What is NRT?
When you quit smoking, your body will go through withdrawal symptoms from the absence of nicotine. One way to ease some of the symptoms is to use a nicotine replacement therapy, or NRT, program. There are a few different NRTs available: nicotine gum, lozenges, nasal sprays, inhalers and the nicotine patch. However, not all of these products are available over-the-counter, while at least one brand of the patch is. The nicotine in the patch, unlike other NRT products, is delivered trasnsdermally, or through the skin, and in a consistent dose throughout the day. It’s worn on the skin very much like a bandage and usually for about a 24 hour period.

How Can a NRT Help Me Quit Smoking?
Any NRT is designed to assist you when you decide to quit. You should not wear the patch and smoke cigarettes at the same time. Once you have put the cigarettes down for good, the NRT will still deliver the nicotine to the bloodstream, but without all the other 4,000 chemicals contained in the tobacco of your cigarettes. In this way, you can break yourself of the habit of smoking while allowing your body a chance to wean off of the nicotine. The patches come in multiple sizes; larger patches have more nicotine and smaller ones have less. You can “step-down” your nicotine intake slowly, giving your body a chance to deal with the withdrawal in smaller doses. Quitting smoking is the important part. The chemicals in the tobacco products are highly dangerous and once you put the cigarettes down, your body can begin the process of repairing the damage caused by the act of smoking tobacco. Tobacco contains chemicals such as arsenic, formaldehyde, acetone, tar and carbon monoxide, which are all deadly in larger doses. So, smoking for several years is essentially the same as poisoning your own body. With the NRT, you can still get the nicotine “fix” your body craves without subjecting your insides to these extremely toxic chemicals.

Make the Decision to Quit
Deciding to quit smoking is a huge step towards a healthier, happier lifestyle. Don’t take it lightly; it’s a very large mountain to climb. You should set a date to quit and plan a reward at your completion date to give you added motivation. And if cold turkey doesn’t seem like something you can do, then look to the assistance that is available to you. The nicotine patch has helped many people achieve their non-smoking dreams and could possibly help you too.

How Does Acupuncture Help with Quitting Smoking
Acupuncture, as practically every other cessation program, is not an instant cure for your smoking addiction. It is a tool to use that can ease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. But it is important to keep the role of your acupuncture therapy in perspective. The most important element in your cessation program is you and your own determination to quit. But using acupuncture can help lessen the effects of the nicotine withdrawal, making your journey a little smoother. Your acupuncturist will probably interview you to determine your goals, your habits, your diet, etc. in order to devise a plan that is perfectly suited to you. It’s important to adhere to the acupuncturist’s lifestyle recommendations, even if they seem out of your normal sphere of behavior. After all, isn’t that what you are trying to correct?

Live in Harmony with Yourself
If you have tried to quit in the past and have been unsuccessful, exploring the world of Chinese medicine may be the right path for you. The idea of living in harmony with your own body may appeal to you more than other alternative methods of smoking cessation. The wonderful thing is if you are serious about the challenge before you, acupuncture is a custom-designed program to help you achieve your goals. Don’t be fooled, quitting smoking is as much a struggle as alcohol addiction and for some even heroin or cocaine addiction. You have an uphill battle in front of you, but with determination, focus and patience, you will achieve your perfect balance.

Lobelia
Lobelia is a powerful herb that works on the brain’s chemical system. The herbal extract, lobeline, acts similarly to nicotine in the brain and has been used to replace nicotine to aid in smoking cessation. Lobelia, commonly called Indian tobacco due to its early roots as a respiratory cure used by Native Americans, has been used for many purposes. It has a calming effect on the mind and body and helps reduce cravings for nicotine.

St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort has been used for several years to help battle depression. Its ability to affect a person’s mental attitude and state of mind is the primary factor in using this herb for quitting smoking. One thing that can be lost along your path to a smoke-free life is your positive mental attitude. This herb will help keep that in check.

Ginseng
Ginseng seems to be everywhere these days. And there’s a really great reason for that. Ginseng is instrumental in helping the body deal with stresses that you will run into on a daily basis. You already have your everyday stresses to take in, but once you begin your non-smoking journey, you will need every bit of help you can get to keep your stress levels down.

Peppermint
We encounter peppermint in many places, as well. Peppermint is wonderful for the digestive system and helps with the flow of bile in the digestive tract. It helps keep nausea at bay and can help alleviate headaches if they are related to the digestive system. Peppermint is also used in aromatherapy to release anxiety and tension, both very common when going through a nicotine detox.

Oat Straw
Oat straw has been used for nervousness, stress and overall physical and mental exhaustion. It has also been used to combat depression. Usually administered in tea, oat straw has a pain-relieving and soothing affect. Oat straw has been shown to reduce the craving for nicotine, as well.

