Herbal Remedies to Kill the Crave

When you decide to stop smoking, you may want to avoid using yet another harmful substance, like a nicotine replacement, to help you.  After all – you’ve abused your heart, lungs, brain and liver for years with smoking, so now it’s time to get natural.

 The best way to do this is to look at herbal remedies that take the edge off of your cravings with something that’s all-natural and safe.            One herbal element that seems to be used in many parts of the world to curb the desire for smoking is to chew on licorice sticks.

This may have started in the West Indies, where people also chewed sugar cane. Using licorice sticks is also a good substitute for the oral gratification of having something in your mouth.

            Another way to curb interest in smoking is with an aversion approach.  When the urge hits, dip the tip of your tongue in salt.  Aversion therapy is when you learn to associate the habit of smoking with something unpleasant.

            Salt is one way to do it, but there are other aversion therapies you can use, such as popping a rubber band on your wrist whenever you get the urge to take a puff.  The minor pain inflicted will help your subconscious link smoking to something unpleasant.

A combination of Fenugreek and Thyme, an age-old remedy for respiratory ailments, is also useful to reduce interest in smoking. Since smokers have respiratory problems from the irritation of their bronchial tubes, this can be a powerful double benefit.

            Improving your diet is good for the body and great for smoking cessation.  Eat foods that are highly alkaline - such as spinach, beets, greens, lima beans, raisins and figs. You also need to reduce or eliminate refined sugar, white flour, commercial baked goods and refined foods.

That’s good advice for improving health even after you quit smoking!  A popular herbal remedy in China is to grate a fresh radish and mix that with two teaspoons of honey in small amount of water and drink the mixture.

             A Japanese study found that certain smells reduce the urge to smoke - particularly peppermint, cypress and lemon.  You can find these in sprays or buy small vials of essential oils and keep them at your desk or in your pocket or purse. If you feel the urge to smoke, take out the essential oil and get a good sniff to curb your cravings.

            Vitamin C takes a beating trying to combat the free radicals in your body that are caused by smoking.  Even people exposed to secondhand smoke have serious depletion of Vitamin C.

As you quit smoking, add more Vitamin C - at least 95 milligrams a day for women and 110 milligrams for men.  Don’t just depend on a vitamin capsule, either.  The best Vitamin C you can give your body comes from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Aside from oranges, also eat more of these foods:

·       Green and red peppers

·       Broccoli

·       Tomatoes

·       Collard greens

·       Strawberries

·       Potatoes

            Another pleasant way to curb smoking sensations is with a steamy hot cup of herbal tea.  Your best choices are raspberry, blueberry, persimmon and sassafras teas.  An old fashioned herbal tea used for smokers, called lobelia, may work well - but can become as addictive for some people as the cigarettes they’re trying to eliminiate.

Note: If you’re taking any medications, discuss these alternative therapies with your doctor. Depending on strength and type, some herbal teas don’t mix well with prescription drugs.

More articles coming up, so stay tuned!

You can do it!

cheers,

Bobby

Alternative Approaches to Smoking Cessation

Hi, 

Are you making progress on quitting smoking?

Maybe you tried the gums or lozenges and didn’t have as much success as you hoped you would have.  Or you want to get completely away from the oral gratification approach because it just reminds you of smoking!

The alternative methods for smoking cessation can actually be faster than the nicotine replacement therapies.  Hypnosis has long been a highly effective method for smoking cessation.

Forget what you see in the movie.  Hypnosis isn’t some voodoo spell - it’s simply supporting your desire by training your subconscious mind to receive stop smoking suggestions.

The secret of hypnosis is that no one can make you do anything you don’t want to do.  But if you really do want to stop smoking, hypnosis works for many people in just one or two sessions.

Once the subconscious mind is freed from a false belief that smoking is necessary to reduce stress, as an integral part of socializing or for a pleasurable nicotine rush, then it’s much easier for the subconscious mind to support the conscious goal to stop smoking.

            Acupuncture and acupressure are usually associated with medical conditions – particularly, pain management.  These therapies are also very useful for smoking cessation.

Acupuncture originated from Chinese medicine and has been used for over 3,000 years.  It works by balancing the “chi” or energy within the body.  The tiny needles used aren’t painful, yet they act to reduce the body’s craving for nicotine.

For some people, the desire to smoke disappears in a few days after the first treatment.  Acupressure is similar as far as seeking to re-balance the body - only it’s done with massage-like pressure rather than needles.

            Laser therapy blends the high technology of lasers with the centuries-old techniques of acupuncture.  In place of the acupuncture needles, a low-power laser beam is used.

Just as acupuncturists target the earlobes as a significant pressure point to curb cravings, the laser pulse is also aimed at the earlobes.  There’s no pain or burning.  It feels warm, like sitting under a light bulb.

