Electronic cigarettes are going through their best years ever, going from novelty devices just a few years ago to one of the most appreciated and dependable day-to-day companions for millions of people. But there’s a new and interesting question on many vapers’ lips – could these devices help people in their battle against obesity? Everyone knows that one side effect of quitting smoking is the weight gain, so since more and more people are making the switch to the electronic cigarette they are asking themselves if these devices could offer the same fix as analogs.
Ceasing smoking can lead a person to gain weight for a variety of reasons:
- Nicotine is known to increase or speed up one’s metabolism. Whilst you are a smoker, your body will burn calories at a faster rate.
- Nicotine can suppress your appetite. It can affect the part of your brain responsible for making you feel hungry. When you stop smoking, your appetite and sense of taste may improve, tempting you to enjoy a snack more often.
- Nourishment can be a real substitute for analog cigarettes. Eating comfort food can act as an alternative for the ‘high’ that you felt after smoking a cigarette.
- Eating gives you something to do with your hands. Many ex-smokers find that they miss the ‘hand-to-mouth’ fixation of lighting and smoking a cigarette.
Getting healthy, losing weight and keeping it off is a major topic of discussion nowadays. American obesity has reached critical levels among the adult population, with more than 1/3 being considered overweight. And even though electronic cigarettes are in no way a product meant to target weight loss, or be used as a means to lose weight, they do offer an alternative nicotine fix that delivers anyone who wants to quit smoking analogs, a healthier option.
In her attempt to lose baby weight and to quit smoking analog tobacco cigarettes at the same time, Aja Duff is turning to flavored ecigs as an alternative. “I still eat a little here and there, but not what I used to. It suppresses that feeling because you have all the different flavors and it kind of tricks your taste buds and stomach.â€
Also vape store owner Joel Vinson is currently selling the devices he credits with helping him quit traditional cigarettes. “My favorite flavor is blue raspberry; cotton candy is awesome,†he said. When asked what is his opinion about some of his customers, he added “They come in and say, ‘oh wow, apple pie and banana crème and chocolate mint!’ said Vinson. “They can get their fix off that, no nicotine, and that’s their substitute.â€
And while Duff currently aware of all the controversy surrounding these devices and the presumed possible long-term health effects of inhaling these vapors, it’s certainly not enough to stop her efforts to quit tobacco and to stay fit.
With so many appealing aromas to choose from, we guess that more and more smokers will make the switch to the electronic cigarette while keeping safe from gaining all that extra weight.
