According to Swedish Smoking Researcher Fagerstrom, those with a higher level of nicotine dependence may find nicotine gum or the patch more helpful in the quitting process.

What are smoking withdrawal symptoms, and how long will they last?

Symptoms of smoking withdrawal vary from person to person. The symptoms peak around the second or third day after quitting and then level off. Your withdrawal symptoms may include:

The good news is that at the same time you will experience positive health changes including improved lung function, better circulation to hands and feet, decrease in blood pressure and pulse, and more oxygen to all body parts giving you more energy. Psychologically, you may feel a sense of accomplishment, euphoria at being free of cigarettes.

To make it through withdrawal arrange all possible social, psychological and environmental support. Enlist the help of family and friends, mentally prepare yourself, and be aware of your surroundings. Minimize your contact with smokers during the initial period after you quit and avoid high risk situations such as bars. Remove ashtrays and smoking related items from your house, car and place of work. Studies have also shown that nicotine gum and the nicotine patch may reduce withdrawal symptoms by gradually tapering off the nicotine dose your body receives.

How can I prevent weight gain during the quitting process?

The fear of gaining weight is a major barrier to quitting smoking. Many ex-smokers do gain some weight, the long term average being 5 pounds. Once you have quit smoking, you will no longer experience the decreased appetite caused by smoking. Smoking also seems to decrease the desire for sweet foods. Once you quit, you may have an increase in sweets which could lead to weight gain. Because of this, being aware of food intake is essential. Good nutrition and exercise will help minimize weight gain.

People who quit may be using food as a substitute for smoking. If munching on foods helps reduce cigarette cravings it is okay to use this strategy if you focus on healthy foods such as cut up veggies.

An important tip to remember is that it is very difficult if not impossible to implement other lifestyle changes in addition to quitting smoking. Quitting smoking needs to be your main focus and will take a lot of energy. A better strategy is to make other lifestyle changes prior to quitting or after quitting.

Beginning a simple exercise program several months before you quit will provide tremendous health benefits. Remember to start small and increase the time per session and number of days per week as you feel ready. When you feel the urge to smoke, exercise instead. This will not only help you manage your weight after you quit but will also provide you with a healthy alternative instead of smoking. For more detailed exercise information, please visit

Get Fit on the Healthy Changes Menu.

Focus on low fat foods and be aware of your eating habits. Eating slowly and savoring the food will prevent overeating. Allow yourself unlimited veggies and moderate amounts of breadsticks, unbuttered popcorn and pretzels. Keep healthy snacks with you. When the urge to eat hits, take a walk instead. For more detailed nutrition information, please visit

Eat Healthy on the Healthy Changes Menu.

How can I reduce my smoking risk through better stress management?

Smoking provides temporary stress relief for many smokers, a chance to relax and take a break. For health-concerned smokers wanting to cut their risk, learning different ways to manage stress can be important. You can reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke to relieve stress by using other stress reduction techniques. If and when you decide to quit smoking, having an arsenal of stress management techniques will help you.

Smoking to relieve stress may be a quick fix. Instead of dealing with the stressful situation, you may have a cigarette. This causes stress to build, and you may find yourself smoking more than usual. You can control how much you smoke through effective stress management.

For more detailed stress management information, please visit

Reduce Stress on the Healthy Changes Menu.

How can my friends and family help me through the quitting process?

Relying on social support will help you through the quitting process. The best people to help you are your significant other, close family and friends.

Some family or friends may not be supportive of your efforts to quit, especially if they are heavy smokers themselves. Friends may offer you cigarettes even though they know you are trying to quit. In such situations remind the person that you are in the process of quitting and would not like a cigarette. In some cases you may find that you need to minimize interactions with nonsupportive people until you have met your quit smoking goals. One of the most common reasons for failure in your quitting process is socializing with smoker friends.

Make a list of key people in your life, family and friends. Rate each person as to how supportive you think they will be. Look to people you know will be supportive in your quitting efforts. They can play a major role in helping to keep you smoke free. Let friends and family know how they may help you specifically. Some suggestions of how friends and family can help include

Talking with someone who is supportive of your quitting efforts can motivate you and help you through difficult times.

How can I stay a nonsmoker after I quit?

You may have tried quitting before or have friends who have tried to quit and not succeeded. How will this time be different you ask? You can control your smoking and you can quit successfully. Becoming a nonsmoker will be a major change in your life and take place gradually. Once you have stopped smoking, your challenge lies in preventing smoking relapses.

Once you have stopped smoking, you may be confronted with a situation in which you will want to smoke. By learning how to deal with these situations before they even happen you will be able to prevent a relapse. Initially, this may mean avoiding smoking related activities such as going to bars and clubs. Eventually, this may mean learning how to deal effectively with stressful situations.

When you feel like smoking, engage in other activities. Talk with a friend, exercise, participate in hobbies, anything to distract you from having that cigarette. Over time, your desire to smoke will decrease and not be a major part of your life.

Remind yourself about the positive benefits of quitting and the negatives of smoking. Take one day at a time. Keep yourself motivated.

Successful quitters are highly dissatisfied with their smoking and see themselves as dependent on their cigarettes. They are more flexible and determined to quit than those who do not succeed. They are more willing to tolerate the negative effects of withdrawal. Model yourself after these traits, believe that you can quit and work hard towards your goal. You can succeed!

Do smokers have special needs for vitamins?

A study by the American Cancer Society showed that smokers who ate more fruit had a decrease in lung cancer risk. This is due to certain nutrients in fruits and vegetables including vitamin A, C, and E, selenium, iothiocyanates, indoles, calcium, and fiber. For the health-concerned smoker increasing fruits and vegetables in the diet can be a good way to offset some of the cancer risk caused by smoking. Good nutrition may also be a step in helping you quit smoking if you decide to begin the process. Vitamins will not remove your smoking risks 100%, rather they will reduce them.

Vitamin A helps maintain the healthy functioning of the lining of the bronchi, trachea, and lungs, areas damaged by smoking. Adequate Vitamin A in your diet may provide a protective effect against this damage and lung cancer. A good way to add Vitamin A to your diet is to snack on carrots.

Vitamin C is needed for proper immune system functioning. Smoking decreases Vitamin C and your body's ability to fight off infections. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant which can block the formation of cancer causing substances such as those produced by smoking. Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, green peppers and broccoli to name a few.

Vitamin E, another antioxidant, also protects lung tissue.

Selenium, a trace element, seems to have cancer protective effects when taken in very small quantities. It can be found in meats, broccoli, mushrooms and cabbage.

Iothiocyanates and Indoles detoxify carcinogens and are found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts.

Calcium may reduce the risk of colon cancer and is found in milk products.

Fiber also has a protective effect for colon cancer. Foods high in fiber such as broccoli, apples, whole wheat, beans, and spinach, tend to have vitamins your body needs. By choosing natural sources for vitamins instead of supplements you also gain the benefits from fiber.

Ideally, a well balanced diet should provide you with adequate vitamins and minerals. Natural sources may provide unknown nutrients and greater health benefits than supplements. If you find yourself having difficulties eating a well-balanced diet and getting all your nutrients consider adding a daily multi-vitamin supplement in conjunction with the best possible diet.

Cancer-promoting foods smokers should minimize in their diet include fat, alcohol and food additives.

What does smoking do to my body?

Smoking affects all parts of the body and causes many diseases including cancer and heart disease.

The good news is that the negative effects can be reversed through controlled smoking, good nutrition, exercise, and quitting smoking.