Natural Ways to Quit Smoking

When you decide to quit, a good way to start is by listing your reasons to stop smoking. After setting a quit date and making other preparations, you could do some research to find out all those treatments/remedies that will ease the transition. An approach that many follow, is to get in touch with a tobacco treatment specialist or join a treatment program. You could also utilize the option of the toll-free tobacco quit lines, that are available in every state in the United States. However, if you decide to give it a go by yourself, these natural ways to quit smoking may help.

Acupuncture
Several people find that acupuncture helps to deal with nicotine withdrawal symptoms. This natural treatment, helps one deal with smoking cessation, without relying on chemicals or NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) medication. There is evidence to support claims, that auricular acupuncture (i.e. needles in the ears), helps check cigarette cravings. In general, people require one or two, 30 minute sessions each week. One way in which this treatment sometimes has effect, is by releasing pent up emotions, which lowers the stress that cigarette withdrawal causes.

Herbs
Natural remedies are considered amongst the best ways to quit smoking. While there are many different opinions regarding the effectiveness of herbs while quitting, one tends to think that if they do no harm, why not try them out. Some herbs used to kick the habit are St. John’s wort (sometimes used to treat depression) and ginseng. Avena sativa (oat) extracts have been found to be effective in cutting down the number of cigarettes smoked, if 1 milliliters of it is consumed four times a day. A herb that is said to help cut down on cravings, is lobelia, but it should be used only under medical supervision, due to its toxicity.

Hypnotherapy
The effectiveness of hypnotism in quitting cigarettes, differs from person to person. It can be instrumental in changing a persons outlook and can make the process of giving up cigarettes seem more positive than negative. The value of this cannot be undermined, as we all know that the mindset and the willpower are the keys to quitting successfully. A good hypnotist will plant suggestions to encourage quitting, in the persons mind, while they are in a hypnotized state. This often leaves the person more ready and enthusiastic, about meeting the challenge that quitting presents.

There are several other practices you can take up, that will supplement your efforts. An important way is to manage your stress. Smokers often find themselves reaching for a cigarette or craving one, when they are stressed or anxious. Try to minimize your stress by prioritizing or delegating. Also find alternate ways of dealing with stress, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises or listening to music.

Also think of things you can do, when the cravings hit. Some suggest shelling a nut and eating it, every time you feel the urge to smoke. If you are used to having a smoke following any meal or all of them, try replacing it with a cup of herbal tea. Some people testify that the process of brewing the tea and sipping it, is a stress reliever. Another thing you could try, is to suck on a cinnamon-flavored toothpick, whenever a craving hits. While these are some ideas, the answer to how to quit smoking cigarettes, lies in the remedies that work for you. Apart from the natural ways to quit smoking, one can also explore options of nicotine replacement therapy (includes patches, gum and lozenges), nicotine nasal sprays, nicotine inhalers and prescription medications, such as Bupropion (Zyban) and Varenicline (Chantix).