After treatment, you feel relaxed and refreshed.  What actually happens is a release of endorphins - the body’s feel good hormone - which creates a sense of well being that’s more satisfying than nicotine.

            Hypnosis, acupuncture, acupressure and laser therapies may seem to be more expensive than gums or patches, but you have to weigh the benefits against the costs.

If you can stop smoking in one or two sessions of these treatments, even if you pay $50 to $100 each, then you can be financially ahead compared to the price of keeping your cigarette habit alive.

Using gum, inhalers or patches costs less per purchase, but if you use them daily for months, then you’re likely spending more money in the end.  Plus, you’re prolonging the withdrawal process, which is frustrating and gives you more chances to relapse.

            Hypnosis is so effective that many hospitals and medical centers sponsor Smoking Cessation with Hypnosis programs.  Acupuncture and acupressure are still more eastern medicine than western medicine, but are readily available from competent practitioners.

Laser therapy for smoking cessation is the new kid on the block.  You need to look around for a physician, medical-spa or stop smoking clinic that offers this therapy.  Lasers may seem a bit like Star Wars technology, but they’re wonderful tools for healing.

cheers,

Bobby

What You Can Expect During Withdrawal

As much as you have to look forward to when you stop smoking, the road to success is filled with potholes, bumps and blocks.  Without diminishing your enthusiasm for quitting, you have to be realistic that this isn’t an easy process for anyone.

 First, you have to go through withdrawal, which is perhaps the worst part of your journey to becoming smoke-free.  Over the years that you smoked, your body chemistry adjusted to the nicotine input.

Your system is literally addicted to the nicotine and won’t give it up without a fight.  That’s where your commitment comes in handy.  Withdrawal is both a physical and emotional process.

Your body has to re-adjust to the reduced nicotine levels and you’re going to notice the signs it gives as it tries to talk you into meeting the usual demand.  At the same time, you have to make an emotional adjustment so that you don’t rely on smoking as a coping mechanism.

            The most common withdrawal symptoms that you can experience when you stop smoking include irritability, anxiety, headaches, inability to concentrate, increased hunger and of course – an overwhelming craving for nicotine.

If you ever tried to quit by changing from regular to reduced nicotine cigarettes, you may have felt some of these withdrawal symptoms.  You need to keep in mind that to stop smoking is to battle your body to regain control over what nicotine has captured from you.

As the smoke gets inhaled, nicotine rushes to the lungs, where it’s rapidly absorbed.  From there, nicotine goes to the heart, liver, spleen and brain.  Nicotine is so invasive that it’s easily detected in breast milk and even in the umbilical cord blood of a newborn.

That’s why smoking while pregnant is so dangerous to the health of an unborn child.  Nicotine is tough for the body to get rid of.  Even after you stop smoking, it stays in your body for up to three days.

With each cigarette you smoked, your body built up a higher tolerance for this toxic substance.  Brain-based studies show that smoking increases as the smoker tries to get the same level of satisfaction. 

That’s because nicotine stimulated the mesolimbic system, which is what kicks up intense cravings.  Over time, it takes more and more nicotine for the brain to signal the same pleasure reaction.

But at the same time, the lungs, heart and liver are getting slammed with the harmful impact of nicotine.  As with any lifestyle change, the first few days are going to be hard, so don’t start this on Monday morning when you have a busy week at work or school to contend with.

If possible, take a day off on Friday and start that morning.  Then you have three uninterrupted days to be obnoxious with fewer people subjected to it (yes, you may be a bit grumpy during this time).

Also, you can clear the smoking stuff (ashtrays, lighters, cigarettes) out of the house and not be around the same smoking cues that you’ll have at work or in a social setting.

The early days of withdrawal aren’t easy - on you or on those around you.  Make sure you talk to those you love and let them know what you’re doing so that they can provide a support system when you need to vent.       

           

Gum, Patches, Prescriptions and More

            After years of smoking, you have to gradually get your body back to full operating potential without nicotine overload.  That’s why your withdrawal will be eased somewhat using some of the popular options such as gum, patches or prescription medications to help your body reduce its nicotine dependence.

Going “cold turkey” is another option, but some say it’s rarely successful and can be harmful to your body. However, others have found it’s the only way to go, so we’ll discuss all of your options here and let you do the choosing!

            As a smoker, you’re used to the oral gratification smoking delivers, so it makes sense that you miss that stimulation.  Nicotine gum gives your mouth something to do in place of smoking and provides just enough nicotine to help your withdrawal symptoms.

Nicotine gum is available in various strengths - from one to four milligrams. You’ll start with the higher strength of nicotine, and then decrease the potency until you no longer need it.

At that point, just buy ordinary sugarless gum and you can enjoy the chewing without the nicotine.  If chewing gum isn’t appealing to you, consider using the nicotine patch.

