Why Quit Smoking?

There are quite a few natural ways to quit smoking, especially if you do not put much stock in the smoking cessation products on the market today. Relying on your own devices is to be commended because it means you are totally committed to kicking the nicotine habit in a safe, healthy way. Of course, the hard part is finding a natural way that will work best for you.

Herbs, substituting habits, exercise and different types of therapy are all natural ways to quit smoking without using nicotine products as a crutch. Some people have trouble kicking the oral fixation habit as well as the physical act of taking a drag. They need something to put in their mouths and hold in their fingers. If you are one of these people, there are a few herbs that are safe to smoke and may even have some mild health benefits. Rosemary and sage are two fragrant, safe herbs that can be smoked and they even act as an expectorant, clearing the lungs of excess mucus.

Exercise is an obvious natural choice for kicking the smoking habit. Every time you feel the urge to light a cigarette, go for a brief walk instead. If that is not feasible, get out of your chair and stretch or dance to a song on the radio. The endorphins you release during even the lightest exercise can nip that nicotine craving in that moment.

Acupuncture, hypnotherapy, reflexology and support groups are natural ways to quit smoking as well. Acupuncture and reflexology both target pressure points on the body with acupuncture using needles and reflexology using a type of massage. Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis to try and modify the behavior of the smoker. Support groups can be helpful because you might find it helpful to share the burden of quitting smoking with others and gain strength from numbers.

Drinking herbal tea, sucking on hard candies, chewing on cinnamon toothpicks … these ideas and many others join the ranks of natural ways to quit smoking as well. There is no one right or wrong solution. However, in order to break the nicotine habit for good, you will have to exert willpower and patience as you experiment with a natural solution that works for you.

Craft Project: Tootsie Pop Tree
The image above is the photo of the Tootsie Pop tree my sister made for my birthday shortly after I quit smoking. As you can see the construction is quite simple and all the necessary supplies other than the suckers can be purchased for a couple of dollars at any craft store. If you are curious about the text surrounding my photo, it is one of my smart remarks turned back on me: Star of Her Own Production. Yes, I did eat all of the Tootsie Pops, they were an essential part of my quit smoking plan even though I also used nicotine alterpatches.