Dooley Noted: 5/14/14
As much as cigarette smoking is exiled in most of NYC, you still see it.
I watch smokers on the sidewalk, staring off into space as they suck deeply on the cigarette.
Then, it hit me.
I could learn something from these smokers.
They step away from all the stressors in their life to take a deep breath. They are calmed by nicotine, you might say, since it activates parasympathetic nicotinic receptors.
But I don’t see that same calm on nicotine gum chewers. In fact, they look more tense when they chew it, since chewing and grinding the teeth are quite sympathetic, as far as the nervous system goes.
Watch a smoker, or even someone with an e-cigarette. A big part of that calm you see comes from the huge, deep breath they take.
Part of the thrill of watching a smoker is how they prolong the exhale. You watch the smoke roll and roll out, the visible remnants of a long inhale’s byproducts.
When I see that smoke roll out, I watch them delivering oxygen, not nicotine.
They choose to smoke in part because they want to breathe. They need and crave a quality breath and a break from their stressors.
I prefer a kettlebell swing break to a cigarette break. And I certainly don’t promote cigarette smoking.
I do want to hand every smoker I see a replacement item: a straw.
Instead of smoking a cigarette, you can still receive part of the benefit that a smoker gets from a solid breath.
Take a break. Take a straw with you.
Inhale deeply through the nose and prolong your exhale through that straw.
You will feel calmer – minus the nicotinic addiction.
You deserve a break from stressors without all the consequences of smoking.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley