Chances are you answered yes to this question. We have all been affected by smoking in one way or another.
I personally can’t stand smoking. I don’t like the smell nor what it can do to someone’s health. I work in the cancer field so I have seen the damage it can do. I would love to have everyone who smokes break the habit and I would like those agencies and companies that make money from the industry find a new way to collect their profits.
No that my rant is done, I wanted to talk to you today about quitting smoking in a natural way. Yes it is possible. Tell everyone you know that smokes that they can be smoke free. You might have heard about a great alternative to smoking without the consequential effects of it and yes it is possible.
There are many ideas on how to quit smoking; some very successful and others are dismal failures. These days there are drugs to help you quit but many people prefer to use a natural method that doesn’t involve medication. Here are some ways you can quit smoking naturally.
Consult a counselor. There are specialist psychologists and psychiatrists who are trained in helping people overcome an addiction, which is what smoking is. These professionals have a good success rate with their methods.
Join a support group. The support and advice you can receive from the members of a quit smoking support group could be the key to helping you kick the habit. You also get the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped someone else stop smoking.
Take a quit smoking course. There are many education courses that are designed to help smokers quit for good.. These education courses seem to have a good success rate and are useful when used in conjunction with lifestyle changes. You can find free quit smoking courses and videos on the internet.
Learn to manage stress. Stress is possibly the main reason that people go back to smoking after having given it up. Being able to manage your stress levels will help you quit for good. There are courses you can take about stress management which will teach you the skills you need.
Take up a new hobby or sport. When you start something new, you are usually totally consumed by it and this intensity can help keep your mind off wanting to smoke.
Learn relaxation techniques like meditation. Meditation allows you to relax deeply which helps relieve the cravings. You could also be sign up for a weekly yoga or tai chi class; these ancient arts are designed to still the mind and bring the mind, body and spirit into balance. Improving my mediation practice is one of my 2012 projects.
Start a new fitness program. This is the perfect time to get fit, now that you are quitting smoking. Book into a series of classes or hire the services of a personal trainer who will be able develop a structured fitness program suited to you. As your fitness improves, you will experience the numerous benefits of regular exercise and this will help keep you cigarette-free.
Improve your diet. When you quit smoking, you put your body under stress as your system tries to adapt to being free from the effects of nicotine. When stressed, the body needs extra vitamin C, B vitamins and magnesium. Ensure that you include increased amounts of foods that are rich in these nutrients to help your body adjust. Vitamin C-rich foods include berries, blackcurrants, citrus fruits, capsicum and broccoli. Magnesium is found in nuts, especially almonds and cashews, green leafy vegetables and whole grains. Foods that are high in the B vitamins include eggs, meat, dairy, whole grains, legumes, broccoli, bananas and potatoes. If you start to eat more after you stop smoking, try eating 6 smaller meals a day to prevent hunger pangs. I do this and it works wonders. Include lean protein and complex carbohydrates in each meal to keep you feeling fuller for a longer period. Try fruit smoothies, nuts or dried fruit for snacks to keep hunger away.
Acupuncture: this ancient Chinese treatment method is effective in treating a wide range of conditions and many smokers have found that it has helped them kick their habit. It is enhanced when used in conjunction with an education course on quitting smoking.
Hypnotherapy: this therapy has a good success rate for helping smokers quit although it isn’t effective with everyone.
You might find that a combination of these strategies gives you the best results. Give yourself the best possibility of succeeding by having a positive mental attitude and being determined to quit smoking for good. Seek support from family and friends, unless they are smokers. In fact, you need to keep away from the people you used to smoke with and the places and situations that entice you to smoke.
Believe me though, it is possible to quit. You can overcome it and start living a healthier life. And if you don’t believe me, hear it from my friend Mr. SPF from Sustainable Personal Finance who quit smoking last January and has been smoke free ever since. Click here for his story.
So, have you tried quitting smoking? What has and has not worked for you?
One of the ways that my mother quit, and has not smoked for over 20 years is by telling her lizard brain that she’s not smoking… right now. This gave the back of her brain no cause for alarm since she was a smoker, and still is a smoker as far as the change-hating part is concerned. I’ve used that technique and it works quite well. 🙂
I am not a smoker. I never have been and I don’t plan on becoming one. Both of my parents were smokers at one point, though. My mom quit 25 years ago when she as pregnant with my sister and never picked it up again. My dad, on the other hand, still smokes every day but not as much as he used to. His main reason for slowing down? The cost of cigarettes.
At this point, I don’t care what makes him stop. I just want him to.
Nothing helps until you actually want to quit, so don’t bother trying until you are ready. Once you are ready, and you realize that you aren’t giving up a damn thing by quitting (and only gaining everything), quitting is easy. It’s marketed as being difficult because there is money in doing so, but once someone wants to quit and changes their mindset, it’s easy. Trust me.
