This is how I quit smoking

My first puff and the addiction that followed

I smoked my first cigarette when I was 13 - way too early if you ask me. Luckily, I only smoked one cigarette. But when I was 16 or 17, I started smoking regularly - Marlboro Reds. A disgusting habit that stayed with me until I was 27.

Despite this, I was always physically active, but at some point smoking started to make itself felt. My stamina was decreasing and I realized that it was time to make a change. After a difficult year, I decided to turn my life around - physically and mentally. At the top of the list: quitting smoking.

Whether in company or with a few drinks - the urge to smoke was always there. But I did it! Here I tell you how I got rid of the little devil on my shoulder.

My Way to Quit Smoking

There are countless aids to help you quit smoking – but many of them come from the tobacco industry itself and are also addictive, such as nicotine patches or chewing gum.

I decided to try a different method: the e-cigarette. Admittedly, I looked like a complete idiot with it - and no, I don't recommend it to anyone. The tobacco industry has long had a hand in this, too, and who knows what pollutants we are breathing in?

My biggest challenge was the nights when the nicotine craving was particularly strong. I inhaled my e-cigarette like there was no tomorrow. So I was trading one addiction for another.

The turning point

On March 19, 2013, the time had come. I was living in New York at the time and visiting my family in Detroit. Before I left, I met my best friend on his balcony. We talked about my decision to quit smoking. There I smoked my last cigarette.

I continued to struggle with the e-cigarette – until I decided to stop radically. No replacement, no transition. Just stop.

How Juices Helped Me

While I was quitting smoking, I changed my diet. I was already drinking 500 ml of green juice a day - but then I increased the amount to 3 to 5 bottles a day. And lo and behold, my cravings for nicotine became weaker and weaker.

After a few months, I didn't even think about a cigarette anymore. Today, I am proud to be smoke-free!

What I didn't know at the time was that changing my diet had helped me enormously. Studies show that people who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables are more likely to stay smoke-free.

According to a study by the University of Buffalo, smokers who consumed a lot of fruit and vegetables were three times more likely to remain smoke-free for at least 30 days. They also smoked fewer cigarettes per day and lasted longer before smoking their first cigarette.

My conclusion

I'm not trying to tell you what to do - I'm just sharing my experience. I know how hard it is to quit. But I'll tell you one thing: There's no wrong time to start.

Whether you want to quit smoking, get fitter or lose a few pounds, the most important thing is to stick with it. You are the key to your success.

And if you really want to quit, you now have a natural way: more fruit, more vegetables, more fresh juices!