As some of us make the switch between analogs (regular cigarettes) and vaping, we go through some not so fun symptoms, as described thoroughly here:
Understanding Your Symptoms While Adjusting To Vaping : General E-Cig Discussion - International Vapers Club
Now I am NOT A DOCTOR, just a health nut. Everything I will detail below I know about from personal experience and research ONLY. I am writing this to share more natural remedies because regular pharmacology is just adding more chemicals and harsh side effects to an already difficult mix, in my opinion.
1. A good multivitamin. We hear this over and over and sometimes just disregard it. Vitamins B and C, along with minerals like selenium and magnesium are very important for various reasons, ESPECIALLY during this change. I personally take a Solgar, but here is the best guide at choosing a multi I have ever seen:
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/01_03/spin.pdf
Some may wish to get extra of certain ones like B and C, depending on how much is in our multi's. An excellent reference for how much of what might help for various conditions can be found here:
nutritionfocus.org - this resource can be gone to again and again for most if not all of the different supplements I will be telling you about. Look at the menu on the top left and go from there.
2. Stress, Anxiety, Frustration, Agitation etc - I highly recommend kava and valerian for these. Watch it with the kava because it can damage the liver. Valerian is fine on its own, but can also be combined with Passion Flower to produce an effect so strong that this is used to get people off of benzodiazepines. There are other herbal anti-anxiety supplements, such as Motherwort. These can help with sleep, but most people use other natural supplements for that, which I will get into later.
Now you can get these in pill form preferably from health food stores, but valerian from a drugstore will work just as well. Go to tinctures if you want to feel them FAST. And know that they will have the strongest effects the first time you take them. I like these because of less side effects than drugs like xanax, which can linger in the system and make you drowsy for days. Hunger and memory loss are other side effects of things like klonopin and valium that I don't experience with the naturals.
3. Sleep - This one can be a big deal. I highly recommend Melotonin or 5HTP, which can be read about at the nutritionfocus.org site. I took 20 mg of melotonin the other night, that's a bit high of a dose, but it worked like a charm, and I was up in about 8 hours with no residual feeling. You know, like what you are supposed to get from an OTC, but never do.
4. Depression - St John's Wort. Don't disregard this until you try it. Also helps me stay awake and alert. I think 600-900mg a day is the norm. BEWARE: this one can make you photosensitive (burn easily in the sun), and can in fact mess with birth control pills. So make sure to read about this one, and there are other natural remedies for depression as well.
5. Constipation - Over the counter laxatives can be extremely painful. So I use this tea, MUCH MORE GENTLE:Organic Smooth Move® SENNA :: Traditional Medicinals :: Digestive Products It also comes in chocolate flavor lol! You can also get the herb itself w/out the tea I think.
6. Sore throat - Another amazing tea: Organic Lemon Echinacea Throat Coat® :: Traditional Medicinals :: Seasonal Products
And another throat tea from a different company:
Head & Throat Soother Herb Tea Item #: HK-23
Many people on this forum will tell you that dehydration is linked to this. So make sure you drink your fluids. And don't forget about pedialyte if necessary!
Another great idea for both sore throats and sinuses would be a humidifier. Especially in the winter dry months. Makes a night and day difference with how I feel when waking up. I suggest warm mist over cool mist for various reasons, although some would disagree.
7. Glutamine (for soft tissue repair) - ask bodybuilders why this one is so important, and in most protein powders. I do not know this for sure, but I am betting this will help in overall body/lung repair. This one might also help with musle soreness.
8. Muscle/Bone soreness and CRAMPS - I started taking a glucosamine and chondroitin formula with MSM for this when I started doing yoga. And let me tell you, I would not have been able to keep doing yoga without it, PERIOD. NOTE: glucosamine may affect blood sugar. If it does, try the chondroitin and MSM alone, they will still be helpful. And there are others for this as well.
Lance Armstrong's site's piece on relieveing cramps, but I have not tried these methods:
Natural Supplements For Muscle Spasms & Twitching | LIVESTRONG.COM
And what do I keep in my diet when working out a lot to prevent cramps? Bananas. Yup. Please get your potassium through food if possible.
9. Drowsiness - Ginseng, and I am sure there are plenty of non caffinated others. And St John's Wort, as discussed above.
10. Mental Acuity (fogginess, difficulty concentrating) - I went back to college last fall, and have to take a year of foreign language. I was very worried about this as my memory is NOT what it used to be! Ginko Biloba works. It did for me, and I got mine at walmart. There are other naturals for this too.
11. Headaches - The only thing I have for this from personal experience is white willow bark, which is what the native americans used for aspirin, and what aspirin was originally made from. But I have had only limited success with this. The nutritionfocus.org site has several suggestions.
12. Coughing, Phlegm - Best chest or lung tea I have ever had, AND it tastes good, way better than Traditional Medicinals Lung Pacifier Herb Tea Item #: HK-045 If you don't like tea, then the Health king brand makes pills for various things.
Other things to consider limiting besides caffeine: sugar and dairy. Sugar for many reasons, and dairy because it helps mucus form. Some might think that extra mucus is good, it will help clean you out. I disagree and think my body produces enough on its own.
NEVER BE AFRAID TO CALL A HEALTH FOOD STORE AND ASK THEM QUESTIONS. BE HONEST WITH THEM, MOST WILL READILY ASSIST YOU.
I will be adding to this and editing it as necessary. Please feel free to ask me ANYTHING lol I am a very open person.
