Natural Methods to Help Stop Smoking

If you are trying to stop smoking but having a difficult time persuading yourself to move forward, consider the numerous advantages. Ex-smokers enjoy a better quality of life than their wheezy counterparts. have less tendency toward illness and a reduced risk of stroke and cancers of the throat, mouth, esophagus, lung, kidney, bladder and liver. After one year you will have a 50 percent less risk of a heart attack than if you were still smoking and after 15 years, your risk for coronary heart disease is the same as a nonsmoker's.

St. John's Wort

• St. John's wort, a natural supplement better known for combating depression, works by lessening your cravings for smoking by increasing the brain's dopamine level. This level drops when quitting and is often intricately-related to cravings for nicotine. Dr. Alexander Glassman of the New York Psychiatric Institute performed a study that linked the dependence of patients on nicotine to their desire to medicate themselves for serious depression.

Substitution Method

• Addiction is the formation of habit; most studies claim it takes six weeks to break a habit, but replacing it with a healthy one is a much easier way to fill the void left by an addiction you are trying to break. Simple deep breathing exercises can be effective in reducing nicotine craving, which generally lasts from three to five minutes. Oral cravings last much longer than the nicotine cravings (nictotine passes from the system within 48 to 72 hours) and if you fear gaining weight, may be your toughest battle. Chopping up fresh carrot sticks and celery and having them readily available when you find yourself wanting to jam a Ho-Ho will help you to avoid unwanted weight gain and help satisfy your oral cravings. If eating is inconvenient, flavored toothpicks can be a good substitute.

Psychological Aspects

• Many smokers find success with alternative therapies. Hypnotherapy, which addresses the subconscious aspects of smoking, is effective in helping those trying to kick the habit. Understanding your psychological reasons for smoking may tell you what situations to avoid so you are not as tempted to light up. Make a list of the situations and times you most desire a cigarette and evaluate it. Do you smoke for more energy? Getting more rest and exercising will help; even a quick, brisk walk will get your heart pumping.

  Is it more for pleasure? Find ways to treat yourself--maybe with the money you save by quitting. Rewarding yourself for not smoking will change your psychological outlook about 'doing without' cigarettes. Are you a fiddler? Keep your work desk replete with pencils, stress balls and things to twirl and fondle. Is it stress? Avoiding stressful people and situations is not always possible, but employing relaxation techniques rather than grabbing for a smoke is another way to help reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke.