Quit Smoking With Nature's Help

By Renee Suchy
Smoking is very dangerous to your health. Most smokers feel that there is nothing that they haven’t tried in order to quit. However, they may not be aware of the many natural means available which others have used to finally end this very destructive habit. It is possible to quit smoking, if you devise a plan, cleanse and support the body and use natural methods to curb nicotine cravings.
Most, if not all, people in the United States believe that smoking is unhealthy. Why then do people smoke? The answer lies in the addictive nature of nicotine. Over 80 percent of smokers declare that they want to quit and plan to do so at some point. Even heroin addicts admit that nicotine is truly the hardest drug habit to kick. (Haas, p.964)
Almost one-third of cases of pancreatic carcinoma can be attributed to cigarette smoking. Most lung cancers are caused by cigarette smoking. (Smokers are five to ten times more likely to suffer from lung cancer than nonsmokers). The more cigarettes you smoke per day and the earlier you started smoking, the greater the risk of lung cancer.
Children of smokers have an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory infections and lung cancer.
"Children of smokers have a much higher incidence and severity of asthma, bronchitis, colds and ear infections. They also have impaired lung development and reduced lung function tests." American Journal of Public Health, p. 209, Feb. 1989)
If you eat a balanced diet, drink a lot of clean water and take a vitamin supplement daily, you may feel that you are generally healthy. However, if you smoke, this is typically not the case. Heavy smokers do not get as much of a benefit from a healthy diet. Blood levels of Vitamin C are much lower in smokers. Zinc, Vitamin A and folic acid are often depleted in the bodies of smokers.
Now that we have covered just a few of the negative effects of smoking on the body, let’s figure out how to quit - and without drugs! It may come as a surprise to you that there is a way to be free of this horrible addiction without using prescription medication for help.
Let’s now cover some ideas on how to actually go about quitting.
Have you tried to quit before and failed? Did you quit for awhile and then start again? You may feel that because you tried and failed, that it proves that you can’t quit. However, this is not the case. In reality, you get points each time you attempt to quit. You inevitably learned something each time you tried, which gets you that much closer to being successful in quitting. Most quitters did not do it on their first try. So just think of it as your "practice" run! (3)
A main part of your quit smoking plan, is to figure out which interventions you will use when you are hit with a craving to smoke. Try to avoid being around other smokers. Learn some deep breathing exercises that you can use to de-stress. Exercise is also a great way to limit stress and keep you busy.
Something to consider once you have decided to quit smoking, is how to get the toxins out of your body. One theory is that many dependencies originate in the liver. Cleansing and detoxifying the liver is a crucial first step toward breaking free of these addictions. Detoxifying the liver will reduce the cravings for nicotine. (ESP, p. 279)
You can use echinacea to help flush the nicotine out of the lymph system and lungs. Vitamin C is a great chelator of toxic substances in the body. (Which means it will "grab" the offenders and flush them out through the waste system). A usual dose of C is 1000 mg four times per day. N-Acetyl-cysteine 1000 mg, two doses of glutamine 1000 mg, four capsules of Evening Primrose Oils and 20 Sun Wellness Chlorella tabs are a good regimine for removing nicotine toxicity from the body. (Page p. 548)
It is important during your detox and quitting time that you "avoid junk foods and sugar that aggravate cravings" (Page p.548) Ginseng can help you to normalize sugar cravings, as can stevia, stevioside or FOS. Trace mineral and mineral deficiencies can play a part in some addictions. Magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc should all be included in the diet when trying to quit smoking. (ESP, p.279)
The main concern when quitting tobacco are the cravings! There are many choices when it comes to this issue. Essential oils, vitamins and herbal teas are all on the list of items in the "cravings" category.
Eating a diet which promotes body alkalinity is said to show less desire for tobacco. To calm your nerves, try Magnesium 800 mg daily, stress B-complex 100 mg daily, valerian/wild lettuce drops in water. (Page, p.548) Young Living Essential Oils offers a blend called "Peace and Calming" which, some people have reported, was all they needed during their quitting time.
Oil of clove is also reported by many people to be extremely effective in their war with nicotine cravings. In Stanley Burrough’s “Master Cleanser” book, he states "For those who wish to quit smoking, place a small amount (of clove oil) on your finger - place it on back of the tongue and you immediately lose your desire to smoke. This is an easy way if you really want to quit." Peppermint oil has also been reported to be effective. Just a touch of it on the tongue, in the same manner as you apply the clove oil will do it.
Single oils which may be helpful in smoking cessation in addition to clove and peppermint, are cinnamon and nutmeg. Other blends of oils recommended for reducing addictive behavior are Harmony, Thieves, Exodus II, Peace and Calming, JuvaCleanse and JuvaFlex. These can be directly inhaled or diffused, applied topically on the temples and/or back of the neck four times daily, or used as a warm compress over the liver.
Quitting smoking is not an easy task to undertake. However, if you give your body the right tools, you can repair the damage done by smoking, you can reduce your cravings and YOU CAN QUIT! Try some of these simple, natural and effective helpers. Nature is the best medicine, so believe in yourself and watch it happen!!
Some resources for people who would like more information:
Young Living Essential Oils, http://www.fragrantfamily.com/sadiesgift
Easyway by Allen Carr order at www.half.com or www.amazon.com
American Lung Association, www.alamn.org (then click “quit smoking”)
Committed Quitters, www.committedquitters.com
National Cancer Institute, www.smokefree.gov
The Stop Smoking Center, www.stopsmokingcenter.net
The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs, order at www.half.com or www.amazon.com
Bibliography:
1. Haas, Elson. Staying Healthy With Nutrition . Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1992.
2. Essential Science Publishing(2004). Essential Oil Desk Reference, 3rd Ed., www.essentialscience.net
3. American Lung Association pamphlet Quitting For Life, 2003
4. Linda Page, Ph.D. Healthy Healing: A Guide to Self-Healing for Everyone, 12th Edition. Healthy Healing, Inc., 2004
5. Retrieved March 4 , 2005 from http://www.getoutraged.com/facts_top_pg2.html

