Ask a smoker who had to give up smoking and they will tell you that quitting is the hardest thing they have ever done. Nicotine is the third most common addictive chemical on Earth. It wouldn’t be a surprise if you find it hard to kick off this habit. But every day hundreds of people give up smoking for good and you can do it too. One of the main reason why people always keep on reaching for that “one last cigarette” is a chemical compound present in tobacco called Nicotine.
As immediate as the health benefits are of quitting, the withdrawal symptoms can be as immediate and harder to deal with. The duration and severity of these symptoms depends upon how many cigarettes you smoked in a day and for how long have you been smoking. Considering this, some of these symptoms last much longer in some individuals than others.
- Depression
- Irritability
- Hunger
- Nicotine craving
Over time your body demands more and more nicotine to give you the same experience that you used to get with one cigarette previously. This makes withdrawal hard. Even when the physical symptoms go away, nicotine craving may persist for much longer.
The prospect of quitting cigarettes may all seem very grim, but your body will definitely be thankful for your new cigarette free stance. It doesn’t even have to be this hard. Scientists have found an easier way of curbing down the evil nicotine cravings and the answer to this maybe sitting in your local health stores.
Listed below are the certain herbs that help reduce nicotine craving and the anxiety surrounding quitting cigarettes
STEVIA REBAUDIANA (STEVIA):
- Unlike other sweeteners, Stevia is an all-natural sugar substitute with many other health benefits. It is most commonly used to sweeten tea and beverages in different parts of the world.
- Recent studies point out that Stevia can be used to help quit smoking as it curbs down nicotine cravings. Studies have shown a link between nicotine cravings and sugar molecules.
- In a recent study in Germany, some scientists have discovered that Stevia can help curb down nicotine cravings along with helping you lose weight and being the best calories free sugar substitute.
- You read that right, a sugar substitute might be the cure to your cigarette cravings.
- For those of you who don’t what stevia is or would like to know more about this miraculous plant. Stevia belongs to the Asteraeceae family. It originates from Paraguay and Brazil and has been used to sweeten food for hundreds of years by the natives there.
CALAMUS (ACORAS CALAMUS):
- Calamus, also known as Sweet Flag is a strongly scented plant which is often used in making perfumes and as a substitute for ginger and nutmeg in cooking.
- Calamus soothes congestion and clears up mucus, therefore is used in treatments for clearing up congestions in Asthma and chronic bronchitis.
- It is also useful in removing harmful cigarette residue from your lungs. Thus easing up the process of quitting smoking.
- It usually available in form of a tea, tincture or capsules. You can also decide to chew the rhizome if you can deal with the strong flavor.
NEPETA CATARIA (CATNIP):
- You may have heard of catnip if you are a cat owner. As exciting as it is for our feline friends, it has a calming effect on humans and helps soothe anxiety.
- Its soothing effects are extremely effective in the initial days after you have quit smoking.
- It reduces headaches and generalized anxiety associated with nicotine withdrawal.
- A few drop of catnip tincture a day may ease you into your smoke free state and decrease your desire for cigarettes.
GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA (LIQUORICE):
- The best thing about Liquorice is that it is used as a candy in many countries.
- It is a herbaceous plant commonly found in parts of Asia and the root of this plant is often used to extract the sweet flavor.
- Liquorice work as an expectorant which in simpler term means that it helps clear out the congestion in your lungs that frequent smoking often leaves behind. It has conventionally been used as a treatment to asthma, bronchitis and various other lung related problems.
- Now that you are on a pathway of quitting, you may give chewing liquorice root a try as it can help with the oral fixation of smoking a cigarette.
Though quitting smoking has never been an easy process, such natural remedies can help you cope with your addiction and live a much healthier life.
