HEALTH WISE
(04/03/2009) By Valerie Greguire,
Certified Herbalist, Natural Health Consultant

Natural Help to Quit Smoking…

We’ve entered the 4th month of the year, and for many of us we find that our well intentioned New Year’s resolutions have been pushed to the back of our minds. Perhaps we couldn’t stick with our plans, or just couldn’t accomplish our goals. There are many reasons that we tend to move on and forget these goals. For those of you who resolved to quit smoking and have found that you are still lighting up regularly, I would like to offer a little encouragement and help. I know you want to quit smoking, or at least in theory you do. Knowing that every time you inhale a cigarette you inhale over 2000 chemicals into your bloodstream could in itself be a reason to quit. The health risks are well known and the smell is just not appealing or inviting to anyone, so why not quit? One big reason is that smoking directly stimulates the central nervous system and increases levels of pleasure inducing chemicals in the brain. The problem is although you temporarily feel better, it is an illusion; the nicotine is actually destroying your health, and deteriorating your central nervous system. And then there are those unpleasant side effects of quitting, the brain becomes distressed with the absence of the chemical that produces the relaxing feeling. You may suffer insomnia, hunger and food cravings, shaky nerves and irritability. It’s no wonder a person resolves to just continue smoking. These are some very real hurdles to deal with.
Therefore, a natural program to quit smoking needs to support the above areas. We need to substitute the nicotine with natural substances that mimic its effects, but build up rather than tear down your health. We also need to consider all those chemicals that are building up in your liver and all the cells in the body. As soon as you quit smoking your body will begin the process of trying to clean out the chemicals. If this is done too quickly, or if you don’t have the right nutrients for the process, you will experience many negative effects. These are the symptoms associated with withdrawal from the nicotine. By supporting these areas nutritionally you can lessen withdrawal symptoms, as well as help repair the damage done by the nicotine. Let’s talk about a few possibilities…

Chinese Mood Elevator TCM is a wonderful formula that I have talked about many times before. It helps overall to balance brain chemicals, lift the moods, increase your sense of wellbeing and gently cleanses the liver. This is a foundational formula to build your quit-smoking program on. Lobelia- is an herb which helps to lessen the desire for tobacco. Lobelia has a chemical structure which closely resembles nicotine without any of the negative effects on the body. It is calming to the nerves and naturally quenches the desire for nicotine. Lobelia also helps block the increased heart rate caused by the tobacco, as well as strengthening the respiratory system and helping to expel mucus from the lungs. 1 capsule 3 times daily is usually an effective dose when combined with the other supplements in this program. Make sure to drink 2 quarts of water to flush toxins from the body. Nutri-Calm- This formula is a B-Complex in a base of calming herbs along with Vitamin C. One of my favorite formulas, it has been put together so well, that the combined effect of the ingredients is greater than the individual components. Quite frankly, this formula calms nerves fast, taking away the irritability and edginess associated with quitting smoking. As with lobelia, the B-Complex vitamins mimic the effects of tobacco on the system helping to remove the desire to smoke. The Vitamin C added to the formula helps replenish what is depleted by smoking. Most people start with 2 tablets 3 times daily and reduce to 1 tablet 3 times daily as their nerves improve. Tobacco Detox - This is a natural homeopathic formula to relieve the symptoms related to nicotine withdrawal, including nausea, cough, and nervous tension. This is a must have product for quitting smoking. I recommend using it whenever the craving for a cigarette comes; it seems to stop the craving immediately, thereby allowing you to go longer between cigarettes.

Helpful Hint: This program has been very successful for those who want to quit smoking; I have had many people quit in as few as 5 days after smoking for many years. The key is to commit to quitting once you start the supplements. I recommend that when you do smoke, do so only outdoors, no matter what time of day it is, and then only take a few puffs to satisfy the desire, never finish a cigarette. With these two hints, it helps break the psychological habit of smoking. The physical desire will go away quickly as you smoke less and take the supplements. It is very important to drink 2 quarts of filtered or bottled water while on this program. This is necessary to aid the body in flushing the chemical residue from the tobacco out of the body. If you do not drink enough water while you quit smoking it is very likely you will experience headaches and nausea from a back up of toxins. Eat a healthy diet, your brain needs good quality proteins and fresh whole foods. Avoid sugar and white flour products. Super Algae is a good whole food supplement that provides natural sources of protein in it’s easiest to absorb form. This formula can help make up for, a not-so-perfect diet. It provides lots of protein for your brain to use to make those feel good hormones. It has natural mood enhancing properties and is calming to the nerves. This is a good formula to take between meals to balance your food cravings that come when you quit smoking. I’d take 3 capsules between breakfast and lunch and 3 more in the late afternoon when people tend to feel their worst. I think you will find it will help to keep you more focused and stable throughout the day. I hope that these products and tips will help you to finish the rest of the year healthier and smoke free from here on.

For more specific information or to have your questions answered. Please visit Nature’s Remedy at 18 Monroe Street, Ellicottville NY or by calling 716.699.HERB (4372).

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this publication is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose illness nor prescribe treatment. Rather, this material is designed to be used in cooperation with your nutritionally-oriented health professional to deal with your personal health problems.