Smoking Dependency - Nutrition/Diet - Why Am I Addicted?

I just happened to be browsing through the MSN groups and came across this board. I will be 39 this month and started dabbling in smoking when I was in about 5th grade. I was addicted and I loved to smoke (at least I thought I loved it - it made me feel good). My favorite phrase when I was trying to quit was "I would smoke my leg if I could." Now, I can't hardly stand the smell.

The last time I tried to quit I did it before I got pregnant with my son who is now 5 1/2. I quit with a couple of girls from work - we would always take smoke breaks together. I tried using the patch but everywhere I put it on my body it would hurt. Another girl used the gum and the other used the patch as well. I decided to get rid of the patch and would squeeze some stress putty I had stuck in a drawer somewhere. We would go outside just like we always did but didn't smoke. We did this at the same time everyday as we used to. I would squeeze my putty and my friend Lynne would chew her nicotine gum and Denise would be there relying on her patch - this was in 1998 by the way and those two girls are still smoke free - I'm the only one who slipped but I finally got my balance. It finally got to the point that we wouldn't take our breaks anymore - it was great and I was smoke free!

My smoke-free life lasted until my son was about 10 months old when we moved back to Kentucky to be near family. Lot's of stress and wasn't happy - stopped at a store on the way to my mother's house and bought a pack. I was one of those who never bought a carton because I knew if I did I would have to smoke them. That was it - I started again.

This last time - and I mean LAST time, I decided it was over for good. I was wanting a second child and needed to quit again. This time, I did it cold turkey. I had become a Christian in 2000 and in my bible study learned a lot about the "flesh" and controlling the fleshly desires (my desires). I believe, and some may disagree with me and that's okay, that any form of non-control on our part is not pleasing to God. Whether it's about eating, screaming at the kids, smoking, etc. I decided that I wanted to be more pleasing to the Lord. I believe that is what helps me not smoke. Apart from wanting to please the Lord I did not want my children having the same memories about me that I had about my father - he always smelled like Ford Motor Company and cigarettes. I have also learned that if I don't want my kids doing anything I must not do it myself.

I have learned a lot about smoking and its effects on the body and a lot about nutrition. I recently created a page on my website about nicotine and its effects and what you can do nutritionally. Smoking, as well as a lot of other things we do to ourselves or that we come into contact with depletes our bodies of nutrients. We need to build the nutrients back up and maintain a basic level of nutrient intake. I am a distributor for nutritional products as well as other products for health but I am only here because I wanted to mention what I did to quit smoking.

Remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)