If tobacco is considered a public danger and is the subject of particular attention of both national and international organizations dedicated to health, it is because of nicotine. This highly addictive substance traps smokers in a vicious circle, exposing them to lung cancer, lung disease and cardiovascular disease. We propose in this article the lemon as a natural solution to stop smoking.
The number of annual deaths related to smoking is estimated at 78,000 people, enough to give cold sweats. Thus, aware of the dangers that await them, many smokers are looking for ways to stop them, but fail miserably because of the powerful action of nicotine on the brain. Indeed, when the smoke is inhaled, the nicotine, reaching the brain in 10 seconds, will stimulate the release of dopamine, hormone of pleasure creating a feeling of relaxation, well-being, hence the addiction.
Consequences of smoking:
Consumption of tobacco can have serious consequences for the health of both smokers and non-smokers. First, in the case of smokers, the use of tobacco can indeed prevent the proper functioning of the heart by reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood. This usually causes chest pain that can lead to angina pectoris, exposing them to a 40% increase in heart rate or increased blood pressure. In non-smokers, however, inhaling smoke can increase the risk of sinus cancer of the face, and according to WHO, 1.2 million people die from passive smoking each year.
Although anti-smoking patches and anti-nicotine gums are used successfully against addiction, the side effects of these products are not to be neglected including: sleep disorders, digestive disorders, irritations in the mouth (for gums) and itching and redness (for patches).
Lemon: a natural anti-tobacco solution
If you are looking for an alternative to nicotine replacement treatments to stop smoking, lemon is what you need. Behind its acidic taste, it is packed full of antioxidants, fiber, minerals and vitamin C to help you fight the devastating effect of nicotine effectively.
Stimulates the pleasure effect
According to this report, tobacco smoke is the fastest means of transporting nicotine to the brain, stimulating the high activity of the region of the brain responsible for drug dependence and activating the secretion of dopamine, the pleasure hormone. So, consuming lemon can be a good alternative against tobacco. This is due to the fact that lemon with a good vitamin C content, activates the production of dopamine, which would prevent the oxidative stress related to smoking.
Activates the immune system
Apart from the previous functions that make this citrus an ingredient to be adopted to effectively fight against tobacco consumption, lemon can also help boost the immune system, thanks to its good concentration of vitamin C. Indeed, a diet rich in vitamin C would boost the production of white blood cells, responsible for the natural defense of the body, weakened by nicotine, tars and carbon monoxide. Thus, the body could react better against the addictive action of nicotine.
Here's the trick:
If you feel the urge to smoke, cut a lemon into 2, squeeze it into a glass of warm 250 ml water. This will reduce the acidity of the lemon, dangerous for the enamel of the teeth and for the digestive system when it is too concentrated.
In addition, it will stop to consume coffee for a while, because the caffeine and nicotine addiction increases dependence. Also, it is important to play sports, drink enough water and have a healthy and balanced diet, with an abundance of vitamins and minerals to allow the body to fill the gaps due to tobacco consumption.
CAUTION :
If you already have stomach burns, gastric reflux, kidney stones or gallstones, do not use this trick. Whatever your state of health, seek the advice of a doctor.