How to Quit Smoking and not Gain Weight

By Sean Riain
Ask a hundred people, 'Will you gain weight when you stop smoking?', and virtually all will say, 'Yes'.
And yet.....virtually all ARE wrong. If I asked you the question now, what would you say?
But before you answer, please read this article.......AND find out the real truth about smoking and weight gain........and THEN answer.
The Old Willpower Method
This is important. Get this clear in your mind.
When you stop smoking, it does not mean that you HAVE TO gain weight.
There are two parts to this problem and it is important that you understand BOTH of them.
First, I need to be honest with you......
Yes, in the past, people DID tend to gain weight when they gave up smoking.
But this was BECAUSE most people tried to give up smoking using the old Will-Power Method alone.
These people believed that when they gave up, they would feel terrible.
They were then told that the ONLY way to deal with these cravings was to endure them.........and hope that, with time and persistence, they would go away.
They were advised above all...... to use their Willpower and FORCE themselves not to smoke.
And......finally, they were told.... to eat snacks or nibble this or that - ANYTHING, in fact to keep them busy and their minds OFF smoking.
Why eat?
Because the feeling or the 'hunger' for a cigarette is very similar to the feeling you get when you are hungry.
And so, in the past, people ate in the terrible mistaken belief that by eating, they could satisfy their craving for a cigarette and that it would help them keep their minds off smoking.
But of course it didn't work.....
....And the MORE the feeling came back..... the MORE they ate in the belief it could help them.
'Your present is NOT dependent on your past'
So we all have to accept that there was some validity for people gaining weight in the past when they tried to quit.
But that need not be the cause today.
Remember the CAUSE was not giving up smoking but HOW these people went about the process of giving up smoking.
If you look closely at how they went about it, you'll see that....People ate TO NUMB their cravings.
Remember, when you give up smoking, you too will get these selfsame feeling/craving - 'I want a cigarette.'
And you will experience similar feelings when you realize that you cannot have one.
But unlike the old Willpower Method, you will not eat extra in order to ESCAPE or NUMB these feelings.
Why?
Because, as we explain in Our Course you will want to WELCOME and ACCEPT these feelings. You will WANT to transmute them.
These FEELINGS/CRAVINGS are NOW the KEY to your success.
Please underline this: The Old Way (Willpower method) was to hate and fear these cravings to smoke.
You were told you had a big fight on your hands, that these feelings would be unpleasant and overpowering.
And because the feeling you get when you want a cigarette is similar to how you feel when you are hungry, of course, you believed that by eating, you could satisfy these feelings or at least alleviate them.
But all you did was to temporarily block off these feelings.
By eating, you give yourself an excuse not to have to deal with and really feel these feelings.
You put off the evil day........and started to put on the pounds!
Never forget that when you give up smoking, you will CONTINUE to have these empty, restless, insecure cravings for the first two or three weeks.....
But now, for the first time in your life, LET yourself have these feelings, these empty sensations in your body. Actually feel them, moment-by-moment in your body.
CALL THEIR BLUFF!.
Sure, you will get the temptation to eat extra - to compensate - to 'fill' in the feelings you believe you are now lacking.
These desires are natural, normal.
They are not bad in themselves. And they are ONLY TEMPORARY.
Just feel them! Yes, it takes courage not to run away and try to escape by eating extra.
If you will just have patience and stay with these feelings, you will discover your moment of truth - that these cravings are no big deal and that you can easily handle them.
You don't have to eat to escape from them. (to find out more about this process, go to our free course at (http://www.quitsmokingonline.com/ )
Please underline:
The belief that you will automatically gain weight if you stop smoking is a myth.
However, there is one other issue we must deal with in regard to weight gain before we proceed.
This is the second part of the problem we mentioned earlier........
Increased metabolism?
Again and again, get this clear in your mind: Giving up smoking does not automatically have to lead to weight gain. And even the latest studies seem to confirm this.
In a large study in the UK involving over a thousand women quitting up smoking - no clear picture emerged.
Some women gained weight, others experienced no change whatsoever while other women actually LOST weight!
However, in regard to the women who gained weight - the average gain of between 5 to 10 pounds over a number of months was generally attributed to metabolic alterations i.e. the change in their metabolic rate.
Let's look at this carefully as a lot of people, especially women STILL use this as an excuse not to give up smoking.
The effects of smoking
To help us, let's try to understand the effects of smoking on your weight........
First of all, smoking DOES burn calories. Up to 200 a day if you are a heavy smoker. Thus smoking can increase your energy expenditure or metabolism.
What does this mean?
It means that when you quit smoking it can cause slight weight gain for certain individuals (unless we take appropriate action!) because their body begins to work more efficiently and their body's metabolism slows and food is digested more efficiently.
Is this bad news if it applies to you? No. it's not.
Please consider this.....
An average candy bar contains 300 calories. If you were to stick to your regular eating habits but eat just six fewer candy bars (or equivalent calories found in some other food item) per month, you could easily prevent yourself from gaining even a single pound.
It's that easy!
All it means is that you'll have to learn how to , as Kristy Farley points out ........outsmart the pounds!
But first, get this clear in your mind again and again.
When you give up smoking and do not RUN AWAY FROM or try to NUMB your cravings by EATING, YOU WILL NOT GAIN WEIGHT when you stop smoking.
The only weight gain some of our readers should be aware of is a slight weight gain of up to 5 pounds due to the change in their metabolic rate.
However, you can EASILY even avoid that by taking the FOLLOWING SIMPLE ACTION.......
......Outsmart the Pounds!
To ward off gaining ANY extra pounds when you quit, follow these simple steps and improve your general health at the same time.
Remember, if you are a heavy smoker, smoking will burn up 200 calories a day so......
To burn an estimated 200 calories used by smoking, for example, walk briskly for 45 minutes or swim laps for 30 minutes each day.
Or eliminate 200 calories of food intake, and you've used up the extra calories from not smoking. What does that translate to?
2 lite beers (220 calories)
20 regular potato chips (220 calories)
4 chocolate sandwich cookies (213 calories)
2 tablespoon of butter (200 calories)
2 oz. of cheddar cheese (220 calories)
1 small order of McDonalds fries (210 calories)
1 hot dog and roll (250 calories)
2 frozen waffles (240 calories)
1/2 cup macaroni and cheese (205 calories)
One benefit of quitting, however is that as your body realizes the benefits of not smoking, your energy levels will increase, and you will begin to feel better physically.
A moderate increase in physical activity can keep weight gain to a minimum so.....Exercise daily.
A daily moderate workout not only distracts you from smoking, but also helps reduce tension and stress. Endorphins released in the brain during exercise actually make you feel better. Exercise also increases metabolism, helping you burn more calories.
And .....here's a great fact from the New York Times:
'The good news is that the very fear of gaining weight is also the #1 deterrent to avoiding weight gain.
The great news is that studies show that at least 25% of all former smokers so fear weight-gain they actually LOSE weight once they've quit!'
Essential Summary
If you do not RUN AWAY FROM or try to NUMB your cravings to smoke by EATING, YOU WILL NOT GAIN WEIGHT when you quit smoking. FACT.
And even if you are one of those who may experience a slight weight gain of up to 5 pounds, due to metabolic changes- that is the easiest thing to remedy! FACT
Follow our simple advice - and you will not gain even an extra pound!
But the important thing to remember here is this:
It was the Old Way of giving up smoking that caused people to gain weight in the past.
It was the terrible idea that you must use Willpower to FORCE yourself not to smoke.
And the idea that you could use substitutes like food to BLOCK or to ESCAPE from these cravings.
But our approach to giving up smoking is the exact opposite.
We want you to FACE and WELCOME ALL the cravings you get when you stop.
We want you to TRANSFORM them. You now know that by allowing and opening to every feeling and desire WITHOUT judgment or resistance you can MAGICALLY transform how these feelings FEEL, moment-by-moment in your body.
They can actually be experienced as enjoyable sensations - and thus you will feel no compulsion to use food to escape from these cravings.
So why continue EVERY DAY to....CONGEST your lungs with cancerous tars. To CLUTTER up and POISON your blood vessels. And to SENTENCE yourself to a lifetime of.....
* Filth* Bad breath* Stained teeth* Burnt clothes* Filthy ashtrays* And the foul smell of stale tobacco....
......all because of the mistaken BELIEF that if you stop smoking, you must gain weight.
Go on....show the world by your own PERSONAL EXAMPLE that it is a LIE!
Because it is!
And as you show them, ENJOY fully all the great immediate benefits you'll experience when you stop.....
You'll feel stronger, younger, healthier
Your complexion will be better.
Your teeth and fingers will no longer be yellow.
Your eyes will look healthier, more alive and vibrant.
And your clothes and breath will no longer stink of stale smoke.
You'll feel f-r-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c !!
Now......what is your answer to that Question, 'Will you gain weight when you stop smoking?'




