Okay, we all know that smoking can cause many problems for our bodies physically and mentally is a tough addiction to overcome; some people of course do not see a problem with it and feel that the positives outweigh the negatives.

It is not our position to make judgement on an individuals’ choice and beliefs, but to try and provide help where it is wanted.

Diet tips for smokers
Smoke puts extra pressure on your cardiovascular system. So if you can avoid high salt intake, such as with junk or processed food this will help.

Have a high intake of fish protein, lower intake of animal protein and keep a low – medium level on your dairy products. This will help your heart and circulation by cutting the amount of saturated fat in your diet.

Reduce your caffeine: coffee, tea, fizzy drinks etc. Too much of these will make you jittery and more likely to want a cigarette.

Did you know…?
Low fat diets can make you depressed. Research has linked diets that drastically cut down on all types of fat with an increase in symptoms of depression.
Turkey and chicken contain a good source of mood enhancing tryptophan, an essential amino acid which is converted into serotonin - which can be low in people suffering from depression.
Vitamin B6, vitamin C, Folic Acid (Folate) and Zinc are all essential good mood nutrients. They are needed to make the feel-good brain chemical serotonin from the tryptophan protein fragment that is found in foods such as meat, fish, beans and lentils.

Have a go at cooking the Mind Meal
The Mind Meal is an excellent idea - good, simple food that can help you to feel different about life. I have found that eating regularly enough to keep my sugar levels from dropping and choosing food that isn't enormously processed does seem to keep me on a more even keel'.
Nigella Lawson

Click here to view the recipe and instructions. It will open up as a PDF, which you can print or save to your computer.