Scullcap
Scullcap is another mint plant. It has traditionally been used as a sedative for anxiety and insomnia. It has also been used for pain. Its natural releasing of endorphins creates a calmness which helps the nervous system relax.

Valerian
Valerian is a sedative and a muscle relaxant that dates back to ancient Greece. This powerful herb helps the body handle stress, anxiety, tension and insomnia. It is a top contender when choosing herbs to help with the symptoms of smoking cessation.

One Step at a Time
The simple truth is quitting is one of the hardest things you will ever do. But the rewards are abundant. These are only a few of the many herbs that are used to help people quit. There are many more. Most cessation programs on the market that use herbs use combinations of these and others, so you should investigate thoroughly to find the right combination for you.

Taking the First Step
The first thing you need to do when deciding to take the plunge is to decide on a specific day. This will give you a chance to get mentally prepared to change your habits and your lifestyle. You can expect that the first 72 hours will be quite uncomfortable as your body goes through withdrawals from nicotine. You will experience some or all of these symptoms: headaches, irritability, nausea and an overwhelming craving for the drug. These symptoms will generally peak in the body at the 72 hour mark and nearly all the chemicals in your body will be completed removed from the body within 10 days to two weeks. Going through detox is no small chore, so there is no sense in getting started if you are not 110% committed.

Just Cutting Down
There have been countless, half-hearted attempts made to “cut down” on their cigarette smoking. But the problem is the nicotine has a hold of the subconscious mind as well as the body. You cannot cut down on your smoking without experiencing pains from temporary detox. If you are serious about quitting and think you can just cut down, you need to know that you are probably not that strong. Nicotine is one of the worst addictions a body can have. It’s like trying to grab a hurricane. It’s next to impossible. Don’t underestimate your addiction. That’s a sure fire way to lose your battle with it.

Motivation
It’s a great idea to write down all the reasons you want to quit. Make sure your reasons are for you, not someone else. If you are not ready to quit because you want to quit, then it’s not the right time to do it. It is a tremendous undertaking and if you aren’t all in, then you have already lost. Write out all the reasons you want to quit smoking. Read them during the trying times when your will is tested. You will be so glad that you did.

The Most Important Element
The fastest thing you will lose during your quitting transition will most likely be your patience. But give yourself a chance. You have developed your addiction and behavior patterns over many years and it will not be changed overnight. In fact, it really may take as long as three to four months before you are completely comfortable as a non-smoker. You will have challenges, some big and some not so big, during your transition, but you have to stay positive and believe in yourself. If you will give yourself the opportunity to achieve, you can accomplish any goal you set your mind on.

How does it Work?
Nicotine gum, as you would imagine, contains the chemical nicotine, the same addictive substance found in cigarettes. So, a smoker who wants to put down their cigarettes would chew this gum whenever they would normally have a cigarette. They get the same dopamine release as with the cigarettes from the nicotine, but they would not have the numerous other harmful chemicals in cigarettes. There is no ammonia, formaldehyde, arsenic, or carbon monoxide in nicotine gum. Therefore, you would get the rush without the damaging effects of smoking tobacco.

What is the down-side?
The most common complaints about the nicotine gum are minimal. One of the big components of the nicotine gum is that fact that it contains nicotine. The gum has a spicy flavor and tends to sting on the gums due to the nicotine. Another problem with the gum for some smokers is the fact that it’s just not the same as smoking a cigarette, which if you are serious about trying to quit for good that is kind of the point. Some other common problems you may face initially are jaw soreness and stiffness, indigestion, and headaches, but these will subside after the first month. Some also experience side-effects if they chew the gum too fast. If you experience light-headedness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea or vomiting, you may be chewing the gum to fast. Chew slowly and deliberately, this will release the nicotine in a more even pattern. It’s also very important not to smoke while chewing the gum. You could end up with nicotine poisoning, which can be very serious and lead to other medical complications.

Make a Change for Good
If you are serious about quitting smoking then the time to act is now. Nicotine gum has come a long way since its inception and now is available at a much lower cost and without a prescription. Make today the last day you are a smoker. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life.

Hypnosis
There are a couple of different ways to use hypnosis to stop smoking. One option is to go to a therapist who specializes in hypnosis and have them perform the procedure. You can also practice self-hypnosis to create your own hypnotic state. Either way, the method is the same. Once in the hypnotic state, either by therapist or self, the subconscious mind is in the driver’s seat. Messages are given directly to the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is always in control of behavior, so addressing the subconscious directly can actually affect behavior patterns. The messages given to the subconscious mind will redirect or reprogram the behavior of smoking. You can actually train your brain to believe you are a non-smoker. This method will take more than one session to work. It usually requires up to three to four weeks to change the smoking habit.