All The GREAT Benefits You'll EXPERIENCE When You QUIT Smoking!
By Sean Riain
Within 20 minutes ………… you can expect……..
... your blood pressure and pulse rate to return to normal. The temperature of your hands and feet will also have returned to normal.
Within 8 hours ………… you can expect………….
......your blood oxygen levels to have increased to normal limits and carbon monoxide levels to have dropped to normal.
Within 24 hours ………… you can expect…………
...your risk of sudden heart attack to have substantially decreased
Within 48 hours ………… you can expect……..
.... nerve endings to start re-growing and your sense of smell and taste to begin returning to normal.
Within 72 hours ………… you can expect…………
......your entire body to test 100% nicotine-free with over 90% of all nicotine metabolites to have now passed through your urine. You can also expect the symptoms of chemical withdrawal to have peaked in intensity. Your bronchial tubes will begin relaxing and thus make breathing easier, and your lung capacity will also begin to increase.
Within 10 days to two weeks.....………… you can expect……..
...your body to have adjusted to the physical functioning without nicotine and the 3,500 particles and more than 500 gases present in each puff.
Within 3 weeks to 3 months ………… you can expect……….
.....your circulation to have improved substantially, for walking to have become easier, and your overall lung function to have shown an amazing increase of up to thirty percent.
Within 1 to 9 months………… you can expect……..
.......any sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath to have decreased. Cilia have regrown in your lungs thereby increasing their ability to handle mucus, keep your lungs clean, and reduce infections. Your body's overall energy will have increased.
Within 1 year……… you can expect………………….
......your excess risk of coronary heart disease to drop to less than half that of a smoker
Within 5 year……… you can expect………………….
... your risk of stroke is reduced to that of a nonsmoker at 5-15 years after quitting.
Within 10 year……… you can expect………………….
... your risk of death from lung cancer to have decreased by almost half if you were an average smoker (one pack a day). Your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus is now half that of a smoker's.
Within 15 year……… you can expect………………….
.. your risk of coronary heart disease to now be that of a person who has never smoked. Your overall risk of death has returned to nearly that of a person who has never smoked.
Many thanks to the National Cancer Institute's "Smoking: Facts and Tips for Quitting" for their help in compiling this article.