Yes you can get most of these supplements from Walmart, CVS, Target, grocery stores, etc. I get mine from all over.
Understanding Your Symptoms While Adjusting To Vaping : General E-Cig Discussion - International Vapers Club
Now I am NOT A DOCTOR, just a health nut. Everything I will detail below I know about from personal experience and research ONLY. I am writing this to share more natural remedies because regular pharmacology is just adding more chemicals and harsh side effects to an already difficult mix, in my opinion.
1. A good multivitamin. We hear this over and over and sometimes just disregard it. Vitamins B and C, along with minerals like selenium and magnesium are very important for various reasons, ESPECIALLY during this change. I personally take a Solgar, but here is the best guide at choosing a multi I have ever seen:
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/01_03/spin.pdf
Some may wish to get extra of certain ones like B and C, depending on how much is in our multi's. An excellent reference for how much of what might help for various conditions can be found here:
nutritionfocus.org - this resource can be gone to again and again for most if not all of the different supplements I will be telling you about. Look at the menu on the top left and go from there.
2. Stress, Anxiety, Frustration, Agitation etc - I highly recommend kava and valerian for these. Watch it with the kava because it can damage the liver. Valerian is fine on its own, but can also be combined with Passion Flower to produce an effect so strong that this is used to get people off of benzodiazepines. There are other herbal anti-anxiety supplements, such as Motherwort. These can help with sleep, but most people use other natural supplements for that, which I will get into later.
Now you can get these in pill form preferably from health food stores, but valerian from a drugstore will work just as well. Go to tinctures if you want to feel them FAST. And know that they will have the strongest effects the first time you take them. I like these because of less side effects than drugs like xanax, which can linger in the system and make you drowsy for days. Hunger and memory loss are other side effects of things like klonopin and valium that I don't experience with the naturals.
3. Sleep - This one can be a big deal. I highly recommend Melotonin or 5HTP, which can be read about at the nutritionfocus.org site. I took 20 mg of melotonin the other night, that's a bit high of a dose, but it worked like a charm, and I was up in about 8 hours with no residual feeling. You know, like what you are supposed to get from an OTC, but never do.
4. Depression - St John's Wort. Don't disregard this until you try it. Also helps me stay awake and alert. I think 600-900mg a day is the norm. BEWARE: this one can make you photosensitive (burn easily in the sun), and can in fact mess with birth control pills. So make sure to read about this one, and there are other natural remedies for depression as well.
5. Constipation - Over the counter laxatives can be extremely painful. So I use this tea, MUCH MORE GENTLE:Organic Smooth Move® SENNA :: Traditional Medicinals :: Digestive Products It also comes in chocolate flavor lol! You can also get the herb itself w/out the tea I think.
6. Sore throat - Another amazing tea: Organic Lemon Echinacea Throat Coat® :: Traditional Medicinals :: Seasonal Products
And another throat tea from a different company:
Head & Throat Soother Herb Tea Item #: HK-23
Many people on this forum will tell you that dehydration is linked to this. So make sure you drink your fluids. And don't forget about pedialyte if necessary!
Another great idea for both sore throats and sinuses would be a humidifier. Especially in the winter dry months. Makes a night and day difference with how I feel when waking up. I suggest warm mist over cool mist for various reasons, although some would disagree.
7. Glutamine (for soft tissue repair) - ask bodybuilders why this one is so important, and in most protein powders. I do not know this for sure, but I am betting this will help in overall body/lung repair. This one might also help with musle soreness.
8. Muscle/Bone soreness and CRAMPS - I started taking a glucosamine and chondroitin formula with MSM for this when I started doing yoga. And let me tell you, I would not have been able to keep doing yoga without it, PERIOD. NOTE: glucosamine may affect blood sugar. If it does, try the chondroitin and MSM alone, they will still be helpful. And there are others for this as well.
Lance Armstrong's site's piece on relieveing cramps, but I have not tried these methods:
Natural Supplements For Muscle Spasms & Twitching | LIVESTRONG.COM
And what do I keep in my diet when working out a lot to prevent cramps? Bananas. Yup. Please get your potassium through food if possible.
9. Drowsiness - Ginseng, and I am sure there are plenty of non caffinated others. And St John's Wort, as discussed above.
10. Mental Acuity (fogginess, difficulty concentrating) - I went back to college last fall, and have to take a year of foreign language. I was very worried about this as my memory is NOT what it used to be! Ginko Biloba works. It did for me, and I got mine at walmart. There are other naturals for this too.
11. Headaches - The only thing I have for this from personal experience is white willow bark, which is what the native americans used for aspirin, and what aspirin was originally made from. But I have had only limited success with this. The nutritionfocus.org site has several suggestions.
12. Coughing, Phlegm - Best chest or lung tea I have ever had, AND it tastes good, way better than Traditional Medicinals Lung Pacifier Herb Tea Item #: HK-045 If you don't like tea, then the Health king brand makes pills for various things.
Other things to consider limiting besides caffeine: sugar and dairy. Sugar for many reasons, and dairy because it helps mucus form. Some might think that extra mucus is good, it will help clean you out. I disagree and think my body produces enough on its own.
NEVER BE AFRAID TO CALL A HEALTH FOOD STORE AND ASK THEM QUESTIONS. BE HONEST WITH THEM, MOST WILL READILY ASSIST YOU.
I will be adding to this and editing it as necessary. Please feel free to ask me ANYTHING lol I am a very open person.
Yes you can get most of these supplements from Walmart, CVS, Target, grocery stores, etc. I get mine from all over.
