Off-Topic Smoking
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North Coast Miller
Level 9 Valued Member
I smoked off and on for years. I finally reached a point where I was curtailing some activities because my wind was declining noticeably. By the time I quit entirely I was hand rolling my own with a filter, maybe two or three a day. My training regimen had been cut back as well, so overall the effect is not good even at a low dose. That was nearly 15 years ago and I'm training harder now than I was capable of then.
When I did quit I used tincture of Lobelia, two drops in a cup of coffee a few times a day and it feels just like having a cigarette after a few days of not. Very similar compound to nicotine but not habit forming. Used to be used in "quit smoking" aids as the active ingredient.
It doesn't even seem real to me that I used to smoke, I don't miss it at all. Even lacking any long term effects, one loses about 20% lung capacity temporarily after smoking. When I started doing breath meditation pretty much convinced me to drop those last few cigs and stop entirely - was in my mid 30s.
When I was younger it still had a negative effect but was easier to dismiss. When I was training hard I'd stop entirely and I honestly believe the aggravated feeling of constantly quitting and falling off generated extra intensity in the weight room.
The stuff is no good for nobody when it comes to health, tho I can understand perfectly why folks enjoy it.
When I did quit I used tincture of Lobelia, two drops in a cup of coffee a few times a day and it feels just like having a cigarette after a few days of not. Very similar compound to nicotine but not habit forming. Used to be used in "quit smoking" aids as the active ingredient.
It doesn't even seem real to me that I used to smoke, I don't miss it at all. Even lacking any long term effects, one loses about 20% lung capacity temporarily after smoking. When I started doing breath meditation pretty much convinced me to drop those last few cigs and stop entirely - was in my mid 30s.
When I was younger it still had a negative effect but was easier to dismiss. When I was training hard I'd stop entirely and I honestly believe the aggravated feeling of constantly quitting and falling off generated extra intensity in the weight room.
The stuff is no good for nobody when it comes to health, tho I can understand perfectly why folks enjoy it.
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Butch
Level 1 Valued Member
There are some studies that show it helps slowdown or prevent
Alzheimer in older people.
Alzheimer in older people.
pet'
Level 8 Valued Member
Hello,
@Butch
I do not smoke but I guess it reduces cardio and lungs capabilities. Indeed all the people I know who smoke have a little bit less endurance than me, even if they train like me.
To reduce it, I guess there are lots of solutions: self-discipline, some "patches", nicotin chewing gums, etc..
Kind regards,
Pet'
@Butch
I do not smoke but I guess it reduces cardio and lungs capabilities. Indeed all the people I know who smoke have a little bit less endurance than me, even if they train like me.
To reduce it, I guess there are lots of solutions: self-discipline, some "patches", nicotin chewing gums, etc..
Kind regards,
Pet'
Tarzan
Level 6 Valued Member
I've had many periods in my life where I've smoked. It's been a year almost to the day since I last quit & I'm feeling a lot better for it.
I've quit many times before but the last time was by far the toughest. Someone suggested to me (a chemist with ties to the tobacco industry) that the nicotine in tobacco is "freebased" these days, so even though it might appear to be the same strength in milligrams per cigarette it has a lot more kick and is more addictive. I don't know if that's true but I wouldn't be surprised if it is.
I read about tobacco being radioactive a while ago, so that always played on my mind. It was tobacco grown on U.S. super-phosphate that was said to be affected & I just happened to be smoking U.S. cigarettes when I read it. The isotopes were polonium 210 and lead 210 and the long term health effects were not good.
Before I quit last time I read a free ebook titled - Never Take Another Puff, and that helped me understand what triggered my desire to smoke and how to give up altogether.
The author equated nicotine patches and gums and any other form of "replacement" nicotine to giving a heroin addict a taste of their favourite drug every day and expecting them to quit. His theory was if you keep giving someone small amounts of a drug they are addicted then they will remain addicted. So his idea was to make a clean break and never take another puff as just one taste has the potential to get someone re- addicted.
I know many friends and family members who like myself tried the patches and gums and like myself soon start smoking again but the medical establishment would suggest otherwise and have figures to back it up. I think it's just another drug to big pharma and they just want to reap the profits from it.
I've quit many times before but the last time was by far the toughest. Someone suggested to me (a chemist with ties to the tobacco industry) that the nicotine in tobacco is "freebased" these days, so even though it might appear to be the same strength in milligrams per cigarette it has a lot more kick and is more addictive. I don't know if that's true but I wouldn't be surprised if it is.
I read about tobacco being radioactive a while ago, so that always played on my mind. It was tobacco grown on U.S. super-phosphate that was said to be affected & I just happened to be smoking U.S. cigarettes when I read it. The isotopes were polonium 210 and lead 210 and the long term health effects were not good.
Before I quit last time I read a free ebook titled - Never Take Another Puff, and that helped me understand what triggered my desire to smoke and how to give up altogether.
The author equated nicotine patches and gums and any other form of "replacement" nicotine to giving a heroin addict a taste of their favourite drug every day and expecting them to quit. His theory was if you keep giving someone small amounts of a drug they are addicted then they will remain addicted. So his idea was to make a clean break and never take another puff as just one taste has the potential to get someone re- addicted.
