Like they say, it is easier said than done. Likewise, it is easy to admonish someone who smokes, or to ask him to quit the habit. Ask someone, who has quit smoking, how hard it had been for him/her. The reply you get will help you understand the almost super-human effort that goes into the entire process of quitting the habit.

The urge to smoke that one last cigarette is always there with people who have already quit the habit. People who have quit active smoking for years report to have had those occasional urges to smoke. Unfortunately, many, who after having successfully quitted the habit, get back to smoking just because they could not hold back the temptation of smoking that occasional cigarette their friend offered. There is no point getting back to square one after what a smoker goes through to quit smoking in the first place. Those occasional urges need to be controlled strongly.

Thankfully, smokers can opt for a very simple and inexpensive way out of this dilemma. Water is said to help people get out of their craving for a smoke. The good news is that it is helping fresh quitters during the initial weeks. People who have been smoking for a long time get used to nicotine, a strong drug. When a person quits smoking or is in the gradual process of quitting, the body craves for nicotine it is used to having on an every day basis. Nicotine needs to be flushed out of the system, which water can do rather effectively. The more the water consumption, the more is the elimination of toxins. On an average, a person who has that urge to smoke should double his intake of water. What is thought more practical is a gradual reduction in the number of cigarettes a person smokes. That way the body gets used to the lesser intake of nicotine on an ongoing basis. Sudden quitting upsets the body and the resultant craving can create more withdrawal symptoms. Headaches are one of the common symptoms of withdrawal.

If you have quit smoking, but gave in to the urge, do not feel guilty. All you need to do is gulp down 3 or 4 glasses of water to flush out the toxins you introduced to the body. Make a fresh resolution not to give into the urge again. When the urge is on, remember not to give in to it. Instead, drink a few glasses of water reminding yourself not to add more toxins to your system.

About the author:

Tony Robinson is an ex-smoker, Webmaster and International Author. Visit http://www.quit-smoking-assist.com/ for his quit smoking tips.