Quit Smoking

By Mike Mor
Consider this:
Already since 1972, over 60 million people in the USA alone have successfully quit smoking!
At one stage over 60% of the adult population was addicted to this drug. Today it is 28% and dropping.
Now, isn't this a fair thought.
If all these people can do it (60 MILLION OF THEM!) - and they include EVERY TYPE of person imaginable - surely that is PROOF that IT IS POSSIBLE to successfully quit smoking.
Here's another Fact.
We now know from the latest scientific research, that although nicotine is one of the world's fastest acting drugs --- the actual PHYSICAL withdrawal pangs when you give up ARE SO MILD, YOU WILL HARDLY BE AWARE of THEM WHEN YOU STOP.
YES, you have read that sentence right!
I know you will want to argue with me on this point, but, first, let me first make the following points.
The Desire to Smoke
Yes, when you stop smoking you will feel the desire AGAIN and AGAIN to smoke.
We all know that feeling -- 'I must have a cigarette'. But that desire in itself is not bad or painful.
It is just a feeling, a sensation we feel in our body.
However........this is where, for most of us our problems start.
If we start to fear that 'craving' or try to use 'Willpower' to REPRESS it or FORCE it go away, -- "I wish this feeling would go away" we WILL create pain and tension.
This is what as smokers we have all done in the past.
That 'feeling' of wanting to smoke then becomes painful, annoying and terribly irritating.
Now this is the hard part to realize.
The pain, the horror does not come from the desire to smoke, but from HOW we deal with this desire, moment-by-moment WHEN we stop.
Can I emphasize this.
You do not have to experience ANY pain or agony when you stop. Yes, when you stop you WILL experience a.
Temporary feeling of loss
A feeling that you are being deprived of something
A feeling of emptiness
A feeling that you will never be able to enjoy yourself again.
A feeling that you must have a cigarette
These feelings, although very real in themselves are not inherently bad or painful. What is important is how you deal with these feelings when you QUIT SMOKING.
The key part of quitting smoking naturally is learning how to deal with these cravings when you stop.
Conflict
Right now, you don't want to give up smoking because you are TERRIFIED of how you will FEEL when you can't smoke.
Let's be honest.
You smoke now because you enjoy it.
Or -- to be more accurate: You smoke now because you have conditioned yourself to enjoy it.
It is important that we are honest with ourselves here.
In fact, even the 'THOUGHT', the mere 'thought' of not been able to smoke probably fills you with complete dread now.
But there is another undeniable fact: This 'pleasure' is killing you. Again we must be brutally honest here. Everyday, you are systemically destroying your health.
This is the conflict all smokers face.
On the one hand, smoking is killing you and you desperately want to stop.
..And yet on the other hand, you don't really want to stop because you believe you really enjoy it.
Yet, one other truth cannot be denied and this applies to every smoker.
We are terrified of how we will F-E-E-L when we can't smoke. We are convinced it will be unbearable and impossible.
FEAR
Right now, the ONLY thing -- yes, THE ONLY THING stopping you from quitting smoking is this fear of how YOU WILL FEEL WHEN YOU STOP.
And yet this very fear is the actual key to quitting smoking naturally.
Quitting smoking is really all about learning HOW to deal with the cravings and feelings you WILL get when you stop.
When you learn how to do that - you will realize that there is nothing to fear when you give up.
What is there to fear?
When you get the craving to smoke, which you will, again and again - - you will now take the OPPORTUNITY to 'change' or 'transform' that craving so that it is actually enjoyable or at least tolerable to experience.
Imagine.
You have decided to give up smoking. It's dinnertime.
You have finished a day's work.
You finish your meal and ..... subconsciously, you reach for a cigarette. But then, of course you remember you no longer smoke.
Bang! At that moment, certain gut feelings will arise.
Feelings of regret........a feeling that you are missing out on something important and then maybe..... terrible feelings of emptiness..... We all know how it feels.
But the real question is: How will you deal with this feeling -- this craving to smoke?
Will you just suffer it, try to repress it and hope that it will go away? That is one option. The old willpower method.
Or will you give in to the feeling -- and start to smoke again (promising to start again tomorrow)?
Or will you - - for the first time ever: - - follow our instructions and actually ALLOW yourself to transform the feeling/craving so that it is actually enjoyable or at least pleasant or tolerable enough to experience.
You see, when you can do that, you will no longer be AFRAID of these cravings when you stop smoking.
In fact, you will start to WELCOME them because they will give you another opportunity to RESPOND and DEAL with them in this NEW WAY.
This process is the essence of quitting smoking naturally and finding it a pleasant and life-affirming experience.
Weight-loss?
