One of the hardest things to do is break a bad habit – and smoking has to be one of the hardest ones out there. Every New Year Eve flurries of resolutions are made by die-hard smokers to quit but usually they fall by the wayside not long afterwards. Not for a lack of willpower or ignorance of the medical problems that smoking inflicts on the human body, but because of the deadly addictive hold that nicotine has on your system.
Smoking is an addiction, and any medical professional will tell you that stopping an addiction takes willpower and a lot of help from friends and family. But there's also something else that can help tip the odds in your favor towards giving up this fatal attraction – herbal medicine!
A great deal of smoking is the physical act of holding and putting a cigarette to your mouth over and over again, as any longtime smoker can attest to. That first morning smoke is as important as the last one before going to bed, or after an intimate moment. And while there are numerous gums or patches to help allieviate the physical symptoms of quitting smoking, the physical need to roll and hold that small stick will still exist for a long time.
That's why the market for herbal cigarettes is booming and provides a great assistance step for quitting. Low tar and low nicotine cigarettes are now on the market, but they still contain the same basic ingredients to fuel your addiction. You might end up smoking even more of these weaker cigarettes to boot!
Herbal cigarettes are made up of a variety of herbs such as rose petals and marshmallow leaves, among others. Rolled and packages in the same format as regular cigarettes, these can provide you with the same physical need to light and burn a cigarette – but with less deadly toxins invading your system and those around you. Of course they won't smell exactly like your regular poison or give you the same sensation, but they are a good substitute for the act of carrying and burning a real cigarette. In fact, you may find many of them more enticing because of the invigorating smell and taste!
When herbal cigarettes first came onto the market, there was a distinct lack of choice as well as taste. They were first seen as a novelty item, to stick on the shelf beside the incense holders and other joke items to be mocked by die-hard smokers who saw them as a weak cousin to candy cigarettes. But as time went on and the market began to slowly grow for a viable substitute, the companies began to experiment with other herbs and different flavorings for their cigarettes. This created a variety of healthy and natural alternatives for the man or woman who just has to hold something in his or her hand during certain times of the day. Now, instead of holding a real cigarette in your hand and tempting yourself over and over again you can hold one of these herbal smokes and not feel guilty if you light it or even begin to smoke it.
Now that you've replaced your material and emotional need, let's work on your inner need for the tar and nicotine that have you in their clutches.
Herbal teas have been around for centuries, providing a natural cure for ailments ranging from upset stomachs to migraines to helping deal with various emotional traumas. While each tea company has their own "secret" receipe to creating a proper mixture, the majority of teas include some very common items that you may have already heard of! Peppermint leaves is used to calm the stomach, for example. Other herbs can help purify your blood and remove the toxins from your system. Herbal teas are now readily available in your local supermarkets, expanding out of the small corner stores where they would be hidden behind the "real" teas. While most major companies don't market teas specifically for quitting smoking, you can easily find one that will claim to help cleanse your system or calm you down when the stress begins to get to you and you reach for a hot mug of tea instead of a cigarette. You can find mixtures aimed at helping the smoker quit at herbal supplement stores or online – but be sure to check out the ingredients!
But what if you're not into hot drinks? Well, many of these herbs are also available in tablet form for you to take with your daily multivitamin!
St. John's Wort is recognized the world over as a calming effect on the human body; increasing blood circulation and helping your lungs work better. But some herbs can also be used to help duplicate the effects of tobacco on your system without the dangerous side effects. Lobelia inflata is one of the most common herbs that will mimic nicotine in your system but won't cause cancer. By using this herb in capsule form you can cut down slowly, lessening your need for smoking at your own pace instead of cutting yourself off cold turkey.
One of the best resources you have to find a good herbal alternative to smoking is your doctor – and you should always keep him or her updated on what herbal supplements you are taking. Unfortunately the myth has risen that if it's natural, it must be good for you and won't interact with anything else in your system. This has led to many medical disasters and problems as patients neglect to inform their doctors that they're taking an herbal remedy that might be actually making their condition worse as it interacts with other drugs. For example, many people, as mentioned above, use St. John's Wort, as an anti-depressant. But this seemingly innocent herb may interact with prescription drugs for depression, creating a potentially deadly combination. Always discuss any herbal remedies with your doctor before starting a new routine.
Giving up smoking can be one of the most rewarding decisions of your life. But it's a hard resolution to keep and many people find that it's not just a case of willpower and resolution; that you might need a little extra help to get over that hill one more day. Herbal remedies, be they herbal cigarettes to meet your physical demands of holding a cigarette in your hand or herbal tea to supply your body with healing and soothing natural chemicals to herbal pills and supplements that you can throw back with breakfast can make a hard task less daunting.
