What are the best natural ways to stop smoking? I’m asking for a friend. She tried quitting cold turkey and then nictotine gum, but wants to find other solutions.
Gisela, Trenton, NJ
It’s certainly not easy, but there are many natural ways to quit smoking. Let’s see if we can help your friend. By the way, the full list of ideas is available in this article: https://www.tipsbulletin.com/natural-ways-to-stop-smoking/ Now, let’s dive into the first tip.
Oddly, when smokers crave a cigarette, their bodies might be asking for carbs. Instead of smoking, tell your friend to suck on a hard candy or eat a bite-size candy bar.
Next, some foods will make cigarettes taste terrible, so tell her to eat more of them as a natural deterrent to tobacco. These foods include fruit, milk, sherry vinegar, juices, and vegetables. Also, ask her to cut back on alcohol, coffee, and red meat as those items make tobacco taste better.
Along with tweaking meal choices, it may be time to stop dieting, at least temporarily. Although some former smokers gain up to ten pounds, it’s not impossible to lose that weight later. Instead, she can increase her aerobic activities to five times a week. For best results, her heart rate should go up to about 80 percent of her maximum.
After that, it’s time to reduce stress with tai chi, meditation, and massage. Stress reduction techniques are very effective for helping smokers quit smoking. There’s evidence that acupuncture, hypnosis, and self-massage also make a significant difference.
Finally, I’m glad your friend has your support. It could also be helpful for her to join a support group, talk to her doctor, or even install one of the many quit smoking apps.
In summary, I hope the road to quitting smoking goes smoothly.
Joan