Cigar Benefits

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Soren

Soren

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Anyone have any thoughts if a cigar before bed will keep you awake? I imagine that it is similar to caffeine where if it is taken when glycogen levels are low it can have an over stimulating stress like effect but I'm not sure.
 
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Soren

Soren

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One benefit of smoking cigars that I had not considered but in retrospect should be obvious is weight loss. The question is, is the weight loss due to appetite suppression as the mainstream argument states or is it due to other benefits such as improvements in insulin sensitivity, faster metabolism, anti serotonin, anti parasitic benefits.

Consequences of smoking for body weight, body fat distribution, and insulin resistance

" The metabolic effect of smoking could explain the lower body weight found in smokers. Smoking a single cigarette has been shown to induce a 3% rise in EE within 30 min"
 
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One benefit of smoking cigars that I had not considered but in retrospect should be obvious is weight loss. The question is, is the weight loss due to appetite suppression as the mainstream argument states or is it due to other benefits such as improvements in insulin sensitivity, faster metabolism, anti serotonin, anti parasitic benefits.

Consequences of smoking for body weight, body fat distribution, and insulin resistance

" The metabolic effect of smoking could explain the lower body weight found in smokers. Smoking a single cigarette has been shown to induce a 3% rise in EE within 30 min"
Honestly I don't ever feel the appetite suppression. Especially when enjoying tobacco with a sugary beverage. If there is any then it's short lived so timing tobacco towards the end of the day would be a good idea as not to throw off the meals before.
 
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I'd also like to point out that most people start smoking as a coping mechanism. Implying that there were preexisting health/ stress/ environmental factors.

So it could be very well the case that a healthy person who enjoys tobacco in a healthy way would get no negative effects. Just throwing that out there.
 
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One benefit of smoking cigars that I had not considered but in retrospect should be obvious is weight loss. The question is, is the weight loss due to appetite suppression as the mainstream argument states or is it due to other benefits such as improvements in insulin sensitivity, faster metabolism, anti serotonin, anti parasitic benefits.

Consequences of smoking for body weight, body fat distribution, and insulin resistance

" The metabolic effect of smoking could explain the lower body weight found in smokers. Smoking a single cigarette has been shown to induce a 3% rise in EE within 30 min"
Appetite suppression is from metabolic boost. They just enter a stressed state where a lot of FFA are released so this might dump the hunger.
For others who are not in ketosis or a stressed state while smoking, they either feel nothing or more hunger
 

Trambak

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Also any recommendations as to what cigars to buy for an amateur cigar smoker living in Europe.
Well, I'm more of a newbie than you regarding this (actually just starting out cigar smoking inspired by this very thread!). Anyway, I lucked upon Cubao Monarchas Cigars. They are handrolled in the Philippines, with leafs from Nicaragua. Mild, 35 minutes smokes. In Sweden I payed something like USD 50 for a box with 25 cigars. USD 2 for a cigar! Cheap, but actually not low quality, for a simple everyday cigar.

I enjoy them in a contemplative, meditative way, sitting on a bench by the beach. Even the very way you smoke a cigar I find calming and relaxing, lika a profound breathing exercise. A slow pull on the cigar, hold the smoke in the mouth for a few seconds, then slowly blow the smoke out. Then a calm nasal breath. Repeat...

After having had a cigar I feel really calm and centered. The effect, while strongest immediatly after, lasts for hours.

I will report if I notice any further benefits, for digestion, metabolism, testosteron et c.
 

Trambak

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Early days yet. Still, very soon I started to notice some benefits, like better and more frequent bowel movement. Now often 2 a day, on occasion 3. My sleep is a bit better. There are also some minor signs of androgenic effects. All this could of course be just temporary, or coincidence. We'll see.

Just finished my third week. I do one cigar a day, 4 days a week. Three of those days I smoke my very mild Phillipino brand, one day a week I try some medium or strong, like a Ramone Allones Habana.

I have now also learned how to smoke a cigar more properly, i.e. for more optimal enjoyment and experience! :D (Credit goes to the YouTube channel Cigar Obsession.) To be unhurried and pace yourself is key. One basic thing is not making too frequent draws, which, among other things, overheat the cigar and reduces the flavours. I guess 2 a minute, or at most 3, is good. Each draw should be slow and gentle, for the same reason: not to overheat. Another basic point is not holding your breath! While keeping the smoke in your mouth you can calmly, in a normal way, breath through your nose a couple of times, before letting the smoke out through your mouth. (While the smoke is in your mouth you can make some chewing-like motions to move it around.)

