Clearing the Air: How to Quit Smoking...and Quit for Keeps
Withdrawal Symptoms and Activities That Might Help*
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SYMPTOM
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ACTIVITY
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| Dry mouth; sore throat, gums, or tongue |
Sip ice-cold water or fruit juice, or chew gum. |
| Headaches |
Take a warm bath or shower. Try relaxation or meditation techniques. |
| Trouble sleeping |
Don't drink coffee, tea or soda with caffeine after 6:00 p.m.
Again, try relaxation or meditation techniques.
|
| Irregularity |
Add roughage to your diet, such as raw fruit, vegetables, and whole grain cereals.
Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.
|
| Fatigue |
Take a nap. Try not to push yourself during this time; don't expect too much
of your body until it's had a chance to begin to heal itself over a couple of weeks.
|
| Hunger |
Drink water or low-calorie liquids. Eat low-fat, low-calorie snacks.
See Snack Calorie Chart.
|
| Tenseness, irritability |
Take a walk, soak in a hot bath, try relaxation or meditation techniques. |
| Coughing |
Sip warm herbal tea. Suck on cough drops or sugarless hard candy. |
* Adapted from Quitting Times: A Magazine
for Women Who Smoke, funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health; prepared
by Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia.
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