Are you now beginning to see how these principles can also apply to losing weight.
You see a beautiful cake. You want to eat it....when BANG! -- You remember you are on a diet.
Now watch HOW YOU feel when this happens?
Couldn't we describe it as.
'Feelings of regret........a feeling that you are missing out on something important and then maybe..... terrible feelings of emptiness.
Isn't it essentially the same feeling as not being able to smoke?
However, the real question is the same with smoking: How will you DEAL with this feeling - this craving to eat?
Will you GIVE IN to it -- and eat the cake or will you try and FORCE yourself not to eat it- and be miserable?
Why not consider our alternative?
Accept this feeling, this desire to eat. But, instead of giving in to it, learn how to deal and respond to it in a NEW way so that you don't MIND experiencing it?
Transform the craving so that it is actually enjoyable or very pleasant to experience.
The Joy of quitting Smoking?
Remember, when you stop - yes, you WILL feel something but there will be no physical agony, only a temporary feeling that you are MISSING OUT on something. A feeling that you are being deprived of something SPECIAL --- but these feelings will ONLY be temporary.
However, to quit smoking successfully and to start to enjoy doing it we must go deeper than these temporary cravings.
We must realize that:
You find it difficult or impossible to stop smoking now because......... you BELIEVE ABSOLUTELY that you NEED to smoke and even deeper, you BELIEVE that if you give up smoking now, your life will never be as ENJOYABLE again.
In one sentence: You believe your life will be intolerable.
It is these beliefs that makes quitting smoking difficult NOT Nicotine addiction.
Right now, you are not only physically addicted to smoking but you are psychologically dependent or addicted to smoking.
If your addiction were purely physical wouldn't all these nicotine patches have a 100% success record!
Yet, we all know that even if we use a nicotine substitute, we will still continue to feel a terrible desire to smoke.
Again and again, we'll feel we must have a cigarette. At times, it will even get to the stage where we just don't care - even the most dire health warnings will have no affect on us - we just WANT to smoke. Where does this desire come from ?
It comes from our conditioning, our beliefs about smoking.
This moment, we believe that smoking is an essential pleasure. In fact, most of us have a terrible resistance to EVEN thinking about quitting smoking.
Why ?
Because we believe that in order to do anything about our addiction, i.e. give up smoking -- we would have to end our pleasure and ending pleasure is something we have NO DESIRE to do.
YOUR REAL JOB
Your real job in giving up smoking lies in REALLY UNDERSTANDING that you don't NEED to smoke.
You remove the psychological addiction to smoking.
You will never be truly free until you realize that smoking is not a real pleasure and that when you stop, you WILL NOT BE depriving ourselves of a real pleasure....... ......and then you will not only be able to give up smoking for good but you will enjoy doing it!

The Best Way to Quit Smoking: Fasting to Quit

By Sallie Stone
Most quit smoking books, maybe all of them won’t tell you what I’m about to tell you next. Fasting is one of the best methods to quit smoking, if not the best. It will give you what you need to quit smoking. A lot of us feel we can’t quit smoking but we can. We fast so God will give us what we need to finally quit for good.
You should fast for three days to quit smoking. Fast on brown rice and water or carrot juice three days in a row. If you can’t fast for three straight days fast one day a week for three weeks or as close together as possible. This method can be used cold turkey or with the method discussed in the last chapter of my book; although I recommend cold turkey with this method. This method will work for you, all you have to do is try.
There are other ways to quit smoking. For instance you could pray or meditate until the desire passes. The desire to smoke will pass.
Another tip I share to readers in my book Quit Smoking the Easy Way: A New and Revolutionary Way to Quit Smoking is to chew cinnamon gum.There is something about cinnamon that fights cravings for nicotine. We’ve all heard about the healing power of Aroma therapy. Well now you know cinnamon can be used to fight cravings!
I think one of the most important ways to prepare yourself for quitting smoking is the ritual of forgiveness. Smokers smoke when they are mad. This tends to bring the anger to the subconscious. Here’s an excerpt from my book on the chapter entitled The Ritual of Forgiveness: “This ritual frees your heart. First think about everyone who has ever wronged you. Make a list in your mind. Ask God or a saint in heaven to help you forgive each person and why you need to forgive them. Perform this ritual nightly until you have forgiven each individual.
You will find that your heart will become unburdened and you will forgive more easily. You will find that you are not only better off not smoking but that you are better off not holding resentment in your heart. Getting rid of any anger will help you to be a calmer person who is ready to quit smoking.”

