The stop-smoking shopping list

Use calcium to get rid of heavy metals
Smokers will feel better if they are able to eliminate the toxic by-products of smoking as soon as possible. Calcium is an important 'chelator' which helps to get rid of heavy metals such as cadmium. Best sources of calcium are non-dairy enriched foods such as soya yoghurt or rice milk, canned fish such as sardines and salmon, kale, dark sesame tahini, eggs and dried fruit. A supplement giving 500 milligrams daily can also help. The antioxidant mineral selenium is an important aid to detoxification and eating five Brazil nuts daily should be sufficient to give the necessary 200 micrograms daily.

Promote lung health with the right foods
A smoker's lungs take quite a battering, so giving them what they need to repair can help. If the lungs have a lot of mucus it can help to avoid dairy and use substitutes such as rice and oat milk instead (sometimes soya is a problem as well).

Antioxidants are vital for the mucus membranes of the lungs to function. Apples and onions contain quercitin which helps lungs particularly. Dark berries such as elderberries (an extract is sold as Sambucol), cherries and blackberries are powerfully lung protective because of the anthocyanins they contain. All fruits and vegetables are going to be helpful. Members of the cabbage family, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cress, swede, and radish have important cancer-fighting chemicals which support lung health.

However, antioxidant supplements should be treated with caution after a trial that showed that while an antioxidant-rich diet consistently ensured that smokers benefited, supplements containing beta-carotene had the reverse effect. While this trial has been criticised somewhat (don't panic if you're a smoker who has been taking antioxidant supplements), erring on the side of caution may be advised.

Boost heart health with supplements Cardiovascular health is of particular importance to smokers. Increasing antioxidant and vitamin C intakes from diet, as outlined above, will be of great benefit. In fact, smokers in Mediterranean countries do not have as many problems with heart health as do those in Northern Europe, probably due to their high intake of fruits and vegetables - up to ten portions daily (that's over three portions with each meal).

The other major difference is their intake of omega-3s from fish oils. At least two to three portions weekly will be of benefit. Oily fish include salmon, herrings, mackerel, tuna (fresh, not canned), sardines and pilchards. Again a supplement is likely to be of benefit.

Calm and distress
Smoking is very stressful for the body to cope with. The nutrients most needed to support adrenal health - the adrenal glands are involved in the stress reaction - are vitamin C (again), zinc (again!), magnesium (again - are we building up a picture here?) and B-vitamins. B-vitamins are found in wholegrains (again). You can also take a supplement containing around 25 milligrams of each of the main B-vitamins. Calcium has a soothing effect on the nervous system and so do oats - this is probably why hot milky oat drinks have been used as a nightcap for ages. However as smokers experiencing mucus may need to avoid milk for a while, it could be better to use a calcium enriched milk alternative such as oat milk.

Herbal helpers
A reformed smoker who needs help from herbs is likely to benefit from a visit to a medical herbalist. While some herbs can be purchased over-the-counter, others are more potent and only available on a licensed basis, and in any event it is helpful to have someone knowledgeable to help you through the process. A herbalist may consider suggesting Lobelia (also called Indian tobacco) which makes the transition to being a non-smoker easier, Acorus culamus which was used by miners to keep their lungs clear, and St John's wort to help support levels of serotonin, a brain chemical affected by withdrawing from smoking.

Suzannah Olivier is a nutritionist and the author of many books. Her latest in Food Medicine (Robinson). Visit her website www.healthandnutrition.co.uk

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