls. It raises the risk of heart attack. Good dietary sources of vitamin E like almonds, olives, leafy greens and sunflower seeds should be eaten by the smokers for better health.

Variety of fruits and veggies – Smoking affects the ability of a smoker&’s body to absorb a variety of vitamins, minerals and calcium. A study has found that the quantity of fruits and vegetables does not matter, but the variety in their consumption matters. So incorporate different varieties of these food items at least thrice a day to reduce the risk of serious ailment like lung cancer due to smoking.

Folate – Women who smoke lack folate. So it becomes important for them to consume folate in any form. Also the women trying conceive should take folate supplements to prevent birth defects. Brussels sprouts, dark green vegetables like spinach and broccoli, lentils and dried legumes like chickpeas and beans are natural food source of folate.

With these food items you may only reduce the risk of smoking related diseases but cannot eliminate them. Smoking is just unrealistic. If you stop smoking, you will increase your enjoyment of a wide variety of food. Compared to smokers, ex-smokers live a longer and healthier life. Quit smoking at earliest. Live and let live your loved ones happily.