There is also this retro-halation, that is suggested you do now and then, during your smoke. I do it now after every 3-4 draw. In short, it means that you let the smoke out of your nose, instead of your mouth. It is simple, basically you push your tongue up to the palets and just exhale the smoke through the nostrils. (Personally I can't manage it if I have done nasal breathing with the smoke in my mouth. When I do retro-halation I have first to hold my breath during the draw, then it works perfectly.) The point of retro-halation is to engage the smell-receptors in the nostrils, since taste requires synergy with smell sensations.

I find the guy on Cigar Obsession calm, articulate and simpatico. Here is one of his videos specially for newbies (you can start at 11.30):

View: https://youtu.be/3tTnaatSlpY?t=685


The Daily Cigar channel I find a bit annoying and stressful... :):
 

Trambak

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@Soren , @Boreas How are your cigar smoking going?

@Soren You actually smoke 2 cigars some days? How do you even find time..? You smoke 20-30 min. cigars? After learning, and practising, a more unhurried and calm maner of smoking, my 35 min cigar at first turned into a 50 min. cigar, and now, to a 65 min. cigar... And I find the effect of even one cigar very potent. It stays for many hours.

Further results: Soon after I introduced retro-halation in my cigar smoking, I realized that my sinuses had opened up! For decades I have had a low level, but cronic inflammation, making my sinuses just slightly swollen. Now it seems mostly gone. I can breath with much more ease. Wonderful.

(This also now makes me capable to use retro-halation even after doing nasal inhaltion while 'chewing' on the smoke in my mouth. At first I had to hold my breath before doing this.)

The Cigar Smokers Pose, holding the cigar with the ash stack held straight up, seemed a bit affected to me at first – but now I see that it makes the cigar burn more evenly, with less chance of overheating.

I think I might go down to one cigar 2-3 days a week, not to over do it. At least if I still get the terapeutic effect.
 

Jonnie

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@Soren , @Boreas How are your cigar smoking going?

@Soren You actually smoke 2 cigars some days? How do you even find time..? You smoke 20-30 min. cigars? After learning, and practising, a more unhurried and calm maner of smoking, my 35 min cigar at first turned into a 50 min. cigar, and now, to a 65 min. cigar... And I find the effect of even one cigar very potent. It stays for many hours.

Further results: Soon after I introduced retro-halation in my cigar smoking, I realized that my sinuses had opened up! For decades I have had a low level, but cronic inflammation, making my sinuses just slightly swollen. Now it seems mostly gone. I can breath with much more ease. Wonderful.

(This also now makes me capable to use retro-halation even after doing nasal inhaltion while 'chewing' on the smoke in my mouth. At first I had to hold my breath before doing this.)

The Cigar Smokers Pose, holding the cigar with the ash stack held straight up, seemed a bit affected to me at first – but now I see that it makes the cigar burn more evenly, with less chance of overheating.

I think I might go down to one cigar 2-3 days a week, not to over do it. At least if I still get the terapeutic effect.
Interesting observations. Keep in mind spring is also starting and depending on what place you’re at, the extra sun exposure can bring a lot of benefits too.

I actually only bought my 3rd cigar last week. I notice I feel pretty chill and relaxed after smoking but will have to do more cigarring before I can really tell
 

Jonnie

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Early days yet. Still, very soon I started to notice some benefits, like better and more frequent bowel movement. Now often 2 a day, on occasion 3. My sleep is a bit better. There are also some minor signs of androgenic effects. All this could of course be just temporary, or coincidence. We'll see.

Just finished my third week. I do one cigar a day, 4 days a week. Three of those days I smoke my very mild Phillipino brand, one day a week I try some medium or strong, like a Ramone Allones Habana.

I have now also learned how to smoke a cigar more properly, i.e. for more optimal enjoyment and experience! :D (Credit goes to the YouTube channel Cigar Obsession.) To be unhurried and pace yourself is key. One basic thing is not making too frequent draws, which, among other things, overheat the cigar and reduces the flavours. I guess 2 a minute, or at most 3, is good. Each draw should be slow and gentle, for the same reason: not to overheat. Another basic point is not holding your breath! While keeping the smoke in your mouth you can calmly, in a normal way, breath through your nose a couple of times, before letting the smoke out through your mouth. (While the smoke is in your mouth you can make some chewing-like motions to move it around.)

