Cravings For Cigarettes: Why?

[Blossom]

From Peatarian email exchanges
Ray wrote

I haven't experimented with nicotine or tobacco, but I think transdermal application is preferable to smoking; carbon monoxide and other serious toxins are produced by burning the tobacco.

 

[nograde]

Long term smoker here (20+ years). I found the following being the main reasons for my cravings:

- Dopamine/MAO inhibition: when I experimented with ionizers my cravings dramatically increased which really was a mystery to me. Later I found a study which shows that negative ions not only let you breathe off serotonin but also dopamine(!)

- Increasing blood circulation via Nitric oxide: Here I found a clear relationship when using cascara. When taking lots of it my extremities get very cold especially my feet feel like touching ice blocks. Additionally I get a panic like feeling of oxygen deprivation all over, dizziness, blurry vision, elevated heart beat. The cigarette cravings become unbearable. Chain smoking several cigarettes somewhat helps with those symptoms. Emodin is a very potent Nitric Oxide inhibitor.

- Increasing metabolism: if I have a very nutritious breakfast I am now able to get my temps and pulse up quickly (70s range). But only with a cigarette afterwards I'm able to catapult my pulse into the 80s-90s range.

 

[jyb]

Long term smoker here (20+ years). I found the following being the main reasons for my cravings:

- Dopamine/MAO inhibition: when I experimented with ionizers my cravings dramatically increased which really was a mystery to me. Later I found a study which shows that negative ions not only let you breathe off serotonin but also dopamine(!)

- Increasing blood circulation via Nitric oxide: Here I found a clear relationship when using cascara. When taking lots of it my extremities get very cold especially my feet feel like touching ice blocks. Additionally I get a panic like feeling of oxygen deprivation all over, dizziness, blurry vision, elevated heart beat. The cigarette cravings become unbearable. Chain smoking several cigarettes somewhat helps with those symptoms. Emodin is a very potent Nitric Oxide inhibitor.

- Increasing metabolism: if I have a very nutritious breakfast I am now able to get my temps and pulse up quickly (70s range). But only with a cigarette afterwards I'm able to catapult my pulse into the 80s-90s range.

Well, emodin prevents the formation of NO, at least locally in the gut. But I'm not sure if it can do much if NO is already present?

 

[Blossom]

My grandpa told me he still craved cigarettes every now and then even after having quit for 35 years.

 

[fyo]

Long term smoker here (20+ years). I found the following being the main reasons for my cravings:

- Dopamine/MAO inhibition: when I experimented with ionizers my cravings dramatically increased which really was a mystery to me. Later I found a study which shows that negative ions not only let you breathe off serotonin but also dopamine(!)

Have you experimented with niacinimide and cravings?

 

[Blossom]

I'm thinking cadmium might be one of the more serious toxins in cigarette smoke. It is probably easier to detoxify this when in a healthy condition but when a person becomes more and more impaired it may build up and cause problems. That might be part of the reason younger people appear to tolerate smoking fine because they are just generally in a better metabolic state. I had some blood work that showed high levels of cadmium and when I researched this cigarette smoking was pinpointed as one of the main culprits. I got by with smoking for 30ish years but inevitably it began to take it's toll. The rare cases you hear about people who live to 125 years old and smoke probably have great metabolisms to help them cope with the CO and other toxins like cadmium.

 

[jyb]

I'm thinking cadmium might be one of the more serious toxins in cigarette smoke. It is probably easier to detoxify this when in a healthy condition but when a person becomes more and more impaired it may build up and cause problems. That might be part of the reason younger people appear to tolerate smoking fine because they are just generally in a better metabolic state. I had some blood work that showed high levels of cadmium and when I researched this cigarette smoking was pinpointed as one of the main culprits. I got by with smoking for 30ish years but inevitably it began to take it's toll. The rare cases you hear about people who live to 125 years old and smoke probably have great metabolisms to help them cope with the CO and other toxins like cadmium.

Yes, elevated serum cadmium from smoking is I think well documented. From what I've read, the body can remove cadmium if your body has the nutrients (copper, zinc, selenium...) to synthetize the tools for the job. If CO damages the C-oxidase, you'd need copper for that too for repair. The question is, if you are well nourished, and have all these nutrients and a high metabolism where the body is good at repairing, and you don't smoke too much to keep nicotine low, can smoking be healthy? I doubt you could find any population study to answer this question, because those who smoke are probably also the ones who don't bother with a very nutrient dense diet.

Oysters can be rich in cadmium, but I've seen plots showing that it correlates with zinc. So the oysters with higher cadmium might also have more nutrients helpful for its removal. I remember a study mentioning that serum cadmium from these oysters were less of a concern than from smoking.