I know many friends and family members who like myself tried the patches and gums and like myself soon start smoking again but the medical establishment would suggest otherwise and have figures to back it up. I think it's just another drug to big pharma and they just want to reap the profits from it.
Butch
Level 1 Valued Member
“Long Rests”: A Revolution in Interval Training
"
Indians slipped out of the shoulder – and head-straps and lay at ease, talking and smoking."
They were probably fitter than you.
"
Indians slipped out of the shoulder – and head-straps and lay at ease, talking and smoking."
They were probably fitter than you.
D-Rock
Level 5 Valued Member
What do you all think about puffing the occasional cigar or pipe? There anecdotally seems to have been plenty healthy people from older times who held this in high regard.
@Butch interesting you brought that up. I wonder what exactly were in Native American's pipes, if it was something other than tobacco? Did they actually inhale or what it more of a puff such as a cigar or pipe?
@Butch interesting you brought that up. I wonder what exactly were in Native American's pipes, if it was something other than tobacco? Did they actually inhale or what it more of a puff such as a cigar or pipe?
North Coast Miller
Level 9 Valued Member
A lot of the correlation between chewing tobacco and mouth cancers has fallen by the wayside. If you're going to use tobacco, chewing is the least risky method.
Puffing still dumps nicotine through oral tissue, increases the odds of oral cancer (though not tremendously) and I don't know anyone who smokes cigar or pipe who doesn't take the odd inhale.
Still, I'd imagine far less unhealthy than inhaling cigarette smoke.
Puffing still dumps nicotine through oral tissue, increases the odds of oral cancer (though not tremendously) and I don't know anyone who smokes cigar or pipe who doesn't take the odd inhale.
Still, I'd imagine far less unhealthy than inhaling cigarette smoke.
Kettlebelephant
Level 6 Valued Member
That's totally different. They talk about nicotine patches, not smoking. Most of the negative effects (maybe even all) come from inhaling the stuff.
Nicotine may help to prevent/treat Alzheimer, but if it actually does it's in the dosage and weighing the positive against the negative effects. It's the same for e.g. poison. If you get bit by a cobra, you'll die, but if a professional toxicologist takes the same poison and filters some things out etc. the same poison can be used to treat diseases or safe lives.
Honestly I consider all of those studies BS.
There are some studies that show that it prevents Alzheimer and others (much more than the ones stating it prevents it) that it increases the risk of getting Alzheimer.
They don't even know 100% how Alzheimer works and how you develop it. On top of it most of the patients are old, so you have decades of undocumented lifestyles that lead up to it. How could you make a reliable study about all of this.
"The only statistics/studys you can trust are those you falsified yourself."
I'm 100% with Steve.
Probably like most things - the poison is in the dosage.
I enjoy a good cigar with my friends from time to time. But that's just for special cases and happens like 2-5 times per year. I wouldn't consider that unhealthy.
I would put smoking in the same area as drinking. Occasionally getting drunk at a party, having a beer with friends or enjoying 1-2 nice glasses of wine at diner won't do you any damage and might even have a positive effect (e.g. the recommended one glass of red wine).
Drinking a bottle of wine or 2-3 bottles of beer every day for years is a different story...
Personally I dislike smoking a lot. And that's not even health related. If someone smokes near you, even outside, afterwards your own clothes stink disgusting. Even more so in a room with smokers.
Kissing a girl that smokes is a very, very unpleasant experience, too.
If you smoke, but don't do it near me and you don't want to kiss me
than I'm fine with it and won't bother you, because everyone can do what he/she wants.The late Helmut Schmidt (one of Germanys most prominent Bundeskanzlers) smoked his entire life. He was famous for smoking during TV appearances, interviews and stuff like that. He died short before his 97th birthday and despite being so old he was still mentally and physically fit enough to appear on TV and have discussions about politics and economy.
So yes, despite all the documented negative side effects, smoking doesn't necessarily have to be bad for everyone.
jca17
Level 5 Valued Member
And unfortunately they probably died a lot younger than most of us will. There are obviously A LOT of reasons for why this would be the case, but the point is, health is not fitness. If you want to be healthier, do not smoke. And for that matter, if you want to be more fit, don't smoke. Just because someone who smokes is fit doesn't mean they are as fit as they could be. Lebron James could probably do just about EVERYTHING that is known to be bad for a person's health and fitness and your fittest self would not beat him at basketball. That doesn't negate the risk factors.
There are many variables to consider and its each persons decision. But don't be deceived into thinking health or fitness are on the "plus" side of the equation for smoking. If for you the plusses outweigh the minuses (including negative effects on health and fitness) then the decision to keep smoking makes sense. At least you know the consequences and can own up for both the good and bad.
There are several posters of bicycle riders having a cigarette break in the middle of the Tour de France because they were convinced it opened up their lungs.
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North Coast Miller
Level 9 Valued Member
!!!??? I've felt a cup of coffee open my lungs a bit, smoking never had even a remote "opening" feeling for me. In fact not only restricting my airways a bit, but plugging my nose so I'd have to partially mouth breathe.The only smoking one could overlook would be refer. Personally I don't think that's any good for anybody either, at least from a fitness perspective. But I can't argue with Phelps, Rogan, (even Bruce used to eat some) and who knows how many other world class athletes. I guess I don't have the sort of excess capacity or headspace they do...
North Coast Miller
Level 9 Valued Member
Peppermint tea work well too.
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