Some Tips on Stopping Smoking

By Mike Lindsey
Are you looking for tips on stopping smoking? And would you like to know what are some ways to help quit? Now let me remind you that when we come to the actual quitting process, that it is not going to be easy. Please do not consider yourself to be superhuman so be ready to get external help if you need it. As I told you earlier, there might be physical, mental and emotional changes when you stop smoking. But you do not have to worry. There is plenty of help available nowadays. Below are some tips on stopping smoking:
Medical Help:
If you can get professional medical help, then it’s even better. Getting professional medical help does not mean that you have to under go prolonged medical treatment. Your doctor or even your dentist will be able to guide you and provide you with all the solutions to your queries. They will able to suggest methods of handling the withdrawal symptoms and even prescribe medicines that can help you, and they can give you even more tips on stopping smoking.
Medicines:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved five medications to help you quit smoking:
1. Bupropion SR — Available by prescription
2. Nicotine gum — Available over-the-counter
3. Nicotine inhaler — Available by prescription
4. Nicotine nasal spray — Available by prescription
5. Nicotine patch — Available by prescription and over-the-counter
Taking these medicines will not just double your chances of succeeding but will actually increase your chances by a whooping 80%. But of course it is highly recommended that you start using these medicines after consulting a medical practitioner.
Counseling:
You might also consider possibilities like group counseling or telephone counseling. Group counseling has a wonderful effect, because there is nothing that feels as good as having others who face the same problems that you are encountering. When you hear the fears of others, and how difficult t is for them to pull no, you will feel surprisingly encouraged. Group counseling will provide you a wonderful arena to compare notes with other fellow quitters and you can watch and monitor your progress.

Stopping Smoking and Weight Gain - Can You Quit and Stay Slim?

By Matt Godson
Many smoking cessation products claim to guarantee that the client or user will gain no weight when they undertake their method. Some products even claim that they will help you LOSE wight while quitting. Does this sound too good to be true.
It is.
Clients to my hypnotherapy practice often expect me to assure them that they will not gain any weight when they stop smoking. This is not the case. They should fully expect to gain weight, but no more than 2-4 pounds once they become a non-smoker.
It is a fact that smoking causes your cells to dehydrate. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the skin quality of a 40-year smoker compared to a non-smoker. When you become a non-smoker your body is going to naturally re-hydrate those cells. This is not fat. This is not even “water retention” It is simply going to be water that your cells really need.
Most people would rather be 2-4 pounds heavier and a non-smoker, than 2-4 pounds lighter and a smoker.
Some people worry that they are going to crave sweets or other “bad” foods once they stop smoking. Good hypnotherapy completely eliminates any notion of craving.
Of course you always have a choice to eat whatever you wish but you do not need to fear that you will automatically substitute “bad” foods for cigarettes, it simply will not happen.
My suggestion? Quit smoking first, then tackle any weight reduction issues. Smoking is by far the most immediate threat in most cases.

Quit Smoking: Why People Do Bad Things (Even When They Know They Shouldn't)