 

[paper_clips43]

When I was a smoker I started adding calamus powder to my own rollies and felt pretty good from it.
Supposedly it is supposed to neutralize some of the bad effects.
I definitely wouldn't recommend it to a non-smoker but for some who already smoke it may be worth it.
Here the wiki on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorus_calamus

and some more info
http://www.smokableherbs.com/calamus-root/

 

[sladerunner69]

I'm thinking cadmium might be one of the more serious toxins in cigarette smoke. It is probably easier to detoxify this when in a healthy condition but when a person becomes more and more impaired it may build up and cause problems. That might be part of the reason younger people appear to tolerate smoking fine because they are just generally in a better metabolic state. I had some blood work that showed high levels of cadmium and when I researched this cigarette smoking was pinpointed as one of the main culprits. I got by with smoking for 30ish years but inevitably it began to take it's toll. The rare cases you hear about people who live to 125 years old and smoke probably have great metabolisms to help them cope with the CO and other toxins like cadmium.

I suspect cadmium in cigarettes to be mostly from industrial process and additives. To say a few people who lived 125 years smoked is a misinterpretation. ALL of the worlds 12 longest living people had a sturdy smoking/chewing habit. They used natural, probably organic tobbacco. I don't think cadmium is a problem in the tobacco plant itself.

 

[jyb]

I suspect cadmium in cigarettes to be mostly from industrial process and additives. To say a few people who lived 125 years smoked is a misinterpretation. ALL of the worlds 12 longest living people had a sturdy smoking/chewing habit. They used natural, probably organic tobbacco. I don't think cadmium is a problem in the tobacco plant itself.

Are you sure those 12 long living people used organic tobbacco? Reading the bio of some of them, I have the impression they would have never cared about that kind of detail.

I'm not sure if cadmium is a problem. Coffee helps to remove it, so if you drink loads of it is it a problem? Oysters have cadmium, but if they have zinc and copper then the body can remove it better?

 

[sladerunner69]

Nicotine itself causes derangement of chondrocites and chondrocitic stem cells. The result is degeneration of cartilage, bone and connective tissue in general. It's a direct perverse redirection of differentiation. That's why smokers tend to nonunion. Not the carbon monoxide, tars or pesticide residue. Nicotine itself.
Google: nicotine chondrocite.

Sorry...I don't see the conection between chondrocites and contrarian ideology?

 

[Blossom]

Sure enough, I smoked organic tobacco and had high cadmium. My metabolism was shot though so I'm sure I wasn't detoxifying. I also drank lots of coffee and didn't eat any oysters so who knows. I still want one sometimes and I guess maybe I always will. It used to be a great antidepressant for me it seemed.

 

[Hideous]

That reminds me of my cravings for e cigarette. I recently picked up the habit again of smoking a few cigarettes a day; that is around five. I start in the morning after breakfast on the way to work. Usually, I also have one after meals. I wonder about its relationship to serotonin and its propensity to lower it.

What ideas do you have and what other alternatives do I have to smoking a cigarette? Increase T3? My pulse averages at 72. I started to log my pulses in a Google Spreadsheet.

Hello John Eels, Many individuals who have tried them say that the e-cig has assisted them stop tobacco; however, many of those same persons stay dependent to cigarette smoking cigarettes, a risky material in-and-of itself. There are some analysis assisting the use of the e-cigarette as a stop aid. One minimal (40 subjects) Italy research known that the use of the e-cigarette considerably reduced cigarette smoking take in without resulting in serious negative responses.

 

[sladerunner69]

Sure enough, I smoked organic tobacco and had high cadmium. My metabolism was shot though so I'm sure I wasn't detoxifying. I also drank lots of coffee and didn't eat any oysters so who knows. I still want one sometimes and I guess maybe I always will. It used to be a great antidepressant for me it seemed.

Blossum, I'm currently smoking as well. How can I test for cadmium?

 

[Alan Andrews]

Me also suffering the same situation and fighting with the ways to quit smoking. And after going through this post I got many ideas and I would love to adopt them in my life.

 

[sladerunner69]

Me also suffering the same situation and fighting with the ways to quit smoking. And after going through this post I got many ideas and I would love to adopt them in my life.

First thing I would do is switch to natural (preferably organic) tobacco/cigarettes. If you smoke conventional cigarettes you will experience a withdrawal from the chemicals and additives. I would also start supplementing thyroid immediately, and find the right combination of t3/t4. After starting thyroid my cravings for cigarettes are all but non-existent. Once you have your diet in line with Peat ideology, you should be able to gradually cut back smoking without much, if any, withdrawal symptoms. For instance, keep track of how many your smoking, and reduce that number by one every 3 or 4 days. Another thing that helped me is to only smoke a half cigarette at a time. Your brain will get enough nicotine to satisfy, and you wont be furthering an addiction. Doing this I was able to cut my cigarette consumption in half immediately, while just feeling a little "off" for a couple days. Within a week I was down to a couple a day. I find 2-4 a day provides the benefits without the addiction.

Like a few others here, I still smoke in moderation, I don't believe that natural tobacco use is bad for you, and instead that it provides numerous health benefits. However, I can understand wanting to cutback, especially from an addiction to supermarket cigarettes.

