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Much has been
said and written about smoking as a dangerous health problem. Each and every
person who smokes is aware of the fact that their habit could hasten them
towards death. Smoking is known to be one of the carcinogenic factors, and
could lead to a wide variety of cancers including lung cancer and oral
cancer. Smoking also causes various breathing and respiratory problems.
But despite knowing all this, people are reluctant to give up smoking. The
main attraction of smoking is the tobacco smoke, which is an addictive. In
addition, tobacco smoke also contains nicotine, which is deadly poisonous to
human beings in its pure form. Tar is another harmful ingredient. This can
clog the lungs over time.
Many smokers have intentions to give up smoking, but cannot go about it in
the right way. The main reason behind their inability to give up smoking is
its addiction. Of course, a person wishing to give up smoking must have a
steely determination to do so. But many a time that is not enough. The body
may react violently to the sudden giving up of smoking. For this reason, it
is necessary to fortify the body also.
In Ayurveda, there are some good techniques in which the body can be trained
to cope up with the reduced smoking habits. This article tries to list some
of the better Ayurvedic techniques in helping smokers in their quest of
giving up smoking.
Dietary Methods to Stop Smoking
By changing your dietary lifestyle, you can make an effort to quit smoking.
The following guidelines can be followed:-
- Do not consume more of acidic foods. Increase the quantity of alkaline
foods in the diet. This changes the food preferences of the taste buds and
helps them to adapt themselves to the de-addiction. Foods such as raisins,
beets, lima beans, dandelion, etc. are very good for people who are giving
up smoking.
- Have a good amount of vitamin C intake. This increases the hormones that
help the body strengthen. Have a glass of orange juice or grapefruit juice
twice daily.
- Sweet foods also help a bit to reduce the urge for smoking. Honey must
be liberally used in the diet in different forms.
- Keep your food well supplemented with sources of proteins, amino acids
and all the different kinds of vitamins.
- Have a glassful of water with a teaspoon of baking soda in it with every
meal. This not only helps to digest the meal properly, but it also helps to
reduce the urge for smoking after the meal.
Home Remedies to Quit Smoking
- Whenever you feel the urge of smoking, eat something salty, or lick a
little salt with the tip of your tongue. Your craving will go away. If you
do this every time you feel like smoking, you will be totally cured of the
addiction.
- Grate some radish, strain it and extract its juice. Mix some honey in
it. Have this juice twice a day. This is a good remedy for raising the
body’s tenacity against smoking.
- Licorice sticks have a placebo effect on smokers. Smokers like to have
something in their mouths. So, some experts suggest them to chomp on
licorice sticks. These are safe substitutes for the cigarettes. Putting some
chocolates in the mouth also help to reduce the urge of smoking. But
excessive chocolates are dangerous to health in other respects.
- Chew on sugarcane stubs as a substitute for cigarettes. Sugarcane stubs
are very harmless, and their sweet taste helps to reduce the urge for
smoking.
- Aromatic oils and fragrances are very good for smokers. A massage with
aromatherapy oils can really go a long way in curbing the smokers’ urges.
- When there is nothing around, experts also suggest a certain breathing
therapy to stop the craving for cigarettes. When you have an urge, sit down
in a calm place. Take ten slow and deep breaths. By doing so, you are
stimulating your respiratory system. This will slowly help your urge for
smoking to subside.
- Foreign herbs such as valerian, chamomile, hops, skullcap, lobelia and
peppermint are also very beneficial in suppressing the urge for smoking.
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