Natural Quit Smoking Programs

We are fortunate in that there are on the market today, many natural quit smoking programs available to aid us in making the transition from smoker to non-smoker.

Quit smoking programs and products span the range from the natural including the use of herbs, acupuncture, and hypnosis, to medications such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and prescription medications such as Zyban and Chantix.

Each of these quit smoking aids has been developed in an attempt to make your transition to a non-smoker a bit easier.

Some folks wanting to eliminate the use of nicotine immediately find that certain quit smoking medications containing nicotine although effective, might not be for them. The fear of simply trading one nicotine addiction for another has them looking elsewhere for a quit smoking solution.

In addition, certain prescription drugs such as Zyban may come with certain unpleasant side effects. Zyban is an antidepressant containing the same active ingredient, bupropion, as does Wellbutrin, another powerful antidepressant. This knowledge may keep some folks from going that route as well when considering stop smoking aids.

Natural stop smoking programs provide folks with a holistic alternative to these medications without the side effects that may come along with these stop smoking medications.

Below we briefly cover a few of these homeopathic natural stop smoking programs and products.

Herbs and Botanicals

Herbal products have proven to be quite successful in helping folks to kick the nicotine habit. Herbal products do not contain nicotine or drugs. They are naturally formulated to help reduce your nicotine cravings, help minimize symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, lessen your stress and irritability, and help to reduce your appetite thereby keeping you from gaining weight.

Here is a listing of some of nature’s herbs you may find in natural anti-smoking programs and products:

Skullcap, Hops, Oat, Ginger Root, Peppermint, Gentian, Safflower, Eucalyptus, Passion Flower, Echinacea, Bayberry, Avena sativa, Garcinia cambogia, and Gotu Kola.

Avena sativa, for instance, has been found to help folks who are quitting smoking deal more effectively with the anxiety and the depression that may come with stopping smoking. It is said that it has been used to treat opium addiction for centuries by the healers in India and is thought to be as effective in reducing your nicotine craving.

Garcinia cambogia is classified as a citrus and acts naturally as an appetite suppressant. It has been shown to help with fat burning and also in helping to stave off your sugar cravings and the tendency to eat more while you are quitting smoking, helping you to keep from gaining weight and perhaps lose some as well.

Gotu Cola amongst other beneficial effects, has been shown to boost concentration levels and naturally stimulate your brain and nervous system. It has also proven helpful in relieving anxiety that most folks experience during the quit smoking phase.

The herbs that are available as stop smoking aids are combined in formulations and can be found in non-nicotine herbal packages similar to and applied like a band-aid. The herbs are then simply absorbed through your skin. Herbal stop smoking formulations can also be found as herbal drops that are simply added to your favorite beverage or water and consumed.

Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy

As one of the natural stop smoking programs available, hypnosis is nothing more than suggestions to your subconscious mind while you are in a deep state of relaxation.

Hypnosis has been used to help people eliminate bad habits, weight loss and smoking cessation.

The techniques of hypnosis have been shown to be quite effective in helping smokers quit for good. Studies have found that when combining hypnosis with other quit smoking interventions, either natural or medications, the combination can be successful in helping smokers to become non-smokers in over 40% of the cases.

Hypnosis techniques directed at the habit of smoking, increase relaxation to your mind and body. The results are that your subconscious mind becomes more receptive to the quit smoking suggestions. These hypnosis techniques reorient your mind and thinking and help you in dealing with the psychological as well as the physical addictions to cigarettes.

If you are considering hypnosis as one of your natural stop smoking programs, it is important that you check the credentials of the hypnotherapist. You might want to start with National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists at National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists

However, some folks may have difficulty finding a certified hypnotherapist in their area and may find successful results by using stop smoking hypnosis audio tapes or CDs that can be found online and can be used conveniently in the comfort of your home.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese art that involves inserting and manipulating needles into your body’s acupuncture points. Acupuncture, performed by a trained acupuncturist, is thought to release chemicals called endorphins into your nervous system and muscles.

As a therapeutic intervention the practice of acupuncture is widely used in the United States.

According to a study found in the Journal of the American Medical Association, acupuncture has shown promising results as an adjunct method in treating postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting as well as certain addictions, headaches, menstrual cramps, stroke rehabilitation, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Exactly why and how this works, we are not entirely certain

Some believe the use of acupuncture, when used in conjunction with other stop smoking methods of treatment, might prove useful in helping the smoker cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms by helping to alleviate the stresses associated with quitting smoking.

If acupuncture is one of the natural stop smoking programs you are considering, you will want to find out whether your state has any licensing requirements for acupuncturists. Believe it or not there are a number of unscrupulous folks out there that will sell you the proverbial bill of goods.

A good place to learn more about acupuncturists in your state, the laws governing these acupuncturists and some new tips concerning acupuncture is Acupuncture Referral Service