By Jill Binder
Do you do Bad Things? Even though you know you shouldn't?
It's not your fault. It really isn't. You know you should stop doing it, but no matter how much you know that, and how much you try, you just can't stop!
Everyone knows how to lose weight. Don't eat fattening foods. Exercise. Everyone knows how to give up smoking. Don’t light the cigarette. Yet having this knowledge just isn't enough. Sometimes even having the desire isn't enough! Time and again I hear about people who get really close to quitting smoking. They can get all the way down to one or two cigarettes a day, but just can't give up those last two. Many even make it all the way down to zero, but the cravings, oh the cravings! They are wretched, those cravings. Most will go back to smoking within the first few days. They can cut away most of the "stuff" that keeps them glued to the cigarettes, even not be addicted to nicotine anymore(!), but there is just something deep in their core that magnetically pulls them back in, like two lovers who know they are bad for each other but just can't help themselves.
What is this thing? What is at this core?
Let me take a step back for a moment. How many adults do you know who are happy? I mean really, truly happy? Think that question is foolishness? Let me ask you this. How many people do you know who love their work? I'm talkin' jump out of bed in the morning, can't wait to start. Sadly, the percentage is very small. Why is this?
We live in an interesting quick-fix culture. People don't really have to deal with their issues. We've got:
* television
* movies
* shopping
* toys
* and hitting the gym
to distract us and make us feel better. Even more than that, many people's issues are quite buried. Think of dreams that were squashed when we were young. "An artist? You could never make a living at that! You should be a doctor!" People often forget what their dreams once were.
As a result, I see an awful lot of unhappy, unfulfilled people walking around. They don't know what is bothering them, they just have that gnawing feeling that there must be more. Advertisers pray on this, selling us more and more bottles and gizmos to give us that ever elusive Happiness.
True inner needs? People either:
* think they're impossible to fulfill
* are too scared and resigned to fulfill them
* or are so disassociated from those needs that they don't even know what they would be even if they had to guess!
All those "bad" things -- smoking, overeating, gambling, alcohol, the list goes on and on -- are easy ways to fill the void. Smokers will be able to relate to this one -- if you've just had a fight with your family, what do you do? You go for a smoke. Smoking makes it feel like the problem goes away. (I call this the "smokescreen." Har har!)
I'll let you in on a little secret--the real reason it's so hard to quit is not the nicotine. It's this void-filling. When you quit smoking (or any bad habit), you're suddenly faced with real life. All those stresses and needs that you've been avoiding? There they are, pulling at your coat tails, yelling, "Pay attention to me! Pay attention to me!" If you got in touch with your real inner needs and took baby steps to start fulfilling them, you would actually have little desire for cigarettes. It's true! I see it happen time and again in my Stop Smoking Coaching practice.
How do you do that, you ask? Here are some baby steps that you can start trying out now:
* Next time, instead of taking that quick fix--stop.
* Have a little quiet time and listen to what your insides have been trying to tell you.
* Try journaling -- don't edit your thoughts, just write.
* Some people find meditation and yoga to be great accesses.
* Try deep breathing.
* Go for a quiet, leisurely walk by yourself.
* Personally, I find it easiest to just start noticing where in life I seem to be avoiding things the most, or if I want something more immediate and active, doing a mindmap (a word drawing) to figure out what I'm really thinking.
For each person, the key to figuring out your needs is different. Play around with it, don't give up! You'll be glad you did!

Quitting: A Former Smoker's Story

By Judith Schwader
Every time I attempted to quit smoking was a valuable rehearsal, and every method I tried brought me that much closer to finding what ultimately worked for me.
Remember this, and keep trying. You will find YOUR best way to quitting smoking. Every time you quit and start again is one time closer to the final quit. If that hardly seems like a pep-talk, well, a non-smoker reading this really doesn't get the picture anyway; they never can. And nothing about quitting is peppy to a smoker.
So here are some of your choices if you're looking at quitting…. again or for the first time.
1.Cold turkey. (Really, this is a turkey of an idea.)
Some people do it successfully, but it's a set-up for most of us. There are all kinds of triggers in your environment that will make it psychologically tricky to resist lighting up. You'll have behavior patterns to overcome - cold turkey. Plus, you're going to have physical withdrawal symptoms. But go ahead and use this strategy if you're determined. Every time is a rehearsal of the final quit, so you win no matter what. Just consider this: why not set yourself up for some success instead?
2. Gradual reduction. You can accomplish this in different ways.
a. Get rid of one light-em-up trigger in your environment at a time. Make a rule about when and where you can smoke, and then stick to it. Start with a likely success. My first trigger to eliminate was separating coffee and cigarettes by at least 15 minutes. I could have both of them, just not together. Eventually, I stopped associating coffee with smoking.
Maybe your first light-em-up trigger to eliminate will be having that last one before bed. Whatever it is, pick one that you're pretty sure you can do. When you're over that trigger, eliminate another, and so on.
b. Reduce the strength. This means going from a Camel straight -to a filter - to a light - to a light 100 - and by that point, it's almost a why bother?
3. Nicotine replacement therapy.
a. Patches. These allowed me to create some new behaviors without also experiencing the physical discomfort of nicotine withdrawal. At the time I used them, they were by prescription only because there is the danger of over-dose. Nicotine is of course a powerful drug - that's why it is so addictive, right? Now you can get the patches over the counter. They're expensive either way because insurance companies generally won't cover prescriptions for smoking cessation. They know that most of us will quit a few times, and insurance companies don't want to foot the bill while you practice your way to being a non-smoker
b. Nicotine gum. You don't actually chew this gum, except just long enough to release the dose, and then you 'park' it between your gum and cheek, where the thin tissues there allow it to be gradually absorbed into your system. This worked pretty well for me when I was getting that tired feeling and unable to concentrate because of the lack of my usual dose circulating in my blood. What the gum didn't really help was the behavioral stuff. Finishing dinner and sitting back with a chunk of gray gum 'parked' against my inner cheek just didn't have that same relaxing closure as lighting up.
4. Herbal remedies.
Well, I guess you could say tobacco is an herb. Still, there isn't another 'herb' on the planet that even comes close to the versatility and pure compatibility with your system that makes smoking tobacco so addictive.
Ginger cigarettes. Calming herb teas. Herbal supplements for helping you eliminate the toxins. These might help your speed of recovery. Might make it easier to quit. Try them and see.
Whatever quitting methods you're using, drink lots and lots of water, as little alcohol, coffee and soda as possible. And hey, you might put on a few non-deadly pounds, but you can keep that to a minimum by having mostly wholesome foods lying around the house (leave the Cheetos and red licorice at the store).
5. Zyban.
My personal favorite, and the thing that finally worked long-term for me. Zyban has a generic name. Ask your doctor and the pharmacist. You still need a prescription for this one, and here's what's interesting - it wasn't designed for smoking cessation. It was originally an anti-depressant, and researchers found that people who were on this medication lost their desire to smoke; it was actually repulsive to them. I read that research, went to my physician and said, "Let's go!" She wrote the scrip. I followed instructions: take the medication for several days before quitting so that it has time to get into the body's systems. During those days I applied all the stuff I had already learned during my previous quitting 'rehearsals.' Eliminate the environmental triggers, cut down on nicotine intake, get some healthy food and some herb tea in the pantry.
It worked. I really didn't want to smoke. I felt good. It was finally done!
One thing I read somewhere was the question, "How do you get to the point of enjoying life without smoking?" And the given answer was to go 6 months without smoking. "Very funny," is what I thought at the time, but half a year is about how long it was before I really didn't notice its absence in my life. I had smoked for 20 years. I grieved - but that's a whole different subject. Now, it's been two years, and I feel free. I won't pretend it is easy, but I can say without hesitation that it is worth it.
Two notes:
A. I am not a doctor. I am a successful former smoker writing from personal experience. If you want to try some of these strategies, please see your personal physician for trained and professional advice.
B. There are support groups in most US states and many other countries as well. They are usually free. Go to your local health center or ask your librarian to help you find the resources and support you deserve and that is there for you. Everyone has to find your own best way to quit, but you don't have to do it alone. You can do it, though. You can.

