Natural Stop Smoking Programs - the Alternative to Medications
Watch this video first - it will make you want to quit smoking immediately
We all know how hard it is to stop smoking. But we also know that our health depends on us finding the best way to quit smoking now and
forever.
Fortunately there are many natural stop smoking programs and aids available to help smokers make the transition to becoming a
non-smoker and to commit to remain a non-smoker as well.
Stop smoking products and programs run the gamut from natural stop smoking programs including the use of herbs, hypnosis, and acupuncture, to
the stop smoking medications such as nicotine gum, nicotine patches, nicotine nasal sprays and lozenges and prescription medications such as
Zyban and Chantix.
Each of these is designed to make the quitting smoker's life a bit easier.
Although medications that help stop smoking are effective for some folks, others want to eliminate nicotine use immediately and are afraid of
simply trading one nicotine addiction for another.
And the prescription drug such as Zyban contains the same active ingredient, bupropion, as does Wellbutrin which is a powerful antidepressant
and has been shown to possibly result in suicidal thinking and behaviour in some adolescents See GlaxoSmithKline.
Natural stop smoking programs provide folks with a holistic alternative to these medications without the side effects that may come
along with these stop smoking medications.
Below we briefly cover a few of these homeopathic natural stop smoking programs and products.
Herbs and Botanicals
Herbal products can be very successful in helping you to kick the smoke habit. These herbal products contain no nicotine or medications
but are formulated to naturally reduce cigarette cravings, lessen nicotine withdrawal symptoms, reduce irritability and stress, and curb your
appetite so as to help you keep from gaining weight.
Here is a listing of some of nature's herbs you may find in natural anti-smoking programs and products:
Avena sativa, for instance, has been found to help folks who are quitting smoking deal more effectively with the anxiety and the depression
that may come with stopping smoking. It is said that it has been used to treat opium addiction for centuries by the healers in India and is
thought to be as effective in reducing your nicotine craving.
Garcinia cambogia is classified as a citrus and acts naturally as an appetite suppressant. It has been shown to help with fat burning
and also in helping to stave off your sugar cravings and the tendency to eat more while you are quitting smoking, helping you to keep from
gaining weight and perhaps lose some as well.
Gotu Cola amongst other beneficial effects, has been shown to boost concentration levels and naturally stimulate your brain and nervous
system. It has also proven helpful in relieving anxiety that most folks experience during the quit smoking phase.
These herbs are usually combined in formulations and are available through non-nicotine herbal patches which are applied to your skin like a
Band-Aid and absorbed through your skin as well as herbal drops that are added to water or your favorite beverage.
Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy
As one of the natural stop smoking programs available, hypnosis is nothing more than suggestions to your subconscious mind while you are in a
deep state of relaxation.
Hypnosis has been used to help people eliminate bad habits, weight loss and smoking cessation.
Hypnosis techniques have been found to be effective in helping folks quit smoking for good. It has been shown that when combined with
other stop smoking interventions, whether natural stop smoking programs or programs that use medications, that stop smoking hypnosis can be
successful in helping folks to quit in over 40% of the cases.
Hypnosis techniques aimed at smoking cessation, relax your mind and body and result in suggestions to your subconscious mind being more
effective. These techniques can help to reprogram your mind and help you in overcoming these psychological as well as physical addictions to
cigarettes and nicotine.
If you are considering hypnosis as one of your natural stop smoking programs, it is important that you check the credentials of the
hypnotherapist. You might want to start with National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists at National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists
However, some folks may have difficulty finding a certified hypnotherapist in their area and may find successful results by using stop smoking
hypnosis audio tapes or CDs that can be found online and can be used conveniently in the comfort of your home.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese art that involves inserting and manipulating needles into your body's acupuncture points. Acupuncture,
performed by a trained acupuncturist, is thought to release chemicals called endorphins into your nervous system and muscles.
As a therapeutic intervention the practice of acupuncture is widely used in the United States.
According to a study found in the Journal of the American Medical Association, acupuncture has shown promising results as an adjunct method in
treating postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting as well as certain addictions, headaches, menstrual cramps, stroke rehabilitation,
fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Exactly why and how this works, we are not entirely certain
Some believe the use of acupuncture, when used in conjunction with other stop smoking methods of treatment, might prove useful in helping the
smoker cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms by helping to alleviate the stresses associated with quitting smoking.
If acupuncture is one of the natural stop smoking programs you are considering, you will want to find out whether your state has any licensing
requirements for acupuncturists. Believe it or not there are a number of unscrupulous folks out there that will sell you the proverbial bill of
goods.
A good place to learn more about acupuncturists in your state, the laws governing these acupuncturists and some new tips concerning
acupuncture is Acupuncture Referral Service