Smoking cessation

[markiver54]

Yes Bob! Another huge benefit I look forward to is the food tasting better. I currently use too much salt. Bad for my BP.
Maybe I will find that food tastes good without it☺
BTW, congratulations on your accomplishments ! One bad thing I do not do is consume many soft drinks. Don't enjoy sweets in general.

[PT7]

I know I'm a little off track on your thread topic, Mark, but quick comment on salt as it can impact health. A good friend that oftens joins me in my kitchen culinary capers is salt-free "Mrs. Dash." It's the seasoning blend with cracked pepper bits, which I like a lot. Comes in an original blend. I am using the Lemon Pepper blend right now.

Stove-top, oven, and grill food prep. Mrs. Dash dashes from one to another!

[markiver54]

Thanks Bob, have heard of it....will have to give it a try!☺

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

This isn't quitting the same product, Mike. But I've cut out drinking my all-time, life-time favorite soft drink. I really, really like the Real Thing --> Classic Coke. The main reason was to cut down on the sugar intake, because I was drinking a bottle (at least, usually more) per day. Well, from my previous physical exam six months ago to the just recently-taken physical exam, I dropped 13 pounds! Close to having to punch some holes in my belt, or get a new one.

You said you "could smell your coffee brewing this morning!" Other foods and drinks will continue to taste better & better. You'll enjoy the culinary pursuit more w/out cigarettes stifling all that good stuff.

Interesting what happened to my "quitting" routine last week. My daughter offered me a Coke in one of those 7.5 oz. cans. Doesn't help much when there is another Coke drinker in the house. Anyway, I thought, oh well, that teeny-tiny can isn't too much. It tasted absolutely awful! That told me I've successfully quit that drink.

Definitely believe you will "do it," too. Quitting will reap some benefits.
PT7

I was also a Classic Coke lover. That started talking to me too. It would give me painful back-aches (kidneys?). Now it's Classic Coke just once or twice a week. But for years, other than Milk and Ginger Ale, what else do you drink with your meals? Then my wife started putting Raspberries in Water. Tried it. It was OK, but I wasn't crazy about it, but that gave me the idea of trying Blueberries. I now put about a dozen frozen Blueberries in Water just about everyday. Turns the Water a nice shade of Blue and gives it enough flavor that suites me just fine. Then once the drink is gone, I have the leftover Blueberries for "desert". Always like Blueberries anyway, but have since learned that they are pretty healthy for you loaded with antioxidants. Besides no more back pain, I also like the idea of getting away from that sugary drink.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

Salt is another one. My doctor convinced me to put the Salt Shaker away. I used to love it especially on Fries. I now have my Fries, and everything else, plain. Once used to it, I hardly miss it at all.

That salt alternative mentioned above sounds pretty good though.

[Mags]

In my late teens and early 20's working a minimum wage job, I didn't have the funds to spend on anything other than rent, food and little bit of gas. Rode my bicycle most places. Anyway was a social smoker at the time, bumming smokes off others on the sometimes social occasions. Couldn't see the sense in spending any money of my own on smokes and alcohol. Hence never got hooked.

Much later in life dumped soft drinks. One day they where just too overpoweringly sweet. Still a little tiny bit of sugar in Iced Tea though, just to take the bitter edge off.

I do love carbonation though. So plain LaCroix, no sodium, no sweetners, no added flavors. Thinking of switching over to make my own with a 'Soda Stream'.
Tired of the cans stacking up. Oregon has a 10cent refundable deposit, but I won't go anywhere near the redemption centers. They are a sticky, unhealthy mess complete with yellow jacket bees. I assume they are out of scope for Health Dept inspections. Had a relative who would take them off my hands, has since moved away. Shame to put all those 10cent cans in recycling. Anyway my thoughts for maybe going 'Soda Stream' route.

[Rifletom]

Haven't used regular table salt in years. I also use Mrs Dash' Original. Good stuff. My wife eats and cooks a whole lot healthier than I do and she uses sea salt at times. Being she's Asian, she uses different things to cook with all the time.
Mark, maybe give that sea salt a try. If you're still wanting salt at all. Keep after it Mark.