There is also this retro-halation, that is suggested you do now and then, during your smoke. I do it now after every 3-4 draw. In short, it means that you let the smoke out of your nose, instead of your mouth. It is simple, basically you push your tongue up to the palets and just exhale the smoke through the nostrils. (Personally I can't manage it if I have done nasal breathing with the smoke in my mouth. When I do retro-halation I have first to hold my breath during the draw, then it works perfectly.) The point of retro-halation is to engage the smell-receptors in the nostrils, since taste requires synergy with smell sensations.

I find the guy on Cigar Obsession calm, articulate and simpatico. Here is one of his videos specially for newbies (you can start at 11.30):

View: https://youtu.be/3tTnaatSlpY?t=685


The Daily Cigar channel I find a bit annoying and stressful... :):

Fantastic video. Really sets the mood; I want to enjoy life more…
 

Tash

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Anyone have any thoughts if a cigar before bed will keep you awake? I imagine that it is similar to caffeine where if it is taken when glycogen levels are low it can have an over stimulating stress like effect but I'm not sure.
I find that vintage cigars do not give you that overstimulating stress effect especially towards the end of the smoke.

Sitting back and unwinding from a long day with a latte and an aged cigar - lovingly selected from a tobacconist's back room humidor - feels absolutely wonderful. Ain't just for guys!
 
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Soren

Soren

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I find that vintage cigars do not give you that overstimulating stress effect especially towards the end of the smoke.

Sitting back and unwinding from a long day with a latte and an aged cigar - lovingly selected from a tobacconist's back room humidor - feels absolutely wonderful. Ain't just for guys!

I find the end of the day cigar now after I´ve had my dinner or something to eat is incredibly relaxing. I don´t know what difference them being "vintage" makes a difference.
 

HeyThere

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So I've been reading this thread and got intrigued.

I was at 7-11 and a guy was smoking a tiny cigar outside and it smelled GOOD. I asked him what it was and so I went back in and bought two of them. I soon learned they are pipe tobacco, not cigar (Black & Milds - I got the "Sweet" ones). Pretty enjoyable and having smoked 1/2 I have a bit more energy now (been SO listless for too long).

So my question is this, are all the benefits mentioned in this thread also in pipe tobacco?? Digestion/parasites/better sleep/ etc etc etc.
 
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Soren

Soren

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So I've been reading this thread and got intrigued.

I was at 7-11 and a guy was smoking a tiny cigar outside and it smelled GOOD. I asked him what it was and so I went back in and bought two of them. I soon learned they are pipe tobacco, not cigar (Black & Milds - I got the "Sweet" ones). Pretty enjoyable and having smoked 1/2 I have a bit more energy now (been SO listless for too long).

So my question is this, are all the benefits mentioned in this thread also in pipe tobacco?? Digestion/parasites/better sleep/ etc etc etc.

You'd have to look into the specific product you were smoking but the lower quality the tobacco (the cheaper it is) usually it has more stuff added to it, the benefit with hand rolled cigars is it is 100% tobacco. You still would likely get many of the benefits from these cigars but the downsides might outweigh the benefits.
 

HeyThere

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You'd have to look into the specific product you were smoking but the lower quality the tobacco (the cheaper it is) usually it has more stuff added to it, the benefit with hand rolled cigars is it is 100% tobacco. You still would likely get many of the benefits from these cigars but the downsides might outweigh the benefits.

Well, at this small cigarello at $1.19, imma guess it's not as good :(
 

Dave Clark

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I have been rolling cigars for years, and even grow my own tobacco sometimes, usually Pennsylvania Broadleaf. It can be grown organic, and, you can buy organic tobacco, if you are looking for clean leaf. I find the process interesting and relaxing. Like anything, there is a bit of a learning curve, but it doesn't take too long to roll cigars that look and smoke very respectfully. Whole Leaf Tobacco | Buy Tobacco Leaf, Fronto Leaf, Cigar Wrappers, Bulk Tobacco, and More!
Whole Leaf Tobacco | Wholeaf.com Fair Trade Tobacco - How to grow, cure and process tobacco. {forum}
 

SonOfEurope

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Do they grow tobacco on the Canary Islands, or just produce cigars there? I know Cameroon is famous for growing quality wrapper tobacco, and that is not far from the Canaries.
I often hear of cigar smokers living long lives. I personally think the benefits outweigh the risks in some ways. They say that at the turn of the last century, one out of every four men smoked cigars, but since, tobacco has been demonized, that even pipe an cigar smokers are a minority now.

Cameroon is pretty far away... The Canary Archipelago is a maritime territory of Spain off the coast of Morocco at latitude 26-28 North, just south of the Azores... Cameroon is in Equatorial Africa.

We must look at not only soils but fertilizers and drying process used.
 

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