How to Quit Smoking...Without Gaining Weight

By Jessica Setnick
Not everyone gains weight when they stop smoking, but the average weight gain is about 10 pounds. Weight gain is more likely when someone has smoked for 10 to 20 years or smokes a pack or more a day. Water retention may cause a deceptive weight gain of up to 5 pounds in the week after quitting smoking, but this is not a real weight gain, and your body will go back to normal.
Even if you do gain weight when you quit smoking, the health risks of smoking are far greater…you would have to gain over 150 pounds to make your health risks as high as when you smoked.
The most important components of preventing weight gain when you quit smoking are:

1. Physical activity
• To prevent weight gain at this time, you need to become more physically active. Beginning to increase your physical activity before you quit smoking may remind you how much smoking slows you down, when you have trouble breathing or start to cough during exercise.
• Becoming physically active will not only help you control your weight, but will also give you more energy, improve your health, take your mind off smoking, and help relieve the stress and moodiness that may occur as a result of withdrawal from nicotine.
• Try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activities on most days, even if it is in a few shorter increments. Physical activity does not have to be planned exercise; it may include taking the stairs, mowing the lawn, or playing with children.
2. Healthy eating
• Improving your eating habits gradually can help prevent weight gain, as well as help you feel better as you quit smoking. But changing too much too quickly can increase the stress you feel as you try to quit smoking. Eating a variety of foods each day is a good start, and eating regularly so you never get too hungry.
• To prevent extra snacking as a result of quitting smoking, do not try to quit smoking during a stressful period. This can cause extra stress that can lead to extra snacking, especially over the holidays when more food is around, or relapsing back into smoking to cope with the stress.
3. Managing cravings
• Once you stop smoking, it is important to learn how to reduce your cravings for both cigarettes and food. A craving only lasts about 5 minutes. If you can distract yourself for 5 minutes, the craving will usually pass.
• Replace smoking with other activities that occupy your hands and your mouth. Snack on fruit or chewing gum to satisfy any sweet cravings. Keep your hands busy with doodling, crossword puzzles, knitting, or twirling a straw, pen, or pencil.
• Drink less caffeine; although you may think it will make you feel better, caffeine can worsen the jittery nervous feeling that may accompany nicotine withdrawal.
• Get enough sleep; when you are tired, you are more likely to crave cigarettes and food.
• Remember H.A.L.T.– never let yourself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired.
• Reduce tension by meditating, taking a walk or a bath, or taking deep breaths. Find something that will replace smoking as a way to relax and do it consistently.
• Get support and encouragement; talk to a friend when you get the urge to smoke; talk about something other than smoking.
• Make a list of when and where you are most tempted to smoke, and list healthy activities you can substitute when you have the urge. Try not to do things that tempt you to smoke, such as drinking or socializing in a bar, or tempt you to eat when you’re not hungry, such as bringing a bag of chips in front of the television.
• If you are struggling or anxious about trying to quit smoking, talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement such as nicotine gum or a nicotine patch. These can help prevent a relapse, and nicotine gum has been shown to reduce weight gain.
4. Positive attitude
• As you focus on quitting smoking and healing your body, your exercise and eating goals will become easier. When you quit smoking, you can breathe and get around more easily, and nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables taste better when you are not smoking.
• Try to stay positive, and try not to panic about modest weight gain; if you do gain weight, your healthy habits will help you lose the weight once your body gets back to normal. If you need more guidance, talk to your doctor or dietitian.
• Be confident that you are making a healthy choice! Your whole body will thank you!