Tips to Stop Smoking Naturally

One of the common new year resolutions for many people is about quitting smoking and that remains their 'top rated' resolution every year, of course because they cannot quit. If you are also one of them who wishes to quit smoking but somehow cannot, then you must read this article to get some insight and tips on how to quit smoking naturally.

Ill Effects of Smoking

You may be aware of various ill effects that smoking can cause. Well, I am not trying to scare you by saying this because most smokers know how bad smoking is and how fatal it can be at times. They just feel that they won't be the victims of this deadly habit. The following statistics and facts are for the smokers who are not familiar with the ill effects that smoking can cause:

• Half a million Americans die of smoking each year.
• One of the primary causes of impotence and infertility is smoking.
• Smokers are vulnerable to periodontal and oral diseases.
• Smokers are more susceptible to heart diseases, strokes, dementia, lung diseases, and cancer.
• Smokers, especially women smokers, carry the higher risk of osteoporosis and incontinence.
• Smokers look older than their non smoking counterparts as their skin tend to get wrinkled faster.

Following are some of the ill effects of smoking faced by innocent passive smokers. They can serve to be helpful to the smokers who 'dare to smoke' in spite of being aware of the ill effects.

• Women who smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of their unborn baby for various mental disorders, such as, chronic depression, conduct disorder, substance abuse, low intellectual level, and attention deficit disorders, etc.
• Smoking, both passive and active has been found to be responsible for birth defects, miscarriage, still birth, and sudden infant death syndrome, etc.
• More than four million children and adults fall sick due to passive smoking.

These were some of the prominent health hazards that can be experienced by active and passive smokers. Now, let's take a look at some of the tips to quit smoking.

Tips to Quit Smoking Naturally

First, Take a Decision: There are various drugs and medication available to assist people who wish to quit smoking but they are of no use if not backed with strong will and commitment. So, one of the first things you have to do is take a firm and final decision to quit smoking. Your will power is what is going to make all the difference in your life. The following tips will be useless unless you decide firmly to stop smoking.

Begin Slowly: One of the main reasons why many quitters fail is that they stop smoking suddenly which results in quick and sudden relapse. To avoid this, stop smoking gradually. Start with reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke daily. Take a week or two for yourself to come to one cigarette a day. By now, your dependence on smoking would have decreased and you will be more confident about leaving that one cigarette too. Then decide a date when you will give up smoking completely and do so successfully.

Flush Out the Nicotine: Once you have quit smoking completely, get rid of all the nicotine content from your body. To flush the nicotine, drink lots of water or fruit and vegetable juices for a couple of days. A whole day of a liquid diet can help you immensely. After that start following a healthy diet, including, fiber, protein, and carbohydrates. Avoid eating junk food and foods high on sugars.

Get High Without Smoking: Nicotine in the cigarette makes the smoker feel relaxed by increasing dopamine activity in the brain which results in increased pleasure that a smoker feels. So, why not feel the same without smoking? There are various activities that can relax you:

• Exercising regularly produces a hormone that makes one feel happy and relaxed.
• Go for a short walk or a jog when you feel like smoking.
• Go for a long drive or bike ride to feel happy and fresh.
• Listen to the music to feel refreshed and relaxed.
• Talk to friends, family members, and loved ones when you feel depressed.
• Meditation is also one of the best ways to keep stress at bay.
• Engage in your hobbies to distract your mind from smoking.
• Treat and reward yourself with a movie, dinner, or a new book every time you succeed suppressing the urge to smoke.

Try to Stay Away From Smoking: You must anticipate the situations and feelings that generally make you feel like smoking and try to avoid them. For example:

• Avoid joining your friends who smoke and who are most likely to force you to smoke.
• Substitute your smoke break with 'water breaks' or 'juice breaks'.
• Keep your self busy in work or some or the other task, such as talking to friends and walking, etc.
• Give some exercise to your brain too by playing crosswords, puzzles, and riddles, etc.
• Try to keep your hands busy, doing household chores, such as washing the car and gardening, or writing and painting, etc.
• Keep hard candy or chewing gum handy and chew on them when you feel the urge to smoke.
• When it comes to going out, make sure to choose places where smoking is not allowed.
• Try to socialize more with people who don't smoke.
• You may also join a support group where you can share your feeling and problems.

Think Positive: It is one of the most important things in the process of quitting smoking. Always think positively about your new resolution. Even if you fail once it does not mean that you're a failure so do not be hard on yourself, just be confident and committed. You must stand by your decision and you will succeed. If possible, also try to involve someone in your quitting plan so that he or she can motivate and inspire you to keep with your commitment.

If you follow the above tips and steps to stop smoking naturally, you probably won't have to use any medicated tools or therapies to quit smoking. I am sure you will be gifted with various health, emotional, and social benefits of quitting smoking. Share this information on tips to stop smoking naturally with your friends and loved ones too who wish to give up smoking. If you have any more suggestions and tips on quitting smoking you can share them with us. I hope you create a smoke free environment around you soon. And always remember not to quit quitting!!!