How to Kick the Bad Habit of Smoking with Ayurveda

Highlights

• When you smoke, kapha gets accumulated in the nose, throat, and chest

• Medicinal smoking, known as “dhumapana”, can help kick this addiction.

• You should always speak to a Jiva doctor before starting dhumapana.

Smoking is a harmful habit not just for the one smoking but to everyone around them too. To help you get rid of this habit, Ayurveda recommends dhumapana, or medicinal smoking. While it’s natural to confuse dhumapana with regular smoking, medicinal smoking is very different from puffing on tobacco cigarettes.

In dhumapana, the cigarettes give off smoke that contains small amounts of medicine. This combination of herbs helps increase one’s pitta, reduce the kapha, and cleanse the respiratory channels.

In addition to dhumapana, Ayurveda also has dietary tips for those looking to give up smoking.

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and sugar in the initial period of quitting as the effect these substances have on your body makes you crave nicotine.

• Eat a diet centered around milk, ghee, and fresh foods and veggies.

• Eat a Sattvic diet of fresh and lightly cooked foods, avoiding all processed and preserved foods. This kind of diet will increase ojas (immunity) hence, increasing your resilience in dealing with withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

• Since smoking increases your metabolic rate, quitting will cause it to dip a little, meaning that you should avoid fatty foods and instead snack on low-fat foods like apples, carrots, and cucumbers.

When one smokes, kapha gets collected in the nose, throat and chest. Medicinal smoking, or dhumapana, slowly cleanses the toxins. But, it is important to speak to an Ayurvedic practitioner before taking up this habit.

So don’t hesitate to consult a Jiva doctor if you want more tips on how to kick your addiction. You can dial 0129-4040404 from your mobile phone or click on ‘Speak to a Doctor’ under the CONNECT tab in the Jiva Health App.