Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals the Physical and Mental Toll of Quitting Smoking
Dale Earnhardt Jr. recalled his own journey of having to quit smoking and how mentally and physically difficult it was to finally quit.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. (via Getty)
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of the better drivers witnessed in the earlier generation of NASCAR. Though the two-time Xfinity champion had somewhat of an addiction to motorsports and racing, he had a bad addiction as well. Dale Jr. recalled how he was smoking heavily in his younger days and how difficult it was to finally quit smoking once and for all.
Looking back, Dale Earnhardt Jr. recalled that he used to easily go through one and a half packs of cigarettes a day. The two-time Xfinity champion knew the negative health effects of smoking such an excessive amount, but he still couldn’t bring himself to quit. However, following his current wife, Amy Earnhardt‘s, entry into his life, he knew the time to quit smoking had come.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. believed he was casually smoking and wasn’t addicted to it. Amy Earnhardt made him realize how he was ruining his mental and physical health following his problematic addiction. Subsequently, Mrs. Earnhardt gave a hard ultimatum to Dale Jr. and asked him to choose between his partner and smoking.
In the former NASCAR star’s mind, the decision was simple, and it ultimately helped him quit smoking for good. Recalling his health while smoking such excessive amounts, Dale Earnhardt Jr. accepted that he faced more sore throats, colds, and congestion.
He even suffered from some respiratory illnesses and infections because of smoking so much. However, now, he has started witnessing great health improvements, but he noted that it certainly took some time for him and his lungs to rehabilitate without the constant dopamine release because of smoking cigarettes.
I feel like I for sure had a lot more sore throats, colds, congestion, more susceptible to getting colds, and that type of respiratory illness and infections. I have way less sore throats now. It was definitely tied to smoking. After so much smoking, it took my lungs a lot of time to rehabilitate themselves
Dale Earnhardt Jr. said via Frontstretch.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals which exercise helped him quit smoking for good
People who are severely addicted to Smoking or other forms of dopamine release always find themselves relapsing and giving into the addiction a few days into quitting. Dale Earnhardt Jr. faced similar issues and took a lot of time before completely giving up smoking. Though Junior tried many things, one exercise stuck out in particular, and in a good way.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed that cycling daily helped him get rid of the chase for dopamine that he only got by smoking a cigarette. This exercise helped him challenge his lungs and ultimately make them healthier and reverse the damage done by excessive smoking. Dale Jr. pinpointed that he suddenly became aware of what harm he was doing to his body, and this self-realization was also crucial in the whole process.
Cycling helped me do that. I wanted to bike to challenge my lungs, help them regroup, and make them healthier. I was more self-aware of what it was doing to my body.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. added.
Surprisingly, Dale Earnhardt Jr. not only quit smoking himself, but he also became a voice for the people who kept trying to quit but couldn’t. He partnered with Nicorette and launched Nicorette Coated Ice Mint Lozenges that helped people quit the dopamine rush released by smoking. Junior used his own quitting story as a motivation to help people quit this addiction and put it behind them for good, and get healthier.
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