 

[Blossom]

Sure enough, I smoked organic tobacco and had high cadmium. My metabolism was shot though so I'm sure I wasn't detoxifying. I also drank lots of coffee and didn't eat any oysters so who knows. I still want one sometimes and I guess maybe I always will. It used to be a great antidepressant for me it seemed.

Blossum, I'm currently smoking as well. How can I test for cadmium?

The last doctor I went to did the blood test that showed the high cadmium. I suppose you could check online for one of the labs that doesn't require a doctor's order to see if they offer any testing for cadmium. Sorry I was out of town for a couple weeks and just saw this! I haven't retested so I don't have a good resource to recommend.

 

[Blossom]

Here's something I ran across today that helps explain the craving for cigarettes and why. "Nicotine from cigarettes affects brain neurochemistry. It activates acetylcholine receptors in the brain and induces the release of dopamine (resulting in a feeling of calm and pleasure). Nicotine is a psychomotor stimulant. Absorption of cigarette smoke from the lungs is rapid and complete-faster than intravenous injection. Nicotine alters fat storage in the body; there is increased lipolysis releasing free fatty acids. It improves cognitive and motor functions and soothes symptoms in people with depressive disorders, schizophrenia, or ADHD." Source: More Than a Habit Epidemiology and Neurocircuitry of Smoking and Smoking Cessation (Facilitator Guide)
Gosh, no wonder it seems hard to quit

 

[khan]

Here's something I ran across today that helps explain the craving for cigarettes and why. "Nicotine from cigarettes affects brain neurochemistry. It activates acetylcholine receptors in the brain and induces the release of dopamine (resulting in a feeling of calm and pleasure). Nicotine is a psychomotor stimulant. Absorption of cigarette smoke from the lungs is rapid and complete-faster than intravenous injection. Nicotine alters fat storage in the body; there is increased lipolysis releasing free fatty acids. It improves cognitive and motor functions and soothes symptoms in people with depressive disorders, schizophrenia, or ADHD." Source: More Than a Habit Epidemiology and Neurocircuitry of Smoking and Smoking Cessation (Facilitator Guide)
Gosh, no wonder it seems hard to quit

I like to smoke 3-4 cigarettes a day. As soon as I take few puffs, I feel tired and get an anxiety. what do you make of that? My parasympathetic nervous system is dominant?

 

[Blossom]

Here's something I ran across today that helps explain the craving for cigarettes and why. "Nicotine from cigarettes affects brain neurochemistry. It activates acetylcholine receptors in the brain and induces the release of dopamine (resulting in a feeling of calm and pleasure). Nicotine is a psychomotor stimulant. Absorption of cigarette smoke from the lungs is rapid and complete-faster than intravenous injection. Nicotine alters fat storage in the body; there is increased lipolysis releasing free fatty acids. It improves cognitive and motor functions and soothes symptoms in people with depressive disorders, schizophrenia, or ADHD." Source: More Than a Habit Epidemiology and Neurocircuitry of Smoking and Smoking Cessation (Facilitator Guide)
Gosh, no wonder it seems hard to quit

I like to smoke 3-4 cigarettes a day. As soon as I take few puffs, I feel tired and get an anxiety. what do you make of that? My parasympathetic nervous system is dominant?

Gosh khan I'm not sure what to make of your experience. I'm tending toward a biased view of nicotine lately I must admit. Your feeling tired and anxious could be viewed as your bodies way of warning you that smoking may not be optimal for your health. I came real close to smoking myself just the other day. To me it seems that once we have used nicotine routinely not matter how controlled it leaves an impression sometimes called 'addiction' and we often crave it unexpectedly. I think the cholinergic effects must be involved in this. I personally can have an alcoholic beverage on occasion with no problem but I can't do the same with cigarettes. For me it has come down to choosing not to smoke. Everyday I choose all over again not to smoke. I know in my rational mind that not smoking is the best choice for me but it's not always easy. Learning about the increased lipolysis and the cholinergic effects has helped me understand additional reasons, beyond the carbon monoxide and other toxins, that smoking cigarettes probably isn't wise for me. I don't like how smoking and smokers are often portrayed in a negative light in popular culture but I do agree that it usually is not a harmless habit. It seems the less one smokes the better and all we can do is our best each day. I don't think anyone who has smoked regularly ever really wants to quit we just have to choose to quit. It's a very personal choice. I would just experiment with how you feel not smoking if the anxiety and tiredness is worrisome. You may feel worse at first for a few days though as the nicotine leaves your system. I wish I had a more scientific answer for you but I'm more of a practical experience type of person. I also wish I could say I think smoking 3-4 cigarettes a day is harmless but from my perspective it's just less harmful than smoking more. I'm sure there are people who have smoked light-moderately and lived long and reasonably healthy lives but from what I've seen it is more of the exception than the rule. No matter what you chose don't beat yourself up over smoking. Just do your best to take good care of yourself. I find the better my health is (and the nicer I treat myself) the easier it is to resist the urge when it strikes. I have to keep studying this topic so if I find any useful information I will share it!