I Quit Smoking. Then My Body and I Started Talking.

I wasn’t able to properly listen until I was nicotine-free

Photo: Rattankun Thongbun/Getty Images

I began smoking cigarettes regularly when I was 17. Both my parents were smokers (they’ve since quit), which sped up my decision to take up the habit. In the beginning, my brand of choice was Newport 100s. I liked the smooth mint flavor, its polluted, metallic sweetness. After my…