[markiver54]

Thanks for the tip on the sea salt Tom. I think the wife has some, back in the cupboard somewhere. She doesn't use salt except a little when cooking.
So far, I feel like I'm doing pretty good. The real test comes Friday eve when I stop smoking altogether, if I haven't already by then.

[ESquared]

Here's a "low salt" mixture that's very tasty on just about everything. If I've done my research correctly, it's about half the sodium of regular salt.

1/4 tsp of this stuff = 250 mg, whereas 1/4 tsp of just salt = 500 mg. Have used it for years on lots of things.

https://www.amazon.com/Janes-Krazy-Seas ... P77N1BUHIN

[markiver54]

Here's a "low salt" mixture that's very tasty on just about everything. If I've done my research correctly, it's about half the sodium of regular salt.

1/4 tsp of this stuff = 250 mg, whereas 1/4 tsp of just salt = 500 mg. Have used it for years on lots of things.

https://www.amazon.com/Janes-Krazy-Seas ... P77N1BUHIN

Thanks Evan! I think I may have seen that at our local ' Fresh Market ' where we do some of our shopping. Might pick some up.
Wife made stuffed salmon and sauteed yellow squash tonite. Was pretty good for a change. Like salmon a lot, however, the squash tasted good to me also. Maybe thing are changing.

[ESquared]

I'm probably not alone in wanting to hear how it's going, Mark, so I'll ask here instead of offline.

Hope your "put 'em down day" on Friday went well and that the weekend was the gateway to more success!

[markiver54]

Thanks for asking Evan. Yes I had set the day for last Friday. Did not feel quite ready yet. Talked to the doc though and she suggested that as long as I was cutting back, was ok to go a bit longer. Compared to the two + packs a day I was smoking, I am down to less than 1/2 pack. Still taking the Chantix as the supply goes on for a while.
The incentives have already surfaced. Breathing better, coughing less, food is tasting better and we went grocery shopping yesterday. I could smell everthing in the store, from produce to bakery!
I feel like I'm doing very well, considering, I expect the end to be within the next couple days. I might add that I have already saved a good amount of money! I AM GONNA DO THIS!

Mark

[PT7]

Definite that you are dead-center in the bull toward your goal, Mark.
Keep on keepin' on.

The incentives have already surfaced. Breathing better, coughing less, food is tasting better and we went grocery shopping yesterday. I could smell everthing in the store, from produce to bakery!
I feel like I'm doing very well, considering, I expect the end to be within the next couple days. I might add that I have already saved a good amount of money! I AM GONNA DO THIS!

Mark

[JEBar]

I AM GONNA DO THIS!

Mark

hang onto that determination .... there will be ups and downs .... focus on your goal and build on the ups

[ESquared]

What's so great about the new medical technology of all this is that you can adjust the way you go about it to give yourself the most promising path to success. Glad to hear you and your doc figured out a route that is good and right for you!

From where you started out, you've made a HUGE amount of progress, so just keep on doing what you're doing. Your brain will let you know when the time is right to just "let 'em go"!

All the best and keep us posted!

[RanchRoper]

You got this. 1 day at a time.

[Mags]

.
You are doing well! Already better enjoyment of things that have taste and smell, as well as saving money toward that Henry side-loader!

...
The incentives have already surfaced. Breathing better, coughing less, food is tasting better and we went grocery shopping yesterday. I could smell everything in the store, from produce to bakery!
I feel like I'm doing very well, considering, I expect the end to be within the next couple days. I might add that I have already saved a good amount of money! I AM GONNA DO THIS!

Mark

[markiver54]

Thanks for the encouragement from ALL of you!!!
Will be back, of course with progress report! ☺

[RanchRoper]

If only Doc had your will power, he'd have lived to move to Hollywood with Wyatt and consult on those early westerns.

[markiver54]

If only Doc had your will power, he'd have lived to move to Hollywood with Wyatt and consult on those early westerns.

I hear Ya RR! Still have to prove my will power though...intend to do so. Don't think I could be as good of a consultant as Doc though.