It’s so easy to use - just put the patch on your upper arm in the morning while you’re getting dressed.  That’s all you have to do to be covered for the full day.  The patch is designed to slowly release just the right amount of nicotine through your skin and into your bloodstream as you go about your daily activities.

As a result, the patch can be more consistent in managing the nicotine levels than chewing gum.  As with the gum, you start with a higher nicotine patch and then reduce the amount needed to get you through the day.

The nicotine patch is also effective in helping people who are trying to stop using smokeless tobacco, too.  While gum and patches are popular for smoking cessation, there are other options as well.

Nicotine nasal spray is available only by prescription.  The spray delivers a powerful punch of nicotine rapidly into the bloodstream.  Nicotine inhalers give some of the satisfaction of inhaling that’s familiar from smoking.

You can also get nicotine in lip balms or lozenges.  One option, the nicotine lollipop, isn’t available in the United States, since it was banned by the FDA.  In choosing a product, think of how you relate to smoking.

Nicotine gums, or lozenges give you a replacement for the oral gratification of smoking, which may further help curb the drive.  To substitute the action of smoking, an inhaler gives the motions that are familiar.

If any of these alternatives are inconvenient for you - or your schedule is erratic and you worry that you might forget to use them, then the nicotine patch is ideal for you because it is the least intrusive, “set and forget” option available. 

There are prescription medicines doctors will sometimes provide to you that help curb cravings.  Some are potentially harmful, such as the FDA’s warning about Chantix, a drug that was once approved as a smoking cessation tool.

After being approved, it was found to possibly pose a connection to suicidal thoughts in those taking the drug.  It’s also been reported to cause drowsiness and mood changes, so if you’re thinking of using this drug, be cautious about its effect on you.

Volunteers are testing a new vaccine where you would quit smoking because the nicotine wouldn’t be effective in your body.  While only 16% were able to quit smoking, those who couldn’t quit completely were able to reduce their habit significantly.

Next article 23rd June 2012 on "Alternative Approaches to Smoking Cessation"

Stay tuned,

Bobby Wan

For Once…It’s Good to Be a Quitter!

Did you grow up with the firm belief that once you start something, you don’t quit?  Smoking breaks that rule in a good way.  When you quit smoking, you’ll be applauded for being a quitter. 

 Not only that, but you get immediate benefits!  Consider these rewards for quitting: 20 minutes after you stop smoking, your heart rate slows down to a calm, steady beat, lowering your blood pressure. 

Eight to twelve hours later, the dangerous carbon monoxide that smoking causes in your blood has now dropped to a normal level.  Carbon monoxide causes flu-like symptoms – from everyday fatigue to headaches, sleepiness, and nausea.

Two days later, your heart attack risk is lower and continues to decline over the next three months. You’ll suddenly notice you don’t need as much salt (thanks to a return in the sensitivity of your taste buds) – and the air smells fresh (now that your sense of smell has returned).  Three days later you might feel like going for a jog – because your energy is going to skyrocket.

After the first month, you have fewer instances of that annoying, hacking smoker’s cough because your bronchial tubes are on the mend.  Whenever your bronchial tubes are irritated, they produce excess mucus, so eliminate the cigarettes, and you say goodbye to the need to clear your throat constantly.

A few months later, you’ll be taking the stairs without gasping for a breath.  When you move more, your circulation will benefit more because the cigarettes haven’t constricted your blood vessels. Just one cigarette reduces the blood flow throughout your body for an hour.

            The health improvements continue long after you quit smoking. Your gift at the first anniversary of quitting is that your risk of coronary heart disease becomes half that of what you risked as a smoker.

Make it to your fifth year smoke-free and your risk of stroke is the same as a non-smoker. That’s really amazing!  In ten years, your lungs become stronger and your chances of dying from lung cancer are only half as great as if you continued to smoke.

            Here’s another benefit - you’ll keep aging signs at bay.  The mouth suction that you use to puff on the cigarette is terrible for producing or deepening wrinkles.  When you stop smoking, you give those facial muscles a well deserved rest.

            Other risks decrease when you end your smoking habits.  Here are a few more to consider:

·       Cancer

·       Cardiovascular Disease

·       Impotence

·       Infertility

·       Macular Degeneration

·       Periodontal Disease

·       Ulcers

All of these health woes put a drain on the healthcare system.  Aside from the fact that smokers take more sick days than non-smokers, resulting in a loss of productivity, smoking is considered the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

Read this section again and think about how much you’ll improve your health every day that you choose not to be a smoker.  This doesn’t even include the way it affects your loved ones – either through secondhand smoke or just because they want you to stick around for a long time.

Next article on 21st June 2012 on "What You Can Expect During Withdrawal"

cheers and all the best,

Bobby