Tips To Quit Smoking
I don’t smoke cigarettes. A friend asked me if I knew ways to help stop smoking and I didn’t. So I did some research and here’s what I found. There’s a lot of ideas out there that I wouldn’t recommend (without having tried them) – medicines, nicotine gum/ patches, because it goes against my philosophy of using natural means to stay healthier. Here’s simple stuff that might help.
There’s a big mental/ emotional component to nicotine addiction to help cope with stress. Learning to discipline yourself with healthy strategies instead of relying on smoking a cigarette during routine/ challenging moments (in the mornings, breaks at work, with alcohol, when you’re triggered, after sex) will be the biggest factor in helping to quit. You’re less likely to smoke a cigarette after taking a run or doing a meditation. Anything that helps you stay healthy will build positive momentum and motivate you to take the best care of yourself.
Ultimately it comes down to will power, self discipline and making good choices, while having self love to be patient with the process. Change is uncomfortable. Many people experience the discomfort of detox effects and difficulty learning new ways to help relieve stress. Chiropractic care is the ultimate way for your body’s nervous system to adapt and clear stress. This can be one of the most challenging addictions to break, but you can do it.
Healthy Supportive Strategies
- Movement, Exercising, Stretching
- Breathing exercises
- Getting outside in fresh air and nature
- Eating healthier fruits and vegetables
- Getting chiropractic care
- Prayer
Herbal treatments
Some herbal remedies may also help reduce cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms, such as emotional unrest and irritability.
- V. cinerea
- St. John’s Wort
- lavender oil
- black pepper
- lime
- Red clover
Carrot
I know – I’m suggesting you chew on carrots instead of smoke cigarettes. I recommend them with hummus.
Licorice
You can keep a stick of licorice root handy and suck on it in place of a cigarette.
keeps the system flooded with micronutrients and amino acids thought to help diminish the urge to smoke, and helps repair tissues that have been damaged by smoking.
Turmeric
Those who took turmeric eliminated three to eight times more carcinogens from their bodies as smokers who took no turmeric.
Peppermint
Peppermint has a lot of neurological health benefits. It is known to improve blood circulation and relax the nerves. Peppermint herb infused teas can help reduce cravings to smoke and rich in healing properties that can help clear the lungs and respiratory passages.
Ginger Root Herb
Apart from reducing stress, indigestion, cough and cold, it also helps to reduce cravings for cigarettes. Rich in protein, calcium, and iron, smoking this herb can also help relax the nerves. Teas or concoction made out of Ginger root can really help reduce cravings for cigarettes.
Benefits of Quitting Smoking
During the first hours and days after your last cigarette, your body begins the healing process as soon as you begin quitting smoking. Some of the early symptoms will make you feel worse, but they will get better. Let’s look at the healing timeline: (14)
1 Hour: Heart rate and blood pressure drops, and circulation begins to improve.
12 Hours: Carbon monoxide from cigarettes is dispelled from the body, increasing oxygen levels.
24 Hours: The risk of heart attack begins to decrease! And, exercise becomes easier.
48 Hours: The senses of smell and taste start to come back as the nerves begin to heal.
72 Hours: Nicotine levels are depleted! This is also when physical cravings reach their peak.
30 Days: Lungs are healing and athletic endurance increases.
9 Months: Lungs have healed themselves, and the cilia (small hairs in the lungs) have recovered.
1 Year: The risk for coronary heart disease is decreased by 50 percent.
5 Years: Arteries and blood vessels begin to widen, lowering the risk of stroke.
10 Years: Chances of developing lung cancer and dying from it are cut in half. Chances of mouth, throat and pancreatic cancer are also significantly reduced.
15 Years: Likelihood of developing coronary heart disease is equal to that of a non-smoker.
20 Years: The risk of death from lung disease and cancer drops to the level of a person that has never smoked.
In addition to this timeline, many ex-smokers will see:
- Skin starts to glow
- Hair becomes stronger and shinier
- Nails return to natural color and become less brittle
- Breath improves
- Teeth become whiter
- Immune system functioning improves
Alright there you go. It’s amazing how the body is able to heal with the proper care, nutrients and time, and the healing properties of natural remedies available to help us. Chiropractic care is all about helping your body function optimally and heal naturally too. Come check out our health classes every week to learn how to live healthier for life.