Nicotine Gum
Nicotine gum is another cessation aid. It is gum with nicotine in it, as the name suggests. When you have made the decision to quit smoking, adding in the gum to fight off urges can be extremely helpful. You must quit smoking before using the nicotine gum. Smoking and chewing the gum at the same time can be extremely dangerous. But, since the gum helps with the withdrawal symptoms from nicotine, quitting smoking can happen with less physical stress than going it cold turkey. Most people will chew up to a dozen pieces of gum in the first month, but will chew less and less as the urges slow.

Prescription Medication
There are many prescription drugs on the market to help with smoking cessation. The most common names, Wellbutrin, Zyban and Chantix, are nicotine-free. They work by increasing the chemical messengers in the brain which ease the nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms. This treatment is usually started at least one week prior to quitting smoking and it generally takes two to three months for the nicotine replacement therapy to work effectively. If you are considering this treatment for quitting smoking, you should consult your doctor. There are some side effects but generally is a great alternative to cold turkey.

Natural Remedies
Herbs such as ginseng, St. John’s Wort and lobelia have been used with varying effectiveness to aid in quitting smoking. Ginseng works to block the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is what creates the sense of pleasure while smoking, to curtail the addiction factor. Lobelia acts in the complete opposite way, replacing the nicotine which is the addictive drug that triggers the release of dopamine. The lobelia will trigger the same effect in the brain. St. John’s Wort has generally been used to treat depression, but seems to have a calming effect on those going through withdrawals.

Never a Better Time to Quit
This is the 21st Century and there are more tools to help you reach your non-smoking goals than ever before. Your health is too precious to waste another day as a smoker. Consult your doctor and choose the plan that’s right for you. Then, enjoy the pleasures of a smoke-free lifestyle.

How Hypnosis Works
Hypnosis may conjure images of stage hypnotists putting people “under” on stage and getting them to perform crazy antics in front of a large crowd. But the truth is, hypnotherapy has been practiced for centuries and is the key to reaching your subconscious mind. The brain is made up of two parts: the conscious and the subconscious. If you are trying to change behavior patterns, you need to bypass the conscious mind. It acts as the big brother, disseminating information and deciding what will make it through to the subconscious mind or not. The subconscious mind, however, is the control center for all of our behavior, built over a lifetime of input. The easiest way to reach the subconscious mind is through hypnotherapy. All hypnotherapy means is that your conscious mind is in a highly relaxed state without being asleep. In a way, we are all hypnotized quite frequently without even knowing or realizing it. When you go to the movies and sit in the dark movie theater and suspend reality for two hours, you are essentially hypnotized for the duration that you choose to watch the movie. Hypnotherapy simply allows your subconscious mind to come to the forefront.

How to Use the Subconscious Mind
Once you have entered a hypnotic state, either through a hypnotherapist or self-hypnosis (yes, you can do it yourself) you are ready to input new messages about your habits. These messages are generally referred to as affirmations. You can create your own or you may have a professional read some that are already created. They all basically send the same message to your brain. You want to tell your subconscious mind that you are a non-smoker; you breathe deeply, you have healthy clear lungs, you are disgusted by cigarettes; you hate cigarette smoke, etc. These messages will become facts accepted readily by your subconscious. Once you have this new belief about cigarettes, your behavior will begin to follow suit.

Today is the Day
There are many resources available if you will only seek them out. We live in a wonderful world full of technology and an abundance of information. Hypnotherapy has shown great strides in helping smokers achieve their goals through behavior reprogramming and without the use of drugs. Maybe it’s the perfect choice for you.

Nicotine Replacement
There are a handful of medications on the market that are nicotine replacement. They do the same thing as nicotine gum or a nicotine patch. You will be able to quit smoking, but still have the nicotine addiction. Nicotrol, one of the most noted brands, offers a nasal spray and an inhaler for nicotine delivery while Habitrol offers a prescription patch. There are also a few over the counter versions of the patch as well as nicotine gum. Using a nicotine replacement can help you break the habit of smoking cigarettes while slowly weaning yourself off of the nicotine. Your doctor will most likely put you on a step-down program to accomplish this. Nicotine replacement has shown a lot of success for those who want to quit.

