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Smoking is a highly harmful habit that is responsible for 90% of deaths from lung cancer. More than 1.1 billion people smoke worldwide. Over time it kills up to 50% of them.
The cause of these dreadful consequences of smoking is the inhalation of over 7,000 chemical substances found in cigarette smoke.
For the sake of illustration, let’s list some of them – arsenic, carbon monoxide (which displaces oxygen from the blood), butane from lighters, or even tiny particles of glass (added to cigarettes to enhance nicotine transport to the brain).
Consequences of smoking
The inhalation of these chemicals and the deposition of tar in the lungs causes diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attacks, heart failure, damage to the walls of blood vessels, and eventually many types of cancer, not just lung cancer.
In addition, nicotine increases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol and DHEA. Chronically elevated levels of these hormones weaken the immune system.
As a result of smoking, the following health problems also occur:
- insomnia
- infertility
- hormonal imbalance
- digestive problems
- fluctuations in blood sugar levels
- osteoporosis
Nicotine from tobacco becomes quickly addictive because it crosses the blood-brain barrier and produces pleasant feelings by triggering the release of dopamine.
Among withdrawal symptoms, irritability and increased appetite are most common (which is why people often gain weight when they quit smoking). The addiction is so strong that it is often considered worse than addiction to hard drugs.
Other negative consequences of smoking arise from the depletion of important substances and vitamins from the body during smoking, such as antioxidants, vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, glutathione, ubiquinol, and alpha-lipoic acid.
8 natural ways to suppress cigarette cravings
Fortunately, there are several natural methods that can help you get rid of the addiction and craving for a cigarette.
They are the following:
1. Taking magnesium
Magnesium reduces nicotine dependence by suppressing NMDA receptors in the brain, which stimulate the release of dopamine.
This mineral also reduces nicotine’s effect on these receptors and improves the synthesis of GABA (neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of relaxation).
In other words, magnesium reduces the pleasure you get from smoking.
2. Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness in which certain aspects of reality are bypassed.
In this state a person is more receptive to carry out commands given from outside, for example by the person conducting the hypnosis.
In this way it is possible to convince the brain that smoking is not pleasant at all and thus speed up the quitting process.
3. Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been found to help people quit smoking.
Inserting needles into certain points on the body, such as the mouth, chest, or respiratory tract, reduces the craving for the taste and smell of tobacco.
4. Exercise
Studies have shown that even 5 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise produces a short-term reduction in cigarette craving.
Although this craving may return later, it can extinguish the immediate urge to light up. It is recommended to combine exercise with other methods to achieve the best result.
5. Nicotine patches
Many people who have tried nicotine patches say they are really helpful. They are even more effective when combined with medications such as varenicline and bupropion.
Dosing depends on the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the frequency of smoking.
Although it is not a completely natural method, we consider it necessary to mention it because it targets the physical side of nicotine dependence and works fairly well.
6. Olfactory training
Researchers exposed smokers to the smell of cigarette smoke and rotten eggs, or spoiled fish, during the second phase of sleep, also known as REM sleep. The test lasted one week.
The result was that participants in the study smoked less during this period.
7. Mindfulness training
Studies have shown that targeted awareness and experiencing feelings during difficult moments, such as during withdrawal symptoms, helped smokers give up smoking more easily.
It is best then to try to calm down, breathe deeply, possibly meditate, and observe the sensations occurring in your body and be as aware of them as possible.
8. Lemon
Many people who managed to quit smoking claim that biting into a lemon wedge helped them during tough moments.
However, be careful that the acidity of the lemon does not damage your tooth enamel.
An alternative is diluting lemon juice in a glass of lukewarm water and sweetening it with honey. This also calms the mind very well and chases away the urge to reach for a cigarette.
