Although most smokers are aware of the dangerous effects that smoking has on their health, quitting is still very difficult. Smoking is not only a bad and unhealthy habit, it is also highly addictive. The raised prices work for some, but true addicts will do anything to get their smoke and will need all the help they can get to quit this nasty habit.
Here are a few scientifically proven all-natural ways to help you quit smoking once and for all. These proven natural methods will help you to break through the addiction, ease withdrawal symptoms, and help you to quit smoking for good:
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1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an effective, drug-free way to stop your smoking habit. It calms your mind, enhances the levels of serotonin, helps you through withdrawal symptoms from the nicotine addiction (jitters, restlessness, and irritability), and has shown long term effects which makes it easier to permanently stop. The only downside is that these treatments are quite expensive.
2. Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a psycho-therapeutic way of bringing you in a trance-like state to help you realize your true feelings about smoking, and the hypnotherapist will plant the seed in your mind that gives you negative feelings towards smoking and will help you to stay motivated.
However, scientific studies and patients contradict each other. Many experts disagree about the effectiveness, while many patients swear by it. Several studies found that it can be effective for a short while, but doesn’t work long term for most patients, while other studies claim it to be the other way around.
One study conducted at the San Francisco VA Medical Center found that hypnotherapy showed some great results for smokers who had a history of depression or struggled with other psychiatric conditions.
Although hypnosis has helped many people to quit smoking, science is still not sure about its effectiveness.
3. Herbal Remedies
Many herbs can help you to quit smoking, reduce the cravings for a cigarette, or ease withdrawal symptoms.
Black Or Cayenne Pepper
Black or cayenne pepper helps to control nicotine cravings. Add a couple of pinches to your water on a daily basis to benefit from its effect.
Licorice
Chewing on licorice root can help you to quit smoking by satisfying the oral fixation of smoking. But don’t use it for more than 6 weeks as it may deplete potassium levels and raise blood pressure.
St. John’s Wort
This herb is mostly used to treat depression, but has now shown some beneficial effect to help people fight their nicotine addiction in combination with smoking cessation counseling. St. John’s Wort raises your dopamine levels, just as nicotine, and gives you the same happy or excited feeling as smoking a cigarette. Make sure to use St. John’s Wort under guidance of an herbalist or health care provider as there can be a few side effects.
Rhodiola rosea
Some studies show that Rhodiola may reduce withdrawal symptoms. It helps your body cope with stress, improves your mood, increases energy, and reduces the levels of cortisol. Although these studies look very promising, they were conducted on mice and never been repeated on humans.
Herbal Cigarettes
Herbal cigarettes can help you to break through the oral addiction of smoking. Smokers are not only addicted to the nicotine, but to the habit of smoking itself. These cigarettes don’t contain nicotine and are made of mint, cinnamon, clover, licorice, passionflower, or lemongrass. They should be used as a short-term aid to break through your nicotine addiction, but you shouldn’t use them long term.
4. Massage
Self-massage can help you to curb nicotine cravings. Simply touching your ear or hand can calm your mind and keep carvings at bay. Studies found that people who gave themselves a massage for about 2 minutes when they were in need of a smoke showed lower anxiety rates, improved their mood, had less withdrawal symptoms and smoked less.
5. Mindfulness meditation
People who practice mindfulness meditation are more likely to succeed in smoking cessation. They are encouraged to start living a healthier lifestyle. People who meditate are able to regulate their cravings, experience less withdrawal symptoms or stress, and are able to get their emotions under control.
These natural remedies are all proven to be effective in some way. However, it is important to remember that all of them will not cure the addiction by itself. Your will-power to quit and stay off them is equally important to fight the addiction once and for all.
Withdrawal symptoms are worse within the first week of quitting, after that it will get easier, so hang in there and don’t give up your good intentions to quit smoking and add some years to your life. Be proud of what you are attempting to do. Your body will thank you for that.
