• Do Push-Ups To Quit Smoking

  Filed under A Dude's Guide to Life
  Feb 17

  Yet another study has come out strengthening a link between exercise and quitting smoking. This time, researchers performed functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging on smokers and determined that there are actual changes in the brain following exercise which reduce the craving for nicotine.

  So why is this news on this site? Well, really, I imagine there might be a few smokers among you readers, or people you love who smoke and I wanted to make sure you could get the latest on helping to quit. After all, we want you to be around for your little dudes for a long time to come. Also? I just don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke, so cut it out.

  Previous studies have shown that exercise can reduce nicotine cravings, but this is the first study to look at actual brain activity during the process. During this study, 15 smokers cycled moderately for 10 minutes and then were shown a series of pictures that had been noted to produce nicotine cravings in smokers before. The subjects reported fewer cravings after exercise than when they were shown the pictures without exercising.

  “The researchers do not know exactly what caused the difference in brain activity following exercise. One suggestion is that completing exercise raises mood (possibly through increases in dopamine) which reduces the salience or importance of wanting a cigarette. Another possibility is that exercise causes a shift in blood flow to areas of the brain less involved in anticipation of reward and pleasure generated by smoking images.”

  Good stuff. Now if only some researcher would find that exercise would reduce my craving for Taco Bell burritos.

  – Richard

  • Spread the word, dude!

  Tags: A Dude's Guide to Life, Areas Of The Brain, Blood Flow, Brain Activity, Burritos, Cigarette, Dopamine, dude, Dude's, exercise, Exercise One, Functional Magnetic Resonance, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Good Stuff, little dudes, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Nicotine, Nicotine Cravings, Push Ups, Quitting Smoking, research, Salience, Smokers, Taco Bell, Time Researchers, Ups
  
  Tagged as: Areas Of The Brain, Blood Flow, Brain Activity, Burritos, Cigarette, Dopamine, dude, Dude's, exercise, Exercise One, Functional Magnetic Resonance, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Good Stuff, little dudes, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Nicotine, Nicotine Cravings, Push Ups, Quitting Smoking, research, Salience, Smokers, Taco Bell, Time Researchers, Ups
  
  1 Comment

One Response to “Do Push-Ups To Quit Smoking”

1. A Sinner, Indeed | A Dude's Guide said on March 18th, 2009 at 12:07 am

   [...] then there’s the search for how to use magnetic resonance imaging in which I actually found us on the first page. See that, Internet? We’re experts and we [...]