Non-nicotine Replacement
Some of the newest forms of smoking cessation programs are those that perform the same response in the brain as the nicotine without the nicotine. Varenicline, found in Chantix, one of the newest medications available, does not contain nicotine but interacts with the same receptors in the brain that the nicotine would. Once the Varenicline has intercepted the receptors, the nicotine is blocked. This type of medication will help to break the “pleasure cycle” in the smoking habit. After all, if it wasn’t so enjoyable, would you do it? Varenicline is generally started at least one week prior to quitting smoking and continued for around three months for full effectiveness. This new form of battling nicotine addiction has a lot of promise for those who have had trouble with other methods of smoking cessation.

Anti-Depressants
As odd as it may sound, some drugs previously prescribe to treat depression have had success in helping people quit smoking. The Drug bupropion hydrochloride, found in Wellbutrin and Zyban, work by easing the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The bupropion hydrochloride boosts chemical levels in the brain, which eases the withdrawals and decreases the urge to smoke in most people. This treatment process also begins while still smoking. You will begin approximately one to two weeks before actually quitting smoking and continue for a few months.

Turn Your Life Around
Quitting smoking is truly one of the most difficult things to do. But with so many options, the goal is becoming easier for more people to accomplish. If prescription drugs are the right course for you, you should talk to your doctor. Each drug has side-effects that your doctor will share with you. But this is a great tool that can help turn your life around. Take advantage of the many choices you have today and change your life for the healthier.

What are the Benefits?
E-cigarettes are very similar to traditional, tobacco cigarettes. They look the same; they taste the same; they even feel the same. However, with the e-cigarette, there is no flame. So, the danger of accidentally setting a fire is virtually eliminated. Also, since there is no smoke from an e-cigarette, there is no second hand smoke with which to contend. There is no need to ban e-cigarettes from restaurants or entire cities because no one else is affected by a person smoking an e-cigarette. There is no need for segregation because no one has to endure someone else’s second-hand smoke. There is no odor, there is no carcinogens, there is only the e-cigarette’s end lighting up as a person inhales the nicotine. So, going to the bar could soon be a completely new scene. With no smoke, there is no damage to clothing, furniture, walls, drapery, skin or air. It’s hard to imagine walking into an establishment that has allowed smoking inside and not have the stale scent of cigarette smoke filling your nostrils. With the advent of the e-cigarette, that may be an image that will soon fade into memory.

Can E-cigarettes Help Me?
Switching to the e-cigarette can be a great way to continue smoking without continuing to damage your body. The damage caused by years of smoking can be repaired over time and using the e-cigarette can help accomplish that goal. It’s important to realize that the e-cigarette still provides a person with their nicotine fix and does not alleviate their dependence on it. So, if you have tried to quit smoking but couldn’t and you want to stop the damage to your system, then the e-cigarette is a wonderful alternative. But, the nicotine addiction will still be a part of your life. The dependency on this harmful drug should be addressed, probably separately, at a later time. But the e-cigarette may be a great stepping off point if you are serious about kicking this debilitating habit for good.

What is an E-cigarette?
The electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, is a smoking alternative. It’s an electronic device, powered by a microchip, designed to look and feel like the real thing. The cigarette-shaped device houses a lithium battery and a cartridge filled with liquid nicotine. The major difference between real cigarettes and the electronic alternative is there is no tar or other harmful chemicals in the e-cig. It produces a smoke, but it is not the harmful smoke filled with carcinogens associated with tobacco smoke. The nicotine, once exhaled, becomes a vapor that resembles smoke, giving the smoker the feel of smoking a real cigarette. There are some obvious health benefits to using the e-cig. The absence of tobacco makes smoking the e-cig a much healthier alternative to smoking the real thing. No, smoke in the lungs, no wheezing, emphysema, lung cancer or many other health risks. There are no carcinogens, no chemicals that will slowly kill you. And there is essentially no second-hand smoke either.

Is the Cost Worth it?
The initial cost of an e-cig starter kit runs around $100 – $150. Once the starter kit is purchased, which includes a cigarette, a battery, a charger and usually some cartridges to get you started, the continued purchases will included additional cartridges. After the initial charge of the kit, the cost to smoke a cartridge, which is approximately the equivalent of a pack, will be substantially less than the average cost of a pack of cigarettes today. Depending on what cartridges you purchase, the average cost could run as little as $1.00 per “pack.” The e-cig is still new to the market and is currently still working some kinks out of the technology, but the concept is a breakthrough for all smokers who are looking to get the pleasure of smoking without risking their health.

The smoker still gets nicotine into their system, but there is no tobacco products which alleviates the health risks associated with tobacco use. One of the biggest benefits of using the e-cigarette is the absence of tar, arsenic, formaldehyde, acetone, ammonia and many other extremely poisonous, dangerous chemicals which are all in traditional cigarettes. Eliminating these harmful carcinogens from your body is enough reason alone to invest in the e-cigarette if you are a smoker.