Day 11 - The Detox

The past two days have been a series of temptations, but I am now 11 days tobacco-free. I passed the tests of football, nachos, cheap beer, airports, long drives and hotel boredom. I also find myself using the e-cig less and less as time goes on.
There is no longer a "Fear of Beer" as evidenced by the picture to the left. How can something like that be scary?

Today, I thought I would discuss some of the ways that you can detoxify your body of the tobacco chemicals that have built up over the years. I reviewed many different medical and "new-age" websites, and these are the most common recommendations (Please consult a physician before starting any detoxification or exercise regimen):

Water - Nature's natural cleanser. Try to stay very hydrated with 8 - 12   8oz glasses of water per day. There is such a thing as over-hydration, so don't go crazy with this.

Fresh Air - Get outside for at least 30 minutes every day. This is very important for lung rehabilitation.

Exercise/ Sweat - While your outside, you may as well take a walk or a jog. Sweating will purge toxins through your skin.

Multi-Vitamins/ Calcium - Smoking can inhibit the body's ability to absorb vitamins and nutrients. Use a good multi-vitamin to replenish what your body has been lacking.

Green Tea - The benefits of this ancient remedy are numerous and range from heart health to weight loss. All good things for former tobacco smokers

Cayenne Pepper - The ancient Cajun cure-all. It has many of the benefits of green tea with increased circulation, lung health and raised metabolism. There is a famous detox program that forces you to fast and ingest only lemon, cayenne and maple syrup. But, to get the benefits without the fasting, mix cayenne pepper, fresh squeezed lemon juice and water. Take a 2 ounce shot of it with every meal.

Next Time:


* The Battle of the Bulge

As always, Good luck and good health!