I quit over two years ago. I did it the only way that it ever works, and that’s by deciding I was not a smoker, and living with the consequences until my reality caught up to my self image.
I smoked for close to twenty years and thought that I love it – though I always hated the smell. Contradiction you may think; well, it is but this is me. I gave up once on will only – seven years later I cracked; and I missed it all the time.
Then I discovered the Easyway Clinic – they just teach you to admit that you are an addict and that you ought to separate your addiction from your essence and kill it. Works! I don’t have an identity of a smoker any longer, don’t miss it etc.
I’m not a smoker either. A former co-worker was a smoker and insisted that health problems were primarily a result of bad genes. Needless to say, we disagreed.
I’m surprised that you don’t have up there “find religion.” Sure, some people have devoted themselves to religion and given up those “you know what” sticks.
I smoked for about 7 years, I quit cold turkey. That was about 5 years ago. I think I was really lucky to be able to do it that way. I know a lot of people spend a lot of money trying to quit.
I quit smoking cigarettes about 13 years ago. That’s when Mrs. 101 informed me she was pregnant with our youngest. I had promised, so I negotiated one last cigarette, enjoyed the heck out of it, and quit cold turkey. Haven’t had one since. I quite like cigars though, although there’s no inhaling and I won’t smoke in the house.
I never smoked but I tried cigars recently. I like it. I’m past the point where I could get addicted, however I don’t see it as a habit I’m going to develop it’s just a social diversion for me. Kind of like the same thing I have with alcohol.
I’m glad I never smoked. I knew a co-worker who had quit for 6 years but went back. It’s a powerful drug.
One of the ways that my mother quit, and has not smoked for over 20 years is by telling her lizard brain that she’s not smoking… right now. This gave the back of her brain no cause for alarm since she was a smoker, and still is a smoker as far as the change-hating part is concerned. I’ve used that technique and it works quite well. 🙂
Interesting approach Emily. Never thought of doing that.
I do not smoke. My dad passed away from lung cancer a couple of years ago and that’s my main deterrent.
Never smoked, never will.
Sorry to hear of your loss Michelle.
I am not a smoker. I never have been and I don’t plan on becoming one. Both of my parents were smokers at one point, though. My mom quit 25 years ago when she as pregnant with my sister and never picked it up again. My dad, on the other hand, still smokes every day but not as much as he used to. His main reason for slowing down? The cost of cigarettes.
At this point, I don’t care what makes him stop. I just want him to.
I’ve read that if you don’t smart smoking prior to the age of 18 the chances of starting decrease dramatically.
Nothing helps until you actually want to quit, so don’t bother trying until you are ready. Once you are ready, and you realize that you aren’t giving up a damn thing by quitting (and only gaining everything), quitting is easy. It’s marketed as being difficult because there is money in doing so, but once someone wants to quit and changes their mindset, it’s easy. Trust me.
Agree 100%. If you don’t truly want to quit, you won’t.
I quit over two years ago. I did it the only way that it ever works, and that’s by deciding I was not a smoker, and living with the consequences until my reality caught up to my self image.
For me it was not about self image. I actually kept my smoking private enough that many co-workers had no idea I smoked.
I smoked for close to twenty years and thought that I love it – though I always hated the smell. Contradiction you may think; well, it is but this is me. I gave up once on will only – seven years later I cracked; and I missed it all the time.
Then I discovered the Easyway Clinic – they just teach you to admit that you are an addict and that you ought to separate your addiction from your essence and kill it. Works! I don’t have an identity of a smoker any longer, don’t miss it etc.
There is definitely a strong mental aspect to quitting.
I’m not a smoker either. A former co-worker was a smoker and insisted that health problems were primarily a result of bad genes. Needless to say, we disagreed.
Smoking isn’t the cause of all illness Corey. It really would depend on what the co-worker was suffering from, no?
I’m surprised that you don’t have up there “find religion.” Sure, some people have devoted themselves to religion and given up those “you know what” sticks.
I smoked for about 7 years, I quit cold turkey. That was about 5 years ago. I think I was really lucky to be able to do it that way. I know a lot of people spend a lot of money trying to quit.
I quit smoking cigarettes about 13 years ago. That’s when Mrs. 101 informed me she was pregnant with our youngest. I had promised, so I negotiated one last cigarette, enjoyed the heck out of it, and quit cold turkey. Haven’t had one since. I quite like cigars though, although there’s no inhaling and I won’t smoke in the house.
I never smoked but I tried cigars recently. I like it. I’m past the point where I could get addicted, however I don’t see it as a habit I’m going to develop it’s just a social diversion for me. Kind of like the same thing I have with alcohol.
I’m glad I never smoked. I knew a co-worker who had quit for 6 years but went back. It’s a powerful drug.