Smoking cigarettes is one of the worst possible things you can do for your health. By now, most people realize and understand this. However, quitting addictive habits can are easier said than done.
If you’re still a smoker and looking to quit for your health and the health of everyone around you, here are some natural ways to cut the habit.
Change Your Diet
Instead of nicotine patches or switching to vaping, there are healthier ways to quit smoking that don’t just curb cravings for the short-term. For example, simple dietary changes can make your transition from smoker to non-smoker easier. Coffee, alcohol, and red meat tend to make cigarettes taste better, so avoid those triggers. Instead, revamp your meals around fresh fruits, vegetables, and juices because these are healthy foods that make cigarettes taste worse. It may also help to indulge your sweet tooth with healthy options, like yogurt or dried fruit, from time to time to get past cigarette cravings.
Get Active and Exercise
If you can get into a steady exercise routine, you’ll truly appreciate how amazing it feels to not be addicted to cigarettes. When you’re smoke-free, you can run faster, lift harder, and workout longer without becoming fatigued and out of breath. With the money you’re saving from not buying cigarettes, sign up for a personal trainer or partner up with a workout buddy to keep yourself motivated.
Practice Meditation
Some of the most effective long-term smoking cessation strategies involve meditation. Meditation requires you to focus, tune into your body, be mindful of your actions, and fully relax. Since stress is a huge trigger for smokers, replacing the bad habit with mediation is a smart idea. Consider attending a meditation seminar or searching for guided meditation videos for smoking cessation on YouTube.
Utilize Technology
While meditation is traditionally a technology-free activity, technology can actually be your friend as you try to stop smoking. There are dozens of apps that you can download to help you structure your days around not smoking, beat cravings, and keep yourself accountable. It may also help to join online communities, such as Facebook groups, to connect with like-minded people who are trying to live healthier lives as well.
Experiment with Herbs
Certain natural herbs are used medicinally to help people stop smoking as well. Herbal remedies can be effective for reducing cravings without withdrawal symptoms. For example, small amounts of black pepper and cayenne pepper can be added to drinking water to reduce cravings. Meanwhile, cravings can be subdued by chewing on licorice root and taking St. John’s Wort supplements. Ask your doctor about which herbs are safe for you to take in conjunction with other medications you are taking.
Try Acupuncture and Massage
Lots of people who have successfully quit smoking credit their success to acupuncture, at least in part. This ancient Chinese practice may help you fight cravings because it naturally increases serotonin production to lift you up without a nicotine high. Getting regular massages may also help you fight cravings and feel more content without a cigarette.
Talk It Out
Staying accountable to you and only you when trying to quit smoking is a recipe for failure for many people. Humans are social beings by nature, so you may need someone that you can trust in and talk to about your habit, cravings, and quitting plan. Whether it’s a friend, spouse, coworker, or professional therapist, find someone you can talk to about your desire to quit smoking. You’re not alone in this struggle, and it can be overcome.