Q. I need some ammunition to convince my husband to stop smoking. Recently he has been talking about quitting, but hasn’t yet. Also, in case he continues to smoke, are there nutrients that are protective?
A. Nicotine is a strong addiction that often requires heroic measures to conquer, and your husband will need all the help that you and the rest of his family can give him. If you and your husband still have children living at home, they could provide strong incentive to quit. Children exposed to secondhand smoke have lower levels of vitamin C than nonexposed children, which affects the health of skin, tendons, joints, bones, teeth, and blood vessels. Also, vitamin C is important for production of the hormones that help the body respond to physical and emotional stress, has antihistamine activity, and helps the body rid itself of heavy metal toxins like mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel. If you can’t convince your husband to quit, your family needs to consume increased amounts of vitamin C rich foods or consider vitamin C supplements.
If you have teenagers, bring up that the severity and frequency of acne outbreaks is higher in smokers than in nonsmokers, and presumably higher in secondhand smokers also. The results of a recent study done in Germany were significant enough that the investigators listed cigarette smoking as one of the primary risk factors for acne.
As the wife of a smoker, point out that tests show that the more the husband smokes in the presence of the wife, the higher the exposure to nicotine and the lower the blood levels of beta-carotene and vitamin C in the wife. This observation might explain the higher incidence of lung cancer and heart disease in the mates of smokers.
Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene protect us against oxidative damage related to smoking. Recently a study investigated the role of green tea, a rich source of antioxidants, in preventing the oxidative damage associated with smoking. In this study, heavy smokers received four cups daily of either green tea, black tea, or water. Only those who drank the green tea had decreased oxidative damage.
The endothelium is the layer of cells that line the cavities of the heart, blood, and lymph vessels. Smoking causes endothelial dysfunction in the body, but taurine given to smokers in addition to the antioxidant vitamin C reduces the damage from smoking.
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that involves piercing strategic points on the body with needles. It is part of a complex medical system that uses theories and practices that Westerners are not entirely familiar with, but there are consistent reports of success using acupuncture to help smokers quit or reduce the number of cigarettes smoked. A group of men and women who smoked an average of 20 cigarettes a day received a series of acupuncture treatments, then reported their smoking habits for five years after the last treatment. During treatment, the acupuncture group smoked 14 fewer cigarettes per day compared to seven less for those not receiving acupuncture. At the five-year follow-up, the acupuncture group maintained the reduction while the others did not experience any long-term benefits.
Even if you only succeed in reducing the number of cigarettes your husband smokes, you have made significant progress.
This article appears in January 30 • 2004.