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!

Day 9 - The E-Cig Owners Survey

As promised, I have the results of an informal survey of current e-cig owners. I want to thank the members of Vapor Talk for helping us with this discussion.
The question that I posed was quite simple:  What are the positives and negatives of switching from tobacco to electronic cigarettes?


I will start with the negatives. There were not very many, and most were associated with the e-cigs that are re-fillable. Finding the correct e-liquid, strength of nicotine and PG/VG % were the most sited.

The positives were varied and numerous. Some of the most mentioned were:

Money savings
Guilt-free smoking in public/around kids
No more odors on clothes, in cars and in the house
The ability to run again (I would say this is the best one that I have encountered thus far)
No need to roll down the car window in the rain.
No need to stand outside in the rain or cold.
Whiter teeth

Nearly all of the responders also suggested e-cig systems. None of them recommended the one that I currently use. The top recommendation by far was the eGo electronic cigarette. Also receiving mention was the Vapor4Life . I suggest doing a bit of research before choosing the system that is right for you.

For information on the eGo : ForeverVapor.com   or    VaporTalkStore.com

Vapor4Life:  Vapor4Life.com

Several of the e-cig makers have put out Valentine's Day specials. Some will include chocolate flavored cigarettes, candy and teddy bears. If that is something that interests you, simply Google-Valentines Day Electronic Cigarettes, and a large variety will appear. These will probably not be the best quality e-cigs. But if that is what you need to do to encourage someone to put down tobacco, then by all means, do it.

Coming up tomorrow:


* Surviving the Super Bowl festivities without tobacco for the first time in 25 years

As always, Good luck and good health!

Day 7 - The Benefits Timeline

I am closing in on 1 week tobacco-free. Today's post will focus on the long-term benefits of remaining that way. The following are the short and long term effects of quitting smoking and have not been evaluated as far as e-cigs are concerned. But, the vital signs that I can monitor have all followed this timeline more or less:



20 Minutes
Blood pressure drops to normal
Pulse rate drops to normal
Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal
8 Hours
Carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal
Oxygen level in the blood increases to normal
24 Hours
Chance of heart attack decreases
48 Hours
Nerve endings start regrowing
Ability to smell and taste is enhanced
2 Weeks to 3 Months
Circulation improves
Walking becomes easier
Lung function increases up to 30 percent
1 To 9 Months
Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease
Cilia regrow in the lungs, increasing the lungs ability to handle mucus, clean themselves and reduce infection
Overall energy increases
1 Year
Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker
5 Years
Lung cancer death rate decreases by almost half
Stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker five to fifteen years after quitting
Risk of oral cancers is half that of a smoker
10 Years
Lung cancer death rate is similar to that of a non-smoker
Pre-cancerous cells have been replaced
Risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, cervix and pancreas decreases
15 Years
Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker

Tomorrow:
*Results from a survey that I have been conducting with current e-cig users.

*Some gift ideas for Valentine's Day


Until then, Good luck and good health!

Day 6 - The Pleasure and the Pain

It occurred to me last night that I have only been extolling the virtues of the e-cig. I don't want there to be any mistake, it has not all been a bed of roses. The e-cig is is the best system for quitting tobacco that I have used. But, there is still a certain amount of will-power that is involved. There are also physical things to take into account. The newest thing is the acne. As my skin purges itself of the tobacco chemicals, it is making me look like a high school kid on Retin-A. Also, if you end up with the new energy that I have, there are muscle aches and shin splints to deal with.
With that said, I am enjoying every minute of this!

In the last three days, I have had two jogs, a bike ride and two trips to the gym. I ache from head to toe, but it feels great.

My visit to the doctor's office yielded encouraging news. Blood pressure is down 20 points(now normal), Resting pulse rate is down 15 and weight is down 3 lbs.

There are many of you out there that have joined me on this journey. For all of you, I wish you good luck and good health!

Day 4 - The Fear of Beer

When last I left, I was headed to a seemingly suicidal running mission. As the picture to the left shows, cigarettes and running shoes can go together. I certainly didn't break any land-speed records, but I ran anyway.

Last night I was confronted with what may be the most difficult hurdle. A "dinner party" with football and fried food. Usually that would have to be accompanied by a beer, but I had to resist. I am not ready to see if e-cigs will stand up to the alcohol test.  One more week until the Super Bowl, then we will see how it works.

Over 72 hours without tobacco and all is well!

Tomorrow I will run a check on blood pressure and pulse to see if there has been any positive change.

Day 3 - The Color of Tongues

When I last left you, I was headed to get a workout. I am very surprised at the difference already. I finished most of my sets and had a wonderful endorphin rush instead of gasping for air and praying for the sweet release of death. I never understood why someone would enjoy going to the gym. Now I get it.

The things that I have noticed the most today are the taste of food and the color of my tongue. Who knew a tongue was supposed to be pink? Food does taste a lot better now, but I will not trade a tobacco habit for an over-eating habit.

I am so pleased with the progress thus far, that I just ordered a 3 month supply of cartridges for my e-cig with a gradual nicotine step down. I hope to be nicotine-free by the end of the year, but I am certainly not in any hurry. The part of smoking that was killing me was not the nicotine, it was the 100s of other carcinogens. Nicotine just kept me coming back for more.

Tomorrow morning I will try something very different. I am going to try to run at least a half mile. If you don't see me post anything for a while, you can bet that I had a stroke on the side of the road somewhere. Wish me luck!




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Day 2 - The Purging of Smoke

It has been over 24 hours since my last cigarette. No nicotine withdrawal and I woke up with a lot of energy this morning. According to the "Quit smoking timeline" 24 hours after your last cigarette, your risk of heart attack decreases. So, I have that going for me.

This morning my coffee definitely tasted different, not bad, just different. Breakfast had a bit more flavor than normal also. I went to my closet to get dressed for the day, and was hit by a powerful cigarette smell. Is this what I really smell like? I am going to be doing laundry all day long.

I have used Lysol or bleach on just about everything in the house. Next mission is the cars. But first, I wanted to get a workout in. One of the main side effects from my previous attempts at quitting smoking was the massive weight gain. I am determined to take preventative measures this time.