How exercise helps smokers quit or cut back

All right, welcome back. Exercise can boost a smoker's odds of successfully quitting. Researchers say smokers taking part in exercise programs are more likely to either quit or cut back on cigarettes. Fox Medical Team's Dr. Mike live with more on all of this. Dr. Mike, great to see you. I know we don't have too much time this morning, but this is so interesting. Quitting smoking, one of the hardest things to do. So what did this promising research show about that? Well, basically, Katie, what it found was that it has effects on brain biochemistry. It releases endorphins, and that reduces the cravings. It also gets your mind off of having a cigarette. So if you have that clue, not clue, but cue where you smell it, instead of getting a cigarette, you want to exercise. Bottom line here is that you don't want to have cigarette smoke going into your lungs because it will lead to cancer. So you want to get off it. Now, this has to be combined with a smoking cessation program, Katie, because the studies show it really works for acute cravings, but to get off cigarettes permanently, combine it with things like nicotine patches, nicotine replacement, and medications, as well as getting involved with a smoking cessation program, and then you'll be just fine. Yeah, pair them up. Also, this seems like it would be really good for a lot of things if you're trying to quit because like you said, the workout makes you feel so good. Would this have the same effect maybe on like alcohol? Look, exercise cannot hurt you. Now, I do want to say this, Katie, if you're someone that's been smoking for 25 years, and you're overweight or obese, and you haven't moved off the couch for the last 10 years, you want to get checked out, make sure your heart's okay to exercise. But exercise is a beneficial, amazing thing that will keep you happy, healthy, as Ben Franklin said, probably wealthy and wise. There you go. That's what you need to do. I love it. Great. Yep, I'm on it. Dr. Mike, great to see you. Thank you so much. Appreciate your time. Talk to you soon.