You know that smoking cigarettes will wreck your health. But some people don’t think they can quit. Others try and fail. And some make the mistake of turning to Big Pharma for help.
Even at their best, Big Pharma’s “solutions” for quitting smoking are 49% successful.1 And they come with other risks—like insomnia, numbness, and vomiting…2 Maybe even violent episodes.3 You’re better off without them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have some help.
Here are five natural ways to help you quit smoking:
1. Get Exercise: It’s not just one of the best ways to support your overall health… Exercise can also help ease nicotine cravings when you’re quitting smoking. And we’re not talking about running. A study of adult smokers found that resistance training (RT) can make a big difference. After three months, 46% of subjects on a RT program had gone a full week without a cigarette. And that’s compared to just 17% of people in the control group.
By the end of the study, the 15% of the RT group quit for good. That’s nearly double the other group’s 8%. The RT group also dropped an average of 5% body fat. Not a bad perk.4 Add in some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and your results may be even better.
2. Try Rhodiola: You may know it as golden root. We’ve told you before that it’s a natural way to help boost your energy levels. Healers in Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have used Rhodiola rosea for centuries to prevent infections and boost sexual function.5 But it may also help beat nicotine withdrawal. Italian researchers found oral doses of rhodiola rosea extract helped prevent signs of nicotine withdrawal in mice. This included shaking, tremors, and chewing. And the more extract per kilogram of body weight, the better the results.6 You can find natural rhodiola extract supplements in health stores and online.
3. Reduce Stress: Smoking doesn’t relieve stress.7 But it’s a myth the tobacco industry likes you to believe. One study found that quitting smoking reduced stress and anxiety. Yet those who tried and failed saw an increase in both.8 Quitting smoking actually helps lower stress levels by reducing cortisol.9 That’s the stress hormone that steals your memory. But taking a natural ashwagandha supplement may help you cut cortisol levels in half. Fighting depression may also help keep cortisol at bay—and help make quitting less stressful.
4. Cut Back Caffeine: Nicotine can double the rate at which your body processes caffeine. In other words, smokers may need much more than a cup of coffee to get a jolt of energy. This can make caffeine dangerous for people trying to quit smoking. And it could mean more than a mid-afternoon crash. One study found that subjects drinking the same amount of caffeine while trying to quit raised their baseline levels by over 200% in three weeks. But it also found that people giving up caffeine had significantly more fatigue. The solution is to dial back how much of it you consume each day. Try a cup or two of quality organic coffee instead of endless refills of the cheaper stuff. But don’t give it up entirely.
5. Add Organic Fruits and Vegetables: Your diet may be your best ally when it comes to quitting smoking. One study looked at 1,000 smokers over age 25. After 14 months, researchers found that subjects who ate the most fruits and vegetables were three times more likely to quit. And it remained true even after adjusting for other factors like age, race, and alcohol use. Organic fruits and vegetables are also higher in antioxidants than their conventional counterparts. This means more anti-cancer power in each serving. They can help you quit—but they can also help reverse oxidative damage.
Quitting smoking is one of the best ways to help take back your body’s power to heal itself naturally. It’s not easy to do… But you don’t have to do it without quality support. These natural solutions may help you—or someone you care about—kick the habit and help add healthy years to your life.
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References:
1http://time.com/2967646/this-is-the-new-best-way-to-quit-smoking-study-finds/
2http://www.rxlist.com/chantix-side-effects-drug-center.htm
3http://www.thestate.com/2014/08/27/3644424/new-trial-ordered-for-soldier.html
4http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/13/8/756.abstract?sid=d44dd6de-5bf0-46cb-97e4-096b1ebe3349
5http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=111798
6http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19939867
7http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2255815/Smoking-doesnt-relieve-stress–quitting-does-Study-proves-benefits-nicotine-myth.html
8http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/202/1/62.abstract
9http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16554397