When people want to stop smoking cigarettes, they are often open to any and all natural remedies. The thing about natural remedies, though, is that methods that work for some may not work for others. It’s a game of trial and error. If you are truly serious about quitting, it’s imperative to be tenacious because it’s easy to get discouraged. Don’t lose sight of your goal and you will eventually find something that helps you quit.
Quite For A Good Reason
Some people who decide to quit smoking do it for the wrong reasons. When you don’t have a legitimate reason for quitting, it’s easy to lose track of why you want to quit. Consider that smoking is responsible for one-third of all cancer-related deaths and one-fourth of fatal heart attacks in the United States. Additionally, the American Lung Association estimates that 350,000 Americans die from diseases related to smoking every year. These stats are often lost on young adults or teenagers who start smoking. It’s a cool thing to do and health facts don’t scare them away. Younger men often get scared away by the fact that smoking leads to an increased risk of impotence and erectile dysfunction. Women pay attention to the fact that smoking damages capillaries in the face, causing premature wrinkles.
Find your reason for quitting and be steadfast in your goal. When you commit to the process of quitting, you will experience great success. Use the following unconventional remedies to help you quit smoking.
Use Hypnotherapy
Let us first start off by saying that you won’t unconsciously dance like a chicken on a stage in front of people for this therapy. Many people claim that hypnotherapy is a great alternative to over-the-counter anti-smoking aids. One study compared hypnotherapy to common nicotine replacement therapies (NRT). Two methods were used on two separate groups and the results indicated that hypnotherapy had more effective long-term abstinence than NRT. The belief is that hypnotherapy allows people to be more open to the power of suggestion. They also concentrate more and use affirmations or suggestions when the urge to smoke comes.
Fill The Void
The reason why so many people relapse into smoking is because they don’t replace the habit with a healthier one. When you eliminate something as predominant and addictive as cigarettes, you have to fill that empty space. If you leave it empty, it’s easier to come crawling back to the safety of cigarettes. Most health experts recommend that smokers replace smoking with something that empowers them or gives them strength. Yoga is excellent because it gives you strength, promotes a sense of calm, and it helps the body detox. You don’t have to do yoga; rather, you can try meditation, journaling, breathing exercises, playing an instrument, or reading.
Try Acupuncture
How can ultra thin needles in your body help you quit smoking? To help people quit smoking, acupuncturists insert needles in specific points in the ear for 20 minutes. The acupuncturist provides the person with specialized tiny balls (about the size of a ballpoint pen) that they tape to their ears. When the smoker wants a cigarette, he or she is instructed to press on those balls, which stimulate the acupressure point. A five-year long study focused on 5,202 smokers in Hong Kong. The results found that acupuncture helped decrease the amount of cigarettes smoked per day. Additionally, the average time to relapse was 38.71 days, which was 35 days longer than using a nicotine patch or E-cigarette.
Cayenne Pepper
One of the most important things to do when you quit smoking is to do things that help repair the lungs. The powerful antioxidants in cayenne pepper help repair lung damage and stabilize lung membranes. After people quit smoking, it’s also common to experience cigarette cravings. Because cayenne pepper helps desensitize the respiratory system to additive substances, it helps to reduce cravings for cigarettes. You can add cayenne pepper to your food and you can make a concoction